Who exactly is Lin Bolen and why is she hated by classic game show fans?? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

catlover79 · 01-24-2010, 01:26 AM

Wasn't she a vice-president of daytime on (surprise) NBC back in the 1970s and screwed up all the game shows? Can anyone elaborate?

Marvo301 · 01-24-2010, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catlover79

Wasn't she a vice-president of daytime on (surprise) NBC back in the 1970s and screwed up all the game shows? Can anyone elaborate?

Lin Bolen became vice-president of Daytime Programming at NBC in 1972. She cancelled long running game show Concentration believing it had "run it's course". She replaced it with a game show called PDQ (aka Baffle). This show lasted only one year due to very low ratings. In 1974 she cancelled the daytime version of Jeopardy. When Merv Griffin pointed out that Jeopardy still had a year left on it's contract she made him an offer to put a daytime version of Wheel of Fortune in that timeslot instead. In 1976 she created her own game show and it was produced for NBC by Bolen's own production company. It was called Bumpers and was basically a retooling of Password. Ironically it was hosted by Password host Allen Ludden. Lin Bolen's tenure at NBC Daytime ended in 1978.

TV Knowledge Fan · 01-24-2010, 03:31 AM

...was also the one who turned down Norman Lear's "MARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN" when he attempted to sell it as a daytime comedy serial to NBC in 1974. Bolen supposedly told him she wasn't going to schedule any series that made her female audience "look like fools". He eventually took the idea to local stations, and it became the most popular syndicated series of 1976.

Bolen was also the inspiration for Faye Dunaway's character, "Diana Christensen", in "Network" (1976)- a power-hungry female monster of an executive who eventually turns the "UBS EVENING NEWS WITH HOWARD BEALE" into a freak show (sadly, not unlike most "news shows" these days). Her mantra included, "The American people are turning sullen...I want angry shows!!!". Bolen recognized the caricature, and was not pleased with seeing "herself" on screen.

Lakeboy · 01-24-2010, 08:57 AM

Between Lin Bolen and Fred Silverman (who openly hated game shows), no wonder NBC was in third place in the late 70s and 80s.

howilu · 01-24-2010, 11:40 AM

She wanted to give NBC's Daytime game shows a fresh, new look and that meant cancelling the older looking shows including Concentration, Sale of the Century and Jeopardy. In their place came shows that had a more vibrant look, including The Wizard of Odds, Wheel of Fortune and Celebrity Sweepstakes, all with younger hosts. Her attempts to give NBC a makeover resulted in the network plunging to third place in daytime and solidified a long, dismal track record for years to come.

catlover79 · 01-24-2010, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakeboy

Between Lin Bolen and Fred Silverman (who openly hated game shows), no wonder NBC was in third place in the late 70s and 80s.

As we have all realized with NBC's current regime, those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

catlover79 · 01-24-2010, 03:08 PM

Thanks everyone, for clarifying!

glickmam · 01-24-2010, 05:31 PM

I wonder if she ever received death threats from angry viewers in response to the cancellations.

catlover79 · 01-24-2010, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glickmam

I wonder if anyone zapped her office at NBC in response to the cancellations.

I don't know, but Merv Griffin sure had the last laugh when Wheel and Jeopardy went into syndication and made him a gazillionaire!!!

KurtfromPitts · 02-03-2010, 02:38 PM

The Allen Ludden-hosted show was Stumpers.

catlover79 · 02-03-2010, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KurtfromPitts

The Allen Ludden-hosted show was Stumpers.

That was pretty much a rehash of Password, wasn't it?

BillCullen1 · 02-05-2010, 05:23 PM

Stumpers was indeed a word game. Considering she hired younger hosts, it was interesting that Bolen hired veteran old school host Allen Ludden for Stumpers. Geoff Edwards, Alex Trebek and Chuck Woolery were some of the younger hosts Bolen hired for NBC game shows.

Rezny@gmail.com · 03-30-2010, 10:41 PM

Although she had a few memorable ones,like "Wheel of Fortune"(whiich lasted 14 years on NBC daytime,and was once at an hour length(anyone remember that?),but bombed at an hour and returned to its'original half-hour length,"Celebrity Sweepstakes"(which lasted 2 years NBC daytime,and 3 years syndication),and the regrettably short-lived "Jackpot",does anyone remember "50 Grand Slam","Knockout"or "To Say the Least?"All 3 were duds.

KurtfromPitts · 04-03-2010, 01:08 PM

I'm pretty sure Bolen left NBC in 1976, before "Knockout" debuted.

70s show watcher · 04-03-2010, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrezny@usnetizen

Although she had a few memorable ones,like "Wheel of Fortune"(whiich lasted 14 years on NBC daytime,and was once at an hour length(anyone remember that?),but bombed at an hour and returned to its'original half-hour length,"Celebrity Sweepstakes"(which lasted 2 years NBC daytime,and 3 years syndication),and the regrettably short-lived "Jackpot",does anyone remember "50 Grand Slam","Knockout"or "To Say the Least?"All 3 were duds.

knockout stunk and artie johnson despite being a very funny man was not good at hosting game shows

01-24-2010, 01:26 AM	#1
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	Who exactly is Lin Bolen and why is she hated by classic game show fans?? Wasn't she a vice-president of daytime on (surprise) NBC back in the 1970s and screwed up all the game shows? Can anyone elaborate? Attached Images
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01-24-2010, 03:31 AM	#3
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	Lin Bolen... ...was also the one who turned down Norman Lear's "MARY HARTMAN, MARY HARTMAN" when he attempted to sell it as a daytime comedy serial to NBC in 1974. Bolen supposedly told him she wasn't going to schedule any series that made her female audience "look like fools". He eventually took the idea to local stations, and it became the most popular syndicated series of 1976. Bolen was also the inspiration for Faye Dunaway's character, "Diana Christensen", in "Network" (1976)- a power-hungry female monster of an executive who eventually turns the "UBS EVENING NEWS WITH HOWARD BEALE" into a freak show (sadly, not unlike most "news shows" these days). Her mantra included, "The American people are turning sullen...I want angry shows!!!". Bolen recognized the caricature, and was not pleased with seeing "herself" on screen.

01-24-2010, 05:31 PM	#8
glickmam Member Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 03, 2007 Posts: 661	I wonder if she ever received death threats from angry viewers in response to the cancellations.
	Last edited by glickmam; 07-29-2011 at 04:12 AM.

02-05-2010, 05:23 PM	#12
BillCullen1 Game show fan Frequent Poster Join Date: Feb 05, 2010 Location: New York Cuty Posts: 171	Stumpers was indeed a word game. Considering she hired younger hosts, it was interesting that Bolen hired veteran old school host Allen Ludden for Stumpers. Geoff Edwards, Alex Trebek and Chuck Woolery were some of the younger hosts Bolen hired for NBC game shows.
	Last edited by BillCullen1; 02-06-2010 at 07:49 PM.

01-24-2010, 08:57 AM	#4
Lakeboy Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 05, 2009 Location: Sherrills Ford,NC Posts: 150	Between Lin Bolen and Fred Silverman (who openly hated game shows), no wonder NBC was in third place in the late 70s and 80s.

01-24-2010, 11:40 AM	#5
howilu Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: St. Louis Park, MN Posts: 1,962	She wanted to give NBC's Daytime game shows a fresh, new look and that meant cancelling the older looking shows including Concentration, Sale of the Century and Jeopardy. In their place came shows that had a more vibrant look, including The Wizard of Odds, Wheel of Fortune and Celebrity Sweepstakes, all with younger hosts. Her attempts to give NBC a makeover resulted in the network plunging to third place in daytime and solidified a long, dismal track record for years to come.

01-24-2010, 03:08 PM	#7
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,382	Thanks everyone, for clarifying!

02-03-2010, 02:38 PM	#10
KurtfromPitts Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 10, 2006 Location: Carnegie PA Posts: 1,535	The Allen Ludden-hosted show was Stumpers.

03-30-2010, 10:41 PM	#13
Rezny@gmail.com Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 20, 2007 Location: Nebraska Posts: 2,675	Although she had a few memorable ones,like "Wheel of Fortune"(whiich lasted 14 years on NBC daytime,and was once at an hour length(anyone remember that?),but bombed at an hour and returned to its'original half-hour length,"Celebrity Sweepstakes"(which lasted 2 years NBC daytime,and 3 years syndication),and the regrettably short-lived "Jackpot",does anyone remember "50 Grand Slam","Knockout"or "To Say the Least?"All 3 were duds.

04-03-2010, 01:08 PM	#14
KurtfromPitts Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 10, 2006 Location: Carnegie PA Posts: 1,535	I'm pretty sure Bolen left NBC in 1976, before "Knockout" debuted.