Let's Make a Deal

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Let's Make a Deal

Let's Make a Deal title card
Genre Game show
Starring Monty Hall
Narrated by Wendell Niles
Jay Stewart
Country of origin Flag of United States United States
Production
Executive producer(s) Alan Gilbert
Stefan Hatos
Running time 25-30 min.
Broadcast
Original channel NBC, ABC
Original run December 30, 1963 – 1977
Links
IMDb profile

Let's Make a Deal is a television game show airing in the United States. The original and most widely known version aired from 1963 to 1977. Other short lived versions aired in 1980, 1984, 1990 and 2003. The show's attraction was its deals - audience members were challenged to maximize their winnings by matching wits against the host, usually Monty Hall, who also co-produced the show from the '60s through the '80s with Stefan Hatos.

Contents

[edit] Premise

Each episode of Let's Make a Deal began with the host (again, usually Monty Hall) choosing a studio audience member at random to play a game against him. Although the specifics of the games varied, the usual pattern was that the audience member was given a small amount of cash or prizes, or promise of cash or prizes. The choice posed to the audience member was to keep a relatively safe bet, or to risk for the potential of a larger or different prize or cash award. Choices could be hidden onstage behind one of three curtains; behind several large boxes which were occasionally wheeled in; or even on smaller table-top boxes or inside other items brought down by the show's announcer, Jay Stewart.

Initially, studio audience members came in their Sunday best - suits and ties and dresses. Shortly into the show's run, a single audience member came dressed as a chicken to try to get Monty's attention, and he picked her. That led to more signs, costumes, hollering, anything an audience member could think of to become the person Monty picked next. The free-for-all with the audience became a hallmark of the show.

The most frequently asked question was if the show provided the zany costumes for the studio audience. The standard response was that all contestants came "dressed as they are", in the words of Jay Stewart.

[edit] Format

The show opens with a series of deals between Monty and contestants he picks.

For example, Monty Hall picks a studio audience member at random to become a contestant. Hall gives the trader a plastic egg. Monty: "You have a plastic egg that may have a thousand dollar bill hidden in it, or it may have a lot less. You can either keep that, or trade it for what's behind the large box on the display floor where Carol Merrill is standing."

Now the contestant is forced to make a difficult choice: keep the egg he has been given in the hope that a thousand dollars is contained within, or pick the box and its contents instead. Either may have a prize of value – the egg could contain $1,000, or the box might reveal a prize (e.g., a refrigerator/freezer and a gas range). However, either location may also contain something worthless, called a zonk on the show.

Notable zonks included:

  • Giant shoes or other articles of clothing
  • A garbage can or washtub for each day of the week
  • An enormous amount of some food item (1 ton of watermelons, 500 pounds of bananas/cabbage/lettuce/etc.)
  • A room of junky, worn furniture; broken, rusting 19th-century appliances, etc.
  • Every type of live animal imaginable (they were rented from local zoos or farms)
  • Junk antique automobiles (usually rusted out shells with steaming radiators, flat tires, broken windshields, etc.) Occasionally (especially in the "All New" version), these would be sawn in half.
  • Large stuffed animals
  • Giant toys or baby furniture (high chairs, red wagons, rocking horses, etc.); these usually featured the models and/or announcers dressed as babies and/or their mothers.
  • Other giant objects, including a hot water bottle, a donut, a cupcake, and a paper airplane
  • Hideously decorated household items (sequin and/or fur-covered garbage cans, wildly painted and sequined rocking chairs labeled "punk rockers", etc.)

The goal, of course, for contestants was to increase their winnings by making the right choices as given by Monty Hall. Contestants legally won the zonks[citation needed]; however, after the taping of the show, any trader who had been zonked would be offered a consolation prize instead of having to take home the actual zonk. In fact, a disclaimer at the end of the credits of later 1970s episodes read "Some traders accept reasonable duplicates of zonk prizes."

[edit] Other deals

Other typical deals included the following:

  • Two traders (or couples) competed against each other to price a series of four grocery items or small prizes. The first contestant gave a price, and the opponent gave one; the one who was closer got a cash prize (e.g., $100). Each succeeding item is worth more (e.g., $200, $300 and $400), with the players alternating turns going first. The first trader (or team) to collect a pre-set amount (usually $700) won a grand prize, such as a car or a trip (and got to keep any leftover money). The losing contestant was offered a regular take-it-or-leave-it deal in exchange for any cash accumulated; the consolation deal was also played for both teams if both obtained less than the required amount.
  • Keys which unlocked anything from boxes (containing money, trip tickets, etc.) to cars, usually from a choice of three. Hall always offered cash or a curtain/box as options. Variant: A couple chooses one key from a choice of three, with a car offered as the grand prize (and a sure-thing buyout offered once Monty demonstrated one of the "dud" keys).
  • Deciding whether an announced prize was real or imitation, and choosing a cash amount or the box/curtain as a substitute.
  • Choosing an envelope, purse, wallet, etc., which concealed dollar bills. One of them concealed a pre-announced dollar bill (usually $1 or $5), which awarded a car or trip. The other envelopes contained a consolation gift of $500, $1000 and $1500. The player had to decide whether to keep his/her choice or trade.
  • Choosing four of seven envelopes, each containing $1 and $2 bills, whose contents they hoped added up to at least $7 for a grand prize.
  • Pricing several items within predetermined limits of the item's MSRP, with the last item always being more difficult. Hall would always offer cash or a "sure thing" to call off the deal at each step. If all of Hall's offers were turned down and the grand prize lost, Hall would usually give the priced items to the contestant as a consolation prize along with $50 or $100 in cash.
  • Pricing several items with each guess being entered into a cash register. The guessed total of all the items had to be within a predetermined limit to the total MSRP in order to win a grand prize.
  • Starting with a certain amount of money in an account, usually $5.00, and pricing several items. The difference between the contestant's guess and the actual MSRP of the item was deducted from their account. After pricing each item, any money left over, even if it was only one cent, could be used to buy a grand prize. As always, Hall would offer cash or a "sure thing" to call off the deal.
  • Monty's Cash Register, wherein a couple had to punch keys on a 15-key register. Exactly 13 of the buttons hid amounts of either $50 or $100, and getting to a stated amount (usually $500-$1000) won a grand prize. The couple could stop at any time and keep what they have (always then being tempted with a follow-up keep-or-trade deal) but hitting "no sale" at any time ended the game. One twist involved the two "no sale" buttons; if an unlucky button were struck on the first try, hitting the second "no sale" button the very next time also won the grand prize. Otherwise, Monty allowed the couple to take home whatever dollar amount they hit with the next key punch.
  • Three unrelated traders act as a team on deals. Sometimes, only one was allowed to speak for the team without consultation of the others; other times, a "majority rules" format was used. Usually after a series of deals, Hall broke up the team and could individually decide on one or more options on a final deal.
  • Beat the Dealer: three contestants would choose envelopes to start the game; two of them contained $500 cash, the other $50. The two dealers who chose the $500 continued on to try to win a middling prize by picking the higher-suited card out of nine off a game board. The one who won could then risk the prize and the cash by picking two more cards - one for themself and one for Monty. If the player picked the higher card for themself, they added a new car (or another big prize); otherwise, they lost everything.
  • At the start of the show, a contestant would be given a large grocery item (e.g., a box of candy bars), always containing a cash amount. Throughout the show, he/she was given several chances to trade the box and/or give it to another trader, in exchange for the box or curtain. Only after the Big Deal of the Day was awarded (or if the last trader with said item elects to go for the Big Deal) was the cash amount or prize given. Variant: A "claim check" given to a trader at the start of the show for any prize shown during the regular deals and chances to trade throughout the episode. The prize ranged from cash and cars to zonks. The "claim check" was sometimes played as the very last regular deal, however, with one sure deal offered in lieu of its contents.
  • Closing segment deals: As the end credits of the show rolled, it was typical for Monty Hall to ask random members of the studio audience to participate in quick deals. These could range from asking an audience member for an item on their person, or to do something outlandish in the few moments remaining in the show. The deals usually had a low value ($50-100), but provided filler until the end of the show.

[edit] Skill-based games

Several games, however, were skill games testing a contestant's consumer knowledge or memory à la The Price is Right. Games of this nature included:

  • Arranging small prizes (usually $5-50) by dollar value.
  • Determining which item out of several was appearing on the show for the first time.
  • Choosing which item was a pre-announced price (e.g., 55 cents), or added up to a certain amount (e.g., $1).
  • Recalling which grocery items were concealed beneath the letters of a car model (e.g., P-O-N-T-I-A-C) or trip destination (G-E-R-M-A-N-Y).

Several times during the game, Monty would offer a "sure-thing" prize to call off the deal. Even if the contestant failed, Hall offered a consolation prize (usually, the small items and/or $50).

[edit] Big Deal of the Day

The top two winners in each show were eligible to either keep their winnings or give up everything already won for a spot in the Big Deal of the Day.

If one or both of the top winners declined to give up their winnings (usually because they won a car or large amount of cash), Monty would go down the list of winners - highest to lowest - until he had two traders. (Very rarely, even a player who had been zonked could find themselves given a chance at the Big Deal.)

In the Big Deal of the Day, the two contestants were allowed to make a simple choice between three doors (famously known as "Door number 1", "Door number 2" and "Door number 3"). The day's top winner had first choice. One door hid the day's Big Deal, which often had the day's most expensive prize (a luxury or sports car, a trip, furniture/appliances, a fur, cash, or a combination of two or more of said items). Zonks were never included in these deals, although the contestant always risked winding up with far less than their original deal (e.g., a $1200 living room set for $200 worth of small kitchen appliances).

During the classic era (1963-1977), the daytime Big Deal of the Day was typically worth $2000-$5000; the nighttime and syndicated show's Big Deals were worth $8000 to $15,000 or more, with cars often being part of the runner-up door.

Some of the more notable Big Deals included:

During the 1975-1976 syndicated season, a new Super Deal was offered for "Big Deal" winners. The contestant could risk his Big Deal winnings on a 1-in-3 shot at adding a $20,000 cash prize. The other two doors caused the player to lose the "Big Deal," but he/she took home a $1000 or $2000 consolation prize. Later, the consolation prize was changed to $2000 and a mystery amount ($1000 to $9000). The Super Deal was discontinued when the show permanently moved to Las Vegas for the final season (1976-1977). By that time, the "Big Deal" ranged from $10,000-15,000.

[edit] Variations on the basic rules

[edit] 1980-1981 syndicated

Big Deals were only worth around $5,000. Also, instead of offering cash in actual currency, cash was given in the form of "Monty Dollars". As explained in the show, this was due to the fact that the show was seen in Canada and the U.S., and contestants could take home money in US or Canadian currency, with a likely preference for the American greenback because of its relative strength.

[edit] 1984-1986 syndicated

Big Deals ranged from $6,000 to $8,000 in season 1, and from $8,000 to $11,000 in season 2.

This version was most famous for a new feature called "Door #4" (in actuality a curtain). Played every few days (and announced with siren and quick-zoom fanfare), a contestant was chosen by a computer at random based on the number on the contestant's tag (1 to 36). This contestant was chosen to play a special deal, which had four incarnations:

  • Version 1 - The contestant was offered a prize in exchange for a mystery cash amount ranging from $1 to $5,000.
  • Version 2 - The contestant spun a 20-space carnival wheel containing cash amounts from $100 to $5000. He/she could keep the amount won or spin again in hopes of winning a higher amount. If a lesser amount was spun, all winnings were lost. One space on the wheel read Double Deal, and if spun on either spin, doubled the winnings, up to a maximum of $10,000. Hitting Double Deal on both spins also earned the top $10,000 prize.
  • Version 3 - The contestant could keep $750 or risk it by spinning the wheel, which now contained spaces that earned $1,500 (by landing on a space marked DOUBLE), $2,250 (landing on TRIPLE), $3,000, a new car ... or win less (anywhere from $100 to $500, or perhaps even a zonk). The zonk was a T-shirt that read "I was ZONKED by Monty Hall". If the contestant kept the money, Monty would let the player spin the wheel just for fun to see what was passed up.
  • Version 4 - Played the same as Version 3, except the contestant was given $1,000 to start. Double and Triple spaces remained, as well a $4,000 space. Lesser amounts were now only $100, $200 and the Zonk spaces.

[edit] 1990-1991 NBC daytime

Big Deals now could potentially be worth up to $20,000.

[edit] 1996 FOX revival--Big Deal

Main article: Big Deal

This version added elements of Truth or Consequences to the gameplay.

[edit] 2003 NBC primetime

The Big Deal on each show added up to over $50,000.

[edit] 2005 Univisión

Big Deals were worth around $3,000-5,000 on the regular show and around $26,000 during the primetime specials.

[edit] Broadcast History

Main article: Let's Make a Deal broadcast history

[edit] Episode Status

Most of the Let's Make a Deal epsiodes exist:

  • The NBC daytime version is unknown, though it's very likely that the original tapes were wiped as they were recorded over by NBC with new programming in an era when videotape was an expensive commodity. The 1963 pilot, with Wendell Niles as announcer and contestants in normal attire (typical of its first season), exists, and has aired on GSN.
  • The ABC daytime version is unknown; they may have met the same fate as the NBC episodes.
  • The 1969-1971 ABC prime-time and 1971-1977 syndicated nighttime shows exists almost in its entirety, and has aired on GSN in 2001.
  • The 1980-1981 Canadian version is unknown.
  • The syndicated 1984-1986 revival exists in its entirety, and has also aired on GSN.
  • The status on the 1990 NBC revival is unknown, though it is likely that it still exists.
  • The 2003 NBC prime-time series still exists, though there are currently no plans on rerunning that series, nor did anyone express interest in showing that series.
  • The 2005 Univision series still exists, and is still seen on that network in reruns.

[edit] Parodies

  • The show is the focus of an The Odd Couple television episode featuring Hall. In it, Oscar (Jack Klugman) and Felix (Tony Randall) team up to come dressed as a horse.
  • A spoof of the show appeared at the beginning of the Flintstones animated film The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone (1979), entitled Make a Deal or Don't. The game-show's host was called Monty Marble. The way in which 'Marble' was pronounced gave emphasis to the end of the word, making it sound like 'marb-hall'.
  • Another spoof appeared on the situation comedy Sanford and Son, when Fred Sanford, Grady and Bubba appeared on a show called Wheel and Deal, hosted by Harry Monty (John Barbour).
  • On the cartoon Wacky & Packy, the title characters appear on a parody called Let's Make A Bundle with host Monty Tall.
  • The show was parodied by Cheech and Chong in their Let's Make A Dope Deal comedy routine from their second album Big Bambu. Several years later, they made a sequel from the album of the same name, Let's Make A New Dope Deal.
  • George Carlin discusses the show on his second album FM & AM
  • Door Number 3 a song authored by Jimmy Buffett and Steve Goodman mentions many regulars on the show, and was used in the documentary movie about the show, Deal.
  • In the 1995 computer game "The 11th Hour: The Sequel to the 7th Guest", the show was parodied in the ending sequence, where choosing a door also chose the game's ending. The name was changed to "Let's Make a Real Deal." The host was "Monty Stauf", mixing the names of the original host and game character.
  • In a Price is Right "showcase" where the theme was the models discussing network TV shows that never made it to air, Dian came up with a show called Let's Make a Meal.

[edit] International

  • RTL Group holds international rights to the show, and has licenced the show to 14 countries.
  • A Spanish-language US version called Trato Hecho aired on Univision in 2005. Guillermo Huesca was the host.
  • Ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell was a model on a Turkish version of the show.
  • An Indonesian Version of Let's Make a Deal debuted on the Antv network April 2006, as Superdeal 2 Milyar (The 2 Billion Rupiah Superdeal).

[edit] DVD Releases

In the late summer of 2006, a new DVD Let's Make a Deal game which along with a playable game features classic clips from the Monty Hall years of the show, was released. [1]

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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