Why no syndicated "Password"?

[ET206]

Did G-T ever try to sell "Password" into syndication?  Their other major hits ("TPiR," "Feud," "MG," etc.) had both network and syndicated runs but not this show.

[TwoInchQuad]

The only time the show was syndicated was the period in 1969, when the color eps from the 1966 CBS season were re-edited, and offered to stations around the country.  For the record, the success of this run led to the creation of the 1971-75 ABC version of the show.

Other than that, there's been no effort to create a syndie version of the show...  which, all things considered, is fine by me.  I think the game needs a better grade of celebrity than a syndie budget would allow.

-Kevin

[chris319]

Was 1969 the period when local stations were hungry for inexpensive syndicated programs to air in color? The one that gave rise to PDQ?

I think the game needs a better grade of celebrity than a syndie budget would allow.

Celebs get the same whether for network or syndicated.

[Robair]

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Aug 21 2004, 11:44 AM\'] Was 1969 the period when local stations were hungry for inexpensive syndicated programs to air in color? The one that gave rise to PDQ? [/quote]
 I remember seeing old issues of Variety back from '68 and '69, and according to their trade ads the big selling point of many of these syndicated shows of this era like "Win with the Stars", "Fast Draw" and "Pay Cards" was that they were in color, and had budgets which meant they could be cheaply produced. Seemingly for every show that made it to production, there were two or three less worthy projects whose only merit was colorcasting.

Local non-network stations back then really were still working off back inventories of old black and white movies and TV shows ("Highway Patrol", "Perry Mason"), and they had to buy anything in color to catch up with the networks, which were pretty much all-color at that point. The back inventory of "Password", being on color videotape, was perfect for many stations' needs.

[tommycharles]

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Aug 21 2004, 11:44 AM\']

I think the game needs a better grade of celebrity than a syndie budget would allow.

Celebs get the same whether for network or syndicated. [/quote]
 Ah, but would the budget of a syndie Password have been less than the network version? I find this hard to imagine, because usually syndicated games gave away *more* than their network counterparts.

[Jimmy Owen]

In Flint, it "Password" aired for the 68-69 season on ABC affil WJRT at 5:30pm.  It was replaced locally by "The Dick Van Dyke Show" which was just coming off the CBS daytime sked in the fall of 69, so around here it went from a color show to a B&W show.  The same channel also aired WML and TorC from 6:30 to 7:30pm (ABC Evening News was preempted here sometime between the first Jennings stint and the advent of Smith-Reasoner).  WKNX replaced "Peter Gunn" with TTTT and later "Movie Game" after Larry Blyden took over.  "Movie Game" betrayed it's barter status because the Colgate-Palmolive commercials were in color, but all of the local commercials were in B&W.  The station's film chain was in B&W until 1972 and they only had one color videotape machine.  Their CBS feed was in color as well, but the picture would roll until it got in sync.

[chris319]

Ah, but would the budget of a syndie Password have been less than the network version? I find this hard to imagine, because usually syndicated games gave away *more* than their network counterparts.

Celebs don't care what the budget is or whether it's network or syndicated. They just want $750 for showing up at the studio.

[GS Warehouse]

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Aug 22 2004, 03:36 AM\'] Celebs don't care what the budget is or whether it's network or syndicated. They just want $750 for showing up at the studio. [/quote]
 Unless someone offers them $1,500 to be somewhere else.

[The Ol' Guy]

It's been brought up before...Password is one of those great formats that worked well in a simpler, gentler time. I'd love to see it back myself - in the 60s version - but the trick would be - how to add a bit of a contemporary edge to a game that's based on wit, not jokes - civility, not meanness - and where the real reward is playing the game well, not big money? I can't say you haven't given us who like to tinker with ideas a challenge. Maybe it could be done, but not exactly as we know it. The board game still works well because enough people who appreciate the game on it's own merits buy it and the company makes a profit - and with as little as the board game has it in (not a knock), I wouldn't think you'd have to sell millions to do well. But would there be enough people who would sit and watch others play the game on tv and generate decent numbers? I'd like to think there are, but I'm not sure...

[MyCapableAssistant]

[quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' date=\'Aug 22 2004, 08:24 AM\'] Password is one of those great formats that worked well in a simpler, gentler time. [/quote]
 I agree. Password, WML, and BTC were indeed great shows
and remembrances of times that were simpler and gentler.
For that reason I wonder why anybody would like to colorize
these old eps? I think the B&W was part of their "charm."

Same thing with B&W movies. Why take away the innocence
of such a graceful era by using modern technology to colorize
them?

[gtbecbp]

[quote name=\'MyCapableAssistant\' date=\'Aug 22 2004, 12:43 PM\'] [quote name=\'The Ol' Guy\' date=\'Aug 22 2004, 08:24 AM\'] Password is one of those great formats that worked well in a simpler, gentler time. [/quote]
I agree. Password, WML, and BTC were indeed great shows
and remembrances of times that were simpler and gentler.
For that reason I wonder why anybody would like to colorize
these old eps? I think the B&W was part of their "charm."

Same thing with B&W movies. Why take away the innocence
of such a graceful era by using modern technology to colorize
them? [/quote]
 

I agree. Password, WML, and BTC were indeed great shows
and remembrances of times that were simpler and gentler.
For that reason I wonder why anybody would like to colorize
these old eps? I think the B&W was part of their "charm."

The only show I would want to colorize is the last season of CBS WML because it aired in color, but was preserved in B&W.  I completely agree about other shows and movies.  Movies should be untouched.

Ben

[Jimmy Owen]

Though it has been off the air a long time, I think it could be revived.  My personal preference would be the 60's nighttime format with Lightning Round, but as a concession to P+ fans, I would create a bonus round at the end of the show in which all Passwords guessed that evening would appear on a "Wonderwall"-like board.  The contestant would then try to solve the puzzle by determining which words have the most in common, though most of the words would not be of use.  This would be difficult enough to warrant a nice cash prize.

[calliaume]

[quote name=\'tommycharles\' date=\'Aug 21 2004, 03:57 PM\'] [quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Aug 21 2004, 11:44 AM\']

I think the game needs a better grade of celebrity than a syndie budget would allow.

Celebs get the same whether for network or syndicated. [/quote]
Ah, but would the budget of a syndie Password have been less than the network version? I find this hard to imagine, because usually syndicated games gave away *more* than their network counterparts. [/quote]
 Not in the case of What's My Line? or To Tell the Truth, which were launching at about the same time.  Contestants on WML? got 50 dollars no matter what they did in both version; TTTT had a maximum payout of $750 per show in the CBS version, $1,000 in the Garry Moore edition.  Given Password had two less celebrities than either of those shows, that would have given them $1,500 more to work with per week, which should have covered a few Lightning Round wins.

My only guess as to why G-T never launched a syndie version: because they would have had to do it from Los Angeles (where Ludden had relocated), and didn't have a full-time staff out there like they did in New York.

[Ian Wallis]

For that reason I wonder why anybody would like to colorize
these old eps? I think the B&W was part of their "charm."

For the record, I absolutely hate colorization.  I just don't think it looks right...if something was made in black and white it should stay that way.

Having said that, it's too bad the last seasons of "What's My Line" and "I've Got a Secret" weren't saved in color.  If there was a way to do it so that it was exactly right...

[GS Warehouse]

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Aug 23 2004, 02:27 PM\'] For the record, I absolutely hate colorization.  I just don't think it looks right...if something was made in black and white it should stay that way. [/quote]
 Sony recently released three colorized Three Stooges shorts on DVD.  The article said the faces don't look right because they used green make-up because it looks better in black and white (Stooge shorts were never intended for color).

ObGameShows: One professional contestant (my term for contestants who have been on multiple shows) claims he met Larry and Moe not long before they died.