50 Grand Slam
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| 50 Grand Slam | |
|---|---|
| Format | Game Show |
| Created by | Ralph Andrews |
| Starring | Tom Kennedy Announcer: John Harlan |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 Minutes |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | NBC |
| Original run | 1976 – 1976 |
50 Grand Slam was a short-lived game show from Ralph Andrews Productions that aired on NBC from October 4 to December 31, 1976, and attempted to bring the days of the big money quiz show back to life. Tom Kennedy hosted the show, with John Harlan announcing position.
It premiered and ended on the same day as the show that preceded it on the NBC schedule, Stumpers, which was hosted by Kennedy's good friend Allen Ludden, who appeared at the beginning of the premiere to wish Kennedy luck (Kennedy would do vice versa on Ludden's show which premiered after Kennedy's show).[1]
Contents |
[edit] Format
Nine contestants competed on each show, with two competing at a time.
The two contestants competing in the game were put in isolation booths and each was read a four part-question in a random category. Whoever answered more parts of the question correctly won $200 and had the option to either quit with what they'd won or continue on to the next level, which was worth $500 for a win. If they tied, both won money and each got the option to play or continue.
The scale ($200 for one win, $500 for two wins) continued as such:
- Three wins: $1,000
- Four wins: $2,000
- Five wins: $5,000
- Six wins: $10,000
- Seven wins: $20,000
If a contestant managed to win on all eight levels, they won $50,000, with the category remaining in play until all nine contestants had played it or someone won $50,000 (a total of five contestants were able to achieve this feat during the show's brief run).
On the first episode, two contestants competed in a golf matchup, with both attempting to make a chip shot into a large cylinder, from 25-feet. Both contestants received five chances, with the higher scoring contestant advancing, provided they make at least two shots. However, the matchup ended in a 1-1 tie.
[edit] Set and sounds
The bells and buzzers used on this show were later carried over to another NBC game show, Card Sharks.
[edit] Finale
At the end of the show's final episode of, Kennedy (clad in a tuxedo) reminded his viewers that this was the finale, and told them that he'd see them that Monday on the show that would be taking over its time slot, Name That Tune, which only lasted a few months on NBC (his weekly syndicated version, which had only been on the air for two years at that point, continued until 1981).
[edit] Episode status
This series is rumored to be fully erased, due to a practice used by NBC known as wiping. The premiere and the finale are the two episodes that currently exist today.
