45 replies to this topic

[nikitakitty]

This old show is now rerunning on Game Show Network, and it's fantastic!! These are true vintage episodes, with prizes like analog color TVs and mustard yellow washer/dryer sets with simple dial controls. The prizes themselves are worth watching for as a slice of vintage Americana. The things people valued, the things people put in their purses - and I know they crammed their purses with stuff so they could deal in the audience, but I mean things like false eyelashes. This was a time when women wore false eyelashes more commonly. The clothes on the women showing the prizes is also a time capsule. Big prize tonight? A Chevy Vega, complete with skunk stripe down the middle. Total price? $3700.00 Oooo!!!

Anyway, thought I'd bring it up here in case anyone didn't know it was on and, now with that knowledge, wishes to discuss it.

P.S.: The seventies really did suck.

Edited by nikitakitty, Jun 15, 2007 @ 1:58 AM.

[RainIsBeautiful]

Oooooh, I love this show! When is it showing on GSN?

Times like this I wish I was a Nielsen family.


ETA: Found it! Charter in Atlanta shows it at 10:00am.

Edited by RainIsBeautiful, Jun 18, 2007 @ 5:53 PM.

[Triptik]

This old show is now rerunning on Game Show Network, and it's fantastic!! These are true vintage episodes, with prizes like analog color TVs and mustard yellow washer/dryer sets with simple dial controls. The prizes themselves are worth watching for as a slice of vintage Americana.

I love to catch these old shows. Vintage Americana is a great way to describe it. I find it so interesting to see the things that have long since become obsolete in their new form. To see the prices - how so many things have gone up such a huge percentage, whereas others are actually cheaper and more affordable now than they were then.

[stinkymcgee]

I watched this baby during its original run, but haven't seen it since. There were so many things I loved about the show:

the sometimes-regional products that I'd never see in our grocery stores (but I knew all the retail prices anyway)

Jay Stewart's Professional Announcer voice, which was always butter-smooth even when he had to speed-read through product descriptions

Carol Merrill's gaucho pants, hot-pants pantsuits, and other early-'70s fashion trends

A freaking HARP in the on-stage orchestra, playing live glissandos as the curtains open

Also, I had a HUGE crush on Monty Hall, for reasons I don't fully understand. I'll need to look for LMaD now, to see if I can explain that.

[Sexylibrarian]

This and Match Game were my absolute favorite games shows as a kid. I'm especially fond of the televisions with the wood cabinets - my parents had a real beauty in the late 70's.

[Dbrain2004]

I always make sure to go to bed earlier than I normally would, just so I can catch this when it comes on at 9:00 in the morning. I'm always the one who watches along going "Don't take the box. DON'T TAKE THE BOX!" or "They haven't given away a car yet. TAKE THE CURTAIN!"

Man, before GSN ruined the scheduling, they had my favorite block of morning programming: LMaD, Press Your Luck, Password Plus, and the $100,000 Pyramid.

Who needs Deal or No Deal, when you have excitement like This on a daily basis?

[Triptik]

Dbrain - I enjoyed that clip. It's fun to see products such as Reynolds Wrap that look exactly the same as today, while others have changed so many times over the years.
I love the old electronics, green shag carpets, white-cased tv's, the whole interest in furs, the orange and yellow colors, their idea of "modern" furniture.
I remember when I was little and they had a Chinese Shar-Pei in one of the boxes that Jay always carried down in that flimsy little stand of his. That was the cutest puppy ever, and the lady didn't win it, but wished she had.
I also liked the way they had to add up everything since the early ones were even pre-calculator days.

This show just brings back so many memories. I have a collection of vintage catalogs - old Sears, Montgomery Wards, Penneys etc. and I love to look through them for the same reason. It's always fun.

Sexylibrarian - my parents had the big wood tv, and also the great big stereo console. in fact, my mom still has that console. I guess they built them to last in those days.
Stinkymcgee - You've got Jay down perfectly with your butter-smooth description. I also thought Carol had the most beautiful clothes. And the harp. What a weird, but fun choice. I guess it was to portray the "we're a fairy godmother granting your wishes kind of thing."

Don't you wish they'd have more vintage shows on? I'd love to go back and see old episodes of talk shows, or variety and entertainment shows.

[stinkymcgee]

Triptik, you're my kind of people! In the interest of scaling back, I got rid of my catalog collection but I kept the 1940s Family Circles and 1960s Glamours. Have you seen Wishbook Web? The site design could use some work, but the scans are priceless!

During the Oscars on Sunday, mister stinky and I were wishing we could see the entire telecast from, say, 1963 rather than the 10-second clip they played.

I miss GSN's Black & White Sunday Night, where they'd play like 3 or 4 hours of old game shows. Some of them were mightily crappy, but I loved the opportunity to see them.

Edited by stinkymcgee, Feb 26, 2008 @ 4:59 PM.

[Triptik]

Thanks so much for posting that link, stinkymcgee! I was not familiar with it, but I can already see I'm going to have a blast looking through all those old catalogs. I know what you mean about the space. They do take up a lot. I keep thinking I'll get rid of them sometime, but then I'll haul out an old wishbook and see something I really wanted when I was a kid, and think I can't part with them. I've been trying to get as many of the reproductions out of the really early Sears books as I can, too.

When we were watching the Oscar's and they were showing some of the clips back in the Hollywood royalty times, I kept thinking how much I'd enjoy seeing an entire program. I'd especially like to see the year of Gone With the Wind (which I guess was l940 unless they used to do them in the same year as the movie was released?). So many great movies were nominated that year.

I always think it's fun, too, to see vintage commercials. Probably one of the reasons I really like Let's Make a Deal. It was kind of one big, fun commercial.
I don't know how I missed Black and White Sunday night. I've never seen it. Did they have You Bet your Life?

[drjonah]

I don't know how I missed Black and White Sunday night. I've never seen it. Did they have You Bet your Life?

For the longest time, GSN had a one hour block of old black and white shows at like 3am. Most often they were What's My Line and I've Got a Secret. But sometimes shows like Beat the Clock, Play your Hunch and The Name's the Same were also shown.

But back to LMAD, I love it. The strange costumes, the nervous contestants, the squeals when the ladies find out they won kitchen appliances, and the butt ugly cars.

The best part though was the amazing chemistry that Monty Hall and Jay Stewart had together, they just always acted like they were having so much fun together. Not only that, but Monty always treated Jay and Carol as equals.

[stinkymcgee]

B&W SN was a block of programming from the early days of game shows. IIRC, the shows rotated so you were never really sure what they were going to run.

Sometimes it was the original Match Game (with Swingin' Safari as the theme), sometimes the original Price is Right with Bill Cullen as host. Beat the Clock was popular, and I think that What's My Line and I've Got a Secret were always part of the lineup. And then sometimes it was lesser programming like The Name's The Same or Play Your Hunch. I don't know if You Bet Your Life was ever part of that particular block.

But back on topic -- I agree that LMaD was like one big commercial, and that was as much fun as the fashions. The furniture (always from Spiegel), the furs (always from Dicker & Dicker of Beverly Hills), the foods... I always get a kick out of when something's introduced as "new!" and it's still around now, like Rice-a-Roni.

Dang, and now I have to go set that DVR before I forget!

eta: how weird, drjonah that we thought of the same shows! Or was it just that B&WSN stayed with the same lineup most of the time?!

Edited by stinkymcgee, Feb 26, 2008 @ 8:23 PM.

[drjonah]

how weird, drjonah that we thought of the same shows! Or was it just that B&WSN stayed with the same lineup most of the time?!

To be honest, I don't know, I just seem to remember every time being up late that the shows were WML and IGAS. But the shows you listed too could have easily been part of it too.

[RainIsBeautiful]

their idea of "modern" furniture

What's funny is that the "modern" look has only slightly changed now -- I have some friends who live upstairs from a mod furniture shop, and although the colors are different and things are a tiny bit thinner now, the silhouettes are the same. Low profile, minimalist, etc.

and the butt ugly cars.

Heh, that description made my morning. :)

I still catch LMaD as often as I can. I remember seeing an episode six or seven years ago on GSN and freaking out because in the same episode, they gave away the living room and den furniture my parents had in our house when we were growing up. Turns out my parents got both furniture sets (brown vinyl in the den, faux fur-covered stuff and "flickering candle" lamps in the LR) from a Rooms-To-Go-type store in the early 70s.

Man, I miss that fur chaise.

[Triptik]

What's funny is that the "modern" look has only slightly changed now -- I have some friends who live upstairs from a mod furniture shop, and although the colors are different and things are a tiny bit thinner now, the silhouettes are the same. Low profile, minimalist, etc.

Ha - I think you're right. Reminds me of how the futuristic stuff in sci-fi movies never changes much either. There's never any color in the clothes or the furniture.

Man, I miss that fur chaise.

In one of my old catalogs, I still have circled the very same furry blue chair that I wanted so badly growing up, but never got. I used to pick out my room from all the items there and build my pretend house. Same thing on Let's Make a Deal. I'd furnish my future house in my head picking out different arrangements. They made it pretty easy with all their sets.

I always get a kick out of when something's introduced as "new!" and it's still around now, like Rice-a-Roni.

We never had Rice-a-Roni in our stores and I remember asking my mom and her saying something like, "it's only a San Francisco treat" and me thinking that made sense since they sing it in their jingle.

I always thought Carol was kind of a Mary Tyler Moore. One of those people that just look great in clothes, but comfortable and natural in them. Not just a model.

I knew the zip code of Chicago before I knew my own because of Jay's description of Spiegel and giving it's address every single time.

I also loved the cheesy sets. Where someone actually had to be behind the wall to pull down the obscuring little wall over the price or prize choice. And remember the hundred dollar bill machine where they taped them in one long roll, wound them around and would unroll one at a time and make you decide whether you wanted the money or another prize.
A hundred dollar bill would elicit so much excitement.

Just out of curiousity, did anyone else always pick the exact same number door for the big prize? I was always convinced it was door number one.

[stinkymcgee]

I used to pick out my room from all the items there and build my pretend house. Same thing on Let's Make a Deal. I'd furnish my future house in my head picking out different arrangements. They made it pretty easy with all their sets.

I knew the zip code of Chicago before I knew my own because of Jay's description of Spiegel and giving it's address every single time.

I was always convinced it was door number one.

Triptik, you're scaring me... Mom never told me I had an identical twin.

[RainIsBeautiful]

Just out of curiousity, did anyone else always pick the exact same number door for the big prize? I was always convinced it was door number one.

Not exactly an answer to your question, but when it comes time for The Big Deal, I always pick door #2 (and make myself stick with my choice). :)

[Sexylibrarian]

But back to LMAD, I love it. The strange costumes, the nervous contestants, the squeals when the ladies find out they won kitchen appliances, and the butt ugly cars.

I have to confess, I love those old cars and I get such a kick out of the colors and shapes.

[Skittl1321]

This makes me wish I had cable! This was my FAVORITE game show when I was a kid- the 80s, so it was probably mostly, if not all, reruns by then.

My favorite is when they would trade their prize for a donkey. But once, I recall- could be wrong, the donkey had gold bricks in it's saddle bag.

So did the people really win the donkeys? (It would be hysterical if someone actually wanted it!) Could they get the cash equivalent of one? Or was it just a "you don't win anything" prize?

[henrysmom]

So did the people really win the donkeys? (It would be hysterical if someone actually wanted it!) Could they get the cash equivalent of one?

I vaguely remember reading an interview with Monty Hall where he said this did happen, only with pigs. The prize was something like five piglets and the woman was ecstatic because she was from a rural area and knew they were actually valuable. Trouble was the producers had just rented the pigs from someone ("Rent a Pig"?) and it was supposed to be one of the joke prizes. IIRC, they gave her the cash equivilant.

[Triptik]

Triptik, you're scaring me... Mom never told me I had an identical twin.

Ha - I always did think I was adopted. My people hate both game shows and catalogs. And nostalgia is totally lost on them.

Didn't this show have the most nervous contestants? I always loved when they'd get someone so scared that Monty would say something like, "do you want what's behind door number one, or do you want this box?", and they'd answer, "yes". And he'd go on, and say that they had to pick one and explain the rules, ask if they understood, they'd nod their head and continue that empty-headed deer-in-the-headlight stare, and he'd ask again and so many times, they'd still reply, "yes".
And more often than not, if they ever did make a decision, it was something totally illogical (at least based on what you could usually expect from previous shows) and yet they'd be the ones to win really big.

I liked Jay in his farm outfits and others, but he'd totally win my heart when he'd dress like an enormous unattractive baby and give it everything he had.

I saw my first zonkey the other day. So many years after seeing them on the show and they still look fake. Like someone snuck in at night and painted stripes on a donkey's legs. How in the world did mingling the two end up moving the zebra's stripes down to his legs only?

[The Masses]

Monty wins the prize of fastest game show host. Whenever he suspected a contestant was going to go batshit he was a good seven aisles away before the contestant even knew what was going on. Did anyone see the episode when a male contestant tried to give him a smooch? Hilarity I assure you.

[junemeatcleaver]

Let's Make a Deal, with host Wayne Brady, to replace Guiding Light this fall.

The new "Deal" will be basically the same as the old "Deal." Contestants buy, sell, or trade for hidden prizes, which could be anything from major appliances to a "zonk" -- a worthless item such as a bale of hay. The conclusion of each episode revolves around a trade for "The Big Deal," which could range from a new car to large cash prizes.

"It's not going to be much different," said Hall. "You don't tinker with a great format. It's the right horse -- it just needed a new jockey."

This makes more sense than Pyramid which was what was rumored to replace GL. They can give more of their advertisers' products exposure that way versus on Pyramid.

[smittykins]

So did the people really win the donkeys? (It would be hysterical if someone actually wanted it!) Could they get the cash equivalent of one?

I vaguely remember reading an interview with Monty Hall where he said this did happen, only with pigs. The prize was something like five piglets and the woman was ecstatic because she was from a rural area and knew they were actually valuable. Trouble was the producers had just rented the pigs from someone ("Rent a Pig"?) and it was supposed to be one of the joke prizes. IIRC, they gave her the cash equivilant.

I just watched several LMAD clips on YouTube, and on the credits, it said "Some traders accept reasonable duplicates of zonk prizes"...whatever that means.

I always liked how Jay would announce the prices in dollars and cents. It's also neat to see products that(as far as I know)aren't around anymore. Golden Dipt? Z-Brick?

[junemeatcleaver]

Did anyone watch the premiere yesterday?

I didn't really care for it. Wayne Brady lacks the "car salesman with a heart of gold" quality Monty Hall had and the announcer was really annoying.

I hated that only one trader got to play for the Big Deal of the Day. What was with that? Part of the fun of the big deal was seeing who got what. Oh well. The whole show felt very low budget, so maybe that's why they only had one trader playing for the Big Deal.

I'm giving this another month to get better before I abandon it outright. It has promise, I just don't like that the original felt like it gave more money and prizes in the 1970s than they are now.

Edited by junemeatcleaver, Oct 6, 2009 @ 10:06 AM.

[mtbingmom]

I love Wayne Brady, but he wasn't doing it for me. He seemed really flat. And only one contestant for the Big Deal of the Day? What was up with that?
I agree is has promise, but for me that execution was sorely lacking.

[BX60]

They should not have brought LMAD back. Monty Hall is the ONLY big dealer in my book!

[junemeatcleaver]

Did anyone see this episode? There was a guy who won a car during the first part of the game and decided to trade it in to go for the big deal of the day claiming that he had nothing to lose and the car was the "house's money". Anyway, he didn't win the big deal, a $30,000 BMW, or the mid-range priced deal, a $17,000 trip through Europe, he won the cheapest deal - a pair of bikes. He traded a car for some bikes... It was so funny.

[erik316wttn]

I personally love this show and hope it sticks around at least as long as the original.

[rain21]

junemeatcleaver- I saw the repeat of this show last week, I was on vacation in Vegas so the house money thing was really funny to me. Anyway the guy was so funny that I almost thought he was a plant for the show. Plus who would give up a car?

Wayne Brady is really funny. I've only seen the show a few times but it makes me laugh.

[mtbingmom]

I saw that guy. What was he thinking?