To Tell The Truth (partially found first season of syndicated panel show; 1969-1970): Difference between revisions
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|imagecaption=The show's logo from 1969 to 1973. | |imagecaption=The show's logo from 1969 to 1973. | ||
|status=<span style="color: | |status=<span style="color:orange">'''Partially Found'''</span> | ||
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To Tell the Truth is an American panel-style game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. The show's basic format features a panel of four celebrities, who must guess which one of three contestants is in fact the ( | ''To Tell the Truth'' is an American panel-style game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. The show's basic format features a panel of four celebrities, who must guess which one of three contestants is in fact the likewise famous (or fame-adjacent) person they are all claiming to be. The panel asks questions of all three claimants and gauges the authenticity of their answers. | ||
Over the decades since its network debut in 1956, the show has been a fixture on the American game show scene; the current version debuted on ABC in June 2016 and is hosted by actor Anthony Anderson. Previous versions have been seen in reruns since 1994 on various cable channels, and a large number of episodes survive. The syndicated version that aired from 1969 to 1978 is perhaps the best known incarnation - but while many episodes from this version survive and can be viewed today, ''' | Over the decades since its network debut in 1956, the show has been a fixture on the American game show scene; the current version debuted on ABC in June 2016 and is hosted by actor Anthony Anderson. Previous versions have been seen in reruns since 1994 on various cable channels, and a large number of episodes survive. The syndicated version that aired from 1969 to 1978 is perhaps the best known incarnation - but while many episodes from this version survive and can be viewed today, '''the first season has not resurfaced''' save for a single viewer-recorded episode. | ||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
The show first premiered on CBS in 1956, and was hosted by erstwhile ''Superman'' voice actor Bud Collyer. This initial run ended on September 6, 1968 after 12 years on the network in both primetime and daytime. Ratings had been declining, and meanwhile CBS's president of daytime programming Fred Silverman was in the process of getting rid of game shows altogether in favor of extending soap operas to 45 minutes.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWVLM1pMUGg&ab_channel=GameShowGumbo</ref> Just three days later, another Goodson & Todman production, | The show first premiered on CBS in 1956, and was hosted by erstwhile ''Superman'' voice actor Bud Collyer. This initial run ended on September 6, 1968 after 12 years on the network in both primetime and daytime. Ratings had been declining, and meanwhile CBS's president of daytime programming Fred Silverman was in the process of getting rid of game shows altogether in favor of extending soap operas to 45 minutes.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWVLM1pMUGg&ab_channel=GameShowGumbo</ref> Just three days later, another Goodson & Todman production, ''What's My Line?'' (which had ended its run on CBS a year earlier) premiered in syndication to high ratings. That success convinced the producers to also revive ''To Tell the Truth'' for syndication. | ||
The show was to return to its original format, rolling back late changes that had contributed to its ratings decline. However Bud Collyer turned down the offer to return, citing declining health. Garry Moore (who hosted | The show was to return to its original format, rolling back late changes that had contributed to its ratings decline. However Bud Collyer turned down the offer to return, citing declining health. Garry Moore (who hosted ''I've Got a Secret'' from the same producers) was ultimately chosen to host the show. Collyer died on the same day the new version premiered.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20111206011317/http://www.game-show-utopia.net/tttt/tttt.htm</ref> The new, syndicated ''To Tell the Truth'' became a ratings success - and an important part of television history, running for another decade and thus serving as a showcase for a wide variety of mid-century pop-culture figures, including "Jesus Christ, Superstar" lyricist Tim Rice, Marvel Comics artist Stan Lee and con man Frank Abagnale Jr. | ||
==Availability== | ==Availability== | ||
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
The first season of the syndicated show remains the only one never to be shown on Game Show Network or Buzzr - for unknown reasons, since the show is confirmed to exist in its entirety. Little is known of the first season outside of the premiere date and the panel & guests for each episode; a few further details of the premiere episode survive in reviews. According to TTTTontheweb.com: <blockquote>"From its opening moments with the psychedelic set and rock music score, the 1969 premiere set itself apart from its staid CBS predecessor. But it was really only after the first game -- when Garry Moore demonstrated adding water to dehydrated food and accidentally used the wrong end of a water dispenser, then mugged his way out of the predicament -- that it was clear this "TTTT" was determined to be more fun than the original series in both form and content."<ref>http://www.ttttontheweb.com/ttttanecdotes.html#1</ref></blockquote> | The first season of the syndicated show remains the only one never to be shown on Game Show Network or Buzzr - for unknown reasons, since the show is confirmed to exist in its entirety. Little is known of the first season outside of the premiere date and the panel & guests for each episode; a few further details of the premiere episode survive in reviews. According to TTTTontheweb.com: <blockquote>"From its opening moments with the psychedelic set and rock music score, the 1969 premiere set itself apart from its staid CBS predecessor. But it was really only after the first game -- when Garry Moore demonstrated adding water to dehydrated food and accidentally used the wrong end of a water dispenser, then mugged his way out of the predicament -- that it was clear this "TTTT" was determined to be more fun than the original series in both form and content."<ref>http://www.ttttontheweb.com/ttttanecdotes.html#1</ref></blockquote> | ||
Prior to 2022, no footage, screenshots or audio from season one had been found. On October 15, 2022, an episode from May 18, 1970 was uploaded to MySpleen<ref>https://twitter.com/autocinephile/status/1581454104248741888?s=20&t=gft6yzThkWaAF2a4UJa7lA</ref> by user "pufnstuf" and a day later, LMW user SAKURARadiochan uploaded the episode to MEGA. This is the first time since the season's conclusion that an episode has been seen, and provides hope that other home recordings of other episodes from the season exist. | |||
==External Link== | ==External Link== | ||
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041013094443/http://www.matchgame.org/episodeguides/tttt/tttt1.html Archive of Season One episode guide from Matchgame.org] | *[https://web.archive.org/web/20041013094443/http://www.matchgame.org/episodeguides/tttt/tttt1.html Archive of Season One episode guide from Matchgame.org] | ||
*[https://mega.nz/file/EEsm1D5R#cQ2aFNqXXnh-DhALr5DJkVXgzYJT5xRb6cxpSXcHGcg MEGA Link to the May 18, 1970 episode.] | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
| Line 30: | Line 31: | ||
*[[The Price Is Right (partially found unaired pilot for syndicated game show; 1993)]] | *[[The Price Is Right (partially found unaired pilot for syndicated game show; 1993)]] | ||
*[[The New Price Is Right (lost unaired pilot of Goodson-Todman game show; 1972)]] | *[[The New Price Is Right (lost unaired pilot of Goodson-Todman game show; 1972)]] | ||
*[[Family Feud (partially found unaired pilot of Pearson game show; 1998-1999)]] | |||
*[[Rock Feud (lost unaired pilot of cancelled spin-off of Pearson game show; 2001)]] | |||
*[[To Tell The Truth (lost unreleased pilot of Pearson remake of Goodson-Todman panel show; 1999)]] | |||
*[[Card Sharks (partially lost pilots of syndicated revival of Goodson-Todman game show; 1996-2000)]] | |||
===Television=== | ===Television=== | ||
| Line 42: | Line 47: | ||
*[[The Price Is Right (partially found Doug Davidson version of Goodson-Todman game show; 1994-1995)]] | *[[The Price Is Right (partially found Doug Davidson version of Goodson-Todman game show; 1994-1995)]] | ||
*[[Match Game (found ABC revival of Goodson-Todman game show; 1990-1991)]] | *[[Match Game (found ABC revival of Goodson-Todman game show; 1990-1991)]] | ||
*[[Champion Blockbusters (partially found spin-off of British game show, 1987-1990)]] | |||
*[[Släktslaget (lost Swedish adaptation of "Family Feud" game show; 2000)]] | |||
*[[Password Plus (found unaired George Peppard episode of Goodson-Todman game show; 1979)]] | |||
*[[The Price Is Right (partially lost episodes of CBS game show; 1972-2007)]] | |||
*[[Distraction (partially found American adaptation of British game show; 2005-2006)]] | |||
*[[I've Got A Secret (partially lost syndicated revival of Goodson-Todman panel show; 1972-1973)]] | |||
*[[Press Your Luck (lost British adaptation of American game show; 1991-1992)]] | |||
*[[Match Game (partially found revival of Goodson-Todman game show; 1998-1999)]] | |||
*[[Showoffs (partially found Goodson-Todman game show; 1975)]] | |||
*[[Password (partially found ABC revival of Goodson-Todman game show; 1971-1975)]] | |||
*[[Mindreaders (partially found Goodson-Todman game show; 1979-1980)]] | |||
*[[Sale Of The Century (partially found Reg Grundy revival of Al Howard game show; 1983-1989)]] | |||
===Miscellaneous=== | ===Miscellaneous=== | ||
*[[Super Password (lost builds of unreleased NES port of word game; 1980s)]] | *[[Super Password (lost builds of unreleased NES port of word game; 1980s)]] | ||
*[[To Tell the Truth (lost unreleased DVD game based on panel show; 2005)]] | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
| Line 51: | Line 69: | ||
[[Category:Lost recordings of real incidents]] | [[Category:Lost recordings of real incidents]] | ||
[[Category:Lost TV]] | [[Category:Lost TV]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Partially found media]] | ||
Latest revision as of 21:25, 12 October 2023
The show's logo from 1969 to 1973.
Status: Partially Found
To Tell the Truth is an American panel-style game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. The show's basic format features a panel of four celebrities, who must guess which one of three contestants is in fact the likewise famous (or fame-adjacent) person they are all claiming to be. The panel asks questions of all three claimants and gauges the authenticity of their answers.
Over the decades since its network debut in 1956, the show has been a fixture on the American game show scene; the current version debuted on ABC in June 2016 and is hosted by actor Anthony Anderson. Previous versions have been seen in reruns since 1994 on various cable channels, and a large number of episodes survive. The syndicated version that aired from 1969 to 1978 is perhaps the best known incarnation - but while many episodes from this version survive and can be viewed today, the first season has not resurfaced save for a single viewer-recorded episode.
Background
The show first premiered on CBS in 1956, and was hosted by erstwhile Superman voice actor Bud Collyer. This initial run ended on September 6, 1968 after 12 years on the network in both primetime and daytime. Ratings had been declining, and meanwhile CBS's president of daytime programming Fred Silverman was in the process of getting rid of game shows altogether in favor of extending soap operas to 45 minutes.[1] Just three days later, another Goodson & Todman production, What's My Line? (which had ended its run on CBS a year earlier) premiered in syndication to high ratings. That success convinced the producers to also revive To Tell the Truth for syndication.
The show was to return to its original format, rolling back late changes that had contributed to its ratings decline. However Bud Collyer turned down the offer to return, citing declining health. Garry Moore (who hosted I've Got a Secret from the same producers) was ultimately chosen to host the show. Collyer died on the same day the new version premiered.[2] The new, syndicated To Tell the Truth became a ratings success - and an important part of television history, running for another decade and thus serving as a showcase for a wide variety of mid-century pop-culture figures, including "Jesus Christ, Superstar" lyricist Tim Rice, Marvel Comics artist Stan Lee and con man Frank Abagnale Jr.
Availability
All versions of the show were first rerun on the Game Show Network in 1994, and became a staple of its programming. Episodes of the syndicated version generally became hard to find once GSN stopped airing it after 2009, with only home recordings surfacing until October 2018, when Buzzr added it to their schedule. As of January 2022, this version is still being rerun on Buzzr.
The first season of the syndicated show remains the only one never to be shown on Game Show Network or Buzzr - for unknown reasons, since the show is confirmed to exist in its entirety. Little is known of the first season outside of the premiere date and the panel & guests for each episode; a few further details of the premiere episode survive in reviews. According to TTTTontheweb.com:
"From its opening moments with the psychedelic set and rock music score, the 1969 premiere set itself apart from its staid CBS predecessor. But it was really only after the first game -- when Garry Moore demonstrated adding water to dehydrated food and accidentally used the wrong end of a water dispenser, then mugged his way out of the predicament -- that it was clear this "TTTT" was determined to be more fun than the original series in both form and content."[3]
Prior to 2022, no footage, screenshots or audio from season one had been found. On October 15, 2022, an episode from May 18, 1970 was uploaded to MySpleen[4] by user "pufnstuf" and a day later, LMW user SAKURARadiochan uploaded the episode to MEGA. This is the first time since the season's conclusion that an episode has been seen, and provides hope that other home recordings of other episodes from the season exist.
External Link
See Also
Pilots
- Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour (lost unaired pilot of NBC game show; 1983)
- Showoffs (partially lost unaired pilots of ABC game show; 1975)
- The Price Is Right (partially found unaired pilot for syndicated game show; 1993)
- The New Price Is Right (lost unaired pilot of Goodson-Todman game show; 1972)
- Family Feud (partially found unaired pilot of Pearson game show; 1998-1999)
- Rock Feud (lost unaired pilot of cancelled spin-off of Pearson game show; 2001)
- To Tell The Truth (lost unreleased pilot of Pearson remake of Goodson-Todman panel show; 1999)
- Card Sharks (partially lost pilots of syndicated revival of Goodson-Todman game show; 1996-2000)
Television
- The Price Is Right (partially lost Dennis James episodes of game show; 1972-1977)
- Tattletales (partially found syndicated version of CBS game show; 1977-1978)
- Match Game (partially lost Mark Goodson Bill Todman game show; 1973-1982)
- The Price Is Right (partially found Australian adaptation of Mark Goodson game show; 1973-1974)
- Snap Judgement (partially found NBC game show; 1967-1969)
- Call My Bluff (partially found NBC game show; 1965)
- Family Feud - Popular Vs Freaks & Geeks (found episodes of Pearson game show; 2000)
- Family Fortunes (partially lost British version of Goodson-Todman game show; 1980-2002)
- The Price Is Right (partially found Doug Davidson version of Goodson-Todman game show; 1994-1995)
- Match Game (found ABC revival of Goodson-Todman game show; 1990-1991)
- Champion Blockbusters (partially found spin-off of British game show, 1987-1990)
- Släktslaget (lost Swedish adaptation of "Family Feud" game show; 2000)
- Password Plus (found unaired George Peppard episode of Goodson-Todman game show; 1979)
- The Price Is Right (partially lost episodes of CBS game show; 1972-2007)
- Distraction (partially found American adaptation of British game show; 2005-2006)
- I've Got A Secret (partially lost syndicated revival of Goodson-Todman panel show; 1972-1973)
- Press Your Luck (lost British adaptation of American game show; 1991-1992)
- Match Game (partially found revival of Goodson-Todman game show; 1998-1999)
- Showoffs (partially found Goodson-Todman game show; 1975)
- Password (partially found ABC revival of Goodson-Todman game show; 1971-1975)
- Mindreaders (partially found Goodson-Todman game show; 1979-1980)
- Sale Of The Century (partially found Reg Grundy revival of Al Howard game show; 1983-1989)
Miscellaneous
- Super Password (lost builds of unreleased NES port of word game; 1980s)
- To Tell the Truth (lost unreleased DVD game based on panel show; 2005)
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWVLM1pMUGg&ab_channel=GameShowGumbo
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20111206011317/http://www.game-show-utopia.net/tttt/tttt.htm
- ↑ http://www.ttttontheweb.com/ttttanecdotes.html#1
- ↑ https://twitter.com/autocinephile/status/1581454104248741888?s=20&t=gft6yzThkWaAF2a4UJa7lA