Comments on: Time Lists Top Game Show Hosts

By: Mark Hochberg

Mark Hochberg — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 18:04:44 +0000

Another person left out was Jan Murray for hosting the original Treasure Hunt. He was basically a stand up comedian, but if you could put Johnny Carson in there, you could have mentioned Jan. Also, for a person who never became a game show host, how about Ruta Lee? She was on many game shows as a celebrity guest, and was intelligent and lively with a good sense of humor. She would have been a good female representative besides Anne Robinson.

By: mrquiz

mrquiz — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 05:10:11 +0000

I agree that any “Top #” list is going to be for the most part, subjective, possibly on the basis’s of the that particular host’s popularity, and the depth and breadth of his work. I’ve podered what it might’ve been like if Groucho Marx hosted “Family Feud,” for example. I’d be willing to bet the ranch if it hadn’t been for “The Tonight Show,” Carson could’ve very likely been Mark Goodson’s next choice to host one of his future game shows, as he was a frequent panelist on “To Tell the Truth” in those days. Having said that, they should’ve been much ranked lower on that list. In addition to Allen Ludden, Bud Collyer, Peter Marshall, Wink Martindale, Jack Narz and Tom Kennedy being omitted from that list, has everyone forgotten Jim Lange? Or Dennis James (not to mention Art James)? Bert Parks made his name in game shows long before he hosted the Miss America pageant. And with all due respect to the memory of Bert Convy, who was an actor-turned-game-show-host, there was one other actor-turned-game-show-host who bested him…the late Larry Blyden. And, while he didn’t host a game show, per se, Art Linkletter unquestionably deserved consideration. Jim Perry, the late Art Fleming Jim Peck, the late Peter Tomarken, and even Merv Griffin and Johnny Gilbert(yes, like Jack Clark, he worked in FRONT of the camera as well) are entitled to some sort “honorable mention” at the very least. And “WWTBAM” did “dumb down” game shows - I mean, there was no real challenge (you had multiple choice answers to some legitimately tough questions, and even then the contestant could get additional outside help) and virtually no risk, if after a contestant heard a question that they found too challenging, they could simply “chicken out” and walk away. In my book, that’s BULL****, man!! If you want to go on, then you understand that there’s a risk involved, and you commit yourself to that risk once you hear the next question, If you fail to answer..that’s tough, pally. You lose! As for Rege, the guy’s so full of himself, so self-ingratiating…talk about ego!!!

By: Jesse

Jesse — Wed, 30 May 2007 20:50:52 +0000

Anne Robinson? If any woman was worthy of being a great game show host is Betty White just for her contributions to game shows alone. And I dont see how Regis can be rated over veterans like Marshall, and Kennedy? I just dont see it.

By: Tim Connolly

Tim Connolly — Wed, 30 May 2007 20:20:46 +0000

Regis is on the list pretty much because he’s associated with the biggest show to come out in the last 10 years. Lord knows it wasn’t his work on The Neighbors that got him on the list.

By: The Dragon from TTD in the 80's

The Dragon from TTD in the 80's — Wed, 30 May 2007 18:55:56 +0000

Charles died from pneumonia.

As for my Top 15 Game Show Hosts, where’s the love for Jim Perry? The dude could make paint drying exciting with his flair for the dramatic. I also think $ale of the Century was a great fit for him to host. I wouldn’t put him in the Top 10 but he certainly is better than Regis.

By: myke25

myke25 — Wed, 30 May 2007 14:59:47 +0000

Steve,
The exciting part about Pyramid’s Winner’s Circle round wasn’t quick wins like Billy Crystal’s but the buzzer shots where someone would win on the last second. Those were exhilarating! I would often shout out clues to the TV when a player just wasn’t getting..well, a CLUE! Check out the $10K-$20K shows. They would come back from commercial to do the Winner’s Circle without the flashing lights and loud music…just a silent studio. Dick Clark would set the scene with the appropriate level of suspense, often giving the player a shoulder rub to relax them. Then he’d quietly start the round with “For $20,000…(Then he raised his voice for the most exciting six words in game showdom.) Here is your first subject. GO!” Best. Bonus Round. Ever! Clark played it like the pro he is.

By: Kimberley Greene

Kimberley Greene — Mon, 28 May 2007 05:39:17 +0000

How did Charles die?

By: Scott Meckley

Scott Meckley — Mon, 28 May 2007 04:49:15 +0000

as far as Anne Robison as best 15 I think that Meredith Viera is a lot better and even Brooke Burns is better. I will give one good thing about Anne though she played the mean part on the weakest link very well but I dont’ agree with the list. I would have put Howie Mandel on that list granted he’s only hosted Deal Or No Deal but he does a great job of hosting it which is why he would be in my top 15 as gameshow host. I would also put Peter Tomarken, Chuck Woolery, Wink Martindale, Jim Perry, Bob Eubanks, Ray Combs, Bob Barker, Alex Trebek, Bert Convy, Tom Kennedy, Howie Mandel, Mark L. Walberg, Bob Saget (awesome on 1 vs 100) Pat Sajak, Meredith Viera as my votes and not in any order either

By: Nate

Nate — Mon, 28 May 2007 03:26:42 +0000

Wow.. I just saw that Charles Nelson Reilly passed away! How sad.

By: Tim Connolly

Tim Connolly — Mon, 28 May 2007 01:43:11 +0000

The major problem with a list like this is that game show hosts really fall into two generations: pre- and post-1970. Before 1970, shows had a much slower pace, games were not as complex, and hosts had much more time to schmooze with contestants and panelists. Thus, the best hosts were the ones who were good, affable conversationalists with a lot of camera presence. I balked at the Groucho Marx entry, until I realized that many shows in that era had a similar modus operandi.

During the ’70s, though, games developed much more pizazz, and hosts were expected to do more things with less time (especially nowadays, with so much more time devoted to advertisements - both in commercial breaks and fee plugs). Not to say that they didn’t need to be friendly and confident in front of the camera, but now they had to spend more energy running the game and keeping things going.

To that end, I can only think of five names that were successful in both eras: Bob Barker, Bill Cullen, Allen Ludden, Tom Kennedy, and Gene Rayburn. Beyond that, I’d probably be biased in favor of the more contemporary hosts, seeing as I’m far more familiar with their work - not to mention used to the pace they worked at - to be fair to the hosts who were around during TV’s adolescence.

As for the question of who would do the best as a rookie host, I remember someone once suggesting Rich Eisen, formerly of ESPN and now with the NFL Network, and I wholeheartedly agree with that idea. He had some game show-centric lines during his SportsCenter days, so I get the feeling he’d be at home with a good game.