Marshall or Bergeron?

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Sep 17 2005, 03:55 PM\']I also happen to like John Davidson as a television personality, so his ineptitude as a host doesn't bother me the way it does others.  Still, there's a great giant chasm between liking him and being able to say with a straight face that he was a good host.  And "I like him as a host and that's all there is to it" isn't a real convincing argument for the latter position.
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Exactly. Like the show for the people that were on it? Great. I like Shadoe Stevens, too, and I was thrilled when they stuck him permanently in the lox box. But don't tell me that a guy who had to be told EACH AND EVERY TIME IT HAPPENED that a player can't win by default is even a competent host, much less a good one.

Or, at least, don't tell me and expect me to think your opinion on pretty much anything else is worthy of consideration, because that kind of conclusion is not drawn by a sensible mind.

"Did they REALLY have to tell him every single time?" I used to work with someone who worked on the show for the last two seasons. YES. EVERY TIME.

Wanna call him your favorite? Spiffy. Favorite is a personal preference, nobody will take that away from you. But if you're gonna say he's the BEST (and the question asked who the better host was, not who you liked more), you gotta back that up, and there just isn't any argument that does that.

[MCArroyo1]

[quote name=\'Adam Nedeff\' date=\'Sep 17 2005, 06:13 PM\']I give the nod to Bergeron, even if I did find his version of the show unwatchable a lot of the time.

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Really?  I mean, the show was louder and more energetic than any of the previous versions, but it was still funny, which is what counts.  And lots of today's game shows and talk shows have that same energy level.

[$100kPyramidfan]

[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Sep 17 2005, 02:58 PM\']To think, wasn't Marc Summers set to host the Whoopi Squares at one point in development?

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I never knew that, but I did hear that Roseanne was also an option, but I'm not sure if that's true or not.

To answer the question, I would also have to agree with the people who chose Tom Bergeron, as he was much more the type of laid back, funny, and nicer hosts that I've seen. He seemed to have a wonderful banter with all the stars and celebs who were on. As someone else said, the show is somewhat of a "zoo," but the game and everything would still go on, so there didn't seem to be TOO much craziness. I loved the energetic style that his version carried.

As for Peter Marshall, his version was good too, but I liked the show for the celebrities who were on it, the nostalgic feel of it, and that's pretty much it.

As for Jon Bauman, I saw a couple episodes of the MGHS hour, and it was just weird to see him hosting that. Like, in the sense of "what are YOU doing there"?

[calliaume]

Most of those here saw Marshall almost exclusively on the GSN reruns and the episodes circulating on videotape, by which time he had the format down.  By the late '70s, he was probably pretty bored, despite his claims to the contrary in the book.

We watched Bergeron's growing pains through the first few years; we never saw Marshall's, because they aren't available to us.

They're probably equally as good, all things considered.  As noted, however, Marshall's version was much more tightly directed, so he didn't have to deal with extraneous crap from the stars (if they gave any, they didn't come back - something you can't threaten when the biggest star is the executive producer).

[MikeK]

[quote name=\'$100kPyramidfan\' date=\'Sep 17 2005, 08:57 PM\'][quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Sep 17 2005, 02:58 PM\']To think, wasn't Marc Summers set to host the Whoopi Squares at one point in development?[/quote]
I never knew that, but I did hear that Roseanne was also an option, but I'm not sure if that's true or not.[/quote]
There were plans to revive HS with the name Planet Hollywood Squares and with Roseanne as the center square around 1994.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'hmtriplecrown\' date=\'Sep 17 2005, 09:10 PM\'][quote name=\'$100kPyramidfan\' date=\'Sep 17 2005, 08:57 PM\']

I never knew that, but I did hear that Roseanne was also an option, but I'm not sure if that's true or not.[/quote]
There were plans to revive HS with the name Planet Hollywood Squares and with Roseanne as the center square around 1994.

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For the 95,000th post in 27 months at Invision, it was more like 1995 or 1996. It was reported on ATGS or on someone's website at the time that Merrill Heatter was actually going to be co-producing it with Roseanne.

[Terry K]

[quote name=\'calliaume\' date=\'Sep 17 2005, 08:29 PM\']Most of those here saw Marshall almost exclusively on the GSN reruns and the episodes circulating on videotape, by which time he had the format down.  By the late '70s, he was probably pretty bored, despite his claims to the contrary in the book.

We watched Bergeron's growing pains through the first few years; we never saw Marshall's, because they aren't available to us.

They're probably equally as good, all things considered.  As noted, however, Marshall's version was much more tightly directed, so he didn't have to deal with extraneous crap from the stars (if they gave any, they didn't come back - something you can't threaten when the biggest star is the executive producer).

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H2 really showed how good Bergeron was.  Watching even the first wek of H2 without Whoopi, she was dragging the show down.  The stars on H2 were seemingly funnier and more, well, ready to do the show.  Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Mull on both the Davidson and Marshall versions?  

Bergeron on H2 was having more fun with the stars and he REALLY enjoyed the show after Whoopi left (the new bonus round and the fact that the producer was seldom in the squares helped a LOT.

Winkler, as I've said before, put a show on the air that was getting a LOT closer to the Marshall version, and really didn't play off the Whoopi years.

[Don Howard]

For what I admit could easily be nostalgic sentimental reasons, my vote goes to Peter Marshall. He had no trouble telling the star to "serious up" when he or she was getting across the line--especially on the nighttime edition where "time is money". I also liked how he offered the contestant the question if the star couldn't come up with a bluff instead of just tossing it aside and reaching for "another Wally Cox question".
Of course, I do grant you that John and Tom didn't do that because it could have been a production company regulation that the question be discarded if a bluff wasn't offered.
I have noticed these past few weekends (as pointed out by another member of our family) that Tom's more at ease and in control in the age of H2 with the welcome absence of Whoopi "it's all about me" Goldberg. Because with Tom, it's all about the game.

[ChuckNet]

Bergeron on H2 was having more fun with the stars and he REALLY enjoyed the show after Whoopi left (the new bonus round and the fact that the producer was seldom in the squares helped a LOT.

In fact, I think Henry Winkler only ever did a wk's worth of shows during the final season, not counting a month-long stint filling in for Jeffrey Tambor as announcer the year before.

But I digress...although I was a fan of Bergeron's version from day 1, the show really improved after Whoopi left...the egocentricism prevalent during her reign had become particularly apparent during her final season, w/the intro of that God-awful 60-sec. Q&A endgame. And the ratings improvement during those final 2 seasons really showed it, even if it came too late to save the show.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

[Craig Karlberg]

I like both versions basically, but I'll go with Bergeron because he was the focal point of the show once Whoopi was removed from the board.  He had a style all his own not only with the stars, but with the players sometimes & is more personable.  I think Marshall wasn't all that bad except at times, he sounded like a machine when spewing off his trademark ramble of the rules of the game.  That version was fine for simplicity, but Bergeron's version wins based on his personality.

[DrBear]

[quote name=\'hmtriplecrown\' date=\'Sep 17 2005, 09:30 AM\'] I'd say Tom's the best new GS host in almost a quarter century, since that Sajak fellow replaced Woolery.

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WOOLERY LEFT WHEEL?

But, all seriousness aside, most of the arguments in this thread have been made, so I'll just vote.

Bergeron. He's more in tune with today's audiences.

[megamanj1986]

[quote name=\'Terry K\' date=\'Sep 17 2005, 08:56 PM\'][quote name=\'calliaume\' date=\'Sep 17 2005, 08:29 PM\']Most of those here saw Marshall almost exclusively on the GSN reruns and the episodes circulating on videotape, by which time he had the format down.  By the late '70s, he was probably pretty bored, despite his claims to the contrary in the book.

We watched Bergeron's growing pains through the first few years; we never saw Marshall's, because they aren't available to us.

They're probably equally as good, all things considered.  As noted, however, Marshall's version was much more tightly directed, so he didn't have to deal with extraneous crap from the stars (if they gave any, they didn't come back - something you can't threaten when the biggest star is the executive producer).

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H2 really showed how good Bergeron was.  Watching even the first wek of H2 without Whoopi, she was dragging the show down.  The stars on H2 were seemingly funnier and more, well, ready to do the show.  Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Mull on both the Davidson and Marshall versions?  

Bergeron on H2 was having more fun with the stars and he REALLY enjoyed the show after Whoopi left (the new bonus round and the fact that the producer was seldom in the squares helped a LOT.

Winkler, as I've said before, put a show on the air that was getting a LOT closer to the Marshall version, and really didn't play off the Whoopi years.

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Mr. Mull WAS in fact on the Marshall version, b/c on Game Show Week #1, Martin Mull mentioned that it was good to see him back, again. Davidson, I doubt it. Let's not forget that he also starred on Fernwood Tonight when he appeared on the Marshall version.

[megamanj1986]

For host, hmmm.


Hosting wise, here's my candidate.

Marshall - had a tight grip on control of the celebs during his day. He wasn't as funny as some of the celebs who made those funny quips. But when it came to talking about other versions of HS, he can come out as an arrogant stiff, who seem thinks that his version of HS is the best. WRONG-O! Furthermore, tell me this, since Marshall said that his version of HS was the #1 show in daytime, how long was it in #1 daytime, then, huh.

Bauman - he wasn't as up to the level that Peter was, but he did an OK job.

Davidson - He was sometimes too lax when it came to control of the celebs, but he did keep some from getting too out of hand. However, he did say some funny jokes that no one would of even thought about saying back then. He has a little more humor than that of Marshall.

Bergeron - Like Marshall before him, Bergeron too had a tight grip on controlling the celebs. Unlike Marshall, Bergeron brought in his own style and had much more humor than tha above hosts.

2nd place: Davidson. AND THE WINNER IS...  BERGERON

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'megamanj1986\' date=\'Sep 23 2005, 12:38 PM\']Marshall - had a tight grip on control of the celebs during his day. He wasn't as funny as some of the celebs who made those funny quips. But when it came to talking about other versions of HS, he can come out as an arrogant stiff, who seem thinks that his version of HS is the best. WRONG-O! Furthermore, tell me this, since Marshall said that his version of HS was the #1 show in daytime, how long was it in #1 daytime, then, huh.
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I don't know about all of daytime, but I think the EOTVGS mentions it as the #1 game in the early-70s, right before Match Game came along.

The stuff you mentioned kinda turned me off from Marshall, for the same reasons you mentioned, esp. that interview he gave Perfesser a few years back, downplaying HSq, then he decides to return to plug his book.

BTW, can anyone really confirm his claims that Chuck's Wheel only had 7 people in the audience. I think he might've been jealous that the show was slowly becoming more and more popular (was said to be NBC's #1 game in the late-70s).

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Sep 23 2005, 07:15 PM\']BTW, can anyone really confirm his claims that Chuck's Wheel only had 7 people in the audience. I think he might've been jealous that the show was slowly becoming more and more popular (was said to be NBC's #1 game in the late-70s).

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That's probably something we'll never know--tickets for TV shows are always issued in excess of seating capacity and I don't even think they tear them as you come in, so no one's auditing the numbers (and I don't think that the stubs would be in NBC's storage after 30 years).

Now is it entirely possible that "Wheel" may've only played at least once to an audience of 7 real people in the days before paid audiences?  Very possibly, since I would assume that back then, the only game shows that consistently never played to an empty seat were "TPIR" and "LMAD."  The reason for that is rather obvious--people were hoping to get picked to be a contestant.  (Maybe "T or C," too, for the same reason, if they weren't worried about Bob Barker hitting them in the face with a pie.)

For most tourists looking to see TV shows in LA, I would assume that the priority then would be Carson, then a popular sitcom or variety show, then the less popular, then the other daily talk shows, then "TPIR" or "LMAD," then the other game shows.  YMMV, of course, but that would be my guess.  Maybe a little more to "Squares" or "MG" if you liked the regulars, but a run-of-the-mill civilian game would probably be at the bottom of most peoples' lists.