Frequently Asked Questions

Last Update: March 24, 2002

1. Are you affiliated with a game show production company?

No, I’m not, nor have I ever been. Neither, for that matter, have I ever worked for any of the television networks. Thus, I have no way of giving inside information from Game Show Network, Columbia Tristar, Pearson, CBS, NBC, or ABC. I get my information the same way you do – from generally reliable print or electronic media sources.

Where do you get the information for Game Shows ’75?

Mostly from books. The most helpful have been The Encyclopedia of TV Game Shows (all three editions) by Ryan, Schwartz, and Wostbrock, Come on Down! by Jefferson Graham, and TV Game Shows! by Maxine Fabe. There have been a raft of others.

Several contestants have written in with their recollections, for which I am grateful. If you are a former contestant on any of the game shows listed here, please feel free to write me with all the details of your appearances. I generally quote verbatim – the only liberties I take are minor editing to stay on topic and cleaning up punctuation and grammar. I will only list your name, and will not give your e-mail address to anyone.

I have been fortunate that several people in the game show business have contacted me with information on their shows. A special thanks here to Ralph Andrews, Laura Chambers, Geoff Edwards, Merv Griffin, Jim MacKrell, Jim Peck, and Randy West for taking the time to write down their thoughts and send them out. For anyone who has worked on any show listed in any capacity, the invitation is open to make the same contribution. Again, I will only list your name, and will not give your e-mail address to anyone.

Finally, a special thanks to the folks at alt.tv.game-shows, the newsgroup that reinvigorated my interest in game shows in the first place. I try to pick up the little factoids dropped there and add them as I can.

Why haven’t you updated or added shows?

Good question. In fact, the vast majority of the pages were originally written over one feverish week around Christmas in 1997, and were posted for the first time in the summer of 1998. They take a decent amount of time to write and then format. (The program, by the way, is Microsoft Word – I know almost nothing about HTML.) One of the reasons I chose this subject was I figured there would be very little need to update, given 2/3 of the shows have been off the air for a decade or more. In fact, for most of the last few years I’ve been tinkering on the margins, adding little bits and pieces and adding photos stolen from Ebay. During most of this time I’ve been working mostly 55-60 hour work weeks, plus commuting. Now, my work week is shorter (although my commute is longer), and one of the resolutions I’ve made is to finish the remaining pages. But I also have a second, more important resolution…

4. I appeared on a game show. Can you help me find a copy of my appearance?

Maybe. The fact is, many of the game shows we watched in the 1970s have long since been destroyed, as the packagers and the networks thought there was no long-term value in holding onto disposable entertainment. Yes, I agree it stinks that Tom Kennedy’s version of Split Second and Art Fleming’s original Jeopardy! no longer exist for the most part while every episode of Silver Spoons can be tracked down, but that’s the way it goes.

It’s only been in the last year that I’ve gotten a second VCR and Game Show Network, and I’ve been taping more episodes than I have catalogued. Please note I don’t tape every episode of every show. I tape historically significant episodes (first show, last show, host change, special celebrity appearances, major wins, significant moments), but I also occasionally tape shows to fill up tapes. My other goal this summer is to completely catalogue every videotape Karen and I own (which is a lot – we tape several series on a weekly basis, as well as movies). After I figure out how to go tape-to-tape so that I can send a couple of tapes out to two contestants who requested their episodes the day after they aired on GSN (both have been waiting patiently for months), I will be open for tape trading. I do not sell tapes, it is illegal.

Which does not mean I have your episode. Feel free to ask, and I’ll check what I have. If not, there are several other people whose collections are far larger than mine.

I should point out that most of the production companies, if they do have your show, still probably won’t make you a copy. It takes too much of their time to be worth their while, and they won’t sell them, either. The only production company who seems to be even slightly accommodating toward former contestants is Hatos-Hall, and I wouldn’t assume they will send you a tape within 48 hours free of charge in any case.

Very quickly, here’s a review of all shows listed on Game Shows ‘75, whether they exist and whether they’re currently in reruns.

Show Packager Status

Almost Anything Goes	Banner-Stigwood	Not in reruns, I don’t know if shows exist or not.
The Big Showdown	Greenburg/Lipp/MCA	Not in reruns; assumed to be destroyed except one show and second pilot.
Blank Check	Barry/Columbia Tristar	Not in reruns; assumed to be destroyed except pilot.
Blankety Blanks	Stewart/Columbia Tristar	Not in reruns; assumed to be destroyed except first show.
Celebrity Bowling	Seven-Ten Productions	Not in reruns; I don’t know if shows exist or not. Clips do show up occasionally on "Before They Were Stars" shows, but no full episodes are available for trade.
Celebrity Sweepstakes	Andrews/Sugarman	Not in reruns; assumed to be destroyed except pilot.
Concentration	NBC/Goodson- Todman/Pearson	Not in reruns; all NBC shows assumed destroyed except a few, 1973-78 and 1987-91 shows assumed to exist, but NBC will not allow them to be shown on the air.
The Cross-Wits	Ralph Edwards/Crosswits	1975-80 shows not in reruns; thought to be destroyed except 10 minutes of one episode (but this is uncertain; other sources state Ralph Edwards still has all episodes but has not made them available for airing). 1986-87 shows rerun on a tiny cable network (AIN?); I don’t think they air now.
Dealer’s Choice	Fishman-Freer/Columbia Tristar	Not in reruns; assumed destroyed except for one episode.
Diamond Head Game, The	Fishman-Freer/Columbia Tristar	Not in reruns; in GSN’s library but they haven’t aired it in years.
Don Adams’ Screen Test	Columbia Tristar	Not in reruns; I don’t know if shows exist or not.
Gambit	Heatter-Quigley/MGM	1972-76 and 1980-81 shows not in reruns; assumed destroyed except for one episode each.
Give-n-Take	Carruthers	Not in reruns; assumed destroyed except for one episode.
High Rollers	Heatter-Quigley/ Filmways/Orion/MGM	1974-76 shows not in reruns and assumed destroyed completely; 1978-80 shows not in reruns and assumed destroyed except for two or three shows; 1987-88 shows not in reruns but do exist.
Hollywood Squares, The	Heatter-Quigley/ Filmways/Orion/King World	1966-81 shows appear to be mostly intact (no one knows for sure), 1971-81 syndicated shows are set to run on Game Show Network starting 4/15/02 but the others aren’t airing yet; 1983-84 shows (Match Game/ Hollywood Squares Hour) exist but contractually cannot run on GSN; 1986-89 shows not in reruns but do exist; 1998- shows air on GSN and in first-run syndication.
Jackpot!	Stewart/Columbia Tristar	1974-75 shows not in reruns and assumed destroyed except for one episode; 1985-89 shows not in reruns but are probably in GSN’s library.
Jeopardy!	Griffin/Columbia Tristar	1964-75 shows not in reruns and assumed destroyed except for a handful of shows; 1978-78 shows not in reruns but are probably in GSN’s library; 1984- shows air on GSN and in first-run syndication.
Joker’s Wild, The	Barry-Enright/Columbia Tristar	1972-75 and 1977-86 shows do not currently rerun but are in GSN’s library; 1990-91 shows not in reruns but do exist.
Let’s Make a Deal	Hatos-Hall	1971-77 syndicated episodes currently rerun on GSN; some 1963-77 network shows may be available but are not currently rerun (assume the 1963-68 NBC shows are mostly gone while the 1969-76 ABC shows still exist); 1980-81 episode status unknown; 1984-86 and 1990-91 shows exist; 1996 Big Deal shows status unknown.
Magnificent Marble Machine, The	Heatter-Quigley/Filmways/ Orion/MGM	Not in reruns; assumed destroyed except for one episode.
Masquerade Party	Hatos-Hall	Not in reruns; I don’t know if shows exist or not.
Match Game ‘75/Match Game P.M.	Goodson-Todman/Pearson	1962-69 shows destroyed except for a handful; 1973-82 and 1990-91 shows rerun on GSN; 1983-84 shows (Match Game/ Hollywood Squares Hour) exist but contractually cannot run on GSN; 1998-99 shows not in reruns but do exist.
Money Maze, The	Daphne & Don Lipp	Not in reruns; assumed to be destroyed except pilot.
Musical Chairs	Kirschner/Schnur	Not in reruns; assumed destroyed except for one episode.
Name That Tune	Salter/Edwards/Frank	Not in reruns; 1954-59 and 1970-71 shows assumed destroyed completely; 1974-81 shows thought destroyed except for a handful of shows (but this is uncertain; other sources state Ralph Edwards still has all episodes but has not made them available for airing); 1984-85 shows do exist.
Neighbors, The	Carruthers	Not in reruns; I don’t know if shows exist or not, clips occasionally show up on "Before They Were Stars" specials.
New Treasure Hunt, The	Murray/Barris/Columbia Tristar	Not in reruns; 1956-59 shows assumed destroyed completely; 1973-77 and 1981-82 shows do exist and are in GSN’s library but rarely run.
Now You See It	Goodson-Todman/Pearson	Not in reruns; 1974-75 and 1989 shows do exist (but 1989 shows contractually cannot run on GSN).
Password All-Stars/Password	Goodson-Todman/Pearson	1961-67 daytime shows destroyed except for last year of color (those currently run on GSN); 1962-67 nighttime shows exist and run on GSN; 1971-75 shows destroyed; 1979-82 and 1984-89 shows exist and run on GSN (1984-89 episodes until 4/15/02 only; it will still be in the library after that).
Price Is Right, The	Goodson-Todman/Pearson	Still in first run on CBS, but not under contract to GSN at present. 1956-65 daytime shows assumed destroyed; 1957-64 nighttime shows exist. 1972- shows all exist (shows where fur coats are prizes cannot run).
Rhyme & Reason	Naud	Not in reruns; assumed to be destroyed except pilot.
Showoffs	Goodson-Todman/Pearson	Not in reruns; assumed destroyed except for one episode.
Spin-Off	Nicholson-Muir	Not in reruns; I don’t know if shows exist or not.
Split Second	Hatos-Hall	Not in reruns; I don’t know if 1972-75 shows exist; 1986-87 shows do exist.
Sports Challenge	Unknown	1972-79 shows rerun on ESPN Classic.
Tattletales	Goodson-Todman/Pearson	1974-78 and 1982-84 shows rerun on GSN but will be off the schedule as of 4/15/02 (although they will still be in the library).
The $10,000/$25,000 Pyramid	Stewart/Columbia Tristar	Some 1973-80 shows exist, but not all, and have been rerun on GSN. 1982-88 shows exist and rerun on GSN. 1981 and 1991-92 shows not in reruns but do exist. GSn does not have the rights to the 1974-79 Cullen-hosted shows.
Three for the Money	Hatos-Hall	Not in reruns; I don’t know if shows exist or not.
To Tell the Truth	Goodson-Todman/Pearson	1956-67 nighttime shows rerun on GSN; 1962-68 daytime shows are assumed destroyed; 1969-78, 1980-81, and 1990-91 shows not in reruns but do exist; 2000- shows still running in syndication.
Truth or Consequences	Edwards	Not in reruns; 1953-75 shows assumed destroyed (but this is uncertain; other sources state Ralph Edwards still has all episodes but has not made them available for airing); I don’t know if 1977-78 and 1987 shows exist or not.
What’s My Line?	Goodson-Todman/Pearson	1950-67 shows rerun on GSN; 1968-75 syndicated shows not in reruns but do exist.
Wheel of Fortune	Griffin/Columbia Tristar	1975-82 NBC shows assumed destroyed except for a handful; 1983-91 NBC and CBS shows assumed to exist but not in reruns; 1983- syndicated shows air on GSN and in first-run syndication.
Winning Streak	Stewart/Columbia Tristar	Not in reruns; all shows assumed destroyed except one.
You Don’t Say!	Andrews	Not in reruns; all shows assumed destroyed from all three runs except one or two from each run.

5. Why haven’t you answered my e-mail?

Could be any one of several reasons.

· I don’t respond to flames. I would advise anyone contemplating sending “you need to get a life” e-mails to do the same. Perpetual anger is a hard way to live. Fortunately, I don’t get many of these.

· Further, I don’t respond to people who send me “when are you going to add new pages/update the pages” e-mails once every month. There are several people who do this; my answer is that I will try when I have time. I am not married to my web page nor am I paid for it; my wife and my job get first dibs on my time.

· Finally, I don’t respond to people who keep asking me whether I think certain shows exist or why they’re not rerun, sending about an e-mail a week or more. I grew up in the 1970s, when game shows were considered disposable entertainment. I’m pleased I can see some of them again and I’ve gotten a few tapes, but my life doesn’t revolve around watching game shows all day. (I joke that my favorite days as a kid were those when I was sick and could watch game shows for eight hours straight; nowadays I can barely take two hours in a row.) I didn’t cry myself to sleep at night when The Money Maze was cancelled; you shouldn’t entertain dark thoughts because Concentration hasn’t rerun in 10 years.

· There may not be anything to respond to. If you’ve got a couple of memories of the show, great; if there’s no questions or invitations to comment, I probably won’t write back.

· I simply may not have written back. I try to write to everybody with questions within a week of receipt, but I have been known to miss a few. If you feel I haven’t replied to something I should, drop me another line.