Get the Message (game show)
Encyclopedia
Get the Message was a television game show
produced by Mark Goodson
and Bill Todman
. It aired on ABC
's daytime schedule for nine months in 1964, with its last airing on Christmas
Day.
The show was first hosted by Frank Buxton
, who was replaced by Robert Q. Lewis
on September 28. The announcers were Chet Gould and Johnny Olson
.
The game was similar in principle to Password, except that the answers are messages rather than single words. One of the main differences in the gameplay, as sometimes explained by the host, was that the celebrities had to anticipate what their teammates and opponents would give as clues and hope not to give the same clue as their partner.
. The bonus round was similar to the main game: The contestant was shown a message and orally gave one-word clues to each celebrity in turn. The celebrity responded by guessing the message. Each word provided decreased the value of the message from $100 to $50, $25, and finally $10. The contestant got three messages in the bonus round, for a top prize of $300 more.
A different bonus game was played later in the run known as the "Open game". The celebrities would again be shown a message and would give their clues verbally, then the contestant had one guess. each message guessed won the contestant another $50. Three messages were played for a maximum of payoff of $150.
The contestants from both teams play only one game and do not return.
as per network practices. GSN
has aired the finale in the past, along with a Buxton episode on March 26, 2007 as part of their rare 3:30 AM programming block. The celebrity guests were Peggy Cass
, Phyllis Newman
, Orson Bean
, and Howard Keel
.
There is also an episode with Robert Q Lewis as host, and Johnny Olson as the announcer that still exist.
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...
produced by Mark Goodson
Mark Goodson
Mark Goodson was an American television producer who specialized in game shows.-Life and early career:...
and Bill Todman
Bill Todman
William S. "Bill" Todman was an American television producer born in New York City. He produced many of television's longest running shows with business partner Mark Goodson.-Early life:...
. It aired on 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 daytime schedule for nine months in 1964, with its last airing on Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
Day.
The show was first hosted by Frank Buxton
Frank Buxton
Frank Buxton is an American actor, television writer and director. His first credit was host and producer of the ABC television documentary series, Discovery, which he hosted from 1962 to 1966....
, who was replaced by Robert Q. Lewis
Robert Q. Lewis
Robert Q. Lewis was an American radio and television personality, game show host, and actor. Lewis added the middle initial "Q." to his name accidentally on the air in 1942, when he responded to a reference to radio comedian F. Chase Taylor's character, Colonel Lemuel Q...
on September 28. The announcers were Chet Gould and 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...
.
Main game
There are two teams of three people, including one contestant and two celebrity guests. One team is all female and one all male. On each turn, the celebrities are shown a message (persons, places, things, common phrases, etc.) on the screens before them. All four celebrities write down a one-word clue on index cards without any discussion, raising their hand when they have completed their clue. Both celebrities on the team playing first show and read their clues to their team-mate, who must then guess the message. If incorrect, play then passes to the opposing team who do the same. If the opposing contestant fails to guess the message, one more round of clue-writing and -reading is performed, and then the message is discarded if not guessed. A correct answer is worth one point. The first team to reach three points wins the game, and a $100 prize.The game was similar in principle to Password, except that the answers are messages rather than single words. One of the main differences in the gameplay, as sometimes explained by the host, was that the celebrities had to anticipate what their teammates and opponents would give as clues and hope not to give the same clue as their partner.
Bonus round
The winning team in each game played the "Turnabout game" bonus roundBonus round
A bonus round or bonus game, known in the industry as an end game, is a special round in a game show or similar contest. The bonus round usually follows a main game as a bonus to the winner of that game...
. The bonus round was similar to the main game: The contestant was shown a message and orally gave one-word clues to each celebrity in turn. The celebrity responded by guessing the message. Each word provided decreased the value of the message from $100 to $50, $25, and finally $10. The contestant got three messages in the bonus round, for a top prize of $300 more.
A different bonus game was played later in the run known as the "Open game". The celebrities would again be shown a message and would give their clues verbally, then the contestant had one guess. each message guessed won the contestant another $50. Three messages were played for a maximum of payoff of $150.
The contestants from both teams play only one game and do not return.
Episode status
Get the Message is believed 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...
as per network practices. GSN
Game Show Network
The Game Show Network is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite channel dedicated to game shows and casino game shows. The channel was launched on December 1, 1994. Its current slogan is "The World Needs More Winners"...
has aired the finale in the past, along with a Buxton episode on March 26, 2007 as part of their rare 3:30 AM programming block. The celebrity guests were Peggy Cass
Peggy Cass
Mary Margaret “Peggy” Cass was an American actress, comedian, game show panelist, and announcer.A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Cass became interested in acting as a member of the drama club at Cambridge Latin School; however, she attended all of high school without a speaking part...
, Phyllis Newman
Phyllis Newman
Phyllis Newman is an American actress and singer. She was nominated twice for the Drama Desk Award and won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.-Early life:...
, Orson Bean
Orson Bean
Orson Bean is an American film, television, and Broadway actor. He appeared frequently on televised game shows in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, including being a long-time panelist on the television game show To Tell the Truth....
, and Howard Keel
Howard Keel
Harold Clifford Keel , known professionally as Howard Keel, was an American actor and singer. He starred in many film musicals of the 1950s...
.
There is also an episode with Robert Q Lewis as host, and Johnny Olson as the announcer that still exist.