It's Surprising That Merv Griffin Never Sued Wink Martindale for Headline Chasers

[staytuned]

...back in the 80s of course. But despite being a flop, you cannot deny that the show plays like Wheel of Fortune and ironically enough Merv created Wheel. Except without a Wheel and no Pat and Vanna (or Chuck and Susan if you want to be in a 70s mood) making an appearance on the show.

[cd637299]

Originally Posted by staytuned

...back in the 80s of course. But despite being a flop, you cannot deny that the show plays like Wheel of Fortune and ironically enough Merv created Wheel. Except without a Wheel and no Pat and Vanna (or Chuck and Susan if you want to be in a 70s mood) making an appearance on the show.

Well I would say that “Wheel” itself was based on the old game of Hangman, as was the Canadian game show “Definition,” which began one year before Wheel.

Because of that connection, I wouldn’t think Merv to have a legal leg to stand on.

Didn’t “Chasers” have the Hangman game in it? Frankly I forgot.

And I would add, if any game show should have been targeted by Merv, I say it should have been “The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime,” again with a Hangman theme. Here in Miami IIRC, both “Wheel” and “Chance” aired at the same time over two different channels; today, “Wheel” is on WPLG, which had “Chance” long ago.

I don’t recall any story of Merv’s lawyers going after “Chance,” but I could be amiss.

Oh wow—-almost forgot—there was Bud Collyer’s “Number Please” in 1961 which was also Hangman in a different way!

cd

[staytuned]

Originally Posted by cd637299

Well I would say that “Wheel” itself was based on the old game of Hangman, as was the Canadian game show “Definition,” which began one year before Wheel.

Because of that connection, I wouldn’t think Merv to have a legal leg to stand on.

Didn’t “Chasers” have the Hangman game in it? Frankly I forgot.

And I would add, if any game show should have been targeted by Merv, I say it should have been “The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime,” again with a Hangman theme. Here in Miami IIRC, both “Wheel” and “Chance” aired at the same time over two different channels; today, “Wheel” is on WPLG, which had “Chance” long ago.

I don’t recall any story of Merv’s lawyers going after “Chance,” but I could be amiss.

Oh wow—-almost forgot—there was Bud Collyer’s “Number Please” in 1961 which was also Hangman in a different way!

cd

Should we also count the unsold pilots such as the 1979 reboot of Gambit which ironically enough hosted by Wink Martindale and On a Roll hosted by future host of the 1986 Crosswits reboot named David Sparks as well that had some elements of hangman?

[cd637299]

Originally Posted by staytuned

Should we also count the unsold pilots such as the 1979 reboot of Gambit which ironically enough hosted by Wink Martindale and On a Roll hosted by future host of the 1986 Crosswits reboot named David Sparks as well that had some elements of hangman?

I have no clue on how to answer that, except that Hangman apparently is in the public domain, or lacking a patent, or something.

Milton Bradley actually had a Hangman ®️ [?] board game in the 70s or 80s. I have no idea if they acquired a patent or not….nevertheless, the game came out after MB’s original “Wheel” home game.

Note: I have seen (eBay Canada maybe?) the Definition home game. The letter board setup is the exact same prop as that of the first Wheel board game.

Pilots for game shows CAN be quite interesting, or, quite boring. Sometimes I SMH over some of these. Check out Jay Wolpert’s “Duel in the Daytime” on YouTube—a classic example of “What the….?” I can just picture Oliver from “Green Acres” glued to the set!

cd

[staytuned]

Originally Posted by cd637299

I have no clue on how to answer that, except that Hangman apparently is in the public domain, or lacking a patent, or something.

Milton Bradley actually had a Hangman ®️ [?] board game in the 70s or 80s. I have no idea if they acquired a patent or not….nevertheless, the game came out after MB’s original “Wheel” home game.

Note: I have seen (eBay Canada maybe?) the Definition home game. The letter board setup is the exact same prop as that of the first Wheel board game.

Pilots for game shows CAN be quite interesting, or, quite boring. Sometimes I SMH over some of these. Check out Jay Wolpert’s “Duel in the Daytime” on YouTube—a classic example of “What the….?” I can just picture Oliver from “Green Acres” glued to the set!

cd

I guess we could throw out KOIN TV's Money in the Blank huh?