Family Feud's board

[digiblader]

Watching an episode of Family Feud(Dawson) today, I noticed that the things to indicate the Double round were visible from behind the board while turning..

Was it always noticeable in the Dawson or Combs version?

[clemon79]

Yes. Because we watched the show with THAT MUCH SCRUTINY.

[TraderRob]

[quote name=\'digiblader\' date=\'Feb 8 2004, 10:57 PM\'] Watching an episode of Family Feud(Dawson) today, I noticed that the things to indicate the Double round were visible from behind the board while turning..

Was it always noticeable in the Dawson or Combs version? [/quote]
 Actually I was flipping channels and marveling over the family winning $10 on the first round question and happened to notice the "DOUBLE" as well when the board was moving.   I don't suspect it happened very often since it was the first time I'd ever seen something like that.

I apologize in advance if this thread has been discussed before, but was always curious how the board operated.   Were there people in the center of the board that would turn it and load all the answers?  

Rob

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'TraderRob\' date=\'Feb 9 2004, 02:46 PM\']I apologize in advance if this thread has been discussed before, but was always curious how the board operated.   Were there people in the center of the board that would turn it and load all the answers?  [/quote]
Yep.

It was just a big 'ol trilon.  The Fast Money board and two front game boards with little trilons embedded in them.  During the commercials and sometimes during actual game play, the stagehands changed the boards and reset them.  I suspect the "Double" and "Triple" signs were one big frame in whole or cut in half and slipped in and out of the big trilon.

[SplitSecond]

The Double and Triple signs were indeed single frames, around 4 1/2 feet high, and they would hang on the board, rather than slide into any sort of slot.

In much the same fashion, the "Family Feud" sign that would cover one side of the board at the open of the show would hang over one of the sides of the board normally used throughout the main game.  In fact, if you watch some of the shows' opens closely, you'll notice that the sign was only attached at the top, because the sign appears to want to try to fly away from the bottom when the board is rotated.

Ah, centrifugal force.

[Particleman]

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Feb 9 2004, 02:49 PM\'] [quote name=\'TraderRob\' date=\'Feb 9 2004, 02:46 PM\']I apologize in advance if this thread has been discussed before, but was always curious how the board operated.   Were there people in the center of the board that would turn it and load all the answers?  [/quote]
Yep.

It was just a big 'ol trilon. [/quote]
 Are you sure the stage hands inside of the trilon board were the ones turning the board as well as changing the flip-panel contents?  On the border edges of each of the sides, there are handles for someone located outside of the board to pull on and swing the board on it's axis.  It's hard to notice it in the '76 set because the edges are painted black but more noticable in the '88 set as they we painted blue.  (I only noticed because of drawing these sets for my game).

Here's a question:  For each of the spring-loaded flip panels, there was a small pin mounted to the board frame that was retracted to allow them to flip.  Was this mechanically retracted?  It would explain the loud 'click' sound head before the panel flipped.  I can draw something to help explain what I'm talking about.

Sure we over analyze things.  That's just what we do.  :-)

[Kevin Prather]

All's I know is that there have been times that they accidentally revealed the wrong answer.

[JasonA1]

It was reported here, or in "TV Game Shows!" or something that the flip cards were magnetic. Whether I remember it correctly or not is up to the pros (SplitSecond, Randy, etc) to confirm, but I do recall at least one show (an All Star ep) where they appeared to be turning by a manual force due to breakdowns. They operated very differently on that episode, at least.

-Jason

[Particleman]

That's interesting, Jason.  It reminded me of a time where a panel flipped half way, reversed almost until the number side was visable, and then flipped to the answer side.  Maybe what I thought was a pin was just bad video.