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Two game shows with many things in common:
They were both "musical identification" games.
They
both deserved longer runs than they got.
But most of all.....they put their respective hosts on the pathway to stardom
(with a few twists and turns along the way).
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Side 1.....
| A devestatingly handsome star in the making..... |
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| Music Bingo host, Johnny Gilbert! |
NBC unveiled Music Bingo on May 29, 1958 as a
summer replacement show. You might say that this was a "spin-off" of Name That Tune; as it was also a "guess
the song title" competition (and both shows were from the same producer). Above all, this show served as the "launching
pad" for the television career of its host: a former "song and dance man" by the name of Johnny Gilbert. (The future "King
of the Game Show Announcers")
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| The board is all set up. Now..... |
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| Which one of these ladies will triumph in this game? |
MB was like regular bingo, only with music. Two contestants
competed; both attempting to fill five spaces in a row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) first. One had a "sharp" for his/her
marker, the other had a "flat." A song was played, and the first contestant to correctly guess the title would place his/her
mark on one of the 25 squares on the game board (there were four FREE spaces at the start of each game). Often during the
game, there would be what they called the "Magic Melody." Whichever contestant correctly guessed it could replace his/her
opponent's marker with his/her own. The first player to fill five spaces in a row won the game, $500, and the right to take
on a new challenger. The losers received $50 for each space they earned during the game.
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| SHE BLOCKED! (Oh wait, that's the wrong show.) |
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| Five in a row, that means we have a winner! |
The final segment of the show was the "Home Viewer" segment,
where the viewers would get the chance to win prizes by correctly guessing the songs played using their "bingo" cards, then
mailing in their entries.
During this segment, Johnny would actually sing some of the tunes; leaving out the title, of
course. He sure put his vocal abilities (from his days in nightclubs and some musical theater) to good use this way; and it
was definitely THE highlight for many a female viewer watching! They also would use puppets(!) to do some sketches accompanying
the songs played. (Probably some staff member's hackneyed idea, if you ask me!)
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| Some home viewer could be a winner! |
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| Oh, THIS is a boss idea; using puppets on a game show! |
After finishing out its NBC run on September 11, 1958, Music
Bingo resurfaced over ABC as a daytime show three months later. That gig lasted from December 5, 1958 to January
1, 1960. Fortunately, MB was only the beginning of a long-lasting career for Johnny Gilbert. True, he might have been
a "romantic lead" (read: host); but eventually, he would be content with just being a "supporting player" (read: announcer).
FUN FACTS:
• There
was a home game of Music Bngo that was actually connected with its "parent" show, Name That Tune.
• MB was the first of only three game shows that Johnny Gilbert hosted throughout his five-decade TV career. The
other two were Fast Draw (1968), and Beat the Odds (1969).
• Johnny recorded a TV soundtrack
album entitled "Magic Melodies From Music Bingo." That album, as well as another he did a few years later, have
been combined on one CD that is now available at his official website. There is a link to it at my game show links page.
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Veteran game show director Stuart Phelps foisted What's
This Song on an unsuspecting public over the NBC network on October 26, 1964. It was kind of a cross between Password
and Name That Tune; not only was it a "musical identification" game, it was yet another in the myrad of "celeb-civilian"
game shows that were TV's newest "hot ticket" at the time. This show's main "claim to fame," however, was that it marked the
game show hosting debut of Los Angeles' #1 radio disc jockey. His name? KFWB (980 AM) "morning man," (6-9am) Wink Martindale.
(When he was hired, the network forced Wink to bill himself as "Win Martindale.")
| Direct from KFWB radio in Los Angeles..... |
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| It's that new game show dreamboat, Wink--er, WIN Martindale! |
| Win's fellow teen idols: |
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| Joanie Sommers vs. Bobby Rydell. |
WTS featured two teams (one celebrity and his/her partner)
competing against one another to identify song titles. A song was played (Bobby Hammack and his band provided the music),
and the first team to correctly guess the title scored twenty points. They would get to earn an additional twenty points by
singing the first four lines of the song. Their opponents could challenge whether they felt the words were right. If the challenge
was correct, the other team would try to sing what they thought were the correct lyrics and score the points.The game continues
until either team earns 100 points, thereby winning the game.
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| Bobby and his partner have guessed the song; now, they have to SING it! |
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| They sang it, and they are correct! |
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| Joanie and her partner try their hand at the "Minute Medley!" |
The winning duo went on to what was called the "Minute
Medley." There, they would have to correctly identify ten songs in one minute. Each correct guess earns the contestant $20.
Beverly Garland and Lorne Greene guested on the premiere week of WTS. Among the other celebs
who attempted to carry a tune were Walter Brennan, Abby Dalton, Phyllis Diller, Angie Dickenson, Monty Hall, Michael Landon,
Ruta Lee, Vera Miles, Ryan O'Neal, Fess Parker, and Deborah Walley. Beacuse Wink--I mean Win--was a top radio jock at the
time, he managed to get some of his recording artist friends to appear. Thus, we also saw singers like Jack Jones, Donna Loren,
Gene Pitney, Jimmie Rodgers, Bobby Rydell, Joanie Sommers, and Mel Tormé playing along.
What's This Song
never lived to see a first anniversary. It had its curtain dropped on September 24, 1965. But as was the case with Johnny
six years before, the Winkster's star was immediately on the rise! And quite a hosting career he's had!
FUN FACTS:
• WTS first aired on radio as What's
The Name Of This Song way back in 1948.
• WTS was revived for syndication in 1968 as Win With the
Stars hosted by Allen Ludden.
• Veteran TV host Steve Dunne (Double Exposure) was the announcer
for WTS. Why the producers didn't hire either John Harlan or Johnny Jacobs instead (both of whom would have done better),
I'll never know!
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