Reg Grundy Productions
Encyclopedia
Reg Grundy Productions was the American wing of the worldwide television production company Grundy Worldwide
, which was founded by Australian television producer Reg Grundy
. Reg Grundy Productions was responsible for the production of two highly-successful daytime game shows on NBC
during the 1980s, Sale of the Century and Scrabble
, and produced a revival of Scrabble in 1993. The company also produced Time Machine
(a history-themed game show similar in format to The Price Is Right
) and Scattergories
for NBC, Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak
for ABC
and Small Talk
for The Family Channel
. Of the game shows Grundy produced in America only Sale and the original Scrabble were hits; Time Machine lasted 16 weeks, Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak, and Small Talk had 13 week runs each and Scattergories and the revival of Scrabble were cancelled after five months (the latter returning only on a limited basis). Frequent announcers of the company's game shows included Jay Stewart
and Charlie Tuna
.
The company also produced re-edited versions of two highly successful soaps out of Australia, Prisoner
and on some markets Neighbours
.
Bill Mason (was also EP of Sale of The Century, Jeopardy and Wheel Of Fortune New Zealand) operated the U.S.-based Grundy operation, and was the executive in charge of production for all of the Grundy-based game shows in the States. Former Concentration
co-creator Robert Noah was also the driving force behind several of the aforementioned game shows, including Time, Sale and Scrabble.
Reg Grundy Productions was based in West Los Angeles near Century City, and was responsible for helping start the career of television producer and talent agent entrepreneur Sean Perry, whose father, Jim Perry
hosted Sale of the Century. The company is now a part of FremantleMedia Ltd.
along with Mark Goodson Productions.
Reg Grundy Organisation
The Reg Grundy Organisation was an Australian television production company founded in 1959 by businessman Reg Grundy . It has since branched out into Europe and the USA. The company first produced game shows, before branching into soap operas in 1973...
, which was founded by Australian television producer Reg Grundy
Reg Grundy
Reginald Roy "Reg" Grundy, AC, OBE is one of the most successful Australian entrepreneurs, and media and television moguls of his generation.He was the only child born to Roy Grundy and Lillian Lees...
. Reg Grundy Productions was responsible for the production of two highly-successful daytime game shows 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...
during the 1980s, Sale of the Century and Scrabble
Scrabble (game show)
Scrabble is an American television game show that was based on the Scrabble board game. The show was co-produced by Exposure Unlimited and Reg Grundy Productions. It ran from July 2, 1984 to March 23, 1990, and again from January 18 to June 11, 1993, both runs on NBC. A total of 1,335 episodes were...
, and produced a revival of Scrabble in 1993. The company also produced Time Machine
Time Machine (game show)
Time Machine is an American game show where contestants competed to answer trivia questions about popular culture and recent history to win prizes. The show aired on NBC from January 7 through April 26, 1985 and was hosted by John Davidson. Charlie Tuna was the announcer, with Rich Jeffries as his...
(a history-themed game show similar in format to The 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...
) and Scattergories
Scattergories (game show)
Scattergories is an American game show on NBC daytime hosted by Dick Clark, with Charlie Tuna as announcer, that aired from January 18 to June 11, 1993...
for NBC, Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak
Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak
Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak is an American television game show that aired on ABC from January 6 to April 4, 1986. British television personality Bruce Forsyth hosted the series, the only time he hosted a series outside of his native United Kingdom...
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...
and Small Talk
Small Talk
Small Talk was an American game show hosted by comedian Wil Shriner and produced by Reg Grundy Productions that aired on The Family Channel from September 30, 1996 to January 3, 1997...
for The Family Channel
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
. Of the game shows Grundy produced in America only Sale and the original Scrabble were hits; Time Machine lasted 16 weeks, Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak, and Small Talk had 13 week runs each and Scattergories and the revival of Scrabble were cancelled after five months (the latter returning only on a limited basis). Frequent announcers of the company's game shows included Jay Stewart
Jay Stewart
Jay Fix , known professionally as Jay Stewart, was an American television and radio announcer known primarily for his work on game shows. One of his longest-lasting roles was as the announcer on the game show Let's Make a Deal, which he announced throughout the 1960s and 1970s...
and Charlie Tuna
Charlie Tuna
Charlie Tuna is the stage name of Art Ferguson , a radio personality based in Los Angeles, California currently working at KRTH-FM....
.
The company also produced re-edited versions of two highly successful soaps out of Australia, Prisoner
Prisoner (TV series)
Prisoner is an Australian television soap opera which was set in the Wentworth Detention Centre, a fictional women's prison. The series was produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation and ran on Network Ten for 692 episodes from 27 February 1979 to 11 December 1986.The series was inspired by the 1970s...
and on some markets Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
.
Bill Mason (was also EP of Sale of The Century, Jeopardy and Wheel Of Fortune New Zealand) operated the U.S.-based Grundy operation, and was the executive in charge of production for all of the Grundy-based game shows in the States. Former Concentration
Concentration
In chemistry, concentration is defined as the abundance of a constituent divided by the total volume of a mixture. Four types can be distinguished: mass concentration, molar concentration, number concentration, and volume concentration...
co-creator Robert Noah was also the driving force behind several of the aforementioned game shows, including Time, Sale and Scrabble.
Reg Grundy Productions was based in West Los Angeles near Century City, and was responsible for helping start the career of television producer and talent agent entrepreneur Sean Perry, whose father, Jim Perry
Jim Perry (television)
Jim Perry is a former Canadian-American television game show host, singer, announcer, and performer in the 1970s and 1980s...
hosted Sale of the Century. The company is now a part of FremantleMedia Ltd.
FremantleMedia
FremantleMedia, Ltd. is the content and production division of Bertelsmann's RTL Group, Europe's second largest TV, radio, and production company...
along with Mark Goodson Productions.