Memory Game
Encyclopedia
Memory Game was a short-lived American
television
game show
that aired on NBC
. The series – hosted by former baseball star and then-current Today personality Joe Garagiola – ran from February 15 to July 30, 1971.
The show's creator and packager was Merv Griffin
, and its announcer was Johnny Olson
, a legendary game-show announcer more synonymous with Goodson-Todman Productions
, who would launch CBS
' The New Price is Right
the following year.
The champion – who was seated in the number 1 position – could elect to answer or call out an opponent's number (2 through 5). That player could answer or call any of his/her opponents to answer, and so on until a time's up buzzer sounded. At that time, that player had to answer. A correct answer was worth $5, a wrong answer lost that amount. Play continued in similar fashion until all the questions were exhausted.
Subsequent rounds were played with increased stakes ($10 in Round 2, $20 in Round 3 and all future rounds). The winner at the end of the show won a $1,000 bonus and returned the next day to meet new challengers. A three-day champion retired undefeated and won a new car.
and ABC
's Let's Make a Deal
(formerly seen on NBC) soundly defeated it in the ratings.
Three weeks after this show's cancellation, NBC moved Garagiola to another daytime game, Sale of the Century
, which he hosted for the rest of its original run. Three on a Match, hosted by Bill Cullen
, replaced Memory Game on the NBC schedule.
as per network practices. Five episodes are known to exist at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
game show
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...
that aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. The series – hosted by former baseball star and then-current Today personality Joe Garagiola – ran from February 15 to July 30, 1971.
The show's creator and packager was Merv Griffin
Merv Griffin
Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
, and its announcer was Johnny Olson
Johnny Olson
John Leonard "Johnny" Olson was an American radio personality and television announcer. His work spanned 32 game shows produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman from the late 1950s through the mid 1980s...
, a legendary game-show announcer more synonymous with Goodson-Todman Productions
Mark Goodson
Mark Goodson was an American television producer who specialized in game shows.-Life and early career:...
, who would launch 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...
' 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...
the following year.
Gameplay
Five contestants, one of them a returning champion, competed and were spotted $50 at the start of the game. Before each round, they were each given a booklet containing the questions and answers to be used in that round. The time they had to study the material varied per round. Once the study time period elapsed, the show's assistants collected the booklets, and Garagiola began randomly asking questions from the booklet.The champion – who was seated in the number 1 position – could elect to answer or call out an opponent's number (2 through 5). That player could answer or call any of his/her opponents to answer, and so on until a time's up buzzer sounded. At that time, that player had to answer. A correct answer was worth $5, a wrong answer lost that amount. Play continued in similar fashion until all the questions were exhausted.
Subsequent rounds were played with increased stakes ($10 in Round 2, $20 in Round 3 and all future rounds). The winner at the end of the show won a $1,000 bonus and returned the next day to meet new challengers. A three-day champion retired undefeated and won a new car.
Broadcast history
Memory Game was one of eight shows NBC attempted to program in the 1:30 PM (12:30 Central) time slot between 1968 and 1975; like most of the others, CBS' As the World TurnsAs the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
and ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
's Let's Make a Deal
Let's Make a Deal
Let's Make a Deal is a television game show which originated in the United States and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The show is based around deals offered to members of the audience by the host. The traders usually have to weigh the possibility of an offer being...
(formerly seen on NBC) soundly defeated it in the ratings.
Three weeks after this show's cancellation, NBC moved Garagiola to another daytime game, Sale of the Century
Sale of the Century
Sale of the Century is a television game show format that has been screened in several countries in various incarnations since 1969. The show found its biggest success in Australia, where it aired weeknights from 1980 to 2001...
, which he hosted for the rest of its original run. Three on a Match, hosted by Bill Cullen
Bill Cullen
William Lawrence Francis "Bill" Cullen was an American radio and television personality whose career spanned five decades...
, replaced Memory Game on the NBC schedule.
Production
According to The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television by Wesley Hyatt (Watson-Guptill Publications, 1997), Griffin did not identify his production company on the end credits of the program. The talk-show host and entertainment mogul never gave any explanation for his decision.Episode status
Much like other NBC games of the era, most episodes of Memory Game are believed to have been wipedWiping
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...
as per network practices. Five episodes are known to exist at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
External links
- Memory Game entry at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
.