Combining My Geekery

[Clay Zambo]

According to the Stephen Sondheim Society website, America's preeminent musical theatre lyricist appeared on some 60s games--

Play Your Hunch (NBC) June 3rd 1960   
Sondheim was a guest participant in this night-time game show.

*   The Match Game (NBC) November 1st 1966   
Sondheim was a panellist.

*   Password (CBS) December 25th 1966   
Sondheim was a panellist on the celebrity edition on a team headed by Lee Remick.

--which makes me wonder if they've come up in the GSN rotation or will again, and anybody who knew better than I had recorded them.  If so...can we talk?

And a couple of other random thoughts:

1. I can't even begin to imagine the answers Mr. S. would give on Match Game.
2. It's such a long way from Stephen Sondheim on Password to Triumph the Insult Comic Dog on Hollywood Squares...

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' date=\'Apr 25 2004, 08:08 PM\'] According to the Stephen Sondheim Society website, America's preeminent musical theatre lyricist appeared on some 60s games--

Play Your Hunch (NBC) June 3rd 1960   
Sondheim was a guest participant in this night-time game show.

*   The Match Game (NBC) November 1st 1966   
Sondheim was a panellist.

*   Password (CBS) December 25th 1966   
Sondheim was a panellist on the celebrity edition on a team headed by Lee Remick.

--which makes me wonder if they've come up in the GSN rotation or will again, and anybody who knew better than I had recorded them.  If so...can we talk?

 [/quote]
 The queried MG 60's episode has never been aired by GSN and is presumed lost, ditto for the PYH episode. The Password episode ought to exist, whether it's daytime or primetime, as it's from the era of the existing color daytime shows.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' date=\'Apr 25 2004, 09:08 PM\'] According to the Stephen Sondheim Society website, America's preeminent musical theatre lyricist appeared on some 60s games--

*   The Match Game (NBC) November 1st 1966   
Sondheim was a panellist.

1. I can't even begin to imagine the answers Mr. S. would give on Match Game. [/quote]
 TV Guide confirms the Match Game appearance.  It was a special week with Phyllis Newman and Mark Goodson playing the entire week and four celebrity guests and/or relatives visiting each day.  Sondheim appeared on the Tuesday show along with Gloria Steinem, Goodson's daughter Jill and Rayburn's daughter Lynn.

The Password episode was the first prime time Password in over a year, and the beginning of a five-month run that would be Password's swan song in prime time.  TVG only lists Peter Lawford and Lee Remick, but since it was Christmas and the first episode, it seems likely that they'd have other celebs play.  

My TVG for June, 1960 is from the west coast and doesn't even list Play Your Hunch airing at all.

As Zach said, Password would be the only likely survivor.  GSN has indeed run several color prime time episodes from that period, but not that particular one.  Either they don't have it, or perhaps someone (maybe even Mr. S himself?) didn't clear it to be aired.

[Clay Zambo]

TVG only lists Peter Lawford and Lee Remick, but since it was Christmas and the first episode, it seems likely that they'd have other celebs play.  

Well, at least one more.  

GSN has indeed run several color prime time episodes from that period, but not that particular one.  

How disappointing.

Either they don't have it, or perhaps someone (maybe even Mr. S himself?) didn't clear it to be aired.

How doubly disappointing that would be.  Might be worth a letter to Himself, though.  Who knows...?

[clemon79]

On a slightly related note, was that Marvin Hamlisch I saw in the upper left slot on Match Game a few days ago? It was a "Marvin", and he had a toy piano up there with him, so that was the only conclusion I could draw...

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Apr 26 2004, 11:32 AM\'] On a slightly related note, was that Marvin Hamlisch I saw in the upper left slot on Match Game a few days ago? It was a "Marvin", and he had a toy piano up there with him, so that was the only conclusion I could draw... [/quote]
 Indeed.  I posted a ridiculously difficult trivia question back on EZBoard about Tony winners that had appeared on Match Game. Hamlisch was the bizarre answer I thought no one would get.  Mike Burger came up with it fairly quickly.

[uncamark]

And (according to the ASCAP database) Hamlisch is believed to have co-written the "MG" theme we all know and love with Sheila Cole Israel.  If this was done sometime during 1972, it was right before the "The Sting" score catapulted him into the big time.

"Yeah, yeah, I see it now, Sheila--wah wah guitars!  Goodson will love it!"

[Clay Zambo]

Hm.  Doesn't sound a thing like any Marvin song I can think of.

Yes, he was the last composer I've seen to make the rounds as a panel-show guest.  Though I wouldn't be surprised if those Avenue Q guys, Marx and Lopez, get their game on.  That is, if there are any such games left...