Concentration

[Ian Wallis]

However, by keeping these shows for only 90 days, there was little danger of playing them out of order. True, if we were preempted, and the tape was played the next day, the host could say, "Have a nice weekend." on a Monday show.

When I was growing up, it seemed that most times when a show was pre-empted, it just never aired (especially on ABC and NBC).  The host would talk about what happened "yesterday" and introduce the champion, when on the show before the pre-emption they weren't even there.

In the early '70s, CBS began just "holding" the tape until the next day, especially during the Watergate hearings.  This is one reason why sometimes on celebrity game shows, you'd get a new group appearing on a Wednesday instead of a Monday.

For "Concentration", were there many unscheduled pre-emtions that you recall, and did NBC usually hold the tape until the next day, or just discard it to keep on schedule?

[Bryce L.]

They could have just done like ABC did with Dark Shadows and double-numbered pre-empted shows, so that an episode numbered 5 or 0 always landed on Friday...

[MyronMMeyer]

Not exactly a question, but it's about Concentration, so I'll post it here.

According to comedienne Sarah Silverman's book The Bedwetter, her mother Beth Ann Silverman was a contestant on the show in May of 1964. She won 6 games over 3 days and qualified for the "Challenge of Champions" in the fall. She does not mention how her mother ultimately fared, but she does recount an impressive list of prizes. (Perhaps Mr. Blumenthal remembers her and how she did in the CoC?)

The (brief) story can be found on pages 9-10 of her book. You can read it through the preview at amazon.com , if you want. Click "Search inside this book, then search for the word "Concentration".

-M

[normb]

Not exactly a question, but it's about Concentration, so I'll post it here.

According to comedienne Sarah Silverman's book The Bedwetter, her mother Beth Ann Silverman was a contestant on the show in May of 1964. She won 6 games over 3 days and qualified for the "Challenge of Champions" in the fall. She does not mention how her mother ultimately fared, but she does recount an impressive list of prizes. (Perhaps Mr. Blumenthal remembers her and how she did in the CoC?)

The (brief) story can be found on pages 9-10 of her book. You can read it through the preview at amazon.com , if you want. Click "Search inside this book, then search for the word "Concentration".

-M

Sorry, I don't recall Beth Ann Silverman -- that was a long time ago.  She must have been very good at our game.  Only the top 4 players a year got into the Challenge of Champions.  Thanks for letting me know.

[wdm1219inpenna]

Greetings once again Mr. B.  A non-Concentration question if I may.  Do you watch any game shows now, such as "Price is Right" or "Let's Make A Deal" during the day on CBS, or "Wheel of Fortune", "Jeopardy!" or "Family Feud" in syndication?  I was just curious if you still watch others game shows and enjoy the genre.  I miss when the major networks had many more game shows/quiz shows during the early hours.  Seems since daytime game shows are so rare, and there seems to be more focus on court shows, news programs and "reality" TV that the nation as a whole has become a lot more depressed.  I think back to the mid 1970s when shows like Concentration were on, along with "Split Second", "Match Game", "Pyramid" just to name a few, and times seemed happier.  Maybe I'm being silly as I was just a child then but it seemed there was a better balance in the past.  Game shows were a way to "accentuate the positive" while not necessarily "eliminating the negative" as game shows were countered in the early afternoons by daytime dramas.  I realize a key demographic "housewives" has really dwindled down since the 1970s, which explains the erosion slowly of daytime major network game shows airing.  Sorry I didn't mean to go off on such a long winded tangent.  I was curious however if you still watch any of the current shows, or if you watch the few retro shows offered by GSN?

[normb]

Greetings once again Mr. B.  A non-Concentration question if I may.  Do you watch any game shows now, such as "Price is Right" or "Let's Make A Deal" during the day on CBS, or "Wheel of Fortune", "Jeopardy!" or "Family Feud" in syndication?  I was just curious if you still watch others game shows and enjoy the genre.  I miss when the major networks had many more game shows/quiz shows during the early hours.  Seems since daytime game shows are so rare, and there seems to be more focus on court shows, news programs and "reality" TV that the nation as a whole has become a lot more depressed.  I think back to the mid 1970s when shows like Concentration were on, along with "Split Second", "Match Game", "Pyramid" just to name a few, and times seemed happier.  Maybe I'm being silly as I was just a child then but it seemed there was a better balance in the past.  Game shows were a way to "accentuate the positive" while not necessarily "eliminating the negative" as game shows were countered in the early afternoons by daytime dramas.  I realize a key demographic "housewives" has really dwindled down since the 1970s, which explains the erosion slowly of daytime major network game shows airing.  Sorry I didn't mean to go off on such a long winded tangent.  I was curious however if you still watch any of the current shows, or if you watch the few retro shows offered by GSN?

This is a different era -- the "game" has lost out to the payoff.  I find that most of today's games are geared toward either "reality" or million dollar prizes. I'm not lured by the challenge of beating the on-air players, and certainly don't stand a chance of winning anything.  To me, they are not entertaining enough to waste any time on -- the drama and excitement are missing. In the past, it was evident people at home, regardless of their looks or age, dreamed of the day they could compete on the shows they did so well at home with.  Now -- look at the players on the reality games -- young, beautiful, shapely (even sexy)and very athletic.  When I did my shows, we stressed the All-American types -- the guy or gal next door -- even the nerds.  In that way EVERYONE was eligible and dreamed their impossible dream and millions fulfilled it.  Today, I enjoy watching JEOPARDY! and WHEEL OF FORTUNE.  I'm in the competition, and am eager to play along and beat their contestants.  I couldn't care less what they won -- I just have fun.  Of the new stuff, oddly enough (even though every player is gorgeous, young and athletic) I occasionally watch "WIN IT IN A MINUTE."  I do admit to giving each new game a look-see.  Most I will not give a second chance. Let's hope a few talented people can get us back on track.

[wdm1219inpenna]

As always thank you for the quick, courteous and very complete response!  It is frustrating to somebody like me and I'm certain many others on this board, who have genuinely good and workable ideas or concepts for game shows, but have no idea how to advance it to the next level.  Furthermore, it seems most people "in charge" of networks now prefer the not so sublime to the almost completely ridiculous.  

I too tried to watch "Minute To Win It".  It was a glorified version of "Beat the Clock", and it didn't really do anything for me.  Even shows like "Million Dollar Password" were too fast paced and frenetic to me, and veered off too much from the original premise and spirit of the game itself.

There are many talented people out there who have great ideas and concepts for ideas, but no connections or no way to get their proverbial foot in the door.  It continues to amaze and astound me the lack of quality programming that is aired.  I mean, somebody in charge has to "okay" these shows still, do they not?

Just yesterday I watched a 3 minute segment of "1 vs. 100".  The question dealt with the inventor of the ballpoint pen.  The solo player wasn't sure if the answer was "The Write Brothers".  Clearly that was a very bad play on words, and I instantly knew to eliminate that answer.  One person in the mob thought that was the correct answer however.  This person is a school teacher.  That just really frightened me as well as disheartened me.

There are talented people out there, sadly, the powers that be seem to be unable, unwilling and/or unavailable to ever listen to any ideas, and those who are in said position to provide new ideas, seem to be providing ideas that are very fleeting and unentertaining, or have the limiting belief that in order for it to succeed, it has to have a massive payoff dollar amount associated with it.

Thank you again Norm for gracing our board with your presence.  Some of these people I began to communicate with indirectly via message boards like this back in 1995, and it's a real pleasure to still have a medium such as this one in which to share ideas and to gain valuable insights from experienced and talented individuals such as yourself.

[Matt Ottinger]

I also remember some occasions where a prize was, or included, some time in the "cash booth" (something similar to The Diamond Head Game's end game).

So many of you are coming up with your own answers, I'll sit back and rely on your memory. Some are correct and others involve the Narz version (not mine).  For now -- I'll answer "the cash booth" -- we did use an annual plexigles booth and poured $100,000 in various denominations of US paper money all over the lucky contestant.  Within a given time period, they had to shovel as many of those the through a 6" hole in the booth.  The total of all the money was their prize to keep.   It was called, "The Shower of Money."  The booth, the armed guards and the money were supplied by the Sahara Hotel of Las Vegas. That is described in greater detail in my new book.

Going through some stuff, I found this picture of the Shower of Money that I though you'd all find interesting.  Ten points for the first person to identify the guy in the second picture who's actually pouring the money.

[JamesVipond]

Going through some stuff, I found this picture of the Shower of Money that I though you'd all find interesting.  Ten points for the first person to identify the guy in the second picture who's actually pouring the money.

According to Steve Ryan's Classic Concentration book, that's Wayne Howell, then the show's announcer, dumping the cash onto the contestant.

[Matt Ottinger]

According to Steve Ryan's Classic Concentration book, that's Wayne Howell, then the show's announcer, dumping the cash onto the contestant.

Well shoot, I didn't realize that picture had been published.  I forgot that Steve had a lot of early Concentration pictures in his book.

[normb]

Sorry, I never did get to see Steve's book, or the picture you refer to.  I don't understand the question.  If you explain, I'll try to answer

[geno57]

Mr. B.,  I wanted to call your attention to the following post, elsewhere in the forum.  You'll find your very last show, almost in its entirety.  (The solution to the first puzzle is missing, and I sure can't figger it out.)

http://gameshow.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=22126

[golden-road]

Couple of more questions:

1. Were the Cash Wheel & Shower of Money played after each game, or where they "prizes" on the board?

2. I know a Double Wild Card earned a car. What happened if that same player repeated that feat in the following (or subsequent) game(s)?

[normb]

Mr. B.,  I wanted to call your attention to the following post, elsewhere in the forum.  You'll find your very last show, almost in its entirety.  (The solution to the first puzzle is missing, and I sure can't figger it out.)

http://gameshow.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=22126

Wonder if any other member of the Game Show Forum can guess it -- with the few clues showing.  Dunno if this will work -- but I'll give you all a little more time to solve it.  After that I will send the answer.

[normb]

Couple of more questions:

1. Were the Cash Wheel & Shower of Money played after each game, or where they "prizes" on the board?

2. I know a Double Wild Card earned a car. What happened if that same player repeated that feat in the following (or subsequent) game(s)?

To add a bit of additional spice, I added 3 "special" (once a week) games each month.  The first included the CASH WHEEL (once every 3 weeks); THE ENVELOPE (surprise prize that had the winner read aloud the copy for the big prize won -- it always sounded like a cheap prize, but wasn't.  Example: "With the cost of gas today, you've won a full gallon (audience moaned) -- along with a brand new car!!!(audience screamed)"  This is just an example, most were cuter and more clever. The last of these special games was the CONCENTRATION SALUTES ... (a foreign country).  All of the prizes were related to a specific country -- a trip there, a car made there, crafts. food, etc.  Contestants wore hats from that country and our model, Paola delivered them while clad in a native costume.
The SHOWER OF MONEY happened only once a year -- generally to help increase our ratings each new fall season.