Monopoly Pilot Episode on YouTube

[dannyhooley]

Hi everyone,

Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wz2aUXkGuXU

It's the never-before-broadcast pilot episode of the short-lived 1990 game show adaptation of the famous Parker Brothers board game "Monopoly."

"Monopoly" was, as many may know, a famous board game created by Charles B. Darrow; in early 1990, Merv Griffin thought, after his success with both "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune," that "Monopoly" would be the 3rd time the charm for himself.

The beginning features Merv introducing the game, which began, as the eventual series did, with 3 studio contestants (one of whom, Mike Reilly, an aspiring actor originally from Brooklyn, New York working as a waiter at the time to make ends meet while pursuing acting, had previously been a "Jeopardy!" contestant in 1989, finishing in 3rd place on his "Jeopardy!" telecast) competing in a game.

Among the noticable differences in this game from the eventual game that made it to air was a midget playing the part of Mr. Moneybags, the official Monopoly mascot, as well as the host, Peter Tomarken, better known as the host of the TV game show "Press Your Luck" and the host/creator of the short-lived 1988 game show "Wipeout."

The pilot's announcer, John Harlan, had earlier worked with Peter on "Wipeout" and with Merv on a short-lived 1978 revival of "Jeopardy!," which, like the original show of the 1960s, had been hosted by Art Fleming.

Personally, I believe "Monopoly" would have had a GREAT, long run if Peter Tomarken had not been fired by Merv and kept his hosting gig after the pilot instead of being replaced by Mike Reilly, who, though not a terrible host in my opinion, Mike was certainly an inexperienced host when the show debuted in the Summer of 1990 on ABC, paired with "Super Jeopardy!" in prime-time.