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Author Topic: Shows with "dark" openings  (Read 5577 times)

ActualRetailMike

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Shows with "dark" openings
« on: May 14, 2012, 07:59:02 PM »
It seems like a lot of pre-1980 game shows made use of "darkness" as a special effect in their opening sequence.  The most common way was to begin with a darkened stage, then quickly bring up the lights as the players and/or host was introduced.  The stage wasn't completely dark; you'd often have conspicuous strings of light bulbs, either steady, blinking, chasing, or progressively turning on.  There might also be strategic backlighting effects to silhouette the show's sets.

One textbook example of this was Match Game ‘7x.  After introducing the celebrities via that “flipper”, we’d see a darkened set.  The word “Match” would diffusively turn on, then “Game” all at once, then “‘7x”, after which the stage lights would quickly brighten as the turntable rotated.

Another example, albeit a distant memory, was Password, I think from 1971.  In this case, the show began with the camera zoomed in on the chase lights in a dark studio.  The camera then zoomed out enough to make out the word, then the shape of the studio, then the lights came on. (Though I’m not sure they always did that that incarnation of Password.  I seem to recall that for the first episode or two, they started out with the studio fully lit and the camera zoomed in on the word Password flashing on and off.  They then zoomed out as usual.)

One reason that the darkness special effect was so common, IMHO, is that it was easy enough to pull off with the technology of the time.  When TV cameras were tube-based, you needed a LOT of light to produce broadcast-quality programs.  I seem to recall being advised to not even look directly at the Fresnel studio lights for danger of hurting your eyes.   So  it was easy to depict a darkened stage by merely dimming the stage lights to less than high-noon brightness.  Over time, TV camera tubes became more light-sensitive, and today most studio TV cameras don’t even use tubes, but rather CCDs to capture the image.  As such, while studio lighting still needs to be set “just right”, the foot-candle reading in the camera field doesn’t need to be nearly as high.

Some gameshows used darkness for effects other than the show’s opening.  One example was on The Dating Game (original), where they kept each of the 3 bachelors silhouetted in darkness until they were introduced, one-by-one.  (Same with the less-common 3 bachelorettes, except they superimposed a lacy heart frame).  And a rather odd example was found in the mid-’70s show Baffle.  When they “turned off sound” in each player’s booth, they also turned off the stage light in there, making it appear that they were sitting in darkness.  (I used to ask myself, as a kid, what being in the dark had to do with whether or not you could hear what was going on. But anyway.)

And of course, many gameshows dimmed the main studio lights, perhaps selectively, as a backdrop for the closing credits.  This was done on some variety shows as well, and even some local or national news programs.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2012, 08:58:31 PM by ActualRetailMike »

Matt Miller

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2012, 08:08:06 PM »
80s Sale of the Century immediately comes to mind as a show that used a dark open. Another example is the 80s versions of Pyramid and Winning Streak in the 70s also used a dark open if I recall from the one episode I saw.
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Mike Tennant

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2012, 08:50:44 PM »
Sandy Frank, as I recall, was fond of such openings. Both Face the Music and Lange Name That Tune used a dark set with chase lights to open the show.

BrandonFG

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #3 on: May 14, 2012, 08:58:44 PM »
-70s Pyramid as well
-80s Scrabble
-80s versions of the Newlywed and Dating games
-the TPiR Thursday night specials, featuring a spotlight roaming the crowd
-Wipeout I believe
-Password Plus/Super Password

There's quite a few shows; it's a trend that really seemed to peak in the 80s...it's also an aspect that's missing from the games of today IMO.
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Chief-O

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #4 on: May 14, 2012, 09:04:56 PM »
80s "Card Sharks".
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calliaume

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #5 on: May 14, 2012, 09:48:30 PM »
The 1976 (Kennedy/Barry) version of Break the Bank.  The New Treasure Hunt..  The original open for The Money Maze.  There's lots to choose from here.

That Don Guy

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #6 on: May 14, 2012, 09:52:32 PM »
Didn't NBC-era Jackpot! also start with a dark set?

Chief-O

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #7 on: May 14, 2012, 11:09:55 PM »
Didn't NBC-era Jackpot! also start with a dark set?

[checks a few YT videos]

Partially dark, but yes. So did [strike]Darrow's.[/strike] ETA: Edwards' return, . Darrow's, .
« Last Edit: May 14, 2012, 11:13:46 PM by Chief-O »
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aaron sica

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2012, 12:48:19 AM »
Not so much an opening to a show, per se, but I always liked the "Trip down Main Street" showcase when they would start out with the crawl lights on the big doors..

PYLdude

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2012, 01:23:47 AM »
I would think the current Jeopardy would be an example, although it wasn't until the second season (I think) that they started dimming the whole set.
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TimK2003

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #10 on: May 15, 2012, 02:50:28 AM »
Add to the "dark open" mix:

• Jack Clark's version of Cross Wits
• Stumpers
• Hit Man

Craig Karlberg

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2012, 04:19:03 AM »
Not only did Break the Bank '76 started in the dark, but it also ended that way too.  That's the only one I remember that does that on a regular basis.  When the CBS version of The Joker's Wiled ended, the whole set gradually got darker untill it was completely dark.  A true example of a show saying its fond farewell.

Not sure if Pitfall opened in the dark or not, I do however remember seeing the set being partially darkened before the bonus round.  That's where the player has to watch the sequence of lights on the bridge to locate where the 3 pirfalls are because they always flashed twuce.

alfonzos

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2012, 05:51:38 PM »
Jack Barry's Twenty One, Concentration's Challenge of Champions, The $64,000 Challenge,Winning Streak, and (possibly) 100 Grand.
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Kevin Prather

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #13 on: May 15, 2012, 07:12:22 PM »
Jack Barry's Twenty One
The Povich Twenty One also, IIRC.

jimlangefan

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Shows with "dark" openings
« Reply #14 on: May 15, 2012, 07:29:49 PM »
Face The Music ended in the dark too.  I believe Bumper Stumpers opened and closed in the dark too.
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