Bob Barker signing this new contract of his got me thinking about original vs. replacement game show hosts. Can anyone name any good second (or third, etc.) hosts of a game show?

Or better yet, were there any replacement hosts that were better than the original?

My picks for good replacements would be Bert Convy for Password and Ray Combs for Family Feud (he wasn't better than Dawson, but good).

I can't think of one that was better, but the worst had to be the guy that replaced Wink Martindale on Tic Tac Dough. That guy may have been the worst hosts in the history of game shows.

Well now that I think of it, Pat Sajak was not the original host of Wheel of Fortune so you could say he was a better replacement than the previous hosts.

I personally preferred Ray Combs on Fmaily Feud, but that's probably because that's the version I grew up with. No that I watch the Richard Dawson version on GSN I find him slightly annoying. But not even nearly as bad as the Louie Anderson version, which is just plain sickening.

Yeah, Jim Caldwell REALLY stunk!

Originally posted by Bootsy Whoosh:
I personally preferred Ray Combs on Family Feud, but that's probably because that's the version I grew up with. Now that I watch the Richard Dawson version on GSN I find him slightly annoying. But not even nearly as bad as the Louie Anderson version, which is just plain sickening.

Originally posted by Bootsy Whoosh:
I personally preferred Ray Combs on Fmaily Feud, but that's probably because that's the version I grew up with. No that I watch the Richard Dawson version on GSN I find him slightly annoying. But not even nearly as bad as the Louie Anderson version, which is just plain sickening.

I grew up on Ray's version too, but after watching Richard's version, I switched my allegance. He was just more, I don't know, personable? Not really sure how to describe it. Sometimes Ray gets hung up on being funny instead of hosting.

And yeah, Louie is so disgusting! Who hired him? And he seems to be trying to be a Richard Dawson wannabe. Well, you're gonna have to try A LOT harder than that buddy!!

PAT SAJAK IS MUCH BETTER THAN CHUCK WOOLERY. WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT THAT WAS!

Wesley Eure's replacement was Larry Toffler, who was kind of entertaining on Finders Keepers. Eure is kinda like Marc Summers. Both of them could be obsessive compulsive cause they hate slime. Michael Carrington (Think Fast)'s replacement Skip Lackey was kind of cool, but in one episode of TF, Mike was asking questions, but didnt give the answers.

Mike Burger replaced Ray Combs on Family Challenge after he died and he wasn't half as good.He was the worst.

Good-Ray Combs replacing Richard Dawson
-Pat Sajak replacing chuck Woolery on WHeel
-Alex Trebek taking over Jeopardy from.....whoever hosted it up until then.

Bad-Richard Dawson replacing Ray Combs(1994)
-Whoever replaced Wink Martindale on the original TTD
-Michael Burger replacing Ray Combs on Family Challenge
-Louie Anderson hosting the new Version of Family Feud
-

Originally posted by Devastation26:
Good-Ray Combs replacing Richard Dawson
-Pat Sajak replacing chuck Woolery on WHeel
-Alex Trebek taking over Jeopardy from.....whoever hosted it up until then.

Bad-Richard Dawson replacing Ray Combs(1994)
-Whoever replaced Wink Martindale on the original TTD
-Michael Burger replacing Ray Combs on Family Challenge
-Louie Anderson hosting the new Version of Family Feud
-

Art Fleming hosted Jeopardy first
Jim Caldwell replaced Wink on TTD

And am I the only one who liked Richard's 94 Feud?

Ugh, Jim Caldwell on "Tic-Tac-Dough" is the worst. Completely phony, and with the fakest hair I've ever seen. GSN is currently showing these episodes on the weekends, and it's worthing tuning in just to see how bad he is.

I liked Chuck Woolery on WOF -- he had more charisma than bland Pat Sajak. Bill Cullen took over for the late Jack Barry on the last couple of years of "The Jokers' Wild". John Davidson did a short-lived version of "$100,000 Pyramid" in the early 90s, and supposedly Donny Osmond is going to host a new version in the fall (Dick Clark was the best). I liked Bert Convy on "Super Password", too, but no one can ever replace Allen Ludden.

How about shows that had both network daytime and syndicated evening versions at the same time, with different hosts? "The Price is Right" (Bob Barker and Dennis James/Tom Kennedy/Doug Davidson), "Pyramid" (Dick Clark and Bill Cullen), "Card Sharks" (Bob Eubanks and Bill Rafferty). I'm sure there are others.

BOB HILTON briefly replaced MONTY HALL in a short-lived 1990-91 revival of LET'S MAKE A DEAL, then HILTON got dumped, and MONTY came back to take over the show. It just proves that nobody could beat MONTY HALL when it comes to LET'S MAKE A DEAL

Let's Make A Deal...Over 600 Eps...Coming to GSN August 27 (my b-day)!!!

Originally posted by TJ:
I can't think of one that was better, but the worst had to be the guy that replaced Wink Martindale on Tic Tac Dough - that guy may have been the worst hosts in the history of game shows.

Well now that I think of it Pat Sajak was not the original host of Wheel of Fortune so you could say he was a better replacement than the previous hosts.

[This message has been edited by TJ (edited 06-08-2001).]

TJ, I've have seen Jim Caldwell host that show. You are right. That guy is by far the worst host in the history of game shows. Even the inquizitor woulda been better than him, lol. A Penny's value is more than that guy's IQ. And that is the worst looking toupee I ever seen. (If that's real hair may the 80s rot....)

I really think Skip Lackey was a kind of good replacement for Michael Carrington on Think Fast. Mike was OK and so was Skip.

As for Make the Grade, Lew Schneider sucked.. He was a pain in the ass..

Starcade - Geoff Edwards was better than Mark Richards
500 Questions - Dan Harris was better than Richard Quest

Nobody has mentioned Rolf Benirschke on the daytime version of Wheel of Fortune. He was a major bust. What about Bob Hilton on the syndicated revival of Truth or Consequences in the late 1970s after Bob Barker was unavailable due to hosting both the daytime and Nighttime Price is Right?

Dealer's Choice (1974)-Jack Clark was better than Bob Hastings.

Art James was a frequent replacement host in the 60's and 70's.

Dealer's Choice (1974)-Jack Clark was better than Bob Hastings.

I very strongly agree! Bob Hastings sounded like a carnival barker and phony while Jack Clark was much more natural and had great rapport with the contestants.

I’ve Got A Secret: Steve Allen did a amazing job when he took over for Garry Moore back in 1964. Allen was also brought back as host of the 1972-1973 era of IGAS while Moore is committed to his Syndicated To Tell The Truth hosting gig.

What’s My Line: When The Syndicated WML started in 1968, Wally Bruner did better job by the same tradition that John Daly held(when WML was aired on CBS) for 17 years then Larry Blyden followed Bruner’s lead as he took over as host from 1972 to 1975.

I have been seeing Tom Kennedy who stepped in when Allen Ludden became ill on Password Plus and then the show Super Password went to Bert Convey. Allen and Tom were very good but Bert would blab in and say, I think I know what the puzzle is. I thought ,are you Bert a contestant too. Tom and Allen never hog up time as Bert did.

What about Ross Schafer? He hosted Mach Game 90 without Gene Rayburn. Does that count? From what I remember, I thought Ross was pretty good.

Bob Clayton did just as good a hosting job on the original Concentration as Hugh Downs. Jack Narz excelled on the '70s revival as well.

Bob Clayton did just as good a hosting job on the original Concentration as Hugh Downs. Jack Narz excelled on the '70s revival as well.

When Hugh Downs left Concentration, Bob Clayton did take over as host but NBC, who owned the show wanted Ed McMahon. McMahon was hosting Snap Judgement so Clayton did host until Snap Judgement was cancelled in March of 1969, so McMahon did replace Clayton. Unfortunately, viewers did not accept Johnny Carson's Tonight Show sidekick as host, so McMahon was left go in September and Clayton was back hosting Concentration until it left NBC in March of 1973. Clayton was a better fit for the show than McMahon.

Scrabble (2024 version) - Craig Ferguson is way better than Raven-Symone