Joe Garagiola

[JSP]

He's the most unlikely game show host in TV history, don't you think?

[Babalu]

Joe Garagiola was one of the most unlikely everythings. He made it to the major leagues as a marginal baseball player, became one of the first athlete-sports hosts on TV, from there became a network talk show host and - believe it or not - actually guest hosted the Tonight Show for Johnny Carson the night that Paul McCartney and John Lennon appeared on the show as guests.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by JSP

He's the most unlikely game show host in TV history, don't you think?

I can think of a few that were more unlikely:

Henry Polic II
Lynn Swann
Rod Serling

I actually thought that Joe did a great job with TTTT. Here's the clip where Garry Moore introduces him as the next host.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

I can think of a few that were more unlikely:

Henry Polic II
Lynn Swann
Rod Serling

I actually thought that Joe did a great job with TTTT. Here's the clip where Garry Moore introduces him as the next host.

By "most unlikely" I don't mean the worst. He did a passable job, but I just wonder in the first place who originally thought he'd be a good game show host. He certainly didn't have a one-syllable anglo saxon last name or a full head of hair like the typical game show host of his time did. I find his game show hosting history to be very interesting, as a matter of fact.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by JSP

By "most unlikely" I don't mean the worst.

I wasn't implying that you did, I knew that when you said unlikely you didn't necessarily mean the worst. I was just stating that I thought he did well regardless of how unlikely he was. To be honest with you, I'm surprised Bill Cullen didn't take over unless he was doing another show around that time.

[JSP]

The one Game Show of Joe's I really want to see is "Memory Game", also notable for being one of the few announcing jobs Johnny Olson didn't do for Goodson-Todman Productions.

[SitcomsOffline]

Originally Posted by JSP

The one Game Show of Joe's I really want to see is "Memory Game", also notable for being one of the few announcing jobs Johnny Olson didn't do for Goodson-Todman Productions.

There were many prominent Goodson-Todman shows that Johnny Olson didn't announce, especially in the 70s and 80s.

Shows such as Tattletales, Family Feud, Password and Card Sharks were all announced by Gene Wood.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by SitcomsOffline

There were many prominent Goodson-Todman shows that Johnny Olson didn't announce, especially in the 70s and 80s.

Shows such as Tattletales, Family Feud, Password and Card Sharks were all announced by Gene Wood.

I worded that wrong. I meant it was one of Olson's rare non-Goodson-Todman announcing jobs.

[SitcomsOffline]

Originally Posted by Zoneboy

I wasn't implying that you did, I knew that when you said unlikely you didn't necessarily mean the worst. I was just stating that I thought he did well regardless of how unlikely he was. To be honest with you, I'm surprised Bill Cullen didn't take over unless he was doing another show around that time.

Bill Cullen was hosting the $25,000 Pyramid at that time.

[SitcomsOffline]

Originally Posted by JSP

I worded that wrong. I meant it was one of Olson's rare non-Goodson-Todman announcing jobs.

Ah, that was my mistake. Sorry about that.

[JSP]

Originally Posted by SitcomsOffline

Bill Cullen was hosting the $25,000 Pyramid at that time.

I don't think there was a time when Bill Cullen didn't host a game show from the early 50s to the mid 80s. As soon as one ended, he was on to another.

[SitcomsOffline]

Originally Posted by JSP

I don't think there was a time when Bill Cullen didn't host a game show from the early 50s to the mid 80s. As soon as one ended, he was on to another.

That's true.

By the mid 1980s, I believe his health had deteriorated too badly to host any more shows.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by SitcomsOffline

Bill Cullen was hosting the $25,000 Pyramid at that time.

Thanks, I thought he was but wasn't sure which show it was.