eBay find: Richard Dawson's contract

[Adam Nedeff]

For anybody wondering what hosting "Family Feud" in the early 1980s paid, here's your answer.

[snowpeck]

Interesting... and apparently that doesn't include whatever he was paid to do the nighttime syndicated show.

[Sodboy13]

Was Feud really doing 260 a year in daytime? No summer repeats?

[Jimmy Owen]

Was Feud really doing 260 a year in daytime? No summer repeats?

Yep.  No repeats.

[trainman]

The XETV clause is interesting in that they lost their ABC affiliation in 1973 and were independent thereafter (until they became a charter Fox affiliate). I wonder how common that clause was, just in case someone's TV appearances happened to pop up there.

[BrandonFG]

Anyone with the Encyclopedia on hand, was Feud still in the Top 3 game shows in 1982-83? The contract mentions going until 1986, but I imagine they didn't anticipate a ratings drop within the next year and a half, both with network and syndication?

[Dbacksfan12]

Anyone with the Encyclopedia on hand, was Feud still in the Top 3 game shows in 1982-83? The contract mentions going until 1986, but I imagine they didn't anticipate a ratings drop within the next year and a half, both with network and syndication?

Something I didn't remember until flipping the book open just now is that they only cover October-April in the book. Anyhow, from Oct 82-Apr 83 as well as Oct 82-Apr 83, Feud is 2nd.  However, by Oct 83-Apr 84, Feud was bounced from the top 3, with Wheel of Fortune coming in second and Dream House being ranked third. 

[Matt Ottinger]

Fascinating.

[Unrealtor]

Interesting... and apparently that doesn't include whatever he was paid to do the nighttime syndicated show.

I assume that's because ABC didn't have a hand in the nighttime show. And on that note, I'm surprised that he was employed by ABC directly rather than by G-T/The Family Company. How common was that?

[calliaume]

Adam's Gene Rayburn book notes that the ABC brass were fans of Dawson and pushed for him to host Family Feud in the first place.  G-T's original host for the show was Jack Narz.

[Nick]

Adam's Gene Rayburn book notes that the ABC brass were fans of Dawson and pushed for him to host Family Feud in the first place.  G-T's original host for the show was Jack Narz.

Where did Geoff Edwards fit into that history, or was Geoff the only one who ever said he was a contender to host the show?

[Adam Nedeff]

Adam's Gene Rayburn book notes that the ABC brass were fans of Dawson and pushed for him to host Family Feud in the first place.  G-T's original host for the show was Jack Narz.

Where did Geoff Edwards fit into that history, or was Geoff the only one who ever said he was a contender to host the show?

Geoff Edwards was apparently the first, or among the first, considered to host. He was given a bad description of the show's premise and thought it sounded too much like "The Neighbors," which bombed, so he said no. That's when G-T elected to give it to Jack Narz. Richard had a clause in his "Match Game" contract that enabled him to host any new game that G-T developed; Goodson didn't actually want him to redeem that clause for "Feud" and tried to get out of it, but as loyal reader Curt said, ABC overruled Goodson.

(Thanks, Curt!)

[Nick]

Geoff Edwards was apparently the first, or among the first, considered to host. He was given a bad description of the show's premise and thought it sounded too much like "The Neighbors," which bombed, so he said no. That's when G-T elected to give it to Jack Narz. Richard had a clause in his "Match Game" contract that enabled him to host any new game that G-T developed; Goodson didn't actually want him to redeem that clause for "Feud" and tried to get out of it, but as loyal reader Curt said, ABC overruled Goodson.

Fascinating.  Thanks, Adam.  I've always found it peculiar Geoff was a top contender for the gig considering he never hosted anything for G-T to that point, and subsequently never did.

[Thunder]

I find it hard to believe that this will sell for $199, even if Richard Dawson is now unable to sign any more contracts.

[BrandonFG]

Interesting to me that ABC was able to get a panelist from a competing network's hit to host a game show for them. Even though it was still through G-T, I'm guessing CBS wasn't thrilled with the idea?