Author Topic: Mark Goodson Productions (Read 7571 times)

The Pyramids · « **on:** November 11, 2004, 11:32:23 AM »

I enjoyed reading Merv Griffin's last book this year, particularly when he recounted when how he sold his production company to a major studio (Columbia, since aquited by Sony) in 1986.

When I see how good 'Wheel of Fortune' and 'Jeopardy!' still look I think it all has to do with Merv's decision to turn his shows over to a major broadcasting company to ensure their longevity.

Here is where a major game show what-if comes into play. Suppose Mark Goodson had followe suit in the last years of his life, for instance afer the lack of breakthrough talent to 'Match Game' and 'To Tell the Truth' in 1991? Or maybe earlier, such as after the sucessful re-launch of 'Family Feud'?

While I think that the 'Price Is Right' would still look the same, I'd bet there would have been some better remakes over the years, and maybe the overall genre would be stronger today.

What do you think?

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #1 on:** November 11, 2004, 12:09:35 PM »

Being a Japanese company, Sony is hampered by it's inability to own local TV stations in the U.S. It can never be a broadcaster, unless the company becomes American somehow. A Viacom or Fox or Disney or Universal can get instant clearance for their syndie offerings through their O&O's. I think the world is unfolding as it should. Fremantle is not a new company, they've been around for a long time and had a long working relationship with the Goodson company as well as most of the other game show producers in mounting overseas versions of American shows.

Skynet74 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 11, 2004, 12:34:16 PM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Nov 11 2004, 12:09 PM\']Being a Japanese company, Sony is hampered by it's inability to own local TV stations in the U.S. It can never be a broadcaster, unless the company becomes American somehow. A Viacom or Fox or Disney or Universal can get instant clearance for their syndie offerings through their O&O's.

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Well Fremantle is no better poised to get clearance than Sony would be. Fremantle is not a broadcaster. They don't own any more local TV stations than Sony does. They all have the same obstacles to deal with. I think the original poster was making the point that Sony produces a quality product. Fremantles standards typically have not been as high for their game show offerings. (Price excluded). After seeing how Fremantle mangled many remakes.... I would have much rather have seen Sony in control. If they handled things nearly as well as they have with Wheel and Jeopardy, then I think the Game Show world would of been a much happier place Today.

John

Dbacksfan12 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 11, 2004, 01:22:56 PM »

[quote name=\'Skynet74\' date=\'Nov 11 2004, 12:34 PM\']After seeing how Fremantle mangled many remakes.... [/quote]
What shows has Fremantle mangled? I thought that TTTT, CS, etc. were all done by Pearson.

Steve Gavazzi · « **Reply #4 on:** November 11, 2004, 01:29:36 PM »

[quote name=\'Dsmith\' date=\'Nov 11 2004, 01:22 PM\'][quote name=\'Skynet74\' date=\'Nov 11 2004, 12:34 PM\']After seeing how Fremantle mangled many remakes.... [/quote]
What shows has Fremantle mangled? I thought that TTTT, CS, etc. were all done by Pearson.

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Mark, Fremantle is Pearson.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #5 on:** November 11, 2004, 01:44:45 PM »

[/quote=Skynet74,Nov 11 2004, 12:34]

Well Fremantle is no better poised to get clearance than Sony would be. Fremantle is not a broadcaster. They don't own any more local TV stations than Sony does. They all have the same obstacles to deal with. I think the original poster was making the point that Sony produces a quality product. Fremantles standards typically have not been as high for their game show offerings. (Price excluded). After seeing how Fremantle mangled many remakes.... I would have much rather have seen Sony in control. If they handled things nearly as well as they have with Wheel and Jeopardy, then I think the Game Show world would of been a much happier place Today.

John

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I agree that neither company has much influence in getting shows on the air. Sony also has the rights to the Bob Stewart formats as well as Chuck Barris and selected Barry & Enright, and I'm not seeing a rush to get these formats back on the air. In the case of Merv, I would guess he's still somewhat interested in the direction of the shows and if he were to object to something, maybe Sony would take the phone call. I'm not sure I want to see all the "eggs" in Sony's basket.

The Pyramids · « **Reply #6 on:** November 11, 2004, 01:59:16 PM »

I think the original poster was making the point that Sony produces a quality product. After seeing how Fremantle mangled many remakes.... I would have much rather have seen Sony in control. If they handled things nearly as well as they have with Wheel and Jeopardy, then I think the Game Show world would of been a much happier place Today.
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Exactly! The ongoing proof is 'Wheel' and 'Jeopardy' which are now set through '10, and the well-produced, respectable 'Pyramid' remake.

Paul

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #7 on:** November 11, 2004, 02:17:24 PM »

Personally, I liked TTTT2000 and even Louie Feud better than Donny Pyramid.

Skynet74 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 11, 2004, 04:03:57 PM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Nov 11 2004, 02:17 PM\']Personally, I liked TTTT2000 and even Louie Feud better than Donny Pyramid.

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TTTT 2000 wasn't bad. It was probably the best remake from Fremantle. But remember the reason for that is because it remained so true to the original. However I don't like the fact that Fremantle always feels a need to screw with certain elements that should be left alone. I also don't like how they completely change theme music and set designs. Updates would be nice, but complete overhauls result in losing way to much of the classic feel of the show. It's this classic feel that most people seem to love. Just look at The Price Is Right for a prime example of that fact.

Sony just seems to do things better.

John

Dbacksfan12 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 11, 2004, 04:23:51 PM »

[quote name=\'PaulD\' date=\'Nov 11 2004, 01:59 PM\']Exactly! The ongoing proof is 'Wheel' and 'Jeopardy' which are now set through '10, and the well-produced, respectable 'Pyramid' remake.
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Quality is in the eye of the beholder. Too bad the majority of Americans appear to like crapola.

cmjb13 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 11, 2004, 04:36:34 PM »

[quote name=\'Skynet74\' date=\'Nov 11 2004, 04:03 PM\']It's this classic feel that most people seem to love. Just look at The Price Is Right for a prime example of that fact.

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I think it has to do with the host more than anything, but I digress...

Wonder if Sony did take over Price they would have changed the Eggcrate displays and One Bids?

aaron sica · « **Reply #11 on:** November 11, 2004, 04:37:02 PM »

[quote name=\'PaulD\' date=\'Nov 11 2004, 01:59 PM\']Exactly! The ongoing proof is 'Wheel' and 'Jeopardy' which are now set through '10, and the well-produced, respectable 'Pyramid' remake.

Paul

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Somewhat.......While certain enhancements to WoF are nice (such as the prize wheel), I don't like some of the additions to the show, such as the toss-up puzzles, and the "no more vowels" popup....

Jeopardy really hasn't changed much except for the dollar values and the cosmetic changes; the game has actually largely remained the same with the exception of the first syndicated Jeopardy and the 1978 edition.

Pyramid - the attempt was there, but IMHO, it fell short. It had too much of a "Millionaire"-like look to it on the set, and the "6-in-20" idea just seemed, to me, too rushed...

The Pyramids · « **Reply #12 on:** November 11, 2004, 04:45:05 PM »

Personally, I liked TTTT2000 and even Louie Feud better than Donny Pyramid.

After the new GSN ran that 1994 'feud' I am open to more unexpected things from them.
One would be if they were to run that last 'To Tell the Truth.'

clemon79 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 11, 2004, 05:05:57 PM »

[quote name=\'Skynet74\' date=\'Nov 11 2004, 02:03 PM\']However I don't like the fact that Fremantle always feels a need to screw with certain elements that should be left alone. I also don't like how they completely change theme music and set designs. Updates would be nice, but complete overhauls result in losing way to much of the classic feel of the show.

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With regard to Pyramid, Sony is guilty of every single one of these transgressions that you villify Fremantle for.

chris319 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 11, 2004, 05:22:07 PM »

Goodson would never have ceded creative control over his shows during his lifetime, period. Guys like Merrill Heatter and Bob Stewart are now (when they're not counting their millions) sitting back and watching others botch (Pyramid) or not botch (Squares) the formats they created. Not Goodson; his ego was too big, and I think he had ideas about Jonathan running the company after his death. Goodson and Todman sold off WML? and IGAS decades ago yet a condition of the sale was that they would continue to produce subsequent versions.

The interesting question is, would Jonathan have sold the company if there were still a vibrant market for daytime game shows, as there was until the '90s?

Merv didn't sell his shows to Sony. He sold them to Columbia which at the time IIRC was a division of Coca Cola Enterprises, an arm of Coca Cola the beverage manufacturer. Mark and Zach: correct me if my recollection is faulty.