Video Village
Encyclopedia
Video Village is an American television game show
produced by Heatter-Quigley Productions
which aired on the CBS
network in daytime from July 11, 1960 to June 15, 1962 and in primetime from July 1 to September 16, 1960.
It was notable for the use of its unique "living board game" concept, as well as being one of the first new games to premiere after the quiz show scandals
.
served as the host (introduced on-air as "the Mayor") from the show's premiere until September 9, 1960, after which he departed for personal reasons. Red Rowe filled in as Mayor for the week of September 16 (including the final nighttime episode); the following Monday, Monty Hall
replaced him and hosted through the remainder of the show's run.
Kenny Williams
served as the announcer (the "town crier") throughout the show's run. Joanne Copeland (later to become the second Mrs. Johnny Carson) served as the show's original hostess during its time originating from New York City
. Shortly after Hall joined the show and Heatter-Quigley moved the show to CBS Television City
in Hollywood, California, Copeland was replaced by Eileen Barton.
, the die was replaced by an electric randomizer that proved unpopular with viewers who still enjoyed the Vegas-style die cage from the Milton Bradley
home game.
The squares changed throughout the show's run, but some of the more notable ones included:
The first contestant to reach either of the two "Finish" spaces (they had to do so by an exact roll) won the game. Both contestants kept the cash and prizes they accumulated, with the winner getting a larger bonus prize and the right to return to play in the next game.
Two years following Villages cancellation, a new Saturday morning kids' show, Shenanigans
, premiered with game play similar to that of Village. It aired on ABC
in 1964 and 1965, and was also a Heatter-Quigley production. The host was Stubby Kaye
and the announcer was Kenny Williams (appearing as "Kenny the Cop"), who had also been the announcer on Village. Like "Village", a board game based on the show was manufactured by Milton-Bradley.
as per network practices of the era. Four episodes are known to exist – the second nighttime episode, an episode guest-hosted by Rowe (also the final nighttime show), the 500th daytime episode, and the third-to-last episode of Video Village Jr.
All four circulate among collectors; the latter two (both hosted by Hall) are studio masters and include production slates, making Video Village one of the earliest game shows to utilize this concept.
. Each episode of the show ended with children singing a song featuring the following lyrics:
A similar concept was later used in the Canadian game show The Mad Dash
, which aired on CTV
from 1978 to 1985. Also similar have been Italian and Spanish language game shows named for and in imitation of the Game of the Goose
.
, drum
s, xylophone and bass. Additionally, when Monty Hall became host, the "Village Bus," a golf cart-like vehicle, was added to shuttle contestants from the finish line back to start at the conclusion of the game. While driving it, he and hostess Eileen Barton would sing "The Village Bus Song", added to showcase both hosts' musical abilities.
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 Heatter-Quigley Productions
Heatter-Quigley Productions
Heatter-Quigley Productions was an American television production company that was launched in 1960 by two former television writers, Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley....
which aired on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
network in daytime from July 11, 1960 to June 15, 1962 and in primetime from July 1 to September 16, 1960.
It was notable for the use of its unique "living board game" concept, as well as being one of the first new games to premiere 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....
.
Personnel
Jack NarzJack Narz
Jack Narz was an American television announcer and game show host. Narz was the elder brother of Tom Kennedy and the former brother-in-law of Bill Cullen...
served as the host (introduced on-air as "the Mayor") from the show's premiere until September 9, 1960, after which he departed for personal reasons. Red Rowe filled in as Mayor for the week of September 16 (including the final nighttime episode); the following Monday, Monty Hall
Monty Hall
Monte Halperin, OC, OM , better known by the stage name Monty Hall, is a Canadian-born MC, producer, actor, singer and sportscaster, best known as host of the television game show Let's Make a Deal.-Early life:...
replaced him and hosted through the remainder of the show's run.
Kenny Williams
Kenny Williams (announcer)
Kenny Williams was an American television announcer from the late 1940s to 1980s. He was best known as the announcer of many game shows produced by Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley . He also appeared on screen as "Kenny the Cop" on Video Village and Shenanigans...
served as the announcer (the "town crier") throughout the show's run. Joanne Copeland (later to become the second Mrs. Johnny Carson) served as the show's original hostess during its time originating from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Shortly after Hall joined the show and Heatter-Quigley moved the show to CBS Television City
CBS Television City
CBS Television City is a television studio complex located in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles at 7800 Beverly Boulevard, at the corner of North Fairfax Avenue...
in Hollywood, California, Copeland was replaced by Eileen Barton.
Rules
Two contestants played the role of "tokens" on a human-size game board with three "streets:" Money Street, Bridge Street and Magic Mile. Players advanced according to the roll of a large six-sided die in a chuck-a-luck, rolled on the sidelines by a partner (almost always a spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend) and called out by announcer Williams. After Video Village moved to CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the die was replaced by an electric randomizer that proved unpopular with viewers who still enjoyed the Vegas-style die cage from the Milton Bradley
Milton Bradley
Milton Bradley , an American game pioneer, was credited by many with launching the board game industry in North America with Milton Bradley Company....
home game.
The squares changed throughout the show's run, but some of the more notable ones included:
- Money squares: Located on Money Street, contestants received between $5–$20 depending on the space.
- Bus Stop, Do It Yourself and Take A Chance: Players landing on any one of these spaces must draw a card and follow the instructions written on the card.
- Jail: Located between Money Street and Bridge Street, contestants could be sent here either by landing on a "Go to Jail" space or drawing a card which instructed them to do so. To get out, the contestant had to successfully predict whether their roll would be either even (2,4,6) or odd (1,3,5).
- Ask the Council: Located on Money Street and Magic Mile, the contestant was asked a humorous, open-ended question. He/she won cash if the audience — acting as the "council" — was judged to agree.
- Finders Keepers: The first player to land on this space received a prize.
- Shops: Located on the Magic Mile, these were five themed "stores" (Bank, Appliance Store, Jewelry Store, etc.) which each contained a prize. The first contestant to land on the store's space won that prize.
- Safety Zone: Any player landing here is safe from any penalty imposed by their opponent.
- 1-2-3 Go: Any player landing on this space remained on it until getting a 1, 2, or 3.
- Exchange Places: The very last square on the board before the two "Finish" lines, the unlucky contestant who landed here must change places with their opponent—no matter how far back he or she was.
The first contestant to reach either of the two "Finish" spaces (they had to do so by an exact roll) won the game. Both contestants kept the cash and prizes they accumulated, with the winner getting a larger bonus prize and the right to return to play in the next game.
Spinoffs
A spinoff, Video Village Junior (sometimes also called Kideo Village) aired on Saturday mornings from September 30, 1961 to June 16, 1962; It was essentially the same game, except with children participating as the contestants (and a parent serving as their "significant other"). Its last episode aired the day after Video Village concluded its run.Two years following Villages cancellation, a new Saturday morning kids' show, Shenanigans
Shenanigans (TV series)
Shenanigans is a children's television game show that aired on ABC Saturday mornings from September 26, 1964 to March 20, 1965, and again from September 25 to December 18, 1965. The show was a revival of Video Village, produced by Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley, and also featured a life-size game...
, premiered with game play similar to that of Village. 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...
in 1964 and 1965, and was also a Heatter-Quigley production. The host was Stubby Kaye
Stubby Kaye
Stubby Kaye was an American comic actor. He was born Bernard Kotzin in New York City on the last day of the First World War, at West 114th Street in the Morningside Heights section of Manhattan to first generation Jewish-Americans originally from Russia and Austria...
and the announcer was Kenny Williams (appearing as "Kenny the Cop"), who had also been the announcer on Village. Like "Village", a board game based on the show was manufactured by Milton-Bradley.
Episode status
The series is believed to have been 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 of the era. Four episodes are known to exist – the second nighttime episode, an episode guest-hosted by Rowe (also the final nighttime show), the 500th daytime episode, and the third-to-last episode of Video Village Jr.
All four circulate among collectors; the latter two (both hosted by Hall) are studio masters and include production slates, making Video Village one of the earliest game shows to utilize this concept.
Foreign versions
Australia had a version in the mid-1960s made by Crawfords for Channel 7Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
. Each episode of the show ended with children singing a song featuring the following lyrics:
- Goodbye from video village
- Thats it, today
- See You at Video Village
- next time you're this way.
A similar concept was later used in the Canadian game show The Mad Dash
The Mad Dash
The Mad Dash is a television game show created by Sidney M. Cohen. It first appeared in 1978 on Canada's CTV network and proved to be a family favourite based on Canada's BBM ratings. It was also popular in parts of the northern United States because CTV affiliates were available to Americans ...
, which aired on CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
from 1978 to 1985. Also similar have been Italian and Spanish language game shows named for and in imitation of the Game of the Goose
Game of the Goose
The Game Of The Goose is a board game with uncertain origins. Some people connect the game with the Phaistos Disc , others claim that it was originally a gift from Francesco I de' Medici of Florence to King Philip II of Spain sometime between 1574 and 1587, while the latest theories attribute to...
.
Board game
In 1960, Milton Bradley released a board game "home version" of the game. Its rules closely matched those of the television program. The game proved popular enough that Milton Bradley continued to sell copies even after the show had been cancelled.Music
Music for the show was provided by a live combo led by musical director Sid Wayne, consisting of organOrgan (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, xylophone and bass. Additionally, when Monty Hall became host, the "Village Bus," a golf cart-like vehicle, was added to shuttle contestants from the finish line back to start at the conclusion of the game. While driving it, he and hostess Eileen Barton would sing "The Village Bus Song", added to showcase both hosts' musical abilities.
Lyrics
- Oh, Video Village is the place
- Where people wear a happy face
- There's so many things to see and do
- For you, and you, and you!
Source
- Total Television, by Alex McNeil, Penguin Books.
- Interview with Jack Narz, by Stu Shostak, Shokus Radio