Veteran Game Show Personalities

[Don Howard]

We've all heard the terms "veteran game show host", "veteran game show announcer", "veteran game show producer", etc. bandied about along our reading travels.
Certainly we can consider Bill Cullen and Bob Barker veteran emcees and Johnny Gilbert a veteran announcer and there are many other fine examples.
But where, in your mind, do we draw the line? Is Blake Emmons a veteran emcee because his sole hosting job was 18 years ago? Is John Davidson a veteran emcee? Is Larry Van Nuys (about the only good thing about Tic Tac Dough 1990) a veteran announcer?
In your minds, what are the parameters? And who are other good examples?

[adamjk]

I think, that to be a veteran game show host, you need to host more then one game show for one thing, and secondly, at least 2 of them have to have good runs. By good runs, I mean at least 4 years or more. Granted there are a few exceptions to this. Art Fleming, is one. Since he only hosted Jeopardy to my knowledge(though he did host more then one version) and Pat Sajak is also one, unless you count the daytime and nighttime versions of Wheel of Fortune separate.

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Oct 10 2004, 01:53 PM\']and Pat Sajak is also one

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He also hosted Quiz Bowl.

[WhammyPower]

Charlie O'Donnell has to be a veteran announcer by now!

[Jimmy Owen]

Pat is most certainly a veteran.  He served in Vietnam.

[sshuffield70]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Oct 10 2004, 02:47 PM\']Pat is most certainly a veteran.  He served in Vietnam.

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........as a disc jockey..........

[Jimmy Owen]

[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Oct 10 2004, 05:09 PM\'][quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Oct 10 2004, 02:47 PM\']Pat is most certainly a veteran.  He served in Vietnam.

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........as a disc jockey..........

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[/quote]....true dat.

[Matt Ottinger]

Here are the official rules:

To be considered a "veteran", an individual must:

1) Have made his or her national broadcast debut in a given role more than twenty-five (25) years ago AND

2A) Have to his or her credit ANY continuous run on a single series on nationally broadcast televison (including syndication but excluding cable) of at least ten (10) years OR

2B) (For hosts and announcers) Have to his or her credit a total of at least six (6) series on nationally broadcast televison (including syndication but excluding cable) regardless of the length of the series' run OR

2B) (For panelists) Have to his or her credit appearances on a total of at least twelve (12) series on nationally broadcast television (including syndication but excluding cable), including at least one (1) series on which the individual could logically be considered a regular panelist by virtue of having appeared in at least 75% of the episodes aired in any given season.

For purposes of this discussion a revival of a show is considered a distinct series if at least one year has passed between the initial airing of the last episode of the original version and the initial airing of the first episode of the revival.  This rule shall also be considered for any subsequent revivals of the same series.


To be considered a "legend" as opposed to a "veteran", his or her career must have started at least 40 years ago, then add another 50% to the other numbers.  Glad I could clear that up for everybody.

[Jimmy Owen]

YESSS! Jim Peck just makes it!

[chris319]

1) Have made his or her national broadcast debut in a given role more than twenty-five (25) years ago

Thank you National Game Show Standards Committee. Too bad Bergeron doesn't qualify.