Oldest Contestant Ever?

[Chelsea Thrasher]

Watching a recent episode of Countdown, they mentioned that the challenger for the day was 89, and said he was the oldest contestant the show had ever had (the accuracy of that I can't vouch for).  That said, does anyone have an idea of who might have been the oldest contestant on a game show?  I know The Price is Right has had a few in their 90s.  Any over 100?

[Allstar87]

Don't know any over 100. Closest I can think of: Samuel J. Seymour was about 96 when he appeared on I've Got A Secret in 1956.

[Jay Temple]

I recall Tic Tac Dough having a Seniors Tournament. I don't recall the minimum age, but I'm fairly certain it was higher than J!'s 50. Some of your oldest contestants would probably have come from there.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'157499\' date=\'Jul 15 2007, 01:35 AM\']
I recall Tic Tac Dough having a Seniors Tournament. I don't recall the minimum age, but I'm fairly certain it was higher than J!'s 50. Some of your oldest contestants would probably have come from there.
[/quote]
Coincidentally, today I was in a position to look at a lot of old press material, and I saw a promo for the Tic Tac Dough Seniors Tournament, something I didn't remember seeing on the air.  Minimum age was 80, but it didn't say anything about the oldest player participating.

[whewfan]

I believe TPIR had a 99 year old guy play Switcheroo with modified rules (the 30 second clock was not used, and Bob placed the blocks where he wanted them) Bob said the clock was "not working", but I think he just didn't want to suggest they were bending the rules because this guy was 99 and would have difficulty placing the 5 blocks in 30 seconds.

[MikeK]

[quote name=\'Allstar87\' post=\'157498\' date=\'Jul 15 2007, 01:24 AM\']Don't know any over 100. Closest I can think of: Samuel J. Seymour was about 96 when he appeared on I've Got A Secret in 1956.[/quote]
Was this the gentleman whose secret was he was at Ford's Theater when Lincoln was assassinated?  Given the age and year he was on Secret, I'm guessing the answer is in the affirmative.

[tvrandywest]

[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'157512\' date=\'Jul 15 2007, 02:24 AM\']
I believe TPIR had a 99 year old guy play Switcheroo with modified rules (the 30 second clock was not used, and Bob placed the blocks where he wanted them) Bob said the clock was "not working", but I think he just didn't want to suggest they were bending the rules because this guy was 99 and would have difficulty placing the 5 blocks in 30 seconds.
[/quote]Yea, I believe that was one of the TPiR episodes I announced, although I forgot if the player was 95 or 98 or 99. Whichever, he made Barker look young! Bob abd Roger handled the situation perfectly to maintain the player's dignity by making believe the clock was broken (it wasn't) and having Bob place the blocks. Classy.

Randy
tvrandywest.com

[JohnHolder]

[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' post=\'157523\' date=\'Jul 15 2007, 01:07 PM\']
[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'157512\' date=\'Jul 15 2007, 02:24 AM\']
I believe TPIR had a 99 year old guy play Switcheroo with modified rules (the 30 second clock was not used, and Bob placed the blocks where he wanted them) Bob said the clock was "not working", but I think he just didn't want to suggest they were bending the rules because this guy was 99 and would have difficulty placing the 5 blocks in 30 seconds.
[/quote]Yea, I believe that was one of the TPiR episodes I announced, although I forgot if the player was 95 or 98 or 99. Whichever, he made Barker look young! Bob abd Roger handled the situation perfectly to maintain the player's dignity by making believe the clock was broken (it wasn't) and having Bob place the blocks. Classy.

Randy
tvrandywest.com
[/quote]

Randy, is it true that on a show where they're going to play a physically-oriented game (like Race Game or Bonkers), they delay calling elderly/disabled contestants down to CR until afterwards?  I've read that elsewhere.

John

[cmjb13]

A quick search reveals he was 99

[whewfan]

Randy, is it true that on a show where they're going to play a physically-oriented game (like Race Game or Bonkers), they delay calling elderly/disabled contestants down to CR until afterwards?  I've read that elsewhere.

I would imagine that would be the case. If they wanted to call a contestant down that they KNEW had physical limitations, they'd simply get called down after the game is played. Interestingly enough, a wheelchair contestant played Switcheroo, but with a 45 second clock instead of 30, and he handled the blocks.

[Allstar87]

[quote name=\'MikeK\' post=\'157520\' date=\'Jul 15 2007, 11:37 AM\']
Was this the gentleman whose secret was he was at Ford's Theater when Lincoln was assassinated?  Given the age and year he was on Secret, I'm guessing the answer is in the affirmative.
[/quote]

You are indeed correct. And if I recall correctly, he passed away not long after he appeared on IGAS.

[mcsittel]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'157506\' date=\'Jul 15 2007, 02:51 AM\']
[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'157499\' date=\'Jul 15 2007, 01:35 AM\']
I recall Tic Tac Dough having a Seniors Tournament. I don't recall the minimum age, but I'm fairly certain it was higher than J!'s 50. Some of your oldest contestants would probably have come from there.
[/quote]
Coincidentally, today I was in a position to look at a lot of old press material, and I saw a promo for the Tic Tac Dough Seniors Tournament, something I didn't remember seeing on the air.  Minimum age was 80, but it didn't say anything about the oldest player participating.
[/quote]

Why I remember it, I don't know... but I think a 93-year-old lady who was the eldest member of the group.

[Nick]

[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'157536\' date=\'Jul 15 2007, 02:18 PM\']
Interestingly enough, a wheelchair contestant played Switcheroo, but with a 45 second clock instead of 30, and he handled the blocks.
[/quote]

You're half correct.  He was given forty-five seconds, but he didn't handle the blocks himself.  Model Claudia Jordan, who was with the show at that time, did the placement for him.

[Bob Zager]

I seem to recall seeing a Best of Groucho episode a couple of times, featuring a man over the age of 100!  I don't recall his name, though!

[uncamark]

And "TJW" did a seniors tournament in early 1974 in which there was one contestant over 100.  In hyping the tourney, Barry kept mentioning that they had contestants in their 80s and 90s plus "a very special surprise."  When the 102-year-old lady came on, Barry revealed that that was the surprise--he put it something like "this lady is over 100 years old."  [Applause]  "In fact, she is 102--how about that?"  [More appaluse]