September 24, 1965

[howilu]

Sixty years ago, on September 24, 1965, NBC overhauled its morning daytime lineup by canceling four game shows and debuting two new game shows and soap operas. Here's what happened on that day and the shows that turned out to be unsuccessful.

The first was Wink Martindale's first game show What's This Song, a variation on Name That Tune. NBC daytime VP Bob Aaron changed his name to Win Martindale because he felt the name Wink was too juvenile. Two celebrity- contestant teams competed to identify songs played by the orchestra led by Bobby Hammack. A correct titled earned 20 points and could get another 20 by singing the first two lines of the song. The other team could challenge if they felt the words were incorrect and if they were right, they got the 20 points. The first team to get 100 points won the game and played the Minute Medley where they had to identify 10 songs in 60 seconds. If they got all 10 correct, they won $200 and a trip to anywhere in North America.

Two other games were gone after 26 weeks. The first was Call My Bluff. one of the few flops from Goodson-Todman. Hosted by Bill Leyden, two teams of two contestants and one celebrity had to determine which of three definitions of an obscure word was the correct one. It was a forerunner of Oh My Word, Liar's Club and Wordplay. Though it failed in the United States, it had a much longer run in Great Britain. The other show was I'll Bet. Jack Narz hosted the show where two celebrity couples played for a home viewers of a NBC affiliate which wasn't revealed until the end of the show. One member of the team was asked a question by telephone out of earshot of the other player and bet how many points on their ability to answer the question. The first to reach 200 points won the game, $200 for the home viewer and a chance to win more money in The Preference Round, where they had to guess how their partner answered a question. The show was revived in syndication in 1969 under the title It's Your Bet. Originally hosted by Hal March, he left the show due to illness and passed away in January 1970 from lung cancer. He was replaced by Dick Gautier, Tom Kennedy and Lyle Waggoner. The show ended its run in 1973.

The show that had the longest run before cancellation was the daytime version of Truth or Consequences. It was the show that put Bob Barker on the map as a game show host before he became best known as the host of The Price is Right. This incarnation ended a nine year run but in September, 1966, Truth or Consequences became the first game show to air in first run syndication. It had a solid eight year run.

None of the four show's replacements were successful. The shortest was the Art James hosted game show Fractured Phrases that lasted only 13 weeks and replaced by the first game show produced by Bob Stewart as an independent packager, Eye Guess. Bill cullen hosted the show that ran until September 26, 1969.

Two new soap operas occupied the 11-12 ET period. Morning Star and Paradise Bay. Both lasted only 39 weeks and replaced by two game shows that had a short run. The first was Chain Letter,, hosted by Jan Murray and Showdown with combative talk show host Joe Pyne presiding. Showdown would be replaced by the more successful Hollywood Squares.

The 12-1 hour had two shows produced by Merv Griffin. The first was the hit game show Jeopardy, which stayed in that time slot until it was moved to the morning at the end of 1973. Griffin's second show, Let's Play Post Office with host Don Morrow ran only 39 weeks. Three contestants guessed who were the authors of fictitious letters in a set like a small town post office. It was replaced by a country music show titled Swingin' Country that lasted only 26 weeks.

And what about Concentration? It would be moved to the 10:30 ET tie period and it stayed there until it was axed on March 23, 1973.

That's what happened in the game show world 60 years ago.

[Dude111]

I tell ya dues,I mi$$ the good days

[icecream]

Originally Posted by Dude111

I tell ya dues,I mi$$ the good days

I didn't think you were alive yet during 1965.

[Dude111]

No I guess I wasnt icecream......