The Reel Game
Encyclopedia
The Reel Game was a game show
that aired on ABC
from January 18 to May 3, 1971. The series was hosted by Jack Barry and announced by Jack Clark.
This show marked Barry's return to producing shows for national television after his 13-year hiatus
from television after the quiz show scandals
of the 1950s.
The contestants were given $250 to start, then they were given a subject after which they wagered any part of their current score. Once the bets were placed, host Barry posed a question, after which the contestants wrote down their answers. When the answers were written down, a film clip was shown to reveal the correct answer. When the clip was finished, the contestants then showed their answers. A correct answer won the contestant the amount wagered whereas an incorrect answer deducted the wager.
All players kept their cash, but the player with the most money won the game and returned the next week to play again. Players who went broke at the end of the game still received $25. Any contestant who won three games received a new car, which no one was able to achieve during the show's brief run.
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 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...
from January 18 to May 3, 1971. The series was hosted by Jack Barry and announced by Jack Clark.
This show marked Barry's return to producing shows for national television after his 13-year hiatus
Hiatus (television)
In television scheduling, a hiatus refers to a break of at least several weeks in the normal schedule of a broadcast programming. It can occur during a season of a television program, or can be between television seasons .- Planned hiatus :Many times television stations will implement a hiatus...
from television after the quiz show scandals
Quiz show scandals
The American quiz show scandals of the 1950s were a series of revelations that contestants of several popular television quiz shows were secretly given assistance by the show's producers to arrange the outcome of a supposedly fair competition....
of the 1950s.
Gameplay
Three contestants competed in a quiz game in which the answers come from film clips.The contestants were given $250 to start, then they were given a subject after which they wagered any part of their current score. Once the bets were placed, host Barry posed a question, after which the contestants wrote down their answers. When the answers were written down, a film clip was shown to reveal the correct answer. When the clip was finished, the contestants then showed their answers. A correct answer won the contestant the amount wagered whereas an incorrect answer deducted the wager.
$25 Toss-up round
Four film clips were played and after each one, host Barry read three toss-up questions in which players buzz-in to answer. A correct answer added $25 to the player's score, while an incorrect incurred no penalty, but gave the other players a chance to answer.Celebrity toss-up
After the fourth clip was played, a celebrity from that clip came in to ask the three toss-up questions. Correct answers were still worth $25.Grand finale
In the Grand Finale one last film clip was played but without toss-ups. For this round, the bets were written in secret by the players before writing down their answers, after the final question was asked. Then the film clip was shown with the correct answer to the question. When the clip was finished, the players showed their bets & answers.All players kept their cash, but the player with the most money won the game and returned the next week to play again. Players who went broke at the end of the game still received $25. Any contestant who won three games received a new car, which no one was able to achieve during the show's brief run.