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Author Topic: Most obscure game shows  (Read 73050 times)

MikeK

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Most obscure game shows
« Reply #135 on: July 23, 2011, 10:17:37 AM »
NBC shows from the early 70s appear to be those which rank quite high on the obscurity list.  As far as I know, there is no video or audio from Words and Music and Joe Garagiola's Memory Game, nor has there been much discussion about those shows in the 15+ years I've been on these internets.  There are smatterings of audio from Baffle and the original $ale of the Century out there, though those two series aren't nearly as obscure as the first two mentioned.

Matt Ottinger

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Most obscure game shows
« Reply #136 on: July 23, 2011, 11:16:55 AM »
NBC shows from the early 70s appear to be those which rank quite high on the obscurity list.  As far as I know, there is no video or audio from Words and Music and Joe Garagiola's Memory Game, nor has there been much discussion about those shows in the 15+ years I've been on these internets.  There are smatterings of audio from Baffle and the original $ale of the Century out there, though those two series aren't nearly as obscure as the first two mentioned.
It's weird, I think of myself as having been a game show fan all my life, and I would have been ten when Words and Music was on, but I have absolutely no memory of it whatsoever.  Granted, there would have been few chances for a schoolkid to have seen it, since it only had a September-February run.  I have only the dimmest of memories of Joe Garagiola's Memory Game (which was on for part of the summer of 1971) and Sale of the Century.  I actually remember Joe's syndicated Sale a little better.

I hadn't heard that there was audio for Sale, but I have heard that there is audio of Memory Game.  I've not had the chance to listen to either one, and I would love to!  As I mentioned earlier in this thread, there is at least one episode of Baffle in existence.
« Last Edit: July 23, 2011, 11:17:12 AM by Matt Ottinger »
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Ian Wallis

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Most obscure game shows
« Reply #137 on: July 23, 2011, 11:36:20 AM »
Quote
Another short-lived syndicated show was "All About The Opposite Sex" Two teams consisting of 7 men and 7 women competed to see who knew more about the opposite sex, only lasted for two months.


As obscure as that was, GSN actually aired a few episodes of it during their Faux Pause days in the late '90s.  I don't think it ever aired in my area when it was in first-run.
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Ian Wallis

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« Reply #138 on: July 23, 2011, 11:39:26 AM »
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Has anyone ever seen "Anything You Can Do."? Lasted from 71 to 74 with Gene Wood and later Don Harron. Canadian production that ABC Films and later Worldvision syndicated to the US. Both WABC and WCBS played it off and on.

Oddly enough, I remember the Don Harron version quite well.  I was surprised to find out Gene Wood ever hosted the show.  A few years ago an episode of Gene's version popped up in the trade curcuit.  I remember reading that Gene left the show after the first year because he was worried people could get injured doing some of the stunts.  I believe the episode we have is one of those episodes in question.
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Jimmy Owen

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« Reply #139 on: July 23, 2011, 11:48:13 AM »
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Has anyone ever seen "Anything You Can Do."? Lasted from 71 to 74 with Gene Wood and later Don Harron. Canadian production that ABC Films and later Worldvision syndicated to the US. Both WABC and WCBS played it off and on.

Oddly enough, I remember the Don Harron version quite well.  I was surprised to find out Gene Wood ever hosted the show.  A few years ago an episode of Gene's version popped up in the trade curcuit.  I remember reading that Gene left the show after the first year because he was worried people could get injured doing some of the stunts.  I believe the episode we have is one of those episodes in question.
Probably for evidence in the case. :)
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Matt Ottinger

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« Reply #140 on: July 24, 2011, 04:22:15 PM »
For funsies, I went back and reviewed the one episode of Anything You Can Do, at least the only one I have.  And yeah, it's Beat the Clock, except that instead of an arbitrary clock, a team of men and a team of women each compete in the same stunts and their times are compared to each other.  At the end, the team with the lowest total accumulated time is the winner.   Also, there's never a visible clock of any sort, so we're left to take the word of Gene and his offstage folks.  

The games I saw were maybe mildly embarrassing, but hardly dangerous.  Gene left because he had the chance to actually host Beat the Clock, a much higher-profile gig than this one, and every bit as "dangerous".

BTW this episode is Exhibit A as to why Gene is famous as an announcer and not as a host.  He's really just this side of inept.  He actually crosses over the ineptitude line at the end, when seconds after announcing the winning team, he congratulates the wrong ones.
« Last Edit: July 24, 2011, 04:23:26 PM by Matt Ottinger »
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Robert Carter

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Most obscure game shows
« Reply #141 on: July 24, 2011, 11:19:30 PM »
Don Harron hosted this show? The man better known as "Charlie Farquharson" of Hee Haw and The Red Green Show fame? Wow, didn't know he hosted AYCD. It's plausible enough since the show was taped in Canada and he's from there (recipient of the Order of Canada). The man's done a lot in his life, but I didn't realize that a game show was one of them.

My market only carried AYCD while Wood was host. It was OK.

Jimmy Owen

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Most obscure game shows
« Reply #142 on: July 25, 2011, 10:28:59 AM »
Don Harron hosted this show? The man better known as "Charlie Farquharson" of Hee Haw and The Red Green Show fame? Wow, didn't know he hosted AYCD. It's plausible enough since the show was taped in Canada and he's from there (recipient of the Order of Canada). The man's done a lot in his life, but I didn't realize that a game show was one of them.

My market only carried AYCD while Wood was host. It was OK.
Check davidgleason.com and search the Broadcasting archives for an ad for the show picturing Harron as host in the 7/2/73 issue.  Page 9.
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Ian Wallis

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Most obscure game shows
« Reply #143 on: July 25, 2011, 02:24:27 PM »
Quote
Also, there's never a visible clock of any sort, so we're left to take the word of Gene and his offstage folks.

Actually there is a clock, but most of it's covered up by the time code counter.
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Matt Ottinger

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Most obscure game shows
« Reply #144 on: July 25, 2011, 02:49:55 PM »
Actually there is a clock, but most of it's covered up by the time code counter.
Face, meet palm.  Sorry about that.
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narzo

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Most obscure game shows
« Reply #145 on: July 25, 2011, 06:33:58 PM »
two come to mind that even Google searches reveal little on but I do recall seeing:

"TeleQuest"- Actually still have a clip on VHS somewhere.  Q&A game with a play from your phone for $$ element.  Ran at about 2am here.

"Ten Pin Alley"- Ron Ely hosted bowling show.  I actually liked this a lot, had some clever games within the show.


Also, did anyone ever see "Majority Rules"?  I have never seen a clip online or even heard from anyone who has seen it.  Sounded like a big budget show but two stations?

vexer6

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Most obscure game shows
« Reply #146 on: July 25, 2011, 09:44:46 PM »
Back in 2008, ABC had a very short-lived dance themed game show called "Dance Machine" It only lasted for 3 episodes before getting the ax due to terrible ratings(I it got even worse ratings then "Set For Life" did).

The American syndicated version of "Every Second Counts" is mostly forgotten compared to the British version.

ABC Family had a short-lived variety game show called "Dance Fever" it was hosted by Eric Nies with MC Hammer, Carmen Electra and Jamie King as celebrity judges.

Surprisingly enough, The Travel Channel once had a game show called "The Great Getaway" It was their only such attempt.

Before Pat Bullard hosted the Card Sharks revival, he had a syndicated game show called "Hold Everything!" It looks and sounds pretty awful if this page is any indication http://gsgarbage.clw83.com/holdeverything.htm

Another short-lived ABC show was "The Big Moment" where a family member had one week to perform a certain task-like memorizing Pi to the 100th decimal, answering 10 questions on the movie "Ghost" Identifying 12 flavors of Baskin Robbins Ice Cream while blindfolded, etc. It was pretty fun and Brad Sherwood was a great host.

USA Network had a pilot called "Grill Me" which was basically Jeopardy with food categories, and it had celebrity contestants Dweezil Zappa, Susan Olsen and Kistoff. St. John playing for charity.

tvwxman

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Most obscure game shows
« Reply #147 on: July 25, 2011, 10:29:28 PM »
Also, did anyone ever see "Majority Rules"?  I have never seen a clip online or even heard from anyone who has seen it.  Sounded like a big budget show but two stations?
Hosted by Marc Summers and Arthel Neville - test ran in New Orleans - wasn't a bad show...never knew why it didn't launch nationally. Apparently the ratings in NO were pretty decent. I've got one on tape somewhere.....Mid 90s...around the same time "Debt" was test ran in a few markets too, no?
« Last Edit: July 25, 2011, 10:29:48 PM by tvwxman »
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BrandonFG

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Most obscure game shows
« Reply #148 on: July 25, 2011, 11:45:50 PM »
Also, did anyone ever see "Majority Rules"?  I have never seen a clip online or even heard from anyone who has seen it.  Sounded like a big budget show but two stations?
Hosted by Marc Summers and Arthel Neville - test ran in New Orleans - wasn't a bad show...never knew why it didn't launch nationally. Apparently the ratings in NO were pretty decent. I've got one on tape somewhere.....Mid 90s...around the same time "Debt" was test ran in a few markets too, no?
Fall 1996, I believe, so Debt was still in first-run on Lifetime at that point.

I remember reading about a contestant call, and being pretty disappointed that Norfolk didn't pick it up.

Erik Estrada incident notwithstanding, with Pictionary '97 be considered obscure?
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William_S.

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Most obscure game shows
« Reply #149 on: July 26, 2011, 05:55:56 AM »
I did mention the 1989 version with Head of the Class' Brian Robbins that's more obscure than the Alan Thicke Version. Try searching for Pictionary Game Show. And as you said, You'll see more "FALCON PONCH!!" than anything else...


/I'm sorry for that.