ULTRA QUIZ
I guess this is as good a place as any to discuss Ultra Quiz a bit. I was a contestant on Ultra Quiz. I and hundreds of others arrived at Dodger Stadium (in Los Angeles) and went through an initial processing which included showing our passports. (A total of 932, according to the "Encyclopedia.") We assembled on the field and were asked our first question. If you think the answer is "A" go there; if you think the answer is "B" go there. I forget the exact question, but I got it right. The second question was "When Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, the first foot that touched the surface was: Right? Left? Again, all the "rights" went to one place, the "lefts" to another. I came with my fellow game show aficionado Jeannie Graff. She went to the "left" group; I went to the "right"—that way one of us will go on. The answer was "left" so Jeannie went to the next stage, held at LAX. Contestants were paired off, were read a question, had to dash to the end of a short "track" and pull on a rope or something to ring a bell. Jeannie won her "heat" which was somewhat remarkable, since she was anything but "slim."
All the winners then boarded a plane (TWA I think) bound for an unknown destination. Jeannie told me that Dick Clark was warm and gracious, serving tea, etc. Dick Martin was affable and outgoing, while Dan Rowan pretty much kept to himself. Jeannie thought that being a diabetic might have had something to do with that. During the flight, everyone was given a written "quiz" of questions to answer.
The plane made an unannounced landing in Little Rock, and everyone had to deplane. However, at the end of the stairs, there was a light or buzzer which signalled if you passed the test or not. Jeannie passed; many others did not. She went on to Washington DC, the "failures" were flown back to LAX.
Jeannie "failed" in Washington, and as a "punishment" had to go running through the streets of DC in her shorts. This was shown on TV. The "winners" then went on to various cities in Europe, competing until only two remained, a young "hot shot" and a more "seasoned" contestant.
The final championship round was televised live from the NBC studios November 17, 1981. I was in the studio audience, along with Jeannie and many of the other contestants. One of them had a bunch of tee shirts made which said "I Survived the Little Rock Massacre," hoping to sell them to the "survivors" to recoup his expenses. His investment paid off, and Jeannie any many others bought one. It was a very emotional reunion, for you all know about how fellow contestants "bond."
The producers decided that adding Richard Simmons and Jayne Kennedy as commentators would add some "pizazz" to the show. (Shades of Dennis Miller and Amanda Byram?) The older guy, Craig Powers, won, perhaps illustrating that under pressure, veteran experience will prevail (As in some Super Bowls?) Unfortunately, this was up against "10" with Bo Derek on CBS and got creamed in the ratings.
