3rd Degree (game show)
Encyclopedia
3rd Degree is an American game show
that aired in syndication from September 11, 1989 to June 8, 1990 (with repeats airing until September 7). The series was hosted by Bert Convy
, while Bob Hilton
served as announcer. It was the final game show hosted by Convy (although he was slated to host the 1990 edition of Match Game
for ABC
), who died thirteen months after the series was cancelled.
The show was produced by Burt & Bert Productions, Kline & Friends, and distributed by Warner Bros. Television
. The series was similar to the Goodson-Todman panel games What's My Line?
and Make the Connection
.
When the time was up, the celebrity team in control then got to guess the relationship (or when Bert Convy asked the question, "What's the relationship?" when they were getting close to the correct relationship). An incorrect guess awarded $250 to the contestants, and stumping the panel completely won $2,000.
) hosted the pilot, but was forced out after Bert Convy left his other show Win, Lose or Draw
to make room for new host Robb Weller
. Marshall sued in retaliation.
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 in syndication from September 11, 1989 to June 8, 1990 (with repeats airing until September 7). The series was hosted by Bert Convy
Bert Convy
Bernard Whalen "Bert" Convy was an Emmy Award winning American actor, singer, game show host and panelist known for his tenure as the host for Tattletales, Super Password, and Win, Lose or Draw.-Early life:...
, while Bob Hilton
Bob Hilton
Robert "Bob" Wesley Hilton is an American television game show personality. He hosted The Guinness Game, a revival of Truth or Consequences and the 1990 revival of Let's Make a Deal, and announced on several other shows....
served as announcer. It was the final game show hosted by Convy (although he was slated to host the 1990 edition of 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...
for 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...
), who died thirteen months after the series was cancelled.
The show was produced by Burt & Bert Productions, Kline & Friends, and distributed by Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television
Warner Bros. Television is the television production arm of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself part of Time Warner. Alongside CBS Television Studios, it serves as a television production arm of The CW Television Network , though it also produces shows for other networks, such as Shameless on...
. The series was similar to the Goodson-Todman panel games What's My Line?
What's My Line?
What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
and Make the Connection
Make the Connection
Make the Connection is an American game show, sponsored by Borden, that ran on Thursday nights from July 7 to September 29, 1955 on NBC. Originally hosted by Jim McKay , he was replaced after the first four episodes by future Match Game host Gene...
.
Premise
A panel of four celebrities who were split into two teams (two men, two women) faced a team of two contestants who have a special relationship between them. Two rounds were played for each civilian team; in each round, each team of celebrities had a limited time to question the contestants (or give them "the third degree", hence the name of the show). In the first round, each team of celebrities had one minute to question the contestants, and in the second round, the time was cut to 30 seconds.When the time was up, the celebrity team in control then got to guess the relationship (or when Bert Convy asked the question, "What's the relationship?" when they were getting close to the correct relationship). An incorrect guess awarded $250 to the contestants, and stumping the panel completely won $2,000.
Notable contestants
- I Love LucyI Love LucyI Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
writers Madelyn Pugh Davis and Bob Carroll, Jr. appeared as contestants on the show's premiere. - Michael BurgerMichael BurgerMichael Burger is an American actor and game show host. He is best known for hosting the game show, Match Game, and co-hosting the 1994 ABC talk show Mike and Maty...
, then of Straight to the Heart, and David RuprechtDavid RuprechtDavid Martin Ruprecht is an American actor/writer primarily known for his work as host of the Lifetime/PAX game show, Supermarket Sweep. He has hosted the live stage show version of The Price Is Right at casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Mississippi and Connecticut. He has also hosted Family...
of Supermarket SweepSupermarket SweepSupermarket Sweep is an American television game show. Part of the format was similar to other team-based quiz shows; the other part was a live-action race through a supermarket, a novel concept at the time...
appeared on the show as contestants. - Don MessickDon MessickDonald Earl "Don" Messick was an American voice actor best known for his work for Hanna-Barbera. Perhaps his most well-known voice creations include Scooby-Doo, Papa Smurf, and Dr. Benton Quest....
and Lucille BlissLucille BlissLucille Bliss is an American actress and voice artist. A New York City native, she has appeared in films and on television shows, including The Smurfs as Smurfette, Nickelodeon's Invader ZIM and Walt Disney's Cinderella...
appeared as contestants on the show and the panel knew after the first minute that they are voice stars from the Smurfs. Don and Lucille had to settle for parting gifts on the show, but did the voices of Papa SmurfPapa SmurfPapa Smurf is a male fictional character from The Smurfs. At 542 years old is the third-oldest Smurf after Grandpa and Nanny, and well above the typical age of the other Smurfs, which are approximately 100 years old...
and SmurfetteSmurfetteSmurfette is a female character from the Smurfs.Smurfette was the only female Smurf until the creation of Sassette. A Granny Smurf was also later introduced, although it is unclear how she was created. Thierry Culliford, the son of Peyo and current head of the Studio Peyo, announced in 2008 that...
when heading off to a commercial break. - Thurl RavenscroftThurl RavenscroftThurl Arthur Ravenscroft was an American voice actor and singer best known as the deep voice behind Tony the Tiger's "They're grrreat!" in Frosted Flakes television commercials for more than five decades. Ravenscroft was also known, however uncredited, as the vocalist for the song "You're a Mean...
, who did the voice of Tony the TigerTony the TigerTony the Tiger is the advertising cartoon mascot for Kellogg's Frosted Flakes breakfast cereal, appearing on its packaging and advertising. More recently, Tony has also become the mascot for Tony's Cinnamon Krunchers and Tiger Power...
for Frosted FlakesFrosted FlakesKellogg's Frosted Flakes is a breakfast cereal first introduced by the Kellogg Company. It consists of corn flakes "frosted" or coated with sugar. The "Frosted Flakes" name is used by Kellogg's in United States and Canada. The cereal was first introduced in 1951 as Sugar Frosted Flakes...
cereal commercials, was a contestant on the show, and he and his teammate stumped the panel and won $2,000. - A team of four men, all of whom played the character Jason VoorheesJason VoorheesJason Voorhees is a fictional character from the Friday the 13th series of slasher films. He first appeared in Friday the 13th , as the son of camp cook-turned-murderer, Mrs. Voorhees, in which he was portrayed by Ari Lehman. Created by Victor Miller, with contributions by Ron Kurz, Sean S...
in the Friday the 13th movies, were contestants and stumped the panel to win $2,000. - One team attempted to perform a magic trick by sawing Bert Convy in half.
- Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin were contestants on the show and ran footage of BigfootBigfootBigfoot, also known as sasquatch, is an ape-like cryptid that purportedly inhabits forests, mainly in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Bigfoot is usually described as a large, hairy, bipedal humanoid...
that they spotted.
Pilot
Peter Marshall (of Hollywood SquaresHollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares is an American panel game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants...
) hosted the pilot, but was forced out after Bert Convy left his other show Win, Lose or Draw
Win, Lose or Draw
Win, Lose or Draw is an American television game show that aired from 1987 to 1990 in syndication and on NBC. It was taped at CBS Television City, often in Studios 31, 33, and 43 at various times...
to make room for new host Robb Weller
Robb Weller
Robb Weller is an American game show host and television personality and producer .He hosted Entertainment Tonight from 1984 to 1989. He currently appears as the co-anchor of FOX 11 Sunday Morning News with Gina Silva at KTTV in Los Angeles...
. Marshall sued in retaliation.