23 years ago today...

[ChuckNet]

NBC bid High Rollers, HS, and Chain Reaction a fond farewell after runs of 2 yrs, 14 yrs, and 6 mos, respectively. The David Letterman Show takes over the 10-11:30 AM slot on Mon, resulting in CS being pushed to noon and slowly leading to its cancellation.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious \"Chuckie Baby\")

[SRIV94]

NBC bid High Rollers, HS, and Chain Reaction a fond farewell after runs of 2 yrs, 14 yrs, and 6 mos, respectively. The David Letterman Show takes over the 10-11:30 AM slot on Mon, resulting in CS being pushed to noon and slowly leading to its cancellation.

Or, you could choose to believe Peter Marshall and Art Alisi's account of the story, where WHEEL was actually cancelled instead of CR and was in the midst of their wrap party when NBC hurriedly announced that WoF was being renewed.  

But what classic finales those shows were!

Doug

[J.R.]

Just think, if HR had been spared and not WOF. We would of never heard: \"Many Moon Come... A Niner !\" : P

-Joe R.

[Johnissoevil]

Just think, if HR had been spared and not WOF. We would of never heard: \"Many Moon Come... A Niner !\"

Nor would we be telling Johnny Come Latelys (Myself, included, at times) that Woolery is leaving Wheel. :-P

[TPIRkid79]

May I reply to this post? I remember watching some of those game shows on NBC when I was a baby. High Rollers, Wheel of Fortune, Card Sharks, and Password Plus is all I could remember from that time.

[SRIV94]

May I reply to this post?

Nope, sorry, you can't.  But thanks anyway.  

Doug

[AH3RD]

[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Jun 20 2003, 10:35 AM\'] NBC bid High Rollers, HS, and Chain Reaction a fond farewell after runs of 2 yrs, 14 yrs, and 6 mos, respectively. The David Letterman Show takes over the 10-11:30 AM slot on Mon[/quote]

A decision which The Peacock Network would later come to sorely regret; The David Letterman Show would be pulled after three months, despite Letterman winning his first Emmys for best host of and best writing for a daytime variety series.

[Ian Wallis]

I remember watching the very first show - two interesting things happened:

1) he was introduced as \"the man for whom NBC cancelled three game shows\"

2) one of the guests was a critic who reviewed the show, and even stated that it's hard to do an honest review on just one show.  He also compared the show to an earlier NBC talk show attempt \"America's Alive\", which aired from June 1978-January 1979.  \"America's Alive\" may not have been successful, but the theme song from that show was GREAT!  (I wonder if anyone, anywhere has a clean copy of it...)

Also, in reading over old TVGuides recently, it was stated in an early 1980 issue that *four* game shows might have been cancelled.  Plans then were for a half-hour midday version of \"Today\".  Obviously plans were scrapped, which saved us one game show, anyway.

[ChuckNet]

Also, in reading over old TVGuides recently, it was stated in an early 1980 issue that *four* game shows might have been cancelled. Plans then were for a half-hour midday version of \"Today\". Obviously plans were scrapped, which saved us one game show, anyway.

Also, when Another World was briefly tried as a 90-minute show a year earlier (until the premiere of spinoff series Texas in 1980), NBC would've followed suit w/Days of Our Lives had the expansion been successful, which would've spelled disaster for GS fans.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious \"Chuckie Baby\")

[tommycharles]

[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Jun 20 2003, 10:35 AM\'] The David Letterman Show takes over the 10-11:30 AM slot on Mon [/quote]
 Ya know - I would much rather have Dave than a few more years of a GS. Who knows - if NBC hadn't cancelled all of those shows, we might not have Late Show...

[CoreyArcher]

Dave actually commented on this on the Late Show a few weeks ago. After his morning show was pulled, he noted that it was replaced by Las Vegas Gambit and Blockbusters. \"Two evergreens,\" he said with a chuckle. Wouldn't there have been a third show replacing his, as well?

Regards,
- CA -

[ChuckNet]

Dave actually commented on this on the Late Show a few weeks ago. After his morning show was pulled, he noted that it was replaced by Las Vegas Gambit and Blockbusters. \"Two evergreens,\" he said with a chuckle. Wouldn't there have been a third show replacing his, as well?

No, since it had been cut to an hr after 2 mos or so.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious \"Chuckie Baby\")

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Jul 15 2003, 11:27 PM\']

Dave actually commented on this on the Late Show a few weeks ago. After his morning show was pulled, he noted that it was replaced by Las Vegas Gambit and Blockbusters. \"Two evergreens,\" he said with a chuckle. Wouldn't there have been a third show replacing his, as well?

No, since it had been cut to an hr after 2 mos or so.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious \"Chuckie Baby\")[/quote]
Just to expound on that further, the half hour trimmed from Dave's morning show was combined with a half hour trimmed from ANOTHER WORLD to form the AW spinoff TEXAS (it was not to bring WoF back from cancellation, as Peter Marshall's book incorrectly mentions) on 8/4/80.  Then LVG and BLOCKBUSTERS replaced Dave's morning show entirely on 10/27/80.

I'll be the first to admit it took me a while to get used to Dave's comic sensibility (even watching reruns of him on P+ or GONG I got a sense that Mother McKenzie didn't quite know what to do with him).  I don't know if Dave starting playing to the masses a few years into his LATE NIGHT run or if magically I just figured it out, but I never found his morning show to be all that funny.  It did seem pretty obvious from the get go that late nights (filling in for and later following Johnny) was where he really found his voice.

Not to begrudge Jay Leno's success, but count me among the people who thought that Dave should've gotten the first shot to succeed Johnny (getting royally screwed in the process).

Doug

[Skynet74]

[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'Jun 20 2003, 10:35 AM\'] NBC bid High Rollers, HS, and Chain Reaction a fond farewell after runs of 2 yrs, 14 yrs, and 6 mos, respectively.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby") [/quote]
 
  ya see, that really Sucks. Just to think if Wheel was canceled instead, we could of been watching The Nightime versions of High Rollers and Chain Reaction every evening now instead of Wheel and Jeopardy.  I can picture the High Roller Mobile traveling across the Country for contestant searches. A Big Truck with two Giant Dice on the side! :-)



John

[tommycharles]

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Jul 16 2003, 10:39 AM\']
Just to expound on that further, the half hour trimmed from Dave's morning show was combined with a half hour trimmed from ANOTHER WORLD to form the AW spinoff TEXAS (it was not to bring WoF back from cancellation, as Peter Marshall's book incorrectly mentions) on 8/4/80.  Then LVG and BLOCKBUSTERS replaced Dave's morning show entirely on 10/26/80.

I'll be the first to admit it took me a while to get used to Dave's comic sensibility (even watching reruns of him on P+ or GONG I got a sense that Mother McKenzie didn't quite know what to do with him).  I don't know if Dave starting playing to the masses a few years into his LATE NIGHT run or if magically I just figured it out, but I never found his morning show to be all that funny.  It did seem pretty obvious from the get go that late nights (filling in for and later following Johnny) was where he really found his voice.

Not to begrudge Jay Leno's success, but count me among the people who thought that Dave should've gotten the first shot to succeed Johnny (getting royally screwed in the process).

Doug [/quote]
 Ok, veering dangerously off topic here, but:

I think that in the LN show, Dave was more at ease because he was appealing to an audience that would understand him. In the daytime show, he was appealing to housewives, etc., and it wasn't working. Could you imagine some of Conan's bits appealing to the same audience that Price does? (The Bear, Preperation H guy, etc.)

..and yes, Doug, I'm with you in the \"Dave should have gotten it\" belief.

OBGameshow: TRIO airs a Late Night episode with Pat Sajak 7/23! (Never reran anywhere outside of NBC)