Hot Potato (game show): Difference between revisions
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{{Infobox television |
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| image = Hot Potato (game show) title-card.jpg |
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| genre = [[Game show]] |
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| writer = Scott Wyant |
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| director = [[Richard S. Kline]] |
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| presenter = [[Bill Cullen]] |
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| narrated = [[Charlie O'Donnell]] |
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| theme_music_composer = Hal Hidey |
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| executive_producer = [[Jack Barry (television personality)|Jack Barry]]<br />[[Dan Enright]] |
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| producer = Allen Koss |
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| company = [[Barry & Enright Productions]] |
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| location = [[The Burbank Studios|NBC Studios]]<br />Burbank, California |
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| runtime = 30 Minutes |
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| country = United States |
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| channel = [[NBC]] |
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| first_aired = {{start date|1984|1|23}} |
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| last_aired = {{end date|1984|6|29}} |
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| num_episodes = 115<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0180357/|title = "Hot Potato" (1984)|date = 23 January 1984|publisher = [[IMDb.com]]|accessdate = 2009-08-17}}</ref> |
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}} |
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[[Bill Cullen]] was the show's host, his final hosting job for a network series, and [[Charlie O'Donnell]] was the announcer. Cullen remarked that he had been chosen to host largely by default, since the originally intended host had flopped during an early run-through of the game and neither Barry & Enright nor NBC could think of anyone else to ask. He also noted that this scenario had occurred repeatedly during his career, resulting in many of his credits as a game show host.<ref>"TV's Game Show Hosts: The Prizes, The Applause, The Pain." ''TV Guide'', January 21–27, 1984, pp. 35–42.</ref> |
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[[Bill Cullen]] was the show's host and [[Charlie O'Donnell]] was its announcer. The series was produced by Barry & Enright Productions. |
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The series was produced by [[Barry & Enright Productions]], the company's first for NBC since the company was a central figure in the [[1950s quiz show scandals]]. ''Hot Potato'' was the first game mounted for a network by Barry & Enright since 1976's ''[[Break the Bank (1976 game show)|Break the Bank]]'' aired on ABC, the last one the company did not produce exclusively for syndication, and the last original production [[Jack Barry (television personality)|Jack Barry]] was a part of; he died on May 2, 1984, a little more than a week after ''Hot Potato'' made the switch to the celebrity format. |
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==The Main Game== |
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During the main game, two teams of three players, each with something in common (occupation, mothers-to-be, etc.) compete. The host gives a question, with seven or more possible answers. One member of the champion team starts by either giving an answer or forcing an opponent to answer. If a correct answer is given, control passes to the next member of that team in line. Otherwise, that player is eliminated from the round (and sent to the bench behind them), and the other team takes control. |
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''Hot Potato'' took over the noon ET timeslot from ''[[Go (game show)|Go]]'' and did not perform well in the ratings, beaten by ''[[Family Feud]]'' on ABC and frequently pre-empted for local news in most larger markets. Reruns of ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'' took over that time slot for the rest of the summer. |
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===Challenge=== |
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Upon a challenge, if a wrong answer is given, that player is benched and the challenging team retains control. Otherwise, the player that made the challenge is knocked out, and the other team takes control. |
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==Gameplay== |
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===Winning the Round/Game=== |
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Two teams of three players competed, one of which consisted of the previous game's champions. The members of each team shared a common trait (hobby, occupation, etc.). All questions used during the main game had at least seven correct answers. Some were trivia questions with a set number of factual answers – for example, naming the [[Seven Wonders of the Ancient World]] – while others required the players to guess the most common responses to a survey, similar to ''Family Feud''. |
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Teams can win one of two ways: either by giving the seventh correct answer in the question, or by knocking out all three of their opponents. To win by the former method, it was not necessary to have given a majority of the correct answers; the team providing the seventh correct answer won regardless of who gave the first six. Two out of three rounds won the game, $1,000 and advanced to the bonus round. Partway through the run, a "Seven Straight Jackpot" (which starts at $500 and grew by that amount every game if not won) was offered to any team that could get seven correct answers in a row. |
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In each round, Cullen asked a question and stated the number of acceptable answers. One member of the team with initial control started by either giving an answer or challenging an opponent to do so. If the player gave a correct answer, control passed to the next team member in line. An incorrect response sent the player to a bench behind the team's podium, where he/she had to sit out the rest of the round, and gave control to the opposing team. If an opponent responded correctly after being challenged, his/her team took control and the challenging player was eliminated. If not, the opponent was eliminated and control passed to the player after the one who issued the challenge. |
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During the end game, the winning team was now given a subject of comparison followed by the question (which weighs more, which group has more members), and shown two possible choices. The team debated for a while and then made their choice. If correct, they won $500 and continued. The team could stop at any time and take the money, and they could pass on one question if they wished. Missing one choice ended the round and lost all accumulated money therein; getting 5 correct answers won a jackpot that started at $5000 and went up $5000 each game until won (although new champions always started at $5000). |
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As the players gave correct answers, they were displayed on-screen for the viewers' benefit. Once five answers had been given, Cullen would read them back to the players. A player would be cautioned if he/she repeated a previous answer; doing so twice on the same turn sent him/her to the bench. |
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On [[April 23]], [[1984]], the show became ''Celebrity Hot Potato''; the third game show in five years to add ''Celebrity'' to its title. From that point until the show's cancellation, teams consisted of one contestant and two celebrity players. Each set of four celebrities appeared on the show for one week, and the team assignments of the celebrities were shuffled after each game in order to maintain variety (usually, one celebrity from each pair would remain on the champion's team, while the other switched places with one of the celebrities on the challenger's team). A few weeks were played where all three players on a team were celebrities (usually with some theme employed, such as comedians or stars of a particular TV series), with their winnings going to various [[charities]]. |
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A team could win a round either by giving the seventh correct answer (regardless of who gave the first six), or by eliminating all three opponents through successful challenges and/or their own mistakes. The first team to win two rounds won $1,000, took/retained the championship, and advanced to the bonus round. The champions started the first round (and the third, if necessary), while the challengers started the second. |
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==12pm: The Death Time Slot== |
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The show suffered from being in the noon eastern time slot, as many stations decided to broadcast local newscasts and preempted Hot Potato. (The next game show to air in that timeslot, ''[[Password (game)|Super Password]]'', didn't have that problem, as it ran for 5 years even with preemptions for news (more than a few independent stations in those markets carried ''Super Password'' on their stations instead).) |
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Beginning on February 6, 1984, a "Seven Straight Jackpot" was offered to any team that gave seven correct answers in a row without making a mistake or challenging. The jackpot started at $500 and increased by that amount for each match it was not won. |
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The series is completely intact, and repeat episodes have aired on [[USA Network|USA]] & [[Game Show Network |GSN]] as well as [[CBN]] |
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''Celebrity Hot Potato'' followed the same rules, but teams were composed either of three celebrities, or two celebrities and one civilian contestant. In the former case, teams that lost in the main game received $500 for a chosen charity; in the latter, all winnings went to the contestant. The Seven Straight Jackpot was discontinued for all episodes played under this format. |
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==Trivia== |
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*Hot Potato was Bill Cullen's last network game show hosting position. |
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*The show featured a unique orange-and-red logo which emitted smoke (accompanied by a sizzling sound) at the beginning and end of each episode. This effect always occurred just after Charlie would say the word "hot" in the show's title, after announcing the contestants and again during the ending credits. |
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The winning team was given a subject of comparison (e.g., which weighs more, who has been married more times, etc.) and shown two possible choices. The team discussed the choices and then selected one of them. Each correct response awarded $500; a mistake at any time ended the round and forfeited the accumulated money. The team could pass on one question, and could stop after any question and keep the money. If they answered five questions correctly, they won a jackpot that began at $5,000 and increased by that amount for every game in which it went unclaimed. The jackpot reset to $5,000 when collected or whenever a defending champion team was defeated in the main game. |
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*Although this show is often referred to as a variation on ''[[Family Feud]]'' (mainly due to the questions with multiple answers and the penalty for giving three wrong answers), it did have some notable differences. The main difference was that the questions were often general knowledge instead of surveys, and no system of ranking the answers was used. The ability of a contestant to pass to a player on the other team was also unique to this show. |
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*For such a short-run game show, this game show has had a long re-run life on cable. For three years straight on [[USA Network]] (1987-1990) episodes from the five month-long season were shown. The show would also have a year's run on [[Game Show Network]] but has since ceased being shown on the network since it became GSN. |
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Teams continued to appear on the show until they either lost the main game or had played the bonus round five times. |
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On ''Celebrity Hot Potato'', the jackpot was a flat $5,000 and did not increase. All-celebrity teams that lost in this round received $1,000 for their charity. |
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The series reran on [[Christian Broadcasting Network|CBN]], [[USA Network]] and [[Game Show Network]] in the past. A studio master of the first episode is available for viewing on [[YouTube]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVwFSKkled4 |title=Hot Potato – Episode #1 |publisher=YouTube |date= |accessdate=2022-06-11}}</ref> |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* {{IMDb title|0180357}} |
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* [http://www.xanfan.com/hotpotato/index.htm SuperShow 8000: Hot Potato] |
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* [http://www.gameshow-galaxy.net/potato.htm David's Game Show Galaxy] |
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* [http://gameshowutopia.net/hotpotato.htm Adam Nedeff's Hot Potato Page @ Game Show Utopia] |
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* [http://hometown.aol.com/tdelegge1/myhomepage/hotpotato.html The Hot Potato Rule Page] |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hot Potato (Game Show)}} |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:1980s American game shows]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:1984 American television series debuts]] |
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[[Category: |
[[Category:1984 American television series endings]] |
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[[Category:American English-language television shows]] |
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[[Category:Television series by Barry & Enright Productions]] |
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[[Category:Television series by Sony Pictures Television]] |
[[Category:Television series by Sony Pictures Television]] |
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[[Category:1980s TV shows in the United States]] |
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Latest revision as of 21:32, 25 May 2024
| Hot Potato | |
|---|---|
_title-card.jpg) | |
| Also known as | (Celebrity) Hot Potato |
| Genre | Game show |
| Written by | Scott Wyant |
| Directed by | Richard S. Kline |
| Presented by | Bill Cullen |
| Narrated by | Charlie O'Donnell |
| Theme music composer | Hal Hidey |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 115[1] |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Jack Barry Dan Enright |
| Producer | Allen Koss |
| Production locations | NBC Studios Burbank, California |
| Running time | 30 Minutes |
| Production company | Barry & Enright Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | January 23 – June 29, 1984 |
Hot Potato is a television game show that was broadcast on NBC in the United States from January 23 to June 29, 1984. From April 23 until its conclusion, the show was known as Celebrity Hot Potato.
Bill Cullen was the show's host, his final hosting job for a network series, and Charlie O'Donnell was the announcer. Cullen remarked that he had been chosen to host largely by default, since the originally intended host had flopped during an early run-through of the game and neither Barry & Enright nor NBC could think of anyone else to ask. He also noted that this scenario had occurred repeatedly during his career, resulting in many of his credits as a game show host.[2]
The series was produced by Barry & Enright Productions, the company's first for NBC since the company was a central figure in the 1950s quiz show scandals. Hot Potato was the first game mounted for a network by Barry & Enright since 1976's Break the Bank aired on ABC, the last one the company did not produce exclusively for syndication, and the last original production Jack Barry was a part of; he died on May 2, 1984, a little more than a week after Hot Potato made the switch to the celebrity format.
Hot Potato took over the noon ET timeslot from Go and did not perform well in the ratings, beaten by Family Feud on ABC and frequently pre-empted for local news in most larger markets. Reruns of Diff'rent Strokes took over that time slot for the rest of the summer.
Gameplay
[edit]Two teams of three players competed, one of which consisted of the previous game's champions. The members of each team shared a common trait (hobby, occupation, etc.). All questions used during the main game had at least seven correct answers. Some were trivia questions with a set number of factual answers – for example, naming the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – while others required the players to guess the most common responses to a survey, similar to Family Feud.
In each round, Cullen asked a question and stated the number of acceptable answers. One member of the team with initial control started by either giving an answer or challenging an opponent to do so. If the player gave a correct answer, control passed to the next team member in line. An incorrect response sent the player to a bench behind the team's podium, where he/she had to sit out the rest of the round, and gave control to the opposing team. If an opponent responded correctly after being challenged, his/her team took control and the challenging player was eliminated. If not, the opponent was eliminated and control passed to the player after the one who issued the challenge.
As the players gave correct answers, they were displayed on-screen for the viewers' benefit. Once five answers had been given, Cullen would read them back to the players. A player would be cautioned if he/she repeated a previous answer; doing so twice on the same turn sent him/her to the bench.
A team could win a round either by giving the seventh correct answer (regardless of who gave the first six), or by eliminating all three opponents through successful challenges and/or their own mistakes. The first team to win two rounds won $1,000, took/retained the championship, and advanced to the bonus round. The champions started the first round (and the third, if necessary), while the challengers started the second.
Beginning on February 6, 1984, a "Seven Straight Jackpot" was offered to any team that gave seven correct answers in a row without making a mistake or challenging. The jackpot started at $500 and increased by that amount for each match it was not won.
Celebrity Hot Potato followed the same rules, but teams were composed either of three celebrities, or two celebrities and one civilian contestant. In the former case, teams that lost in the main game received $500 for a chosen charity; in the latter, all winnings went to the contestant. The Seven Straight Jackpot was discontinued for all episodes played under this format.
Bonus game
[edit]The winning team was given a subject of comparison (e.g., which weighs more, who has been married more times, etc.) and shown two possible choices. The team discussed the choices and then selected one of them. Each correct response awarded $500; a mistake at any time ended the round and forfeited the accumulated money. The team could pass on one question, and could stop after any question and keep the money. If they answered five questions correctly, they won a jackpot that began at $5,000 and increased by that amount for every game in which it went unclaimed. The jackpot reset to $5,000 when collected or whenever a defending champion team was defeated in the main game.
Teams continued to appear on the show until they either lost the main game or had played the bonus round five times.
On Celebrity Hot Potato, the jackpot was a flat $5,000 and did not increase. All-celebrity teams that lost in this round received $1,000 for their charity.
Episode status
[edit]The series reran on CBN, USA Network and Game Show Network in the past. A studio master of the first episode is available for viewing on YouTube.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ ""Hot Potato" (1984)". IMDb.com. 23 January 1984. Retrieved 2009-08-17.
- ^ "TV's Game Show Hosts: The Prizes, The Applause, The Pain." TV Guide, January 21–27, 1984, pp. 35–42.
- ^ "Hot Potato – Episode #1". YouTube. Retrieved 2022-06-11.
External links
[edit]- Hot Potato at IMDb