Amateur's Guide to Love
Encyclopedia
The Amateur's Guide to Love was an American television game show
, created by Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley
, that ran on CBS
from March 27 to June 23, 1972. Gene Rayburn
was the emcee, while Kenny Williams
was the announcer.
The theme was written by Mort Garson
, of Our Day Will Come
fame.
, a show involving guest celebrities and unsuspecting civilians. These people were involved in a comedy situation, taped on location in Southern California
using a hidden camera. The subjects in the particular situation were faced with two choices, one of which they needed to choose, that were somehow related to sex, marriage, or love. A celebrity panel voted upon which choice would have been the smartest, and the civilian who picked that particular decision won merchandise prizes.
in September 1968. The series replaced reruns of Gomer Pyle, USMC at 4:00 PM (3:00 Central). However, the show failed to make an impact against Somerset
on NBC and daytime rebroadcasts of the popular Love, American Style
on ABC. Reruns of the sitcom
Family Affair
replaced it on June 26.
Despite being short-lived, it motivated CBS to return game shows to its daytime lineup on September 4 with The New Price is Right
, Gambit
, and The Joker's Wild
. Rayburn himself would return to CBS in July 1973 with a revival of his hit NBC show, Match Game
.
, but this is not certain as CBS ceased this practice by September 1972. If Amateur's Guide was wiped, it would have been the last game show treated in this manner by the network.
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
, created by Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley
Heatter-Quigley Productions
Heatter-Quigley Productions was an American television production company that was launched in 1960 by two former television writers, Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley....
, that ran on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from March 27 to June 23, 1972. Gene Rayburn
Gene Rayburn
Gene Rayburn was an American radio and television personality. He is best known as the host of various editions of the popular American television game show Match Game for over two decades....
was the emcee, while Kenny Williams
Kenny Williams (announcer)
Kenny Williams was an American television announcer from the late 1940s to 1980s. He was best known as the announcer of many game shows produced by Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley . He also appeared on screen as "Kenny the Cop" on Video Village and Shenanigans...
was the announcer.
The theme was written by Mort Garson
Mort Garson
Mort Garson who was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, was an electronic musician best known for his albums that predominantly feature Moog synthesizers.-Early life:...
, of Our Day Will Come
Our Day Will Come
"Our Day Will Come" is a popular song composed by Bob Hilliard and Mort Garson which was a #1 hit in 1963 for Ruby & The Romantics.-Ruby & the Romantics:...
fame.
Gameplay
The show somewhat resembled Candid CameraCandid Camera
Candid Camera is a hidden camera/practical joke reality television series created and produced by Allen Funt, which initially began on radio as Candid Microphone June 28, 1947...
, a show involving guest celebrities and unsuspecting civilians. These people were involved in a comedy situation, taped on location in Southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
using a hidden camera. The subjects in the particular situation were faced with two choices, one of which they needed to choose, that were somehow related to sex, marriage, or love. A celebrity panel voted upon which choice would have been the smartest, and the civilian who picked that particular decision won merchandise prizes.
Broadcast history
Amateur's Guide was CBS' first daytime game since the cancellation of To Tell the TruthTo Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
in September 1968. The series replaced reruns of Gomer Pyle, USMC at 4:00 PM (3:00 Central). However, the show failed to make an impact against Somerset
Somerset (TV series)
Somerset is an American television soap opera which ran on NBC from March 30, 1970 until December 31, 1976. The show was a spinoff of another NBC serial, Another World.-Overview :...
on NBC and daytime rebroadcasts of the popular Love, American Style
Love, American Style
Love, American Style is an hour-long TV anthology produced by Paramount Television and originally aired between September 1969 and January 1974...
on ABC. Reruns of the sitcom
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Family Affair
Family Affair
Family Affair is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966 to September 9, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do civil engineer and bachelor Bill Davis as he attempted to raise his brother's orphaned children in his luxury New York City apartment. Davis' traditional...
replaced it on June 26.
Despite being short-lived, it motivated CBS to return game shows to its daytime lineup on September 4 with The New Price is Right
The Price Is Right (U.S. game show)
The Price Is Right is an American game show which was created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Contestants compete to identify the pricing of merchandise to win cash and prizes. The show is well-known for its signature line of "Come on down!" when the announcer directs newly selected contestants to...
, Gambit
Gambit (game show)
Gambit is a television game show, created by Wayne Cruseturner and produced by Heatter-Quigley Productions, that originally ran on CBS from September 4, 1972 to December 10, 1976. A slightly retooled version, Las Vegas Gambit, aired on NBC from October 27, 1980 to November 27, 1981, originating...
, and The Joker's Wild
The Joker's Wild
The Joker's Wild is an American television game show that aired at different times during the 1970s through the 1990s. Contestants answered questions based on categories that were determined randomly by a mechanism resembling a slot machine....
. Rayburn himself would return to CBS in July 1973 with a revival of his hit NBC show, Match Game
Match Game
Match Game is an American television game show in which contestants attempted to match celebrities' answers to fill-in-the-blank questions...
.
Episode status
One episode is known to exist. The series is thought to be destroyedWiping
Wiping or junking is a colloquial term for action taken by radio and television production and broadcasting companies, in which old audiotapes, videotapes, and telerecordings , are erased, reused, or destroyed after several uses...
, but this is not certain as CBS ceased this practice by September 1972. If Amateur's Guide was wiped, it would have been the last game show treated in this manner by the network.