View Full Version : The Gong Show and Name That Tune references on Three's Company


JackJanetChrissy
08-07-2016, 01:53 AM
Many times throughout the first few seasons of Three's Company there are references to the TV shows Name That Tune and The Gong Show....does anyone know when in the evening these two shows aired between 1977-1979?

JSP
08-07-2016, 06:51 PM
Many times throughout the first few seasons of Three's Company there are references to the TV shows Name That Tune and The Gong Show....does anyone know when in the evening these two shows aired between 1977-1979?
While both shows had daytime network runs at the time, Roper was likely referring to the syndicated versions of the shows, which would have aired at different times in different cities.

JackJanetChrissy
08-07-2016, 10:01 PM
I was looking on eBay at 1977-1978 TV Guides....sometimes they have photos of the inside pages. I found one in October 1978 that listed Name that Tune and The Gong Show both airing at 7 p.m. Not sure what part of the country the TV Guide was from, though.

In "The Babysitters" (Season 2), Mr. Roper says that Name That Tune is about to come on. Right before that scene, the couple had called Janet and asked if she could come over to babysit at 7:30 p.m. So with travel time, I think 7 p.m. air-time for Name That Tune would be about right. (yes, I know I over-think this stuff)

comedyfreak
08-07-2016, 10:27 PM
My mom loved Name That Tune and I remember her watching at 7:30pm.

JSP
08-08-2016, 01:54 AM
I was looking on eBay at 1977-1978 TV Guides....sometimes they have photos of the inside pages. I found one in October 1978 that listed Name that Tune and The Gong Show both airing at 7 p.m. Not sure what part of the country the TV Guide was from, though.

In "The Babysitters" (Season 2), Mr. Roper says that Name That Tune is about to come on. Right before that scene, the couple had called Janet and asked if she could come over to babysit at 7:30 p.m. So with travel time, I think 7 p.m. air-time for Name That Tune would be about right. (yes, I know I over-think this stuff)
Wheel of Fortune usually airs right before prime time in most markets I would bet. Back in the 70s syndicated game shows similar to the Wheel/Jeopardy of today were a lot more common and were likely aired in the early evening before prime time which would be 6:30 pm here in the center of the country. So I could picture Name That Tune/Gong Show having aired at around that time in many markets back then. Of course if a station was independent it could have aired a game show at 7pm/7:30 pm. That was always possible.

JackJanetChrissy
08-08-2016, 09:59 AM
My mom loved Name That Tune and I remember her watching at 7:30pm.

Very cool, thanks! :wave: