Author Topic: The Show Has SOLD! (Read 7412 times)

Don Howard · « **on:** December 05, 2006, 01:36:54 PM »

Only once can I think of a game where a particular host was emceeing the pilot but not included in the series. That was in 1989 when Bert Convy decided he'd rather run 3rd Degree himself, so Peter Marshall was sent to the showers.
What would be the reaction of the stations that bought the show with one host advertised but along comes another?
And did this happen with other shows beyond the two where the first choice either passed away (Larry Blyden for Showoffs) or fell ill (Bert Convy on ABC Match Game)?

entguy1 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 05, 2006, 01:39:26 PM »

"The Gong Show," anyone?

SRIV94 · « **Reply #2 on:** December 05, 2006, 01:53:44 PM »

[quote name=\'entguy1\' post=\'139631\' date=\'Dec 5 2006, 12:39 PM\']
"The Gong Show," anyone?
[/quote]
We have a winner.

Doug -- and the countdown to 2500 continues

aaron sica · « **Reply #3 on:** December 05, 2006, 02:29:19 PM »

The "3rd Degree" situation - is that what initially put Bert Convy on Peter Marshall's sh*t list, so to speak, or had Marshall not liked him before that?

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #4 on:** December 05, 2006, 03:09:29 PM »

I can think of several examples where one person hosted a pilot and a different person hosted the series. Bert Parks on The Hollywood Squares immediately leaps to mind; Orson Bean for what became Classic Concentraton would be another. There are probably dozens more. Whether those were cases where the host was dumped or whether other factors may have been at work are probably unique to each case.

entguy1 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 05, 2006, 03:51:01 PM »

Or America's favorite "Three's Company" second banana hosting TTTT '90.

Blanquepage · « **Reply #6 on:** December 05, 2006, 03:53:49 PM »

The Ultimate TV Game Show Book has an interesting list of 21 series with different pilot hosts.
I'd love to see Geoff Edwards' pilots to Your Number's Up and Make Me Laugh.
And who'd have thunk that Art James did the Winning Streak pilot?
It's listed as existing at UCLA, so maybe one day we'll see what that was like.

--Jamie

bricon · « **Reply #7 on:** December 05, 2006, 03:54:18 PM »

A couple of others - Peter Tomarken hosting the "Wordplay" pilot, and Robb Weller hosting the "Blackout" pilot.

tvwxman · « **Reply #8 on:** December 05, 2006, 03:55:26 PM »

[quote name=\'entguy1\' post=\'139646\' date=\'Dec 5 2006, 03:51 PM\']
Or America's favorite "Three's Company" second banana hosting TTTT '90.
[/quote]
Yeah, but again, this was a case of a show going to air without the host (or , in this case, the set).

I think the 3rd degree case is different, becuase the show had been sold to individual local stations with Peter as the host. Bert took over, IIRC, the summer before it premiered, long after Variety scribed it 'a firm go'.

SRIV94 · « **Reply #9 on:** December 05, 2006, 03:57:45 PM »

[quote name=\'bricon\' post=\'139649\' date=\'Dec 5 2006, 02:54 PM\']
A couple of others - Peter Tomarken hosting the "Wordplay" pilot, and Robb Weller hosting the "Blackout" pilot.
[/quote]
Do we dare count Kookie? Of course, not only did they change the host of the show, they also changed the title.

/And subsequently the format.

EDIT: Connecti-Matt's point is very valid. I'll withdraw the question.

Doug -- and the countdown to 2500 continues

BrandonFG · « **Reply #10 on:** December 05, 2006, 04:18:01 PM »

Didn't Peter Tomarken host a Monopoly pilot?

Also, I remember Marc Summers originally being tapped for the Squares 98 position, but did he ever host a pilot?

tvwxman · « **Reply #11 on:** December 05, 2006, 04:36:45 PM »

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'139655\' date=\'Dec 5 2006, 04:18 PM\']
Also, I remember Marc Summers originally being tapped for the Squares 98 position, but did he ever host a pilot?
[/quote]

I do remember Michael Burger's name being bandied about for the "Planet Hollywood Squares" revival a few years earlier. Yes, the one with center square..... (wait for it).....Roseanne Barr.

Now, let's play hypothetical. If that had gone to air, and the 98 version did not, would:

A: Planet Hollywood still have filed for bankruptcy a few years later?
B: Would the tv world have given Tom Bergeron another national shot after "Breakfast Time"?
C: Would the Schwartzennegger campaign been able to survive attack ads from the Dems with clips of Ah-nold in the corner square? "I'll take arnold to block".
D: Would Mike Burger now have a better chance to host TPIR?

clemon79 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 05, 2006, 04:54:56 PM »

[quote name=\'tvwxman\' post=\'139658\' date=\'Dec 5 2006, 01:36 PM\']
A: Planet Hollywood still have filed for bankruptcy a few years later?
[/quote]
Yes. The food plain sucked, at least at the Seattle one that was open when I first moved here.

ChuckNet · « **Reply #13 on:** December 05, 2006, 05:28:01 PM »

Quote

Also, I remember Marc Summers originally being tapped for the Squares 98 position, but did he ever host a pilot?

Not to the best of my knowledge...I think he was just under consideration, as was John Tesh(!), whose only connection w/Bergeron HS wound up being a Valentine-themed wk he appeared on (w/wife Connie Selleca) in Feb 03. But I digress...AFAIK, no pilot was ever taped for that version, though I could be wrong...paging Brian Conn, LOL.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

Joe Mello · « **Reply #14 on:** December 05, 2006, 06:49:49 PM »

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' post=\'139651\' date=\'Dec 5 2006, 03:57 PM\']
Do we dare count Kookie?[/quote]

I don't think so, because Chuck hosted the pilot before that, and I thought this was supposed to be a list of hosts who didn't host a pilot.

/Source, for your edification