Easiest/hardest announcing jobs

[SamJ93]

Well, might as well milk this topic for all it's worth and ask...what would you say are the easiest and hardest game shows to be the announcer for?

My easiest would probably be any show where the only real prize is cash--J!, FF, Perry-era CS.  Read the opening intro, sit back and watch/eat lunch/read a magazine/whatever for 30 minutes, read the fee plugs at the end, and paycheck.

Hardest would have to be either TPiR or LMaD.

--Sam

[JasonA1]

I'm sure there are more like it, but when "Password" reverted back to contestants post All-Stars on ABC, John Harlan only read a pair of plugs at the end of the program. The intro was spoken by Allen Ludden.

-Jason

[Jimmy Owen]

Of course, on the old skool shows, the announcer did audience warm-ups, but as I recall, all Bob Clayton had to do on "Blankety Blanks" is say "It's the Blankety Blanks, starring Bill Cullen."  There were no fee plugs.

[FeudDude]

Hardest: TPIR - lots of copy, requires enthusiasm but not when it's uncalled for, interaction with Bob and the contestants, and of course the warmup.  In the past, it also involved some acting in the Showcase skits - we can only hope that they'll let Rich try his hand at that.

Easiest: Current-day Family Feud.  All Burton does is say the intro and sometimes a ticket plug.  He doesn't even do warmup, from what I've read.

[aaron sica]

"Match Game" is pretty easy as well.  Intro, ticket plug, fee plugs, and exit - that's about it.

[Winkfan]

"Match Game" is pretty easy as well.  Intro, ticket plug, fee plugs, and exit - that's about it.

ALMOST any celebrity game show would be easiest to announce. The one exception I could think of would have to be Hollywood Squares, because either Kenny or Shadoe would also have to describe the 'secret square' prizes.

I also think Johnny Jacobs' announcing duties for Chuck Barris were a 'piece of cake' for him; except for the $1.98 Beauty Show, where Johnny would often give tidbits about the ladies during the 'swimsuit' competition.

Cordially,
Tammy Warner--the 'Della Reese of the Big Board!'

[ChuckNet]

Rod Charlevoix had it pretty easy on The New Chain Reaction during Blake Emmons' brief reign...all he had to do was say "The game is...TNCR...and here's our host, BE!", and that's it.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

[mystery7]

But when Geoff Edwards took over Chain Reaction, Rod was on camera for The Home Game. Not really harder, but more involved.

Jay Stewart on LMAD didn't have it easy with all that running up and down the aisles and the quick wardrobe changes for the Zonk skits. I got a glimpse of how Jay operated on the Behind The Scenes special a friend dubbed for me. It'd make an aspring announcer think real hard about his career choice!

[tvrandywest]

Jay Stewart on LMAD didn't have it easy with all that running up and down the aisles and the quick wardrobe changes for the Zonk skits. I got a glimpse of how Jay operated on the Behind The Scenes special a friend dubbed for me. It'd make an aspring announcer think real hard about his career choice!

Amen to that. That was an awesome documentary. Must see for anyone who wants to get a sense of the backstage reality of game shows.

I'm embarrassed to report that one former game show host who later in his career had been reduced (in his mind) to announcer was watching Sunday football games with an earpiece from his portable television in one ear and the game show's director in the other ear. He actually seemed bothered to have his viewing interrupted for the few seconds of copy he read. Shameful, imho.


Randy
tvrandywest

[Chief-O]

"Card Sharks", even in the Eubanks days, seemed simple. Open show. Describe car. Close show. That's all.

[Ian Wallis]

One of the easiest would be the late '70s "Newlywed Game".  Just read the couples names on the intro, introduce Bob, desribe the winning prize and close with "this has been a Chuck Barris production".  The mid-show fee plugs were all post-produced.

[uncamark]

Of course, in most cases the announcers are/were watching the show and cueing the audience to applaud or respond all through the show, unless the announcer's on tape or isolated away from the audience or someone else does the warmup and does all of the audience cueing.

Which makes Rod Charlebois' job the easiest--he didn't have to cue an audience at all!

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'FeudDude\' date=\'Oct 9 2004, 10:54 AM\']Easiest: Current-day Family Feud.  All Burton does is say the intro and sometimes a ticket plug.  He doesn't even do warmup, from what I've read.

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[/quote]

And if I'm not mistaken, the contestant plug is probably something that was recorded a while ago, and just inserted in post-prod., no?

[cyhh2002]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' post=\'60190\' date=\'Oct 9 2004, 08:17 AM\']
"Match Game" is pretty easy as well.  Intro, ticket plug, fee plugs, and exit - that's about it.
[/quote]
 
        Actually, announcing on the Match Game was easy, except during the ticket plug where Johnny Olson  would occasionally chuckle while looking at those funny faces.

[MTCesquire]

First thing I thought of when reading the topic was "$25/100K Pyramid".  Announcer of the week intros the show, the celebs, and Dick, and the fee plugs (and Mystery 7 prize if won) at the end.  I guess we can pretty much say any show that only required the intro and the outro without any "work" in between would be the easiest jobs to announce.