June 1980; NBC cancels 3 Game Shows; Vanna as a TPIR contestant & Pyramid leaves abc - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

simmytbone · 07-20-2020, 02:46 AM

Hey guys,

40 years ago in the month of June 1980 saw many changes in the World of Game Shows

On Friday June 20, 1980 NBC cancels 3 Game Shows in The Original Hollywood Squares with Peter Marshall, The NEW High Rollers with Alex Trebek and The Original Chain Reaction with the late Uncle Bill Cullen and thanks to the late Fred Silverman, those shows were cut in favor of The David Letterman Show which would last only 4 months

In 1982, Letterman would soon get a Late Night Talk Show Hosting Gig with Late Night on NBC for 11 years followed by the Late Show on CBS for twice as long or 22 years for a combined total of 33 years, the longest in Late Night Television History

also on that same day, The Price is Right on CBS witnessed the appearance of a future actress and Queen of Wheel of Fortune in Vanna White as she appeared as a contestant in contestant's row and 2 years later, she would replace Dr. Susan Stafford as the hostess of the Wheel of Fortune a position that she still holds to this day

and the following week, abc airs the final week of Pyramid with the late TV Icon Dick Clark

The alphabet network acquired The $10,000 Pyramid in 1974 after CBS cancelled the show after 1 year and mainly due to the coverage of the Watergate Scandal and in 1976 was renamed The $20,000 Pyramid meaning that the top prize was doubled to $20,000

The final guests were the late Lois Nettleton and the late Uncle Bill Cullen who hosted The Original $25,000 Pyramid on syndication from 1974-1979 with the Top Prize of $25,000

However, Pyramid would return to abc in 2016 as The All New $100,000 Pyramid with Michael Strahan as host and Executive Producer

This would be Pyramid's 1st appearance on abc in 36 years and Pyramid's 1st appearance at the abc studios in New York City in 35 years since the short-lived $50,000 Pyramid

and so, I ask you all this:

What were your thoughts on Fred Silverman cancelling 3 NBC Game Shows in favor of The David Letterman Show?

What was your reaction when you heard that Vanna White appeared on The Price is Right?

and what was your reaction to Pyramid leaving abc Daytime the week after NBC cancelled their 3 Game Shows?

Please share your thoughts on all of this

TeeVeeCloset · 07-20-2020, 12:05 PM

Still have my original taped off air without cable VHS tape of NBC final day minus Wheel Of Fortune. Yes a historic day........

SledgeBarone · 07-20-2020, 08:07 PM

This was just before my time as a TV viewer. Pyramid having two long runs on a rival network immediately after being canceled from another network must be a record. Why did it get canceled from ABC? And who was the better host - Dick Clark or Bill Cullen? Michael Strahan annoys me as a host/producer - why do we have to see reaction shots of him celebrating Winner's Circle victories and laughing when something funny happens?

howilu · 07-21-2020, 09:44 AM

Initially, Wheel of Fortune was going to be cancelled, but Fred Silverman reversed his decision and instead wielded the ax to the Bill Cullen hosted Chain Reaction and moved Card Sharks into the noon ET time period.

The changes turned out to be fatal as The David Letterman Show, which replaced High Rollers and Hollywood Squares turned out to be a ratings flop that also caused affiliates to substitute local or syndicated programming for the time period. Card Sharks would also be hurt by preemptions for local news or syndicated shows. Minneapolis/St. Paul did not receive Card Sharks. Instead, viewers got a rerun of The Bob Newhart Show.

But lo and behold, game shows would return after David Letterman was cancelled in October and replaced by Las Vegas Gambit and Blockbusters. That would be good news for game show fans.

Dude111 · 07-21-2020, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeeVeeCloset

Still have my original taped off air without cable VHS tape of NBC final day minus Wheel Of Fortune. Yes a historic day........

Wow good for you..... I would love to see it! (I love stuff taped off analogue cable/rv)

TeeVeeCloset · 07-21-2020, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dude111

Wow good for you..... I would love to see it! (I love stuff taped off analogue cable/rv)

Yes I must admit this was self taped on a then $20 each VHS tape on my then $800 top loader VHS machine....LOL, and without cable so i was using rabbit ears, very slight interference.....I believe I do have the two hour block with Wheel Of Fortune, just Wheel wasn't ending, Every ten years or so i look at the tape that contains all the original commercials (including letterman promos) and the farewells at the conclusion of the cancelled shows.

Appreciate your comment!

doge · 08-29-2020, 08:25 PM

[QUOTE=TeeVeeCloset;5769697]Yes I must admit this was self taped on a then $20 each VHS tape on my then $800 top loader VHS machine....LOL, and without cable so i was using rabbit ears, very slight interference.....I believe I do have the two hour block with Wheel Of Fortune, just Wheel wasn't ending, Every ten years or so i look at the tape that contains all the original commercials (including letterman promos) and the farewells at the conclusion of the cancelled shows.

do you still have that taping of cartoon lost and found?

07-20-2020, 02:46 AM	#1
simmytbone Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 17, 2009 Posts: 1,514	June 1980; NBC cancels 3 Game Shows; Vanna as a TPIR contestant & Pyramid leaves abc Hey guys, 40 years ago in the month of June 1980 saw many changes in the World of Game Shows On Friday June 20, 1980 NBC cancels 3 Game Shows in The Original Hollywood Squares with Peter Marshall, The NEW High Rollers with Alex Trebek and The Original Chain Reaction with the late Uncle Bill Cullen and thanks to the late Fred Silverman, those shows were cut in favor of The David Letterman Show which would last only 4 months In 1982, Letterman would soon get a Late Night Talk Show Hosting Gig with Late Night on NBC for 11 years followed by the Late Show on CBS for twice as long or 22 years for a combined total of 33 years, the longest in Late Night Television History also on that same day, The Price is Right on CBS witnessed the appearance of a future actress and Queen of Wheel of Fortune in Vanna White as she appeared as a contestant in contestant's row and 2 years later, she would replace Dr. Susan Stafford as the hostess of the Wheel of Fortune a position that she still holds to this day and the following week, abc airs the final week of Pyramid with the late TV Icon Dick Clark The alphabet network acquired The $10,000 Pyramid in 1974 after CBS cancelled the show after 1 year and mainly due to the coverage of the Watergate Scandal and in 1976 was renamed The $20,000 Pyramid meaning that the top prize was doubled to $20,000 The final guests were the late Lois Nettleton and the late Uncle Bill Cullen who hosted The Original $25,000 Pyramid on syndication from 1974-1979 with the Top Prize of $25,000 However, Pyramid would return to abc in 2016 as The All New $100,000 Pyramid with Michael Strahan as host and Executive Producer This would be Pyramid's 1st appearance on abc in 36 years and Pyramid's 1st appearance at the abc studios in New York City in 35 years since the short-lived $50,000 Pyramid and so, I ask you all this: What were your thoughts on Fred Silverman cancelling 3 NBC Game Shows in favor of The David Letterman Show? What was your reaction when you heard that Vanna White appeared on The Price is Right? and what was your reaction to Pyramid leaving abc Daytime the week after NBC cancelled their 3 Game Shows? Please share your thoughts on all of this
	__________________ Lisa Marie Varon, Lisa Moretti, Jazz, Lilian Garcia & Dawn Marie The Fab 5-Underrated, but AWESOME in my book Atlanta Falcons: RISE UP

07-20-2020, 12:05 PM	#2
TeeVeeCloset Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 25, 2003 Posts: 1,873	Still have my original taped off air without cable VHS tape of NBC final day minus Wheel Of Fortune. Yes a historic day........
	__________________ Living near "Ozzie Nelson Drive".....

07-20-2020, 08:07 PM	#3
SledgeBarone Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 01, 2020 Posts: 1,930	This was just before my time as a TV viewer. Pyramid having two long runs on a rival network immediately after being canceled from another network must be a record. Why did it get canceled from ABC? And who was the better host - Dick Clark or Bill Cullen? Michael Strahan annoys me as a host/producer - why do we have to see reaction shots of him celebrating Winner's Circle victories and laughing when something funny happens?

07-21-2020, 09:44 AM	#4
howilu Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: St. Louis Park, MN Posts: 1,958	Initially, Wheel of Fortune was going to be cancelled, but Fred Silverman reversed his decision and instead wielded the ax to the Bill Cullen hosted Chain Reaction and moved Card Sharks into the noon ET time period. The changes turned out to be fatal as The David Letterman Show, which replaced High Rollers and Hollywood Squares turned out to be a ratings flop that also caused affiliates to substitute local or syndicated programming for the time period. Card Sharks would also be hurt by preemptions for local news or syndicated shows. Minneapolis/St. Paul did not receive Card Sharks. Instead, viewers got a rerun of The Bob Newhart Show. But lo and behold, game shows would return after David Letterman was cancelled in October and replaced by Las Vegas Gambit and Blockbusters. That would be good news for game show fans.

08-29-2020, 08:25 PM	#7
doge Member Forum Hawk Join Date: Aug 29, 2020 Posts: 3	[QUOTE=TeeVeeCloset;5769697]Yes I must admit this was self taped on a then $20 each VHS tape on my then $800 top loader VHS machine....LOL, and without cable so i was using rabbit ears, very slight interference.....I believe I do have the two hour block with Wheel Of Fortune, just Wheel wasn't ending, Every ten years or so i look at the tape that contains all the original commercials (including letterman promos) and the farewells at the conclusion of the cancelled shows. do you still have that taping of cartoon lost and found?