The Top Game Shows of All Time, Part 2

NBC/Salter/1953-54... CBS/Salter/1954-59... NBC/Edwards/1974-75, 1977... Syndicated/Edwards/1974-81... Syndicated/Frank/1984-85

The original musical identification game. In the '50s, players ran across the stage to ring a bell before they could answer. Staring with the '70s version, a variety of different games were played, including the cash-laden "Melody Roulette" and the signature "Bid-a-Note" round ("I can Name that Tune in three notes!") The syndicated '70s version, known as "The $100,000 Name That Tune," offered a bonus-round-winnig player the chance to come back the next week and name one tune for $100,000 in cash. The '80s version had monthly winner's tournaments for $10,000 in cash and $90,000 in prizes. Host: Red Benson (to '54), The Great Bill Cullen (to '55), George DeWitt (to '59), Dennis James ('74 NBC), Tom Kennedy ('74-'81), Jim Lange (last). Also adapted as "Name That Video," a 2001 show on VH1, based on knowing music videos. Host: Karyn Bryant.

THE NEWLYWED GAME

ABC/Barris/1966-74, 1984... Syndicated/Barris/1977-80, 1985-89... Syndicated/Columbia Tri-Star/1996-99

The classic game of marital strife. Four couples, each married less than two years, try to match each other's answers on increasingly embarrassing questions, with the top scoring couple receiving "a special prize chosen just for you" -- assuming they weren't already planning their divorce after all the fighting that the show caused (and encouraged). Host: Bob Eubanks, except for Jim Lange ('84), Paul Rodriguez ('88-'89) and Gary Kroeger ('96-'97) -- nobody else could pull it off like Bob. The Kroeger version employed a much different (and less confrontational) format that never caught on.

NOW YOU SEE IT

CBS/Goodson-Todman/1974-75... CBS/Goodson/1989

A word search game using a grid of 60 letters. Going into detail on the games used in the show's four different formats would take forever. Rockin' Theme Song: "Chump Change" by Quincy Jones. Host: Jack Narz (first), Chuck Henry (second).

THE $1,000,000 CHANCE OF A LIFETIME

Syndicated/Lorimar-Telepictures/1986-88

Two couples competed in a game very similar to "Wheel of Fortune," substituting a giant keyboard for the Wheel. Couples who won three days in a row played the bonus round for the largest prize in TV game show history (to that point) -- $40,000 a year for 25 years. In the second year, It became $900,000 in cash payments and $100,000 in prizes. Known as "All Clued Up" in Britain. Host: Jim Lange.

PANTOMIME QUIZ

ABC, CBS, NBC, DuMont/Stokey/1950-59... ("Stump the Stars") CBS, Syndicated/Stokey/1962-64, 69-70

The original celebrity charades game. Bounced from one network to another, practically every year. Started as a local show in Los Angeles in 1948, when it won the first-ever Emmy award as "Most Popular Program on TV." Host: Producer Mike Stokey, exceot for Pat Harrington during its first 13 weeks under the new title.

PASSWORD

CBS/Goodson-Todman/1961-1967... ABC/Goodson-Todman/1971-1974, 1975... ("Password All-Stars")ABC/Goodson-Todman/1974-75... ("Password Plus")NBC/Goodson-Todman/1979-82... ("Super Password")NBC/Goodson/1984-89

The classic word game, where one member of a celebrity-contestant team tries to get the other to say the password by giving a one-word clue. The winners played the "lightning round," where they could win $250 by guessing five passwords in 60 seconds. Went to an all-celebrity format in 1974 that didn't go over well. In 1979, the format changed so that the games were won by guessing a category that all the passwords in that round referred to. Also, the "alphabetics" bonus round, where $5000 could be won by guessing ten passwords in sixty seconds, was added at this time. By 1981, the jackpot went up by $5000 each day until it was won. Host: Allen Ludden (until 1980, when he suffered a stroke), Bill Cullen (filled in for Ludden in '80), Tom Kennedy ('80-'82), Bert Convy ('84-'89). Ludden also hosted an obvious ripoff called "Stumpers!" in 1976, lending it credibility in the process. In addition, an NBC/Goodson-Todman show called "Snap Judgement," when faced with low ratings, dropped its format in 1968 and just started playing Password for its final four months on the air. Ed McMahon was host.

PITFALL

Syndicated/Catalena/1981-82

Taped in Canada, this show is remembered for its huge bonus game set, where contestants tried to answer questions while jumping from one elevator to the next, hoping to avoid the ones that were pre-set to sink down to stage level. Host: Alex Trebek.

PRESS YOUR LUCK

CBS/Carruthers/1983-86... ("Whammy!") Game Show Net/Fremantle/2002-2004

Three contestants answered questions to earn "spins" on the show's game board, which was loaded with cash, prizes, and "Whammies" -- red cartoon bad guys who wiped out the player's score when hit. Four Whammies took the player out of the game permanently. One early player memorized the pattern of the gameboard's flashing lights and left with over $110,000. After that, the board became much more random. The show is remembered for the annoying "Whammy" cartoons and the contestants' constant cries of "Big Bucks! No Whammies! STOP!" Based on a similar 1977 show called "Second Chance," which used Devils rather than Whammies. Host: Jim Peck ('77), Peter Tomarken (CBS), Todd Newton (GSN).

THE PRICE IS RIGHT

NBC/Goodson-Todman/1956-63... ABC/Goodson-Todman/1963-65... CBS/Goodson-Todman/1972-present... Syndicated/Goodson-Todman/1972-1979... Syndicated/Goodson/1985-86... Syndicated/Pearson-Goodson/1994-95

The longest-running game show in history. On the original, four contestants gave a series of bids on a prize, with the one coming the closest without going over winning the prize. The biggest winner returned on the next show. In the '70s, the format was altered to the four contestants (chosen from the audience with the cry of "Come On Down!") bidding only once on a small prize; the winner then continued to play a solo game for more cash and prizes. Two contestants advancd at show's end to the Showcase, where they could win lots more prizes. Starting in 1976, when the CBS version became an hour long, each half-hour's three winning contestants spun a big wheel to determine who went to the showcase. Host: The Great Bill Cullen ('56-'65), Bob Barker (CBS plus '76-'79 syn), Dennis James ('72-'76 syn), Tom Kennedy ('85-'86 syn), Doug Davidson ('94-'95). Among the show's legendary announcers were Don Pardo (NBC), Johnny Olson ('72-'85), and Rod Roddy (since '85). Janice Pennington was the show's lead model from '72 until '00. Between "Price" and "Truth or Consequences!," Bob Barker has been on TV virtually every weekday since 1957, has won nine Emmy Awards, and has had the studio "Price" tapes at named after him.

PYRAMID - see "The $10,000 PYRAMID"

REMOTE CONTROL

MTV/MTV/1987-90, 1991... Syndicated/MTV/1989-90

An irreverent trivia game for 20-somethings, on a set designed to represent the host's parents' basement. Players selected various "TV channels" and answered questions about rock music, TV and movies. Losing contestants were pulled off-stage while still strapped into their recliners, while the winners tried to win trips by identifying nine music videos played simultaneously (on the syndicated version, they answered questions while strapped to a spinning wheel). Host: Ken Ober. Caustic Sidekick: Colin Quinn.

SALE OF THE CENTURY

NBC/Jones-Howard/1969-74... Syndicated/Jones-Howard/1973-74... NBC/Grundy/1983-89... Syndicated/Grundy/1985-86

Three contestants (except for '73-'74, when it was two couples) answered buzz-in trivia questions to earn money, which they could spend at various times on incredibly discounted prizes (a $900 gift for $6, for example). The highest-scorer got a chance to buy much more valuable prizes, or return the next day to try to win enough money to buy something much nicer (like a luxury car for under $600). Australian TV producer Reg Grundy bought the rights and premiered an Aussie version in 1980 aired for over two decades. Host: Jack Kelly (to '73), Joe Garagiola ('73-'74), Jim Perry ('80s).

SCRABBLE

NBC/Grundy/1984-90, 1993

An adaptation of the popular crossword board game. Contestants competed to fill in letters and guess words without choosing the "stoppers" -- unused letters. Winners got $2000 and could continue to a $40,000 jackpot by winning ten games; this was replaced by a chance at a daily bonus prize of at least $5000. The 1993 version seriously cut down the prize money and flopped. Host: Chuck Woolery.

SECOND CHANCE - see PRESS YOUR LUCK

SEVEN KEYS

ABC/Wellington/1961-64

Players who won a board game received one of seven keys that could unlock the door to a fabulous prize package. Host: Jack Narz.

SHENANIGANS

ABC/Heatter-Quigley/1964-65

Fondly-remembered Saturday morning game, with two kids progressing along a giant game board, answering questions and doing stunts to win prizes. Based on "Video Village." Host: Stubby Kaye.

SHOOT FOR THE STARS

NBC/Stewart/1977

Two celebrity-and-contestant teams are shown an odd phrase; each member of the team must re-state one half of the phrase to turn it into a common expression. Host: Geoff Edwards. Basic idea was revived as "Double Talk" in 1986 on ABC, hosted by Henry Polic II.

SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP

Lifetime/Stone-Stanley/1991-95... Family Channel/Stone-Stanley/1996-98... PAX/Stone-Stanley/2000-02

Two couples competed in silly stunts and answered questions based on shopping for the right to run through a two-story mall "exchanging" unknown gifts. If they totaled more than $2500 in gifts ($1000 in the earliest version) in 90 seconds, they also won a trip. Host: Pat Finn.

SHOPPING SPREE

Family Channel/Wolpert/1996-98

Two teams of players, who have never met, compete. One member of the team tries to pick the prize from each of six "stores" their partner would like to have most. The team that does this faster plays a bonus round where they try to pick items off a large prop board that would make the best gifts for various famous people, with a grand prize of a trip and real-life shopping spree ($1000, possibly doubled if they win an audience game beforehand). Host: Ron Pearson.

SINGLED OUT

MTV/Wheeler-Sussman/1995-98

Unfortunately popular dating game in which one contestant narrows down 50 unseen would-be suitors to one in the most superficial ways possible. Made former Playboy Playmate and co-host Jenny McCarthy something of a star. Host: Chris Hardwick.

THE $64,000 QUESTION

CBS/Entertainment Prods./1955-58... ("The $64,000 Challenge")CBS/Entertainment Prods./1956-58... ("The $128,000 Question")Syndicated/Cinelar/1976-78

The original big-money quiz, where contestants answered questions in their field of expertise, starting at $1 and doubling all the way to the grand prize while reaching difficulty levels near impossibility. After the $4,000 level, contestants answered one question per week from an isolation booth. Wiped off the air because of the quiz show scandals. Among the $64,000 winners: Dr. Joyce Brothers. Engendered a spinoff, "Challenge," with contestants facing big-money winners from "Question." The '70s revival, which gave its $64,000 winners a chance to return and double their winnings, was definitely not fixed, but also did not air live, losing a lot of its appeal in the process. Host: Hal March ("Question"); Sonny Fox, Ralph Story ("Challenge"); Mike Darrow, Alex Trebek ('70s).

SPLIT SECOND

ABC/Hatos-Hall/1972-75... Syndicated/Hatos-Hall/1986-87

Fondly remembered, fast-paced quizzer where the host revealed questions three at a time, and the contestants raced to buzz in the quickest, giving them first pick of which one to answer. The fewer players that got theirs correctly, the more money paid to the ones that did. Winners played a bonus round for a new car. Host: Tom Kennedy (first), producer Monty Hall (second).

SPORTS CHALLENGE

Syndicated/Gross/1971-79

Seminal sports quizzer with two three-member teams, comprised of famous athletes, answering questions about famous sporting events of the past. Prizes including sporting equipment to be donated to the teams' favorite charities. Also on CBS in 1973. Host: Dick Enberg.

SPORTS ON TAP

ESPN/S. Stewart/1994, 1995

Four contestants answer sports trivia questions for cash on a set that resembled a bar. Host: Tom Green (a Colorado sportscaster, not the gross-out actor.)

STARCADE

Syndicated/JM/1983-84

Two contestants compete against each other playing arcade video games, with the winner often playing for a game of their own. Host: Mark Richards (early), Geoff Edwards.

STRIKE IT RICH

CBS/Framer/1951-58

Contestants who were facing economical hardships answered trivia questions for cash; if they didn't do well, they could ask viewers for donations. Really. Host: Warren Hull.

STRIKE IT RICH

Syndicated/Kline & Friends/1986-87

Two couples attempted to advance along a row of TV screens, accumulating cash and prizes while avoiding "The Bandit", which took everything away and ended their turn. First team to go all the way played a bonus game for a car. A long-running hit in the UK (originally known there as "Strike it Lucky"), but not in the US. Host: Joe Garagiola.

STUDS

Syndicated/FTS/1991-93

Terrible, but popular, dating game. Two men, and three women they the men had both dated, attempted to match answers to embarrassing questions about the men. The man with the most matches could win a second date with the girl of their choice -- if she had also chosen him. Host: Mark DeCarlo.

SUPERMARKET SWEEP

ABC/Talent Associates/1965-67... Lifetime/Al Howard/1990-98... PAX/Al Howard/2000-2004

Three teams of two (strictly husbands-wives in the ABC version) answered questions about grocery items to earn time, which one member of each team would use tearing through the aisles of a supermarket trying to collect the most goods. In the '60s, the winning team returned the next day; in the modern version, they played a bonus game for up to $5000 in cash. Played in actual supermarkets in the '60s, on a TV studio designed as a market in the '90s. Host: Bill Malone (ABC), David Ruprecht ('90s).

SURVIVOR

CBS/Burnett-Cast Away/2000-present

The reality show mega-blockbuster. Sixteen to twenty contestants are dropped in a remote part of the world and divided into two tribes, and must create a new society. Along the way, the tribes compete in various challenges; the losing tribes must vote one member out of the game. Near the halfway point, the tribes merge into one, and the voting continues until only 2 remain; a jury of some of the ousted then vote on who receives the $1 million grand prize. Host: Jeff Probst.

TATTLETALES

CBS/Goodson-Todman/1974-78, 82-84... Syndicated/Goodson-Todman/1977-78

Three celebrity couples look to match answers to personal questions; the money they win is split among the third of the studio audience that is assigned to them. The couple that wins the most money also gets a $1000 bonus. Host: Bert Convy. Based on "He Said, She Said."

THE $10/20/25/50/100,000 PYRAMID

$10,000: CBS/Bob Stewart/1973-74, ABC/Bob Stewart/1974-76... $20,000: ABC/Bob Stewart/1976-80... $25,000: Syndicated/Bob Stewart/1974-79, CBS/Bob Stewart/1982-87, 88... $50,000: Syndicated/Bob Stewart/1981... $100,000:Syndicated/Bob Stewart/1985-88, 91-92... "Pyramid":Syndicated/Sony Pictures/2002-2004

Two celebrity-and-contestant teams compete. In the main game, one member gives clues to their partner to convey a list of words that fit one of six categories. The team in the lead after all the categories have been played, the highest-scoring team moves to the "winner's circle" round, where one member gives a list of clues to try to convey the category to the partner. Completing six categories in 60 seconds wins a big cash prize. Two games were played per show; starting in 1982, the two contestants stayed for the full half-hour, with the one scoring higher in the Winner's Circle returning the next day. The $50,000 and $100,000 versions instituted tournaments for big winners to come back and play for the grand prize. The 2002 version cut the front game's rounds to 6 words in 20 seconds, and eliminated returning champions - except that those that won the Winner's Circle twice in their episode could return for the $100,000 tournament. Host: Dick Clark (all network versions and first $100,000 version), Bill Cullen (syn. $25,000), John Davidson ('91-'92), Donny Osmond ('02).

THREE'S A CROWD

Syn/Barris/1979-80... Game Show Network/Gurin-Columbia-TriStar/1999-2002

The original was a tacky variation of The Newlywed Game, bringing in three men with their wives and secretaries. Whichever set of women matched more answers with the men split $1000. The revival usually brought in young women with their boyfriends and their exes, with the $1000 going to the single player who matched their team's anchor most often. Host: Jim Peck (Syn), Alan Thicke (GSN).

THREE ON A MATCH

NBC/Bob Stewart/1971-74

Three players were shown three categories and bid on the number of questions they wanted to answer in one of them. The highest bidder not involved in a tie got to choose the category and try to complete their bid. Doing so earned them $10 multiplied by the total of all three players' bids. After completing a bid, the player could buy squares of the game board (consisting of four rows of three spaces, valued at $20, $30 and $40) in an attempt to match the prizes hidden behind those spaces. The first to find the same prize in each of the three columns was the game winner; doing it in the minimum three choices also won them a car. Host: The Great Bill Cullen.

TIC TAC DOUGH

NBC/Barry-Enright/1956-59... CBS/Barry-Enright/1978... Syn/Barry-Enright/1978-86, 90-91

Two contestants play tic-tac-toe, gaining their X's and O's by correctly answering questions from the categories represented on the squares of the gameboard. Every correct answer adds money to the pot, and the first to get three in a row won the pot and the right to play again. The '70s version added a bonus round , where the winner chose from the nine spaces to find $1000 in cash (and win a prize package) before uncovering the game-losing "dragon." (A different, inferior bonus was used on the CBS and '90 versions). One contestant on the '70s version, Lt. Thom McKee, became a virtual celebrity during a 45-episode winning streak in which he amassed over $312,000 in cash and prizes. Host: Jack Barry (NBC), Wink Martindale ('78-'85), Jim Caldwell ('85-'86), Patrick Wayne ('90-'91; The son of The Duke clearly was not put on this Earth to host game shows.)

TO SAY THE LEAST

NBC/Heatter-Quigley/1977-78

Short-lived but memorable game involving two teams, each with two celebrities and a contestant. With two members of each team offstage, the remaining players were shown a sentence and alternated removing one word from a given sentence. At any time, a player could challenge the other team's offstage members to come back and try to guess what the semtence referred to. Host: Tom Kennedy.

TO TELL THE TRUTH

CBS/Goodson-Todman/1956-68... Syn/Goodson-Todman/1969-78, '80-81... NBC/Goodson/1990-91... Syn/Pearson/2000-02

Four celebrity panelists question a three-member team - all of whom claim to be the same person - then cast their votes as to who is telling the truth. The team splits a cash prize for each incorrect vote. One of Goodson-Todman's best formats, devised by then-employee Bob Stewart. Host: Bud Collyer (CBS), Garry Moore ('69-'77), Joe Garagiola ('77-'78), Robin Ward ('80-81), Gordon Elliott, Lynn Swann, Alex Trebek (NBC - Elliott was forced off the show by another production company who held his contract, while Swann just didn't work out); John O'Hurley ('00-'02). The most frequent panelists through the first 22 years were Kitty Carlisle, Tom Poston, Peggy Cass, Orson Bean, Joe Garagiola and Bill Cullen.

TOP CARD

Nashville Network/Reid-Land/1989-93

Blackjack-based game with three players answering questions from a variety of pop-culture categories to earn the cards hidden behind them, or the "top card" on the deck controlled by the hostess. When the show changed hosts, all the questions started focusing on country music. Hosts: Jim Caldwell, Dan Miller. Produced in Nashville, Tennessee's Opryland USA.

TREASURE HUNT

ABC/Jantone/1956-57... NBC/Jantone/1957-59... Syn/Barris/1973-77, 1981-82

On the original, two contestants competed in a short quiz to determine which would get the right to select one of the thirty on-stage treasure chests, which could contain anything from a huge cash jackpot down to a worthless nothing. The Chuck Barris version eliminated the quiz, choosing the lucky player at random. That player chose from 30 gift boxes (66 of 'em in 1981), with the same range of prizes available. The host and cast often acted out tortuosly long skits during the revealing of the box's contents. Host: Jan Murray (original), Geoff Edwards (both syn versions).

TRIVIAL PURSUIT

Family Channel/Martindale-Hillier/1993-95

Decent TV adaptation of the popular board game, with three in-studio contestants looking to answer two questions from each of the game's six categories to complete their pie. The winner played a bonus speed round for a vacation. For a while, the show was preceeded by "Trivial Pursuit: The Interactive Game," where 9 players tried to be fastest to type in the right answers in a game that the home viewers could also play: the three top-scoring in-studio players moved on to the regular show. The home viewers could win some stuff. Host/co-producer: Wink Martindale.

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES!

CBS radio/Edwards/1940-57... CBS/Edwards/1950-51... NBC/Edwards/1954-65... Syn/Edwards/1966-75, 77-78, 87-88

Wacky stunt show, with unsuspecting contestants pulled from the audience. Generally, the host would read them a riddle, with the buzzer going off only a fraction of a second later. Since they didn't tell the truth (answer), then they had to pay the consequences (the stunt) to win a prize. Most stunts were silly (involving huge messes), some were fixed so that the player couldn't possibly win (but they got the prize anyway), and others turned into touching reunions with long-lost friends and relatives. Host: creator Ralph Edwards (radio and CBS-TV), Bob Barker (1954-75), Bob Hilton ('77-78), Larry Anderson ('87-88).

TWENTY-ONE

NBC/Barry-Enright/1956-58... NBC/Gurin Co./2000

Two contestants in seperate isolation booths were given categories and chose a 1-to-11 point question. Neither player knew the other's score; the first to reach 21 points won cash and faced another challenger. The game could be ended early by either player after every two rounds; if that happened, the one with the higher score won. After early episodes proved to be overwhelmingly boring, the producers decided to start pre-determining outcomes, which caused the ratings to skyrocket. It also caused the Great Quiz Show Scandal that rocked the nation. NBC brought back a completely legit version in 2000 to compete against Millionaire, with multiple-choice questions and huge cash payouts. Host: Jack Barry (original), Maury Povich (2000). See the movie "Quiz Show" for a somewhat-realistic (but not 100% factual) portrayal of the scandal.

TWENTY QUESTIONS

NBC, ABC, DuMont/Mutual/1949-55

Celebrities played the game with topics submitted by viewers, who won prizes if they stumped the stars. Hosts: Bill Slater, Jay Jackson

TWO FOR THE MONEY

NBC/Goodson-Todman/1952-53... CBS/Goodson-Todman/1953-57

Couples received $5 for every correct answer given to a first question, then got the chance to win the prior round's total for each answer on a second question, and repeat the process on a third question. Host: Herb Shriner.

TWO MINUTE DRILL

ESPN/Diplomatic/2000-01

Three (later two) contestants answered sports trivia questions, with the high scorer after two rounds getting a shot at a bonus question for double the money. Winners also advanced in a season-long tournament, from a $10,000 opening round to a potential $100,000 payoff in the Finals. Successful contestants also earned sports fantasy prizes along the way. Host: Kenny Mayne.

VIDEO VILLAGE

CBS/Heatter-Quigley/1960-62

Two contestants advanced along a life-size game board, with the first to get through to the ifnish line being the day's winner. Several mini-games and other chances for extra winnings wer played along the way. A Saturday morning kids' version ("Video Village Junior") premiered in 1961, and was later revived as "Shenanigans" (see also that title). Host: Jack Narz (first), Red Rowe (second nighttime), Monty Hall (second daytime).

WEAKEST LINK

NBC/Laurelwood-Gurin-BBC-NBC/2001-2002... Syn/Laurelwood-Gurin-BBC-NBC/2002-2004

Imported British format with a team of eight players (six on the syndicated show) competing to answer enough consecutive questions correctly to reach a target cash amount. Players could bank money along the way, guaranteeing its addition to the day's grand prize; however, the team would have to restart the chain. After each round, the host insults and taunts the players, who then vote out one of their own. The final two players then compete for the full jackpot. The top possible prize: $1,000,000 on NBC, $100,000 (originally $75,000) on the syndicated show. Host: original UK host Anne Robinson (NBC), George Gray (Syn).

WHAT'S MY LINE?

CBS/Goodson-Todman/1950-67... Syn/Goodson-Todman/1968-75

Classic panel show. Four panelists took turns asking yes-or-no questions of the contetsant in order to determine the odd job they held. The contestant got $5 for each 'no' answer, up to a top prize of $50 for stumping the panel. Once per episode, the panel donned blindfolds while trying to guess the name of the show's celebrity mystery guest, who did their best to throw the panel off by disguising their voice. Host: John Daly (CBS), Wally Bruner ('68-'72), Larry Blyden (to '75). The longest-running panelists: Arlene Francis (all 25 years!), Bennett Cerf ('51-67, then occasionally through '71), Dorothy Kilgallen ('50-'65).

WHEEL OF FORTUNE

NBC/Griffin/1975-1989, 1991... Syndicated/Griffin, Columbia-TriStar/1983-present... CBS/Griffin/1989-91

Three contestants played an elaborate version of "hangman", spinning a wheel to determine how much they could score for... oh, forget it, you know good and well how to play this game! Contestants started playing for cash (instead of "shopping" for prizes) in 1987. Host: Chuck Woolery (1975-81), Pat Sajak (Syndicated and 1981-89 NBC), Rolf Benirschke (1989 NBC), Bob Goen (1989-91 CBS and NBC). Hostess: Susan Stafford (1975-82), Vanna White (1982-present).

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SANDIEGO?

PBS/WGBH-Denver/1991-96

Three kids played a game based on the popular computer software. Their knowledge of geography helped them in a chase of the titular supervillain and her various henchpeople. The highest-scorer tried to locate eight countries (or, occasionally, US states) on a giant map to win a trip anywhere in the USA. Host: Greg Lee. "The Chief": Lynne Thigpen. Singers: Rockapella. Spawned a sequel show, "Where In Time is...", based on history and hosted by Kevin Schinick. "The Chief" was still there barking orders.

WHEW!

CBS/Austin-Wolpert-Sugarman/1979-80

Fast-paced game with two contestants facing a game board of six rows of hidden humorously mis-worded statements, all under the same general category. Each round saw one player "charge" (attempt to correct one clue per row in 60 seconds) and one "block" (placing six hidden five-second penalty squares on the board). Each clue had a cash value which went to the charger for a correct answer, or to the blocker if their block was on that spot. The first player to win two rounds faced the "Gauntlet of Villains" bonus, attempting to solve ten more "bloopers" in 60 seconds (plus 1 second for every $100 won in the main game) for $25,000. Host: Tom Kennedy.

WHO DO YOU TRUST?/WHOM DO YOU TRUST?

ABC/Fedderson/1957-63

Mainly a comedy game for the host, the show involved married couples, who competed one at a time, answering trivia questions for cash. The husband always elected to answer the question himself, or let his wife answer (hence the show's original title, "Do You Trust Your Wife?") Host: Johnny Carson (to '62, when he and announcer Ed McMahon left for "Tonight"), Woody Woodbury.

WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE

ABC/Celador-Buena Vista-Valley Crest/1999-2002... Syn/Celador-Buena Vista-Valley Crest/2002-present... "Super Millionaire" ABC/Celador-BV-VC/2004

The format that conquered the world, with solo contestants cometing to answer 15 multiple-choice questions correctly for $1 million in cash. The ever-famous "lifelines" await to make things easier. A short-lived progressive jackpot led to Dr. Kevin Olmstead winning $2.18 million, at the time an American game show record. Host: Regis Philbin (ABC), Meredith Vieira (Syn). The "Super" version, aired in two one-week cycles, upped the potential prize to $10 million.

THE WHO, WHAT OR WHERE GAME

NBC/Greenberg/1969-74

Three contestants were given an initial stake of $125 and shown a category, plus "odds" applied to "Who," "What" or "Where" questions in that category. The highest bidder for each question got to answer, with their bet multiplied by the odds whenever applicable. The top bid was usually $50, but in case of a tie, the bids could go higher. One final question and bid determined the day's winner. Host: Art James.

WIN BEN STEIN'S MONEY

Comedy Central/Valley Crest/1997-2002

Three contestants answered trivia questions from outrageously-titled categories, with their winnings deducted from the $5000 pot of the former lawyer/political speechwriter/deadpan actor/intellectual host. In Round Two, Ben replaces the lowest-scorer and competes against the remaining two contestants in an attempt to keep his money. (The announcer takes over as host at this point). The top scorer moves on to the final round, where he and Ben (i seperate isolation booths) answer the same 10 questions. The contestant got all $5000 for answering more right than Ben did, or $1000 plus their front-game winnings for a tie. Host: I forget. Anyone? Anyone? Announcer: Jimmy Kimmel ('97-'01), Nancy Pimenthal ('01-'02), Sal Iacono.

WIN, LOSE OR DRAW

NBC/Burt and Bert-Kline & Friends/1987-89... Syn/Burt and Bert-Kline & Friends/1987-90

Two teams, each with two clebrities and one contestant, competed in a sketch-pad charades game for cash. The game was suppsoedly based on one stars often played in co-producer Burt Reynolds' living room; the original set, in fact, was a carbon-copy of Burt's house. It also bore massive similarities to the board game "Pictionary," which itself was made into a game show twice. Host: Vicki Lawrence-Schultz (NBC), co-producer Bert Convy (Syn '87-'89), Robb Weller (Syn '89-'90).

WORDPLAY

NBC/Scotti Bros.-Vinnedge/1986-87

Two contestants alternated picking obscure words from the game board, then won money by choosing which of three celebrities gave the correct definition. The day's winner tried to connect a line from left to right on a 24-square game board in 45 seconds; each square hid two definitions to the same word. Top prize: $5000 plus $2500 each day it wasn't won. Host: Tom Kennedy.

YOU BET YOUR LIFE

NBC (radio)/Guedel/1947-50... NBC/Guedel/1950-61... Syn/Hill-Eubanks/1980... Syn/Carsey-Werner/1992-93

Teams of two contestants answered questions for cash, and could earn an extra $100 if they said the day's "secret word" at any time. The highlight of the show was the host's lengthy, hilarious conversations with the players; the game was pretty much an afterthought. For a time, the day's winning team could elect to answer a final question for as much as $10,000. Host: Groucho Marx (1947-'61), Buddy Hackett ('80), Bill Cosby ('92-'93).

YOU DON'T SAY!

NBC/Andrews-Yagemann/1963-69... ABC/Andrews/1975... Syn/Andrews/1978-79

Unusual word game, where two celebrity-contestant teams competed to identify people, places and things by giving their partner sentences with the final word missing. The word left out was expected to sound like a portion of the word that the teams were trying to solve. The '70s versions replaced the teams with two solo players and a panel of four celebrities. Host: Tom Kennedy, Jim Peck ('78 version).