The B&E Syndicated Trio Of The Early 80's.

[PYLdude]

Matchmates certainly could've worked, I believe. I had one or two things I didn't like about the pilot but it certainly was an inoffensive little shindig and could've been interesting to see.

As far as the B&E dossier was concerned, I think Concentration is a coin-flip; the show started as a B&E concept and Barry hosted, but once NBC bought him out he and Enright had no control over what it became afterward.

[Mike Tennant]

I think H-Q was in much the same situation: one massive hit (Squares) with a few minor hits (Gambit, High Rollers) and many misses. Bob Stewart Productions, likewise, had Pyramid for its big hit, plus minor hits like Eye Guess and Jackpot!, and a bunch of misses. There really was only one game show packager capable of turning out hit after hit (though still with plenty of misses): G-T.

[jjman920]

I think H-Q was in much the same situation: one massive hit (Squares) with a few minor hits (Gambit, High Rollers) and many misses. Bob Stewart Productions, likewise, had Pyramid for its big hit, plus minor hits like Eye Guess and Jackpot!, and a bunch of misses. There really was only one game show packager capable of turning out hit after hit (though still with plenty of misses): G-T.

I think that's pretty much the point. G-T were one of the ones who were able to pump out just as many hits as misses. Take a look that the period of GSN when they lost the rights to almost the entire G-T library. How many of those shows on the schedule lasted longer than one/two seasons?

Although, now that I think about it, how about Chuck Barris? He had three massive hits, four if you count Treasure Hunt. While it wasn't as big as TDG, TNG, and TGS in my eyes, it lasted four years its first time out.

[MikeK]

Although, now that I think about it, how about Chuck Barris? He had three massive hits, four if you count Treasure Hunt. While it wasn't as big as TDG, TNG, and TGS in my eyes, it lasted four years its first time out.

I was thinking about this earlier this morning.  As much as we poo-poo on Barris, he had four shows which ran for at least 4 years.  He had some stinkers (The Game Game, 3's a Crowd, Camouflage), but it seems his ratio of hits to duds is 2nd or 3rd best of any non-current production company, mainly referring to Endemol.

From a friend to the forum, here is Cleveland's broadcast history with some edits by me:

TJW 7:30-8:00pm Sept 77-Sept 78 on CBS affiliate TV-8
TJW 7-7:30pm Sept 78-Sept 81 on TV-8
TJW 7:30-8pm Spring 83-Sept 84 on TV-5
TJW on TV-55 from Dec 85 to at least Mar 87 at 11 PM to start, then at 6 PM with TTD until Sep 86, then to 10 AM when Crosswits premiered. 
TTD on TV-5 from 7:30-8pm Jan 79-Sep 81
TTD on TV-3 from 1983-84 (airing first at 7pm and then moved to 1:30am)
TTD on TV-55 from Dec 85 to at least Mar 87, at 6:30 PM with TJW to start, but it was seen at 11 PM during this time period.

[Jamey Greek]

Bullseye may not have been as strong as Joker and Tic Tac, but it was their (distant) 3rd most successful 5-a-week offering in syndication - lasting more than 1 season.

So because it was marginally less unsuccessful than some of the company's other shows, that merits lumping it in with TJW and TTD?

You need to come up with a new argument.

Outside of Joker and Tic Tac Dough, how many of B&E's shows WERE successful, post-rigging? I don't believe any of them made it beyond 2 seasons as it was, and I might argue Bullseye and Celeb Bullseye could be considered separate programs if I was that nitpicky.

I mean, look at it. Break the Bank, ends in daytime after fifteen weeks in spite of itself, syndicated series is a bust. Blank Check, bust. Hollywood's Talking, 65 and out. Hollywood Connection, one season. Play the Percentages, half season wonder.

If you really consider it, B&E and Grundy were given a lot more credit than they perhaps deserved. Two hits and a lotta misses.

So did Merv Griffin

[TLEberle]

So what about Merv, Jamey?

[BrandonFG]

So what about Merv, Jamey?

See my post on the prior page.

[TLEberle]

To which I'd say that Wheel and Jeopardy go a long way to wiping out the stains of Ruckus, Monopoly and Let's Play Post Office.

/Pobody's Nerfect, y'know.

[PYLdude]

Yeah,.the argument you make with Merv is that his best stuff still has staying power. Wheel has been on the air in some form for almost 40 consecutive years, Jeopardy for 41 of the last 50. And even his misses seemed to have a little redeeming value, in most cases (Ruckus aside).

Barry and Enright, not so much.

[The Ol' Guy]

I have some Broadcasting Magazine ads in the files somewhere - a three or four-page spread from Colbert Sales with Joker, Dough and Bullseye pushed as a "big 3" (which, at the time, was correct). They had photos of Jack, Wink, and Jim standing back-to-back, pushing the markets where two of the three shows were paired, and a couple of markets where all three ran together. Bullseye had just completed it's first season. In in ratio of duds to hits. Barry & Enright also flopped on Back That Fact, You're On Your Own, High-Low, Hold Everything, Way Out Games and All About The Opposite Sex. Griffin also tanked with One In A Million, Joe Garagiola's Memory Game, and Reach For The Stars. All forgettable.

[BrandonFG]

I remember that ad...wasn't there something mentioning Soap World as "coming soon"?

[TLEberle]

What's the larger point being made here? That most production companies had a couple of big hits and a string of misses? I think I'd be willing to take that as written.

[Johnissoevil]

The only reason Kennedy Break the Bank didn't last was because of ABC's desire to expand their sudsters.  Shame too, despite it being a copy of an established format, it was still decent.

[PYLdude]

The only reason Kennedy Break the Bank didn't last was because of ABC's desire to expand their sudsters.  Shame too, despite it being a copy of an established format, it was still decent.

Well, something had to go...last in, first out.

Although I think it was pretty odd for a daytime program of any kind to last forty-five minutes.

[aaron sica]

Although I think it was pretty odd for a daytime program of any kind to last forty-five minutes.

Definitely...But I believe it was more of a desperation move on ABC's part....Not so much for the competition on CBS (3:15 cut halfway into reruns of "All in The Family"), but more of an attack on "Another World")....