Family Feud 1987 pilot

[JasonA1]

Buzzr aired Pilot A for Combs Family Feud, as seen (below) on the WinkTube about a year back. Curiously, Buzzr aired a version where Ray did a lot of uncommon-for-the-era ADR, namely on the board calls ("BRA STUFFING!!"). The clip on YouTube is not altered as such. I can only imagine somebody thought Ray's yelling voice was unpleasant and/or too high, but they had to hear how bad the boxy acoustics on the new audio sounded in comparison.



-Jason

[Bob Zager]

While watching the entire pilot episode last night, I thought I'd heard Ray Combs say that they would be paying $10 per point in "Fast Money," (if unable to reach 200 points). 

I just watched the clip posted above, and saw that I was correct!

I've often felt that they either should pay $10 per point on the current version, or maybe a guaranteed minimum payout as a consolation.

[aaron sica]

The complete pilot is now up:

[BrandonFG]

I know there's a 1987 copyright; I believe the pilot was shot around September of that year, a few months before CBS canceled Pyramid the first time. Any idea whether a daytime Feud was ever planned, or was syndication the goal all along, with a network version entering the picture much later on?

[WarioBarker]

I know there's a 1987 copyright; I believe the pilot was shot around September of that year, a few months before CBS canceled Pyramid the first time.

The Television City website says August '87. There were at least two, if the "Ray Combs Spotlight" video posted by Winc. is any indication.

Any idea whether a daytime Feud was ever planned, or was syndication the goal all along, with a network version entering the picture much later on?

From what I can tell, the first announcement of a network version is on Page 133 of the November 30, 1987 Broadcasting, which announces that CBS has picked up a daytime version a July '88 start. All mentions of the revival prior to this point, both there and in Variety, only mention syndication.

[EDIT: See below post, which confirms there were plans for a network version around the time the pilots were shot. I stand corrected.]

[snowpeck]

I know there's a 1987 copyright; I believe the pilot was shot around September of that year, a few months before CBS canceled Pyramid the first time. Any idea whether a daytime Feud was ever planned, or was syndication the goal all along, with a network version entering the picture much later on?

It was always the plan to launch a network version in addition to a syndicated one. In an August 1987 Variety article, it was mentioned that CBS and NBC were interested, but Feud's original network ABC was not. By November, a deal had been inked with CBS to start running the show in July 1988.

[WarioBarker]

Huh, didn't know that. Thanks for the correction.

[BillCullen1]

I thought Ray Combs did a good job of taking a show largely associated with someone else and making it his own, without imitating Dawson. Too bad his personal demons overcame him.

[Dbacksfan12]

I thought Ray Combs did a good job of taking a show largely associated with someone else and making it his own, without imitating Dawson. Too bad his personal demons overcame him.

From the timelines I've read, many of these problems started after he got fired, not during his time as host.

[BrandonFG]

Huh, didn't know that. Thanks for the correction.

I didn't know any of that either...thanks Dan and Greg for the info. Fascinating story.

[14gameshows]

Hey Gang,
Not trying to bump this thread but the Variety clipping has me curious about something.
It states that it was still getting respectable Nielsens. What kind of numbers was Feud still pulling in during the 84-85 season and what kind of numbers were Wheel of Fortune getting at that time?

*Actually does someone have a "before and after" snapshot of the ratings of game shows during the Wheel of Fortune craze? It's always fascinated me how WoF managed to crush the competition once it came on the scene.

Thanks!

[BrandonFG]

I distinctly recall seeing the 1983-84 syndication ratings in that year's World Almanac. Wheel got about a 16.0 rating; Feud pulled an 8. Still respectable, but Feud was pulling double digit numbers and was the #1 show prior to that.

Not sure how Feud did in its final year, but I do recall reading that, during the same season, Lange's Name That Tune was canceled with about a 6 rating. Nowadays, that's a Top 5 show.

I do know Tic Tac Dough was in the Top 5 in the early-80s, but I don't remember how its ratings declined because of Wheel.

[TLEberle]

I do know Tic Tac Dough was in the Top 5 in the early-80s, but I don't remember how its ratings declined because of Wheel.

Don't know if in fact there's some sort of clearinghouse for this such that you can see it by year or by show, but my thought is did Secret Category and Lieutenant Thom basically save the show? (And why would Tic Tac Dough be flailing and not Joker's Wild?)

[snowpeck]

Attached is a PDF ranking all of the syndicated shows (airing in 30 markets or more) for the February 1985 sweeps period: https://www.dropbox.com/s/tx8htznuyl1slmc/Feb85-Ratings.pdf?dl=0

Feud was 10th highest (tied with The Jeffersons) with a 8.3 rating 16 share. Wheel, by comparison, was number one with a 19.7 rating 32 share.

[BrandonFG]

Very interesting that, for the sweeps, Name That Tune was a Top 15 show that actually performed better than quite a few first-run shows (game or otherwise) that were renewed (LMaD, TTD, $ale).