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Author Topic: Late night and game show connection  (Read 7463 times)

DrBear

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Late night and game show connection
« on: January 27, 2004, 04:16:36 PM »
Consider this ... almost every network late night talk show host has some sort of game show connection.
Morey Amsterdam (Broadway Open House, alternating with Jerry Lester) was on HS, MG7X and undoubtedly others
Steve Allen hosted IGAS, was on WML and others. In addition, his announcer was Gene Rayburn.
Jack Paar hosted two game shows, and had Hugh Downs/Peggy Cass as announcers.
Johnny Carson hosted Who Do You Trust and was seen on Password and TTTT.
Joey Bishop and Joan Rivers were both on HS, at least, and Bishop's announcer was Regis.
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Jimmy Kimmel, of course, was Ben Stein's best sidekick.
The only ones I couldn't make fit in here were Jay Leno (who certainly spoofs game shows enough), Les Crane (Bishop's predecessor), Tom Snyder and Craig Kilbourn.

(ok, somebody's going to insist I include Bill Dana, who hosted the one and only show on something called the United Network, a late-night show. He had to be on HS at some point.)
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Matt Ottinger

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2004, 04:25:35 PM »
As I said in the Paar thread, the skills that are useful to game shows and talk shows are very similar.  Two big names you left out are Merv Griffin and Dick Cavett.  And even among the ones you couldn't get to fit, people like Leno and Kilbourn have proven their interest in (and respect for) the game show world as well.  (Leno has some GS appearances to his credit BTW.)
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Don Howard

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2004, 04:25:39 PM »
[quote name=\'DrBear\' date=\'Jan 27 2004, 04:16 PM\'] (ok, somebody's going to insist I include Bill Dana, who hosted the one and only show on something called the United Network, a late-night show. He had to be on HS at some point.) [/quote]
 I don't know about that, but he did do a week of vintage 1976 Break The Bank.

SRIV94

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2004, 04:29:02 PM »
[quote name=\'DrBear\' date=\'Jan 27 2004, 03:16 PM\'] Consider this ... almost every network late night talk show host has some sort of game show connection.
Morey Amsterdam (Broadway Open House, alternating with Jerry Lester) was on HS, MG7X and undoubtedly others
Steve Allen hosted IGAS, was on WML and others. In addition, his announcer was Gene Rayburn.
Jack Paar hosted two game shows, and had Hugh Downs/Peggy Cass as announcers.
Johnny Carson hosted Who Do You Trust and was seen on Password and TTTT.
Joey Bishop and Joan Rivers were both on HS, at least, and Bishop's announcer was Regis.
Pat Sajak will take over WOF when Woolery leaves it.
Jimmy Kimmel, of course, was Ben Stein's best sidekick.
The only ones I couldn't make fit in here were Jay Leno (who certainly spoofs game shows enough), Les Crane (Bishop's predecessor), Tom Snyder and Craig Kilbourn.

(ok, somebody's going to insist I include Bill Dana, who hosted the one and only show on something called the United Network, a late-night show. He had to be on HS at some point.) [/quote]
Um, I think you also forgot David Letterman (appearances on $20K PYRAMID, P+, GONG, LIAR'S CLUB, et al; not to mention hosting the failed pilot THE RIDDLERS).  Besides, who doesn't love "Will It Float?"

Supposedly Dave and Jay have appeared on HSq as well (according to Marshall's book, anyway).

And both of Letterman's announcers (Bill Wendell and Alan Kalter) have many game show credits to their name.

Doug
« Last Edit: January 27, 2004, 04:30:45 PM by SRIV94 »
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The Ol' Guy

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2004, 04:49:09 PM »
Help refresh my memory - wasn't Daphne Productions Dick Cavett's outfit, which made him co-producer of a couple of ABC shows like Big Showdown or Money Maze? Then there's talker David Susskind, whose production company Talent Associates not only gave us the clever sitcom He and She, but the 60s Supermarket Sweep. And didn't Conan O'Brian have an interest in one of the adventure games like Lost? Intersting the connections between talkers and gamers.

And Dr. Bear remembers the United Network? I saw a few episodes of Dana's show on a Lansing, MI affiliate. I also remember watching Bill Dana making a guest appearance on Carson's show after Dana's late night show folded and giving the keys back to Johnny's residence in Las Vegas, where the Dana show originated from. Obviously no bad feelings between those two...

Neumms

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2004, 04:51:27 PM »
[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Jan 27 2004, 04:29 PM\']
And both of Letterman's announcers (Bill Wendell and Alan Kalter) have many game show credits to their name.

Doug [/quote]
 Johnny Carson's announcer does, too. "Snap Judgement" among them.

Jimmy Owen

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2004, 04:54:53 PM »
Nipsey Russell ("Your Number's Up") was Les Crane's sidekick on ABC's "Nitelife."  As far as Leno, it has been noted that his announcer Edd Hall has recently turned down a chance to audition for TPIR announcer. (I know, that is a stretch.)
« Last Edit: January 27, 2004, 05:03:55 PM by Jimmy Owen »
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davemackey

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2004, 05:33:42 PM »
[quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' date=\'Jan 27 2004, 04:49 PM\'] Help refresh my memory - wasn't Daphne Productions Dick Cavett's outfit, which made him co-producer of a couple of ABC shows like Big Showdown or Money Maze? [/quote]
"Moneymaze" and "Big Showdown" were both Don Lipp productions. Each had a unique partner. "Big Showdown" was co-produced by Ronny Greenberg, and "Moneymaze" was with Daphne Productions - it's been mentioned somewhere that Cavett was given an interest in the show due to his deal to host the ABC late night show. Cavett's name appeared nowhere on the credits of "Moneymaze", however, and only the most astute of viewers put 2 and 2 together and associated Dick Cavett with "Moneymaze".

By the way, Jerry Lester, most legendary host of "Broadway Open House", was a regular panelist in the early days of "The Name's The Same" when it aired on ABC in the early 1950's. And of course "BOH" also had that skinny guy with the accordion, Milton DeLugg, and we all know of his fate...
« Last Edit: January 27, 2004, 05:36:14 PM by davemackey »

ChuckNet

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2004, 08:08:26 PM »
Quote
Morey Amsterdam (Broadway Open House, alternating with Jerry Lester) was on HS, MG7X and undoubtedly others

Lester also did some GS work during the 50s. I know he appeared on The Name's the Same...any others?

ChucK Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

ChuckNet

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2004, 08:10:14 PM »
David Brenner, host of the 86-87 fiasco Nightlife, appeared on all 3 versions of HS, as well as the current run of Pyramid.

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PeterMarshallFan

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2004, 08:16:56 PM »
Quote
Supposedly Dave and Jay have appeared on HSq as well (according to Marshall's book, anyway).

Jay also appeared on Battlestars and the MG/HS Hour, IIRC.

uncamark

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2004, 08:18:41 PM »
[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Jan 27 2004, 04:29 PM\']Supposedly Dave and Jay have appeared on HSq as well (according to Marshall's book, anyway).[/quote]
Dave's on "Squares" near the time when they switched to Stan Worth's disco version of "Bob and Merrill's Theme."  When a contestant calls on Dave, Peter says, "Oh, David, what do think of the new version of our theme?"  Dave says, "Real nice, Peter--sounds like something I've heard in an elevator."

Winkfan

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #12 on: January 27, 2004, 11:23:36 PM »
By the way, Jerry Lester, most legendary host of "Broadway Open House", was a regular panelist in the early days of "The Name's The Same" when it aired on ABC in the early 1950's. And of course "BOH" also had that skinny guy with the accordion, Milton DeLugg, and we all know of his fate...
Then there was Miss Dagmar, Mr. Lester's BOH female foil. She also traveled the game show circuit; appearing as a regular (or semi-regular) panelist on the 1950s version of Masquerade Party and a 1957 effort called What's It For, which was hosted by Hal March.

In addition, BOH announcer Wayne Howell served the same duties on Concentration; most notably during Bob Clayton's tenure as host of that show.

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Ian Wallis

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #13 on: January 28, 2004, 10:02:14 AM »
Quote
Um, I think you also forgot David Letterman (appearances on $20K PYRAMID, P+, GONG, LIAR'S CLUB, et al; not to mention hosting the failed pilot THE RIDDLERS).


Dave was also on a couple of weeks of "The Love Experts" in 1978.
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Jimmy Owen

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Late night and game show connection
« Reply #14 on: January 28, 2004, 10:18:33 AM »
[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Jan 28 2004, 10:02 AM\']


Dave was also on a couple of weeks of "The Love Experts" in 1978. [/quote]
 Wouldn't those be a hoot to see again? Or, for me, for the first time.  Next time Dave goes on vacation, CBS could unearth these shows (which they own) for campy late-show filler.
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