Author Topic: It was easier back then... (Read 5199 times)

The Pyramids · « **on:** January 08, 2005, 12:02:45 PM »

Did ratings limit the '50,000 Pyramid' to such a short run?

A better question may be how was Bob Stewart Productions able to bring it back the next year on a network, no less. It came relatively soon after the demise of both the aforementioned syndicated '50,000.00' show and the canceled '20,000.00' ABC version.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2005, 01:20:53 PM »

Re: $50KP, from what I can surmise from a 1997 Steve Leblang post on Usenet, Colgate provided the show to stations as a spot carrier, sorta like what they did with Larry Blyden's "Movie Game." It may have been a short-term deal with ratings a non-factor. Pyramid (with the exception of the Osmond show) has always been a show that left the air before its time and quickly reinstated. (74, 80, 81, 87)

uncamark · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2005, 04:24:44 PM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jan 8 2005, 01:20 PM\']Re: $50KP, from what I can surmise from a 1997 Steve Leblang post on Usenet, Colgate provided the show to stations as a spot carrier, sorta like what they did with Larry Blyden's "Movie Game." It may have been a short-term deal with ratings a non-factor. Pyramid (with the exception of the Osmond show) has always been a show that left the air before its time and quickly reinstated. (74, 80, 81, 87)

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Exactly it. Straight, uncomplicated barter. You give Colgate two minutes of ad time, they'll give you a TV show and five minutes of ad time to sell in it.

Dbacksfan12 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2005, 05:35:20 PM »

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Jan 10 2005, 04:24 PM\']Exactly it. Straight, uncomplicated barter. You give Colgate two minutes of ad time, they'll give you a TV show and five minutes of ad time to sell in it.

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I take it this is fairly uncommon today? If its not, I apologize for my ignorance...however...what was the last show that was a "spot carrier"?

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2005, 06:52:42 PM »

Today, most shows are handled by a distributor who sells the spots to more than one advertiser.

The idea with the no cash barter would be to find a show that could be used as a vehicle to sell a certain type of product. The ad agency Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample (and later Saatchi & Saatchi) used "Bullwinkle" and other kid shows in syndication to promote their clients exclusively. On a network level, Procter and Gamble produced daytime dramas with the sole purpose of selling soap (hence the name "soap opera." In the early days of prime access (71-72), Chevrolet used to bankroll such shows as "The Adventurer," "Stand Up and Cheer," "The Golddiggers" and "The Wacky World of Jonathan Winters" just to promote automobiles. In addition to the shows above, Colgate also was behind "Police Surgeon" and the network serial "The Doctors." You would only see national ads for that sponsor's product on those shows.

Jay Temple · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2005, 12:40:21 AM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Jan 10 2005, 05:52 PM\']In addition to the shows above, Colgate also was behind "Police Surgeon" and the network serial "The Doctors." You would only see national ads for that sponsor's product on those shows.

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I shudder to think how contrived the scripts must have been on a show called Police Surgeon, unless it was a poorly named predecessor of Quincy, M.E.

ObGameShows: Jack Klugman made multiple appearances on the N.Y.-era Pyramid's.

rugrats1 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 11, 2005, 01:02:24 AM »

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The ad agency Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample (and later Saatchi & Saatchi) used "Bullwinkle" and other kid shows in syndication to promote their clients exclusively.

Didn't General Mills also have a hand early on in "The Program Exchange" (the DFS / S&S syndication company)?

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I shudder to think how contrived the scripts must have been on a show called Police Surgeon, unless it was a poorly named predecessor of Quincy, M.E.

According to the Brooks / Marsh TV "Directory", Police Surgeon and (especially) its predecessor, "Dr. Simon Locke", was produced very cheaply, in terms of bad lighting, not screening shows to the stars until they were complete, bad editing and poorly-hacked scripts, plus special guest appearances by overhead mikes. And in on-location work, actors found themselves changing in the bushes, instead of a trailer. One of the stars for the show's first season, Jack Albertson (previously of "Willy Wonka", later of "Chico and the Man") quit, to save his reputation, even though he was under contract.

The show got made, mainly due to the new (at the time) Prime Time Access Rule in the US and CanCon rules in Canada (where the show was filmed). It also gave Colgate an opportunity to give the show to stations for free, in exchange for showing some Colgate-Palmolive spots in the show.

Despite the abyssimal reviews, "Police Surgeon" lasted in first-run syndication under Colgate for 3 years, and continued in repeats (under another syndicator) through the late-1970s. The show was even internationally-syndicated to countries such as Japan.

Nevertheless, "Police Surgeon" has set the standard (as low as possible) for Tv programs produced in Canada.

uncamark · « **Reply #7 on:** January 11, 2005, 05:05:27 PM »

[quote name=\'rugrats1\' date=\'Jan 11 2005, 01:02 AM\']

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The ad agency Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample (and later Saatchi & Saatchi) used "Bullwinkle" and other kid shows in syndication to promote their clients exclusively.

Didn't General Mills also have a hand early on in "The Program Exchange" (the DFS / S&S syndication company)?

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DFS was General Mills' agency of record for years. In fact, I believe that technically, General Mills owns the broadcast/cable rights in the U.S. to "Rocky and Bullwinkle" and the TTV series, which were made for General Mills and DFS and animated at a Mexican studio owned by General Mills.

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I shudder to think how contrived the scripts must have been on a show called Police Surgeon, unless it was a poorly named predecessor of Quincy, M.E.

All I can add to Steve's story is that...

ObGameShow: Score Productions did the music for "Simon Locke" and "Police Surgeon."

tmq800 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 11, 2005, 11:35:59 PM »

If Chevrolet had bankrolled a weekly series now, they would probably hawk their trucks and SUVs instead of their cars! Look at Ford now, they are sponsoring '24' and the Fox NFL Sunday shows!

Don Howard · « **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2005, 12:12:42 AM »

[quote name=\'rugrats1\' date=\'Jan 11 2005, 01:02 AM\']According to the Brooks / Marsh TV "Directory", Police Surgeon and (especially) its predecessor, "Dr. Simon Locke", was produced very cheaply, in terms of bad lighting, not screening shows to the stars until they were complete, bad editing and poorly-hacked scripts, plus special guest appearances by overhead mikes.

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The entertaining book TV Detectives, published in the early 1980s and available at fine libraries everywhere, a spokesperson for Police Surgeon, which starred Sam Groom, was quoted as saying, "I'm not sure what a police surgeon does, but that's what Sam will be doing".