FremantleMedia North America & Jeff Gaspin To Revive "To Tell the Truth"
by NELLIE ANDREEVA
July 29, 2014


"To Tell The Truth" is eyeing a comeback. FremantleMedia North America has teamed with Jeff Gaspin and George Moll on a new version of the classic celebrity panel game show.

Eyed for primetime on the broadcast networks, the new "To Tell The Truth" is described as an update of the familiar format with a surprising new twist that adds action and suspense and raises the stakes. It will be taken out to buyers shortly.





Created by Bob Stewart, "To Tell The Truth" launched in the U.S. in 1956 and has gone through several incarnations on network TV and in syndication, airing a total of 25 seasons to date, with its most recent run ending in 2001.

The original format features a panel of four celebrities who are introduced to three people who all claim to be the same person with the same incredible talent. One of them is telling the truth, and the other two are lying. After asking questions, the celebrities take turns identifying who they believe is telling the truth.





Former NBC chairman Gaspin, a "To Tell The Truth" fan, tracked down the format to FremantleMedia, which owns the rights. He also brought in longtime collaborator Moll. The two, along with Gay Rosenthal, created and produced one of VH1′s signature series, "Behind The Music".

Executive producing "To Tell The Truth" with Gaspin and Moll are FMNA’s Thom Beers and Toby Gorman. Once a primetime staple, game shows largely have migrated to daytime and early fringe, where they do very well. FMNA is behind several of them, including "Family Feud", "The Price is Right" and "Let’s Make a Deal".



Recent game shows that have had successful primetime runs include "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?", "Deal or No Deal" and "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" (all spawning syndicated versions) as well as the current NBC series "Hollywood Game Night".

http://www.deadline.com/2014/07/to-tell-the-truth-fremantlemedia-north-america-jeff-gaspin-producing/

Betty White, NeNe Leakes Set for "To Tell the Truth" Reboot on ABC
by Denise Petski
July 1, 2015


Betty White and NeNe Leakes are set as regular panelists and Anthony Anderson (black-ish) will host ABC’s re-imagining of the 1960s hit game show "To Tell the Truth".

The new six-episode comedy/variety show version pits White and Leakes and a third panelist (additional celebrity guests will join throughout the season) against three people who all claim to be the same person with the same incredible talent, job or achievement.

One is telling the truth, the others are not. Each panelist will get to grill the contestants and decide who they think is telling the truth.





Anderson hosts, his mom Doris will be the official scorekeeper and will ask questions of her own, (not to mention embarrass her son every chance she gets).

The celebrity panelist who performs the worst will have to tweet a lie about themselves to the world. There’s even a house band — Cheche and his Band of Liars.





No premiere date has yet been set. The show will tape in front of a live audience in Los Angeles. Betty White appeared as a panelist on previous versions of the show, the original in 1961 and again when NBC aired it in 1990.

FremantleMedia North America is producing. Barry Poznick, Toby Gorman, Thom Beers, Jeff Gaspin, George Moll and Anthony Anderson are executive producers.

http://deadline.com/2015/07/betty-white-nene-leakes-to-tell-the-truth-anthony-anderson-game-show-abc-1201466703/

This will be the 5th revival of "To Tell the Truth" since its original run.

Only 1 of the revivals ran longer than 1 season, so hopefully they'll get this one right.

Also, as a bit of trivia, this show was produced by Mark Goodson/Bill Todman and was Mark Goodson's favorite game show. In fact, "To Tell the Truth" is the only game show he produced and hosted (twice). This is also why Fremantle Media currently owns the rights (because they inherited most of Goodson-Todman's library of shows).

EDIT: It would be nice if Burton Richardson returned as the announcer. Mark Goodson hand-picked him for the 1990 revival and he was also the announcer for the 2000 revivial.

I strongly agree that FremantleMedia should bring back Burton Richardson as the announcer on the To Tell the Truth reboot. He's an outstanding game show announcer and the company did the right thing by bringing him back to work Celebrity Family Feud.

Betty White is fine but I'd love to see Orson Bean return to the show.

Betty White is fine but I'd love to see Orson Bean return to the show.

Charles, just curious, but did you know that Orson Bean's son-in-law was Andrew Breitbart, the late far-right activist?

Charles, just curious, but did you know that Orson Bean's son-in-law was Andrew Breitbart, the late far-right activist?

I don't recall hearing that, I have read that he was a cousin of former President Calvin Coolidge.

When is the show going to be on.?