Author Topic: Early Host Firings (Read 7528 times)

Don Howard · « **on:** June 02, 2005, 01:02:35 PM »

John Barbour on The Gong Show
Bob Hastings on Dealer's Choice
Blake Emmons on The New Chain Reaction

What are others? And why? And where are they now?
The same question could be asked about some announcers, producers or directors dismissed early in their show's tenure.

SRIV94 · « **Reply #1 on:** June 02, 2005, 01:36:00 PM »

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Jun 2 2005, 12:02 PM\']John Barbour on The Gong Show
Bob Hastings on Dealer's Choice
Blake Emmons on The New Chain Reaction

What are others? And why? And where are they now?
The same question could be asked about some announcers, producers or directors dismissed early in their show's tenure.

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I'll give you a good directing example. Terry Kyne was GONG's first director (he had just come off working DIAMOND HEAD). Now, granted when you have a new show the pacing is always going to be a lot of slower as the show tries to establish itself, but I always thought there was a marked difference betwene Kyne's last week of directing GONG (roughly 2½ months into the run) and John Dorsey's first week, when the pacing seemed to pick up instantly. Dorsey was a veteran of several Barris shows, so maybe Chuckie felt a certain comfort level in working with him (I'm guessing that Kyne was a Chris Bearde choice rather than a Chuck Barris choice for director as to why Dorsey didn't get the job from Day One).

I seem to recall seeing somewhere that there might've been a bit of a power struggle between Barris and Bearde, although I'm not positive about that. Wouldn't surprise me if that were the case.

Doug

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #2 on:** June 02, 2005, 02:39:43 PM »

Sonny Fox had admitted on the PBS docu on the scandals that he was fired from "$64,000 Challenge." He also lost his job on "The Movie Game" for reasons unknown. The only show Sonny hosted from start to finish was "Way Out Games" in 76-77.

Dick Stewart was fired from "Dream Girl" for reasons Tammy Warner can elaborate.

I have also read that Gene Rayburn was fired from "Play Your Hunch" after the ratings went down while he was hosting. I'm not sure if that holds water because if that were the actual reason that might preclude getting the job on MG. By all accounts Gene did get fired from BTB

davemackey · « **Reply #3 on:** June 02, 2005, 03:44:41 PM »

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Jun 2 2005, 01:02 PM\']The same question could be asked about some announcers, producers or directors dismissed early in their show's tenure.

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Bob Hastings on "Dealer's Choice" was (and still is) a fine actor but he had no idea how to host a game show. Constant hyperactivity burns viewers out as well. Jack Clark brought things down to earth and the show prospered under his watch.

There was a different director for the first episode of "What's My Line?", Paul Monroe, who was replaced two weeks later on the second episode with Franklin Heller, who directed most of the rest of the run (with the exception of a handful of Frank Satenstein and Paul Alter fill-ins).

Doug: yes, there was indeed a power struggle between Barris and Bearde, so much so that Barris eventually had all traces of Bearde removed from the program. It also explains why Gary Owens found himself out of the syndicated "Gong" hosting job at the end of the 1976-1977 syndicated season. According to an article I had read somewhere, Chuck had noted in the termination letter that Owens was at a disadvantage hosting a show that was destined to be hosted by its creator - namely Chuck Barris (which may also explain Barbour).

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #4 on:** June 02, 2005, 04:19:52 PM »

Speaking of Barris, Bob Eubanks was almost an early casualty. I had read that Barris was about to fire him because he just wasn't "getting it", then all of a sudden he improved...and the rest is history.

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According to an article I had read somewhere, Chuck had noted in the termination letter that Owens was at a disadvantage hosting a show that was destined to be hosted by its creator - namely Chuck Barris (which may also explain Barbour).

I read that too - and I'm pretty sure it was in TVGuide sometime in the late '70s. I can try to dig through my collection to find the exact date - unless Jimmy or Aaron beat me to it!

jmangin · « **Reply #5 on:** June 02, 2005, 05:53:29 PM »

How soon we forget Rolfe Bener...whatever his last name is.

The Pyramids · « **Reply #6 on:** June 02, 2005, 06:43:51 PM »

[quote name=\'jmangin\' date=\'Jun 2 2005, 04:53 PM\']How soon we forget Rolfe Bener...whatever his last name is.

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Seruiously, was CBS interested only if there would be a new host or was it more Merv's decision?

Kevin Prather · « **Reply #7 on:** June 02, 2005, 06:59:44 PM »

[quote name=\'jmangin\' date=\'Jun 2 2005, 02:53 PM\']How soon we forget Rolfe Bener...whatever his last name is.

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Rolf Benirshke wasn't fired. His show got cancelled, and he wasn't considered when the show was brought back.

MyCapableAssistant · « **Reply #8 on:** June 02, 2005, 07:32:14 PM »

[quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Jun 2 2005, 03:59 PM\'] His show got cancelled, and he wasn't considered when the show was brought back.

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OUCH!

Johnissoevil · « **Reply #9 on:** June 02, 2005, 07:59:22 PM »

Add to that list Bob Hilton from LMAD '90.

(Edited due to finding out after posting this that a different story was told, hence not having a definite answer as to what really happened)

tvwxman · « **Reply #10 on:** June 02, 2005, 08:29:29 PM »

[quote name=\'Johnissoevil\' date=\'Jun 2 2005, 06:59 PM\']Add to that list Bob Hilton from LMAD '90. NBC went to Monty Hall and requested that Hilton be let go and that he take the show back over.

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Is that how it happened? Cite your source please (i'm not doubting you, i've just never heard it like THAT)....

whewfan · « **Reply #11 on:** June 02, 2005, 09:16:39 PM »

My understanding was it was Monty himself that decided to fire Hilton. The one thing Monty did NOT want to do was to step in and do the show himself. I remember on LMAD 90 that Monty made it clear he was only doing the show temporarily. (which would explain why he was billed as the "special guest host".)Monty wanted to find potential people that could host the show, and let the viewers decide who they like... unfortunately the show was cancelled before he got that chance.

chris319 · « **Reply #12 on:** June 02, 2005, 10:06:44 PM »

John Dorsey directed the Gong Show pilot in San Francisco. Perhaps Terry Kyne directed it until Dorsey was available?

Why did Whew! have three directors?

I know of a major figure who was taken off a show but for years no one on the Internet has been able to identify that person.

The Pyramids · « **Reply #13 on:** June 02, 2005, 10:26:08 PM »

What about Dennis James on the nighttime 'TPIR'? I imagine it was a case of 'sorry Dennis, but the show really belongs to Bob now'.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #14 on:** June 02, 2005, 10:49:48 PM »

[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jun 2 2005, 09:06 PM\']I know of a major figure who was taken off a show but for years no one on the Internet has been able to identify that person.

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Monty Hall-"Keep Talking." ?

Author Topic: Early Host Firings (Read 7528 times)

MyCapableAssistant