Split Second (partially lost ABC game show; 1972-1975)

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Splitsecondlogo.jpg

The show's logo.

Status: Partially Lost

Split Second is an American game show that was created by Stefan Hatos and Monty Hill[1], who also created Let's Make A Deal. It was hosted by Tom Kennedy and announced by Jack Clark[2] (who later did Wheel Of Fortune and The $25,000 Pyramid) and aired on ABC from March 20, 1972 to June 27, 1995 for 1,025 episodes and was a unique quiz show for the time. The show was brought back for 130 episodes in syndication for Canadian markets and was hosted by the show's co-creator Monty Hall in 1986 but ended a year later. A 1990 pilot hosted by Rob Weller didn't sell and it would be a long while before the show would be revived by Game Show Network on April 17, 2023 and hosted by John Michael Higgins.

Format

Each question on the show has three possible correct answers. Tom Kennedy would show three words, names or phrases on a board and ask three contestants a question and the contestants have to guess what each subject on the board represents in relation to the question asked by Kennedy. However unlike the typical quiz show where only one person rings in with the answer and the other two players are locked out and can't answer, all three players play and the first person that rings in will give one answer for a subject on the board displayed and the second player who buzzed in will also give an answer for a different subject on the board displayed and the third player that buzzes in will give an answer for the only subject on the board displayed that hasn't been answered. One correct awards the right player $25, two correct answers will award the right two players $10 and three correct answers awards all the players $5. These amounts would be used in round one and the amounts would be doubled in round two.

After the second round, the countdown round is played. Each player has a different number of questions to answer correctly (number of questions is determined by the amount of money each player has, first place answers three questions, second place answers four questions and last place answers 5 questions). Unlike the previous two rounds, the player who buzzed in with the correct answer has a choice to run the board or pass to the next player. The game ends when a player has no more questions to answer and that player goes onto the bonus round.

The winning player is given a key and that key unlocks one of five cars displayed behind the set. Similar to the bonus round of the John Davidson version of Hollywood Squares, the player has to find out which car the key starts, if that car starts, they win the chosen car, if the car doesn't start, they come back the next show to try again.

Availability

The show has never been reran since it's final airing in June 1975, while the 1986 version gets on and off reruns these days. Many episodes have been destroyed due to wiping network practices at the time[3] (ABC would discontinue wiping in 1978) and only a small amount of the series survives today. Five episodes were uploaded to YouTube by the champions from the episodes, three in black and white video form, one in color video form and one in color video form (but only the audio has been released).

Gallery

Episodes

May 8th, 1975 episode owned by champion Marvin Shinkman[4] (first two minutes missing)

Audio of June 20, 1973 episode owned by champion Alan Schulkin (photos from episode showcased)

June 27, 1975 finale.

Tickets

Photos

References