Player

Monday, January 18, 2021

This Day in TV History: The Reel Game premieres on ABC

January 18, 1971, ABC's mini-block of game shows featured a premiere: The Reel Game hosted by Jack Barry.


The show followed Let's Make a Deal at 7:30 and The Newlywed Game at 8:00.  Total Television says the game featured 3 contestants. "The questions concerned famous people and events, and the answers were "verified" by showing newsreel or other documentary footage.

According to this post, a similar show called Eye Bet aired in Canada at about the same time with host Jim Perry (a BOTNS favorite). The same poster says that the cost of licensing clips proved prohibitive. The Reel Game lasted until May. It was part of Barry's national comeback (he was developing Joker's Wild at this time) after his implication in the quiz show scandals of the 1950s.


No comments:

Post a Comment