The Game Game
Encyclopedia
The Game Game was a game show hosted by Jim McKrell
. It was packaged by Chuck Barris
and aired during the 1969-1970 season; the show was Barris' first syndicated
program.
After all 5 questions had been completed, each celebrity would reveal their scores, and then the civilian player would reveal his/hers. The scores were compared and prizes were awarded corresponding to the civilian player's earlier prediction – $25 for each correct prediction, or $100 if the contestant met his prediction on all three celebs. Additionally, the contestant received a prize just for competing. Each episode of The Game Game featured a different non-celebrity contestant.
has aired only two episodes, while a third (Episode #68/"How Well Do You Make Decisions?") circulates among collectors.
One 1969 episode featured young comedian George Carlin
, who seldom participated in the game show circuit. Carlin, however, was a close friend of host Jim McKrell, who worked with Carlin in 1959-60 at Fort Worth radio station KXOL
. Snapshots of the video from this episode can be found online.
Jim McKrell
James "Jim" MacKrell is an television personality, best known for emceeing television game shows such as Celebrity Sweepstakes and The Game Game. He was born in Little Rock, Arkansas...
. It was packaged by Chuck Barris
Chuck Barris
Charles Hirsch "Chuck" Barris is an American game show producer, film director and presenter best known for hosting The Gong Show and creating The Dating Game. Barris, a survivor of lung cancer, is also an author and claims to have worked for the CIA.-Early career:Barris was born in Oakland, New...
and aired during the 1969-1970 season; the show was Barris' first syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
program.
Gameplay
The game involved one contestant and three celebrities. All four players would participate in a type of personality test, with the intent of answering the focal question of the particular episode (like "How courageous are you?" or "How impulsive are you?"). Before the game, the civilian player would predict whether he/she would score higher or lower than the celebrities; if this prediction proved to be correct at the end of the show, he/she would win a prize (but all players won a small prize for participating). The tests consisted of 5 questions, all with 4 multiple-choice answers. Each player answered the question, then host McKrell read the point value for each answer (either 0, 5, 10, or 15 points).After all 5 questions had been completed, each celebrity would reveal their scores, and then the civilian player would reveal his/hers. The scores were compared and prizes were awarded corresponding to the civilian player's earlier prediction – $25 for each correct prediction, or $100 if the contestant met his prediction on all three celebs. Additionally, the contestant received a prize just for competing. Each episode of The Game Game featured a different non-celebrity contestant.
Episode status
The series is presumed to be intact, along with most of Barris' other games. GSNGame 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 only two episodes, while a third (Episode #68/"How Well Do You Make Decisions?") circulates among collectors.
One 1969 episode featured young comedian George Carlin
George Carlin
George Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums....
, who seldom participated in the game show circuit. Carlin, however, was a close friend of host Jim McKrell, who worked with Carlin in 1959-60 at Fort Worth radio station KXOL
KXOL
KXOL may refer to:* KXOL , a radio station licensed to Brigham City, Utah, United States* KXOL-FM, a radio station licensed to Los Angeles, California, United States...
. Snapshots of the video from this episode can be found online.