I just received the Shokus Video release that contains this gem. It's been on the trading circuit for some time now. I have always wondered what some of the differences were, between the pilot and the show as it made it to the air. Now I know, so I will list a few for those old-timers, like myself, who are interested in such trivia.
* Although the theme song chosen for the show was "A Swingin' Safari", the pilot used Billy Vaughan's hit version. The recording used during nearly all of the NBC run was that of the tune's composer, Bert Kaempfert. (For the last year or so, I believe they used a Score Productions piece.)
* The opening animation was different. The letters in "The" and "Game" changed fonts, one by one, several times as the two halves of the word "Match" slid into place.
* Gene interviewed the celebs at the doorway, as they entered the studio.
* The celebrity team captains (Peggy Cass and Peter Lind Hayes) sat in the center of their respective desks in the pilot, with the scoring mechanisms below them. They (along with the score displays) were relocated, for the series, to the inner positions, left and right of center. For the series, the desks were pushed together.
* They didn't use a sound effect for a match in the pilot. They came up with a good, effective one for the series. (I believe it was the combined sounds of an electronic buzzer and a cash register, followed by a bell.)
* Scoring ... Ten points per match, 50 (five matches) needed to win. In the series, I guess to make the game move a little faster, they made it 25 points per match, 100 (four matches) to win.
* They didn't call the endgame the "Audience Match" yet. Also, they surveyed an audience from a recent episode of "Play Your Hunch".
There are other slight differences, but they will have to wait for another time.
Go ahead. Call me a game show geek. An OLD game show geek, even. I don't care.
Oh, by the way, there's also an episode of "The Object Is", with Dick Clark, on this tape. Horrible game, IMO. The only redeeming thing about it is, the voiceover promo at the closing credits invites us to stay tuned for "Seven Keys" with Jack Narz, next.
I'd give my right toenail to see an episode of "Seven Keys".
This tape also contains the Bill Cullen classic "Eye Guess", and an ep of "Let's Make A Deal".
