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Author Topic: 'That's My Line'  (Read 5719 times)

The Pyramids

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'That's My Line'
« on: April 28, 2005, 08:28:36 AM »
The book 'Prime Time, Prime Movers' by Robert Thompson is a good read. It had a chapter on Mark Goodson and a comprehesive list of his shows.

When reading the list there is a show called 'That's My Line' from 1980 listed. Do you think that is an that an all-out error, or was there a pilot for what sounds like a 'WML' revival?
« Last Edit: April 28, 2005, 08:29:07 AM by PaulD »
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aaron sica

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2005, 08:44:54 AM »
[quote name=\'PaulD\' date=\'Apr 28 2005, 08:28 AM\']The book 'Prime Time, Prime Movers' by Robert Thompson is a good read. It had a chapter on Mark Goodson and a comprehesive list of his shows.

When reading the list there is a show called 'That's My Line' from 1980 listed. Do you think that is an that an all-out error, or was there a pilot for what sounds like a 'WML' revival?
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IIRC, this was actually a short-lived show with Bob Barker as host that aired around 1980-1981. I don't remember it being a game show per se, but mainly a show featuring people in really different occupations...
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zachhoran

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2005, 08:48:06 AM »
[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Apr 28 2005, 07:44 AM\'][quote name=\'PaulD\' date=\'Apr 28 2005, 08:28 AM\']The book 'Prime Time, Prime Movers' by Robert Thompson is a good read. It had a chapter on Mark Goodson and a comprehesive list of his shows.

When reading the list there is a show called 'That's My Line' from 1980 listed. Do you think that is an that an all-out error, or was there a pilot for what sounds like a 'WML' revival?
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IIRC, this was actually a short-lived show with Bob Barker as host that aired around 1980-1981. I don't remember it being a game show per se, but mainly a show featuring people in really different occupations...
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It was also a Goodson-Todman production, and I think Johnny Olson announced for it. One of GT's ill-fated attempts at something that was not a game show.
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Esoteric Eric

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2005, 08:52:37 AM »
[quote name=\'PaulD\' date=\'Apr 28 2005, 05:28 AM\']The book 'Prime Time, Prime Movers' by Robert Thompson is a good read. It had a chapter on Mark Goodson and a comprehesive list of his shows.
When reading the list there is a show called 'That's My Line' from 1980 listed. Do you think that is an that an all-out error, or was there a pilot for what sounds like a 'WML' revival?
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TML was a CBS summer (and / or strike) replacement series profiling people with allegedly interesting occupations.  Despite being produced by Goodson and anchored by Bob Barker, it was not a game show, rather an attempt to clone NBC's hit Real People.

Esoteric Eric, who's had the same line for almost eight years now, though the commute has changed from 600 yards to almost eighteen miles in the meantime

EDIT:  Dang, you guys are fast; doesn't anyone else have to go to work? <looks at clock> Uh-oh, gotta run...
« Last Edit: April 28, 2005, 08:54:46 AM by Esoteric Eric »
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DrBear

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2005, 12:09:59 PM »
You are correct, sir! And given reality TV, I wouldn't be surprised if somebody tried something similar again...

It's interesting that with a few exceptions, game show production companies didn't fare well when trying to extend their empires. Probably the best non-game Goodson-Todman show was the old 60s Western "Branded" which starred Chuck Connors. Chuck Barris tried a variety show, "Operation: Entertainment," which was taped at various military bases, Bob Hope-style, but got nowhere near the audiences of Hope's Vietnam-era Christmas shows (which were close to the Oscars for top audiences of the year).

Of course, somebody will find an example and prove me wrong.
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This isn't a plug, but you can ask me about my book.

uncamark

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #5 on: April 28, 2005, 12:19:26 PM »
[quote name=\'DrBear\' date=\'Apr 28 2005, 11:09 AM\']You are correct, sir! And given reality TV, I wouldn't be surprised if somebody tried something similar again...

It's interesting that with a few exceptions, game show production companies didn't fare well when trying to extend their empires. Probably the best non-game Goodson-Todman show was the old 60s Western "Branded" which starred Chuck Connors. Chuck Barris tried a variety show, "Operation: Entertainment," which was taped at various military bases, Bob Hope-style, but got nowhere near the audiences of Hope's Vietnam-era Christmas shows (which were close to the Oscars for top audiences of the year).

Of course, somebody will find an example and prove me wrong.
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I will mention that G-T got several years out of the mystery anthology "The Web" in the early days of the medium.

Ralph Edwards has probably been the luckiest outside of the strict game show genre--"This Is Your Life" and "People's Court" both were/are long-established hits.  ("People's Court" has just started a British version, surprisingly the first UK reality court show ever, IIRC, on in the morning on ITV and with former "Changing Rooms" host and "Wheel" letter-turner Carol Smillie as court reporter.  The Brits did see Wapner in the 80s on Channel 4.)
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Jimmy Owen

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #6 on: April 28, 2005, 12:24:49 PM »
Then there are those who dipped their toes in game show production like Fedderson, Rosner and Cannell.
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chris319

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #7 on: April 28, 2005, 05:30:47 PM »
There was a faction at G-T that felt That's My Line? inspired a reaction of "So what?", to use their words. I can't say I disagree with them.

CBS wanted a show to compete with Real People on NBC. There were like four summer replacement episodes in 1980, then it resurfaced in 1981. I'm not sure if the idea for TML? originated with G-T, CBS or both, but G-T certainly wasn't going to turn down the business.
« Last Edit: April 28, 2005, 05:36:15 PM by chris319 »
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The Pyramids

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2005, 05:57:24 PM »
The error then is w/ the book I saw it in.

"That's My Line" is listed in the game show colum and not the columm that lists G/T's non-game show productions.
« Last Edit: April 30, 2005, 03:03:47 PM by PaulD »
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ChuckNet

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #9 on: April 28, 2005, 09:25:55 PM »
Quote
Despite being produced by Goodson and anchored by Bob Barker, it was not a game show, rather an attempt to clone NBC's hit Real People.

Ironically, after TML tanked, one of their correspondents (Kerry Millerick) wound up on the final season of the show that inspired it, Real People.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
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Jimmy Owen

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2005, 09:35:03 PM »
I would have liked the show more if they had played a round of WML? before going to the lengthy profiles.
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davemackey

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #11 on: April 28, 2005, 09:42:59 PM »
"That's My Line" had some interesting stories, but it also had a ludicrous piece of Bob Cobert music (with a tuba as the most prominent melody instrument) for a theme song.

We already talked about Kerry Millerick, but the two other field reporters (and the two who were with the show when it first aired) were two very attractive women named Suzanne Childs and Tiiu Leek.
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FeudDude

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #12 on: April 28, 2005, 11:36:24 PM »
This may be a stupid question, but does GSN's Goodson license include these non-game shows?
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uncamark

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2005, 05:53:52 PM »
[quote name=\'FeudDude\' date=\'Apr 28 2005, 10:36 PM\']This may be a stupid question, but does GSN's Goodson license include these non-game shows?
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AFAIK, no.

The only show that was in widespread syndication was "Branded," of which KW owns the syndication rights.  (Although "The Deputy" was widely syndicated back in the 60s.)

And to answer the obvious question, there was a voice-over announcer who said in the credits of "Branded":   "This has been a Mark Goodson-Bill Todman production."  (Johnny O was still years away from saying "This is Johnny Olsen speaking for...")
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ChuckNet

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'That's My Line'
« Reply #14 on: April 29, 2005, 11:18:18 PM »
Quote
We already talked about Kerry Millerick, but the two other field reporters (and the two who were with the show when it first aired) were two very attractive women named Suzanne Childs and Tiiu Leek.

ObGameShow: Leek did a wk of Ward TTTT during her stint on TML.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")
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