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Author Topic: Match Game pilot/runthrough episode  (Read 6899 times)

geno57

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« on: March 12, 2004, 10:51:23 PM »
I just received the Shokus Video release that contains this gem. It's been on the trading circuit for some time now. I have always wondered what some of the differences were, between the pilot and the show as it made it to the air. Now I know, so I will list a few for those old-timers, like myself, who are interested in such trivia.

* Although the theme song chosen for the show was "A Swingin' Safari", the pilot used Billy Vaughan's hit version. The recording used during nearly all of the NBC run was that of the tune's composer, Bert Kaempfert. (For the last year or so, I believe they used a Score Productions piece.)

* The opening animation was different. The letters in "The" and "Game" changed fonts, one by one, several times as the two halves of the word "Match" slid into place.

* Gene interviewed the celebs at the doorway, as they entered the studio.

* The celebrity team captains (Peggy Cass and Peter Lind Hayes) sat in the center of their respective desks in the pilot, with the scoring mechanisms below them. They (along with the score displays) were relocated, for the series, to the inner positions, left and right of center. For the series, the desks were pushed together.

* They didn't use a sound effect for a match in the pilot. They came up with a good, effective one for the series. (I believe it was the combined sounds of an electronic buzzer and a cash register, followed by a bell.)

* Scoring ... Ten points per match, 50 (five matches) needed to win. In the series, I guess to make the game move a little faster, they made it 25 points per match, 100 (four matches) to win.

* They didn't call the endgame the "Audience Match" yet. Also, they surveyed an audience from a recent episode of "Play Your Hunch".

There are other slight differences, but they will have to wait for another time.

Go ahead. Call me a game show geek. An OLD game show geek, even. I don't care.

Oh, by the way, there's also an episode of "The Object Is", with Dick Clark, on this tape. Horrible game, IMO. The only redeeming thing about it is, the voiceover promo at the closing credits invites us to stay tuned for "Seven Keys" with Jack Narz, next.

I'd give my right toenail to see an episode of "Seven Keys".

This tape also contains the Bill Cullen classic "Eye Guess", and an ep of "Let's Make A Deal".
« Last Edit: March 12, 2004, 10:52:08 PM by geno57 »

Winkfan

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2004, 12:54:29 AM »
I got this gem via my most recent tape trade with Matt Kaiser. (Thanks a million, Matt!)

Quote
Go ahead. Call me a game show geek. An OLD game show geek, even. I don't care.

From one 'old game show geek' to another, wecolme to the club, pal!

Quote
Oh, by the way, there's also an episode of The Object Is, with Dick Clark, on this tape. Horrible game, IMO. The only redeeming thing about it is, the voiceover promo at the closing credits invites us to stay tuned for Seven Keys with Jack Narz, next.

I'd give my right toenail to see an episode of Seven Keys.

I got the former show via trading with Chuckie Baby Donegan. And there IS one episode of Seven Keys on the trading circuit. I got that show via trading with Brad Francini.

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This tape also contains the Bill Cullen classic Eye Guess, and an ep of Let's Make A Deal.

I hope that Eye Guess episode you're talking about is a different one than what's been on the trading circuit for some time.

In the meantime, I'm still waiting for Music Bingo, Charge Account, Double Exposure, Window Shopping, What's This Song, Call My Bluff, Chain Letter (NOT Reaction!), Dream Girl of '67, and Fast Draw!

Cordially,
Tammy Warner--the 'Nanette Fabray of the Big Board!'
« Last Edit: March 13, 2004, 12:55:33 AM by Winkfan »
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DjohnsonCB

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2004, 01:46:46 AM »
I just went to the Shokus site in search of this tape and couldn't find it.  I e-mailed them and they answered saying it's not on their site because it's a private sale to those who ordered from them before.  They suggested I have someone order it for me.  How am I going to go about this if anyone wants to help out?
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The Ol' Guy

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2004, 09:54:33 AM »
If we're talking about the same Seven Keys episode, it's the one done at a local Los Angeles tv station, right? Not bad, but I'm with you - sure would be great if a net episode with the jazzier theme song and sharper looking game board were to appear in the circuit...or IS there???
« Last Edit: March 13, 2004, 09:55:46 AM by The Ol' Guy »

ChuckNet

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2004, 11:51:45 AM »
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Although the theme song chosen for the show was "A Swingin' Safari", the pilot used Billy Vaughan's hit version. The recording used during nearly all of the NBC run was that of the tune's composer, Bert Kaempfert.

Incidentally, when Varese was getting tracks together for the Best of TV Quiz/GS Themes CD released in 00, which included A Swingin' Safari, they almost used the Billy Vaughn version, but thanks to the intervention of one of our members (who was a contributor), it was caught just in the nick of time.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

geno57

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2004, 01:18:28 PM »
>>Incidentally, when Varese was getting tracks together for the Best of TV Quiz/GS Themes CD released in 00, which included A Swingin' Safari, they almost used the Billy Vaughn version, but thanks to the intervention of one of our members (who was a contributor), it was caught just in the nick of time.



I didn't know they came that close to using the wrong version in the CD ... but I did notice the error in the Cd insert.

GSWitch

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2004, 07:22:55 PM »
I also remember that A Swingin' Safari was also covered by Bill Justis.  It's in the Smash Records album, Bill Justis Plays 12 Instrumental Hits (or Alley Cat/Green Onions).

And let's not forget the FAMOUS SHIP'S BELL heard on 100 point wins (& later The Telephone Game wins)!  

The Ship's bell along with TPIR siren are my two favorite effects!
« Last Edit: March 29, 2004, 11:01:52 PM by GSWitch »

JayC

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2004, 09:26:40 PM »
[quote name=\'GSWitch\' date=\'Mar 14 2004, 07:22 PM\'] I also remember that A Swingin' Safari was also covered by Bill Justis.  It's in the Smash album, Bill Justis Plays 12 Instrumental Hits (or Alley Cat/Green Onions).

And let's not forget the FAMOUS SHIP'S BELL heard on 100 point wins (& later The Telephone Game wins)!  

The Ship's bell along with TPIR siren are my two favorite effects! [/quote]
 Do you have anymore info of The Telephone Game?

geno57

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2004, 09:02:53 AM »
>>>Do you have anymore info of The Telephone Game?


The new show open, starring Johnny O:

"Here in our studio audience, picked by a lucky draw, is Mrs. Zelda Foont of Grimley, Ohio.  Mrs. Foont, if you match the person we call on the telephone, the two of you will split 86 million dollars! Today on The Match Game!"

Cut to shot of the two teams, already standing at their positions, as "A Swingin' Safari" starts up, a verse into it.

"And now here's the host of The Match Game, Gene Rayburn!"

About midway through the show, a call would be placed to a phone number randomly picked from a phone book. The person called might not even know what The Match Game was!

If I remember correctly, 100 bucks would be added to the kitty, each day there was no winner.

Ian Wallis

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2004, 09:16:32 AM »
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In the meantime, I'm still waiting for Music Bingo, Charge Account, Double Exposure, Window Shopping, What's This Song, Call My Bluff, Chain Letter (NOT Reaction!), Dream Girl of '67, and Fast Draw!


I'm still waiting for "Baffle", "Wizard of Odds", "Celebrity Sweepstakes", "Reel Game", "Spin-Off", early ABC "Password", original "High Rollers", original "Sale of the Century", etc.

Oh well, I can dream can't I?
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Jimmy Owen

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2004, 10:22:43 AM »
On this web page the author says that the Billy Vaughn version was used on the series.


Match Game Theme Page
« Last Edit: March 15, 2004, 10:23:51 AM by Jimmy Owen »
Let's Make a Deal was the first show to air on Buzzr. 6/1/15 8PM.

DrBear

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2004, 12:03:27 PM »
[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Mar 15 2004, 08:16 AM\']
Quote
In the meantime, I'm still waiting for Music Bingo, Charge Account, Double Exposure, Window Shopping, What's This Song, Call My Bluff, Chain Letter (NOT Reaction!), Dream Girl of '67, and Fast Draw!


I'm still waiting for "Baffle", "Wizard of Odds", "Celebrity Sweepstakes", "Reel Game", "Spin-Off", early ABC "Password", original "High Rollers", original "Sale of the Century", etc.

Oh well, I can dream can't I? [/quote]
 While you're dreaming, add the original "You Don't Say! in there, as well as the early 60s IGAS (the "neener-neener-boo-boo" Norman Paris theme that came between Leroy Andersen and Steve Allen)
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TimK2003

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2004, 02:16:58 PM »
[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Mar 15 2004, 09:16 AM\']
I'm still waiting for "Baffle", "Wizard of Odds", "Celebrity Sweepstakes", "Reel Game", "Spin-Off", early ABC "Password", original "High Rollers", original "Sale of the Century", etc.

 [/quote]
 IIRC, The Pilots for both Celebrity Sweepstakes & Wizard of Odds are on the circuit.  As far as Spin Off & High Rollers, there is at least one ep each in either the circuit, the Museum of TV & Radio archives, or both.

Matt Ottinger

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2004, 04:39:39 PM »
[quote name=\'TimK2003\' date=\'Mar 15 2004, 03:16 PM\'] IIRC, The Pilots for both Celebrity Sweepstakes & Wizard of Odds are on the circuit.  As far as Spin Off & High Rollers, there is at least one ep each in either the circuit, the Museum of TV & Radio archives, or both. [/quote]
 If there's a Wizard of Odds out there, I sure don't know about it.  Spin-Off is also not available to the general collector.  For most of the others that have been named, at least one episode exists in some form, but the general collectors (what we call "the circuit") don't have access to them.
This has been another installment of Matt Ottinger's Masters of the Obvious.
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geno57

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Match Game pilot/runthrough episode
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2004, 09:31:29 PM »
[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Mar 15 2004, 10:22 AM\'] On this web page the author says that the Billy Vaughn version was used on the series.

Match Game Theme Page [/quote]
 I know. I've told him that he's got incorrect information up there. But he says he's going by the Varese Saraband CD insert, which couldn't possibly be incorrect.

(But it is.)