Storybook Squares
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Storybook Squares was a short-lived Saturday morning version of Hollywood Squares for children. The only difference was that it featured celebrities (usually the same ones from Hollywood Squares) in costume as well-known fictional characters (and a few historical figures, as well), hence the name.
The show ran on NBC from January 4 to August 30, 1969.
Peter Marshall, naturally was the host of the show. Kenny Williams was the announcer, but read the characters' names off a scroll as the character "Guardian of the Gate" (similar to his Town Crier role on Video Village).
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[edit] Panelists
The only Squares panelist who played as he normally would was Cliff Arquette, who carried his Charley Weaver persona over to Storybook Squares. Some of the other panelists were:
- Jim Backus as Mr. Magoo and Thurston Howell III, his character from Gilligan's Island
- Wally Cox as Paul Revere and Davy Crockett
- Bob Crane as Colonel Hogan
- Nanette Fabray as The Old Woman Who Lived in the Shoe
- Stu Gilliam as Merlin
- Arte Johnson as the "Very Interesting!" Nazi from Laugh-In
- Paul Lynde as the Evil Queen from Snow White and the Frankenstein Monster
- Carolyn Jones as Morticia Addams
- Rose Marie as Pocahantas and Annie Oakley
- Soupy Sales as Henry VIII and Thomas Edison
- William Shatner as James T. Kirk, his character from Star Trek
[edit] Format
Like the original version, two contestants competed (with a boy as X and a girl as O).
The game was played exactly the same as the original Hollywood Squares, but no money was involved. Instead, the children played for prizes, with one being awarded per game won.
[edit] Return of the Storybook Squares
Although Storybook Squares was short-lived, the format returned as part of the regular Hollywood Squares show several times during the '70s in special theme weeks. The format, however, differed slightly. This time father/son and mother/daughter teams faced off and each game was worth $300 with each team earning $50 per square should time run out. The kids played for the first two segments of the show and their parents (the boy's dad and the girl's mom) squared off in the rest of the game, unless time was running out (in which case all four players played). The team with the most money at the end of the game won a car. Some of the panelists from this version were:
- Milton Berle as Old Mother Hubbard
- Valerie Bertinelli as Little Miss Muffet.
- Big Bird as himself (Muppet portrayed by Carroll Spinney)
- Paul Lynde as Atilla the Hun, The Frankenstein Monster and The Wicked Witch.
- Vincent Price as Captain Hook.
- William Shatner as Captain Kirk (his only appearance as Kirk prior to the feature films)
- Elke Sommer as Guinevere
- Connie Stevens as The Queen of Hearts
- Karen Valentine as Mona Lisa.
- Anson Williams as Simple Simon
[edit] The Set
The original set in 1969 was decked out in a medieval theme for the host and players' podiums, while the actual "Squares" remained untouched. The 1970s sets, by comparison, extended the medieval theme to the entire set with a sweeping castle facade built around and behind the "Squares".
