A bit of Squares history

[geno57]

I already knew the history ... but if you're on Facebook, check out this posting from a TV history fan page.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=442732312430990&set=a.197108410326716.39183.189359747768249&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf

[Ian Wallis]

Love that picture.  There was another picture from just behind the grid published in TVGuide in early 1975.  Outside of those two, I haven't seen any others.

Now...if we could just find a photo of the back of the Press Your Luck board (to see the setup of all those slide projectors...)

[carlisle96]

that picture was from an NBC 50th anniversary book. It also had pictures of Three on a Match, the Art Fleming Jeopardy, High Rollers, and Reach for the Stars -- an odd choice considering all the successful NBC games through the years

[irwinsjournal.com]

It looked a lot larger on the show than it does in the photo.

I know I'm being lazy, but I suspect someone here knows this without having to look it up: how large was the actual set of Squares?

[BrandonFG]

I know I'm being lazy, but I suspect someone here knows this without having to look it up: how large was the actual set of Squares?

From Dixon Hayes' Squares site...

A couple of rare behind the scenes pictures from a 50th anniversary coffee-table book NBC published in 1976. The tic-tac-toe grid was a 18x18 piece of scaffolding.

That same picture is on the page as well.

[DrBear]

It looked a lot larger on the show than it does in the photo.

This strikes me every time I walk into a TV studio - how small everything is compared to seeing it on TV. The reason, of course, is that other than the people, there is no point of reference - we don't see how the furniture and settings fits into the studio, and we imagine it as being in an averaged sized room even though we know it is not. Perspective is skewed.

[JCGames]

That NBC book, The Golden Years of Broadcasting, also contained pictures from TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, YOU BET YOUR LIFE, QUEEN FOR A DAY, THE MAGNIFICENT MARBLE MACHINE, and from radio, THE QUIZ KIDS and INFORMATION PLEASE.

Actually the book has a picture from the radio version of ToC with Ralph Edwards and a pic from the TV version with Bob Barker; it shows him reuniting a brother and sister after 30 years apart.

[Clay Zambo]

What I really appreciate about that photograph is that it's the only one I can remember seeing of the NBC grid that also shows the contestant area.  The show never provided a full-set shot including grid and players; I wonder what the space between looked like to the studio audience.

[calliaume]

That NBC book, The Golden Years of Broadcasting, also contained pictures from TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, YOU BET YOUR LIFE, QUEEN FOR A DAY, THE MAGNIFICENT MARBLE MACHINE, and from radio, THE QUIZ KIDS and INFORMATION PLEASE.

I prevailed upon my parents to get me this book as a Christmas present in 1976 after seeing the linked Squares photo, the two-page Magnificent Marble Machine spread (which is part of the frontmatter, and taken from a very odd location on the stairs) was an added bonus.

[chris319]

What I really appreciate about that photograph is that it's the only one I can remember seeing of the NBC grid that also shows the contestant area.  The show never provided a full-set shot including grid and players; I wonder what the space between looked like to the studio audience.

In the picture, the game board is parallel to the pipes, meaning it was "square" to the audience, i.e. faced the audience directly. When I was on their set the board had been angled 45 degrees toward Peter and the contestants, who faced stage left (90 degrees to the audience). They had to put up a special drop behind the board at a 45-degree angle because they no longer used the studio's built-in cyc, but the celebs were now at less of an angle to the cameras. There were three cameras on an elevated platform about four feet high shooting the panel and on located stage left shooting the contestants. Owing to the lack of bleachers it could be NBC studio 2, 3 or 4.

At CBS TV City (Bergeron version, not the pilot) the board faced directly downstage as in this photo but Tom and the contestants faced upstage left, i.e. they somewhat had their backs to the audience.

[TimK2003]

What I really appreciate about that photograph is that it's the only one I can remember seeing of the NBC grid that also shows the contestant area.  The show never provided a full-set shot including grid and players; I wonder what the space between looked like to the studio audience.

In the picture, the game board is parallel to the pipes, meaning it was "square" to the audience, i.e. faced the audience directly. When I was on their set the board had been angled 45 degrees toward Peter and the contestants, who faced stage left (90 degrees to the audience). They had to put up a special drop behind the board at a 45-degree angle because they no longer used the studio's built-in cyc, but the celebs were now at less of an angle to the cameras. There were three cameras on an elevated platform about four feet high shooting the panel and on located stage left shooting the contestants. Owing to the lack of bleachers it could be NBC studio 2, 3 or 4.

When I saw Davison's Squares at NBC in '87, ISTR the grid being more like 50-60 degrees from the audience, due to having to fit the "car mountain" between the celebs and contestants.