Author Topic: BB87 Rules Question (Read 7284 times)

uncamark · « **Reply #15 on:** April 05, 2005, 05:49:28 PM »

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Apr 5 2005, 04:35 PM\']I have that famous "half an episode" that's floated around the circuit...Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the puzzleboard on the '70s C-W was just a simple series of lights. When the player got the word right, each light (one letter per light) would come on in succession. Jerri Fiala would use her pointer to show what word they were going for when one was picked (i.e. "3 ACROSS").

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I believe it was one big Mylar panel put in front of the board with the puzzle outline, including the numbers, and the solution (with the category art card covering the solution). Whether they had one big transparent Mylar card in the back of the board with the entire puzzle or if they inserted one letter at a time on the board, I don't know. Every box had its own light and when the word was solved, the operator would light up each unlit letter one at a time--and it sounded like the bell was automatically activated by turning on the light. When the puzzle was solved, there seemed to be a switch that turned on all of the lights.

What I don't know is if they had more than one board to swing in for going from the opening (with the celebs' names on the game board) to the first puzzle (or the rare going from the third to the fourth puzzle), or if they had to stop tape or the stagehands were changing away while Jack did the interviews.

tyshaun1 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 05, 2005, 06:22:41 PM »

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Apr 5 2005, 04:32 PM\'] The board *always* should be on stage, no matter what.

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The board actually was on stage- it was just hidden behind a door in the big blue hexagon. Sometimes when they panned in the center for the game board animation, you can see the doors opening up and revealing the monitor inside. Nevertheless, it still looked chintzy.

Tyshaun

GS Warehouse · « **Reply #17 on:** April 05, 2005, 06:31:06 PM »

[quote name=\'SamJ93\' date=\'Apr 5 2005, 02:46 PM\']I just caught this for the first time today myself, so maybe it was just me...but it definitely seemed like Rafferty took a longer pause between the contestant calling the space and him reading the clue, sometimes as much as a whole second.

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It should be noted that the clock starts after Bill the R finishes the first question. I believe that's how they compensated for the pause.

In these first few weeks--as it was in the first few weeks of the original--there was no money won in the front game. All the money was made in Gold Run. I could be wrong, but it must have been about the time GR was made progressive when the front games paid $100 each, and that was also the time different animation was used in preparing the board for the front games. Of course, I hadn't seen BB87 since its original airing until just now. I actually remember watching that original broadcast (on tape after school, of course) of today's episode (#2). That was a heartbreaking GR loss, but Debbie did have her chances. She's pretty, though.

[other members squirt Jason with fire hose] Sorry about that. It's always easy to tell who the single people are on this board.

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #18 on:** April 06, 2005, 09:39:15 AM »

Quote

Sometimes when they panned in the center for the game board animation, you can see the doors opening up and revealing the monitor inside. Nevertheless, it still looked chintzy.

That's one reason why the '70s seemed to be the "golden era" of game shows. Just looking at the mechanics of the board was part of the fun - with everything computerized, you just don't have that.

Can you imagine if they tried a revival of the '76 "Break the Bank" today? I'd hate to think what the board would look like - but it almost certainly wouldn't have the charm and appeal of the original.

zachhoran · « **Reply #19 on:** April 06, 2005, 10:39:35 AM »

[quote name=\'GS Warehouse\' date=\'Apr 5 2005, 05:31 PM\']
In these first few weeks--as it was in the first few weeks of the original--there was no money won in the front game.

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Debbie's total at the end of yesterday's show was $800. At the top of today's show, Bill announces her grand total as $1200. The extra $400 must have come from winning $100 for each maingame she's won in her two matches so far. Bill must have forgotten to award the $100 per maingame win. He makes references to the $100 per maingame win starting with today's show. Ergo, they must have awarded the $100 per maingame from the beginning of the run. As to when the progressive jackpots began, that I do not remember.

Mike Tennant · « **Reply #20 on:** April 06, 2005, 02:12:59 PM »

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Apr 6 2005, 08:39 AM\']That's one reason why the '70s seemed to be the "golden era" of game shows. Just looking at the mechanics of the board was part of the fun - with everything computerized, you just don't have that.

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I'll agree with this. Boards that are made up of monitors run by computers--and I fully understand the economics behind all this--always make me feel like it's something I could do on my PC at home, not something special that can only be done with a big budget and a TV studio. The big, spinning FF board, for example, looks impressive in a way that a monitor that I could pick up at Best Buy does not. There's just something about having tangible, rather than virtual, props on a game show that makes it a more pleasurable experience.

Jumpondees · « **Reply #21 on:** April 07, 2005, 02:34:18 AM »

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Apr 5 2005, 04:30 PM\'][quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Apr 5 2005, 02:22 PM\'][quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Apr 5 2005, 12:16 PM\']SP, Classic Concentration, Blockbusters....just not the same thanks to modern technology.

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Pyramid, too. Bring back trilons. (Well, and capable writing.)

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Pyramid was fine for me, monitors or trilons. It's one show where it didn't feel like the flow was gone with modern technology. I'll agree with you on the writing, though.

Two more mid-80s examples I thought of, Crosswits and High Rollers. Never seen the 70s C-W, but I remember reading there was a model, and the 80s version using a chryon puzzleboard just seems lackluster, or was the show just lackluster? ;-) (Yes, Zach, I know the Sparks version had a female announcer, and it doesn't compensate)

BTW, anyone have any pics of the 70s C-W board? Always wanted to see some screenshots.

The chryoned columns on HR seemed cheap IMO, and just didn't fit into such a flashy set.

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On Pyramid, I'll also agree with the writing aspect, but I also must add my complete dislike for the "judging" on the show....So many times while watching Donny's Pyramid, I would get so steamed at how so many of the clues that would have gotten the ol' "cuckoo" back in the Dick Clark days would go untouched...It's like I'd hear what would be contrived as a "illegal" clue, then I'd hear the "cuckoo" in the back of my mind (having the old ruleset burned into memory), and then wait to hear whatever the hell you would describe thier sound as, and then get nothing. On that note, I'll take a big cleansing breath now.

joshg · « **Reply #22 on:** April 08, 2005, 02:40:13 AM »

[quote name=\'Jumpondees\' date=\'Apr 6 2005, 10:34 PM\']It's like I'd hear what would be contrived as a "illegal" clue, then I'd hear the "cuckoo" in the back of my mind (having the old ruleset burned into memory), and then wait to hear whatever the hell you would describe their sound as, and then get nothing.

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"cuckoo droppings"?

golden-road · « **Reply #23 on:** April 08, 2005, 06:16:44 PM »

[quote name=\'matchgame\' date=\'Apr 8 2005, 01:40 AM\'][quote name=\'Jumpondees\' date=\'Apr 6 2005, 10:34 PM\']It's like I'd hear what would be contrived as a "illegal" clue, then I'd hear the "cuckoo" in the back of my mind (having the old ruleset burned into memory), and then wait to hear whatever the hell you would describe their sound as, and then get nothing.

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"cuckoo droppings"?

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Didn't they do something special with the Gold Run on the last episode?

catnap1972 · « **Reply #24 on:** April 08, 2005, 06:59:49 PM »

How many matches was the champion allowed to play? I'd figured five but the episode I pulled out yesterday (from the collection) had a champion defeated with over $27,000. Were they allowed 10 shots at the Gold Run (assuming they were undefeated)?

zachhoran · « **Reply #25 on:** April 08, 2005, 07:23:12 PM »

[quote name=\'catnap1972\' date=\'Apr 8 2005, 05:59 PM\']How many matches was the champion allowed to play? I'd figured five but the episode I pulled out yesterday (from the collection) had a champion defeated with over $27,000. Were they allowed 10 shots at the Gold Run (assuming they were undefeated)?

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10 trips to the Gold Run was the Rafferty BB limit IIRC, and didn't a contestant named Jeanne go all the way?

zachhoran · « **Reply #26 on:** April 08, 2005, 07:29:32 PM »

[quote name=\'golden-road\' date=\'Apr 8 2005, 05:16 PM\']
Didn't they do something special with the Gold Run on the last episode?

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The player got an extra $1K added to their total on the final Gold Run on the BB87 finale, as it was not won.