$ale of the Century: Question about Tournaments

[JonSea31]

Does anybody know how the Tournament of Champions was played during the Winner's Board and Shopping era?

Based on David Downs' recent upload, among over four hours of different game shows uploaded in one shot, the International Tournament of Champions had the ultimate winner automatically win the big car, but I am uncertain if he had received any additional money as well.  It is believed it may have been from 1987, the final months of the Winner's Board era most likely.   Did the ToC winner in say, 1985 or 1986, win an expensive car plus some cash, and did 1985/1986 ToC players play the Winner's Board as usual until they ultimately won the tournament?  Could somebody please clarify?

A short video of the Tournament Shopping end game is on YouTube, and I think the ultimate winner would buy any variety of prizes, and maybe even add a $50,000 cash jackpot.  Could someone please clarify this also?

[TLEberle]

There was a tournament in 1983 where three flights of semi-finals were contested over a week and scores built to Friday. Whoever had the most money could go shopping (and was allowed to buy multiple prizes if they were able to, including turning $500 into $50,000.) The three winners came back for another week of Finals, where the eventual winner came within touching distance of $250,000. I don't recall his name or how he did in his original appearance.

Another Tournament had eighteen players in heat rounds, and the six winners battled in two semi-final rounds for a shot at the grand prize.

[SuperMatch93]

There was a tournament in 1983 where three flights of semi-finals were contested over a week and scores built to Friday. Whoever had the most money could go shopping (and was allowed to buy multiple prizes if they were able to, including turning $500 into $50,000.) The three winners came back for another week of Finals, where the eventual winner came within touching distance of $250,000. I don't recall his name or how he did in his original appearance.

Another Tournament had eighteen players in heat rounds, and the six winners battled in two semi-final rounds for a shot at the grand prize.

Mort Camens won the tournament, and was also the first contestant to win the lot, pre-cash jackpot (somewhere in the neighborhood of $95,000). His final total was $249,982.

[TLEberle]

So he won the equivalent of a Lot-sized prize between the semis and championship, and I don't know what the grand prize was.

Mort also won some money on Jeopardy and The Challengers as well.

[TimK2003]

Since I never saw any of the syndicated episodes first run, and only a handful of syndies since, were there any big money winners from the syndicated years of $ale that won enough to qualify for a ToC?  And were syndie champs even eligible for the daytime tournament in the first place? 

[TLEberle]

Since I never saw any of the syndicated episodes first run, and only a handful of syndies since, were there any big money winners from the syndicated years of $ale that won enough to qualify for a ToC?  And were syndie champs even eligible for the daytime tournament in the first place?

I think Linda Credit was a nighttime winner, and is seen in the 1988 tournament. Curtis Warren's $136k put him fifth among the nighttime winners that I know of (Tim, John, Helaine, Alice, Curtis), and the show wasn't renewed on GSN through the end of the syndicated series.

[PYLdude]

Since I never saw any of the syndicated episodes first run, and only a handful of syndies since, were there any big money winners from the syndicated years of $ale that won enough to qualify for a ToC?  And were syndie champs even eligible for the daytime tournament in the first place?

I think Linda Credit was a nighttime winner, and is seen in the 1988 tournament. Curtis Warren's $136k put him fifth among the nighttime winners that I know of (Tim, John, Helaine, Alice, Curtis), and the show wasn't renewed on GSN through the end of the syndicated series.

Linda was champ in 1987, so that's daytime.

[PYLdude]

Since I never saw any of the syndicated episodes first run, and only a handful of syndies since, were there any big money winners from the syndicated years of $ale that won enough to qualify for a ToC?  And were syndie champs even eligible for the daytime tournament in the first place? 

When they had that international TOC, the American qualifier was Tim Holleran so I'm guessing they did invite a few of them back (Alice Conkright was at least one other, I don't know for sure who else was asked back if anybody).

[TLEberle]

Linda was champ in 1987, so that's daytime.

Thank you for the correction; I appreciate it.

Watching the 1988 tournament I see lots of big totals but don't know how people get there other than winning ten games and then refusing to gamble for the cash jackpot. How long had the Money Game been the bonus round rather than the Winner's Bored?

[PYLdude]

Linda was champ in 1987, so that's daytime.

Thank you for the correction; I appreciate it.

Watching the 1988 tournament I see lots of big totals but don't know how people get there other than winning ten games and then refusing to gamble for the cash jackpot. How long had the Money Game been the bonus round rather than the Winner's Bored?

Couldn't have been very long, because they'd rolled out the WBMG just after Christmas and Don Morrow joined the show right after that.

[Strikerz04]

Since I never saw any of the syndicated episodes first run, and only a handful of syndies since, were there any big money winners from the syndicated years of $ale that won enough to qualify for a ToC?  And were syndie champs even eligible for the daytime tournament in the first place? 

When they had that international TOC, the American qualifier was Tim Holleran so I'm guessing they did invite a few of them back (Alice Conkright was at least one other, I don't know for sure who else was asked back if anybody).

IIRC, the US Heat Final, one of Holleran's challengers he played against was Bill Fogel (Class of 1984 champ, $61K).

I think the Syndie winners ended up going to the international championships.
The 1985 tournament (obviously) were all daytime winners.

My question is: were there any ToC's between the 1985 and 1988 sessions?

[PYLdude]

Then the next question: how many of the syndie big winners actually came back?

[WarioBarker]

Curtis Warren's $136k put him fifth among the nighttime winners that I know of (Tim, John, Helaine, Alice, Curtis), and the show wasn't renewed on GSN through the end of the syndicated series.

There was also Lisa Munoz, who won $122k in late February/early March '86.

Couldn't have been very long, because they'd rolled out the WBMG just after Christmas and Don Morrow joined the show right after that.

That, and the WBMG here is the original "solve five puzzles in 25 seconds" version, which was cut down to 4-in-20 later in the year (exactly when, I'm not sure; definitely by early September).

[PYLdude]

Curtis Warren's $136k put him fifth among the nighttime winners that I know of (Tim, John, Helaine, Alice, Curtis), and the show wasn't renewed on GSN through the end of the syndicated series.

There was also Lisa Munoz, who won $122k in late February/early March '86.

And I think Helaine's total, by comparison, was less, wasn't it? Because she didn't hit the jackpot for a relatively big amount like Tim, Alice, and John did (it was I think $61k).

Couldn't have been very long, because they'd rolled out the WBMG just after Christmas and Don Morrow joined the show right after that.

That, and the WBMG here is the original "solve five puzzles in 25 seconds" version, which was cut down to 4-in-20 later in the year (exactly when, I'm not sure; definitely by early September).

Earlier than that. Rani White won her $50k with the 4 in 20 so it was at least present in May.

[TLEberle]

And I think Helaine's total, by comparison, was less, wasn't it? Because she didn't hit the jackpot for a relatively big amount like Tim, Alice, and John did (it was I think $61k).

Helaine won $142,900; $64k jackpot. Alice won $141,400; $77k jackpot. Helaine spent up and won lots from the Fame Game board--Helaine's backroom bonanza was about $6,000 less than Alice's.