Added: 3 years ago
From: AdamNedeff
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  • Elaine Stewart R.I.P.

  • BTW, who here besides me thinks that Wink would be better on Catch 21 than Alfonso? Given what I saw about a year ago on Instant Recall, he still has his chops...

  • Great show, although IMO the questions were "Joker's Wild" EASY. I don't think anyone got one wrong in this whole clip. And I'm surprised that they accepted "the third one" as a correct answer. LOL!

  • @HoustonRules I loved this show, and really enjoy these clips, but rarely did anyone ever miss a question on this show. : )

  • I loved this show in it's original format. Wink was great.

  • They PWNED that board, bigtime!

  • YEAAAAA!!! GET IT ALL!!!

  • God, those buzz-in sounds were annoying!

  • You should hear the buzz-ins for Las Vegas Gambit!

    They sounded like a small alien dry-heaving. LOL

  • Really? A small alien dry-heaving?

    More like Pac-Man dying, IMO.

    Pac-Man vs. car horns...

  • Was broadcast during spring or summer of 1974, shortly after a CBS program shuffle which included the cancellation of the $10,000 Pyramid (soon moved to ABC) and debut of "Now You See It". With that shuffle, Gambit was switched from its original 11/10 a.m. time slot to the Pyramid's old slot at 10:30/9:30 a.m., now sandwiched between The Joker's Wild (10/9 a.m.) and Now You See It (11/10 a.m.). Gambit now went head-to-head against NBC's Jeopardy!, 10:30/9:30 a.m. since Jan. '74.

  • @potter660 this was actually supposed to air August 1974; but was pre-empted with President Nixon's resignation speech.

  • Source?

  • @AdamNedeff The-late Randy Amasia, an acquaintance from game show message boards and tape trading websites. He was an intern at CBS and an errand boy at Goodson-Todman Productions back in the '70s during his high school and college years. He was a die-hard game show fanatic and a contestant on "Whew!" in 1979 where he won $26,000; and appeared on "The Gong Show" I don't remember what he did; but he was gonged. Sadly, in 2001, Randy died of throat cancer at age 44.

  • I want a deck of those cards from Gambit. I like them. Does anyone know where I can get a deck of those?

  • you can't buy them, they were made custom for the show

  • My grandfather has a big pair of cards from something in Las Vegas in the 70's

  • I think I know your grandfather..;)

  • @mittdawson Actually my maternal grandparents used to have a set of cards almost the same size as these.

  • @disneyfan81 Hey Micheal...last time I saw you was at your mother's wedding. Did your grandfather ever show you the video I shot of you playing with your friends in the back yard? It's very cute.

  • The type of cards shown in the clip were also used in the British version of Gambit.

  • I just noticed something weird. The bell that sounds when a prize is revealed on The Gambit Board sounds just like my doorbell (as does the solo player's bell on "Blockbusters")!

  • after a correct answer.

  • To be more specific the 'ding' when the solo player captured a hexagon.

  • three aces a deuce and a six! What a wonderful way to get 21! They did a wonderful job!

  • This was the actual Game Show that educated me to the Game of Blackjack! I was only 10 Years Old when I first saw this Game Show.

  • i dont get it on the bounus game of gambit

  • What do you not get?

  • Why only married couples can compete on Gambit? Has there ever been a version of Gambit where single people can be contestants?

  • The 1990 pilot had single contestants, but that version didn't sell.

  • I would like to see a new version of Gambit played exactly like the original version and with the Gambit board bonus round but with solo contestants instead of married couples so that single people can play.

    I would like to see Bob Goen (CBS daytime WOF and GSN's TTQ) host this proposed version, Tami Anderson (CS 2001) as the Card Dealer, and Randy West as the announcer.

    What do you guys think?

  • Um, No! But The Host Of Catch 21 Is Alfonso Riberio (Carlton From "The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air") & The Dealer Is Miki!

  • It sounds good to me.

  • This easily beats the living hookeydoo outta Catch 21.

  • Yeah -- catch 21 sucks! They've got a needlessly difficult bonus game to win, and only for a piddly $25,000 at that. Are they cheap or what?

    I thought I had seen some hard-to-win bonus rounds in my time, such as 21's "Perfect 21", the 1978-79 Jeopardy!'s "Super Jeopardy!", and High Rollers' "Big Numbers", but Catch 21's endgame has to be the most difficult -- I still have yet to see ONE person win it. And only for a lousy $25K at that...

  • #1, two people have won it. #2, if $25,000 is "lousy," I find myself thinking that you have a lifetime of disappointments ahead of you.

  • And seriously, I think $25,000 is a decent grand prize for a GSN program... did you (to fredbird67, not AdamNedeff) think $100,000 or $1,000,000 was going to be the grand prize? You've got a bad case of "Mo' Money Syndrome", my friend. :-)

  • I agree, considering the top prize on both "Lingo" and "Camouflage" is $5.000. Also, the only thing about "Catch 21" that I don't like is that the contestants act mean to each

    other.

  • Is it me, or today's game shows don't offer prizes anymore, let alone parting gifts?

  • Yeah, that sux.

  • are you kidding me. that win was redunkulous . the odds of getting 3 aces on a single hand of blackjack are remote to almost zero.

  • according to my math the exact odds of getting 3 aces in a row right off the top are 5500 to 1. reddunkulous indeed.

  • It's just you.

    Game shows still give away tons of prizes. More money than ever as well. Although you are correct to a degree on the parting gifts. Some shows don't do that anymore Some do offer a cash prize as a consolation, which is nice.

  • Oh, and to AdamNedeff, THREE people have now won the 25 grand. :-) And thanks for uploading the clip!

    Also, I never think of Elaine Stewart as an "air-head"... to the user who said she was, you're an idiot.

  • fredbird67 is wrong!

    Catch 21 is in fact a very good show!

  • I consider $25,000 to be a decent prize, but the bonus game is so hard. If it were me, I'd bring back the Gambit Board (with prizes).

  • @AdamNedeff After "Millionaire," the reality shows and the advancements of "The Price is Right" and "Jeopardy," $25,000 is piddly ass; but it was big money in 1974. On "Catch 21," I think people are on there to have fun and acquire their 15 minutes of fame as opposed to winning a lot of money.

  • never mind.

  • Any thoughts on how to track down old Gambit episodes?

  • Well, CBS cant seem to find the episodes, but their sure they put them on syndication 1977, and you cant syndicate a show unless you have the tapes! And CBS baseically stopped wiping in the late 60's/early 70's, so its more than likely misplaced.

  • @buckleyns In addition to this one, there's one at the Paley Center for Media both here in Beverly Hills and in New York City. And there are also five episodes on file here at The UCLA Film and Television Archives.

  • I wanted that deck of cards so badly back then, and still do.

    After the show went off the air in '76, CBS started showing reruns REALLY late at night on the weekends. My mom occasionally relented and let me stay up late on Saturday night to watch this. I loved Gambit and would like to see an opening someday. Las Vegas Gambit was pretty good too.

  • Then that baseically says that all the episodes exist if there showing reruns

  • No, actually, it doesn't.

  • Great clip, Adam! I have been hoping to see the original Gambit show up on YT. Next on the wish list is the very short-lived Hollywood's Talking (March-July 1973). BTW Elaine Stewart was married to one of the show's producer, Merrill Heatter.

  • And IIRC, Elaine and Merrill are still married.

  • what did wink mean at 6:11? did he mean that they didn't have to worry about losing the camping equipment or the money?

  • He just meant that they only had a 2/12 showing, which meant there was no way that they could bust on the next card.

  • I remember KIRO TV in Seattle aired this show then it went off the air briefly but then it came back.

  • It's hard to believe that this is how Wink Martindale became a household name. (I'm not counting his earlier shows.)

  • Thanks for posting this, Adam. I was wondering if someone out there had a clean ep of Gambit. (Man, I'm a real game show geek!)

  • Did WCAU-TV (former CBS O and O) aired this show, if so, what time did it air?

  • You just answered the first part of your question...since WCAU was (then) an O&O, they would've HAD to air it.

  • What time did WCAU air this show if anyone remembers?

  • 1977 maybe?

  • WCAU ran in pattern to the network so it would have to have been 11:00 a.m., or whatever time it was airing nationally.

  • "which of the following is not a fish? piranha, barracuda, or--"

    BUZZ!

    "the 3rd one."

    LOL!!!!!!

    also being a synth fan (analog and digital of course) i totally love the background music for the show.

  • Was these cards reused for The Price is Right's pricing game, Hit Me? Kinda looks like them...

  • Nope. Different deck.

  • Actually, same distinctive face designs—but different backs.

  • they clean them up

  • This is obviously from a studio tape or someone lucky enough to have a vcr in 1977 (they did exist but were very expensive). GSN sucks wind now and is nothing like they were when they debuted. They are overloaded with modern garbage and their own original (read stupid) programming. Thanks for posting this, I used to watch Game Shows alot in the 1970's and 1980's. Brings back alot of memories.

  • Right the first time...it's a studio master.

  • @storrs19 Yeah, I only wish that someone else would run GSN and be like it was when it took off in '94. I'd tape ALL of the shows.

  • @storrs19 GSN does NOT suck! Yes, it's hit or miss with game show fans, but you're not being objective about this at all. I realize you posted that 3 years ago, you're still wrong to a degree. GSN has done, and is doing a lot of GOOD original programming. They still run classics as well. Need I remind you of Grand Slam! Oh, and they brought back Lingo, too!

  • Say did Double Dare took the place of this show?

  • yup.

  • I'm surprised they didn't have the 5 card Charlie rule.

  • I think the lack of it falls under K.I.S.S. Remember, most of the viewers watching this show don't know much about Vegas table games. You REALLY don't want to make the game any more complex than "come close to 21 without going over."

  • OK point well taken. Anyway Gambit and Las Vegas Gambit are still 2 of my all time favorites. Card Sharks as well.

  • Have to give a thumbs up, too, to the late Kenny Williams, who's in fine voice as usual. He's sharp, upbeat and precise without sounding announcer-y.

  • Interesting also that the three shows that returned CBS-TV to the daytime quiz format in 1972 - "Gambit," "The Joker's Wild" and the revival of "The Price Is Right" - chose synth-heavy music. Though "Price's" music package had and has traditional instruments, the '72 trio was among the first set of shows (along with the revived "Password" on ABC) to lean on synths for their themes. Granted that the original "Joker" theme was a borrow.

  • I was born in 1971, but I think I remember this clip. What bewitched me to this and Card Sharks was how big the cards were. Forget all else, but I used to think those playing cards were HUGE. I know I was only a baby, but I still loved the show and Las vegas Gambit and Card Sharks as well.

  • Great to see classic show clips complete with the prize plugs at the end in FULL SCREEN instead of squeezed/silenced (Thanks, GSN) Wonder if Wink will host "Catch-21", he still looks good at 73 on a recent GSN Live and more importantly, has his wits about him to this very day.

  • Unfortunately, I think they gave the "Catch-21" hosting job to Alfonso Ribeiro, a.k.a. Carlton from "Fresh Prince".

  • I think I saw that episode when I was a boy

  • WOW this clip rocks, do you have any more like this or las vegas gambit?

  • Very few episodes are known to exsist of gambit and las vegas gambit.

  • Do you have more episodes of the show.

  • Other than this video posting, it is believed that there are very few episodes of the CBS version. But in the spring of 1977, In the fall of 1977, reruns of the original CBS version of Gambit aired in syndication (primarily on WPIX New York and KHJ-TV Los Angeles), so it is possible that the episodes from the original version may exist.

  • This is the only episode KNOWN to exsist. But in 1977, the original GAmbit aired in syndication, so its possible more exsist.

  • Who distributed the syndicated version?

  • Gambit aired in syndication,primarily on WPIX New York and KHJ-TV Los Angeles, in 1977, the ORIGINAL version

  • and in Chicago?

  • no, not chicago

  • Another station that carried "Gambit" reruns was WXIA-TV Atlanta. (According to Ccook of the GSN forums.)

  • Rhodes Productions. The same people who distributed the nighttime Peter Marshall-"Hollywood Squares" (not to mention "Second City TV" and "Pitfall").

  • And "Let's Make A Deal" (1980-81 version).

  • Actually, there's an episode on file at The Museum of TV and Radio (The Paley Center) that, IMO, is slightly better game wise (although the video quality is definitley super-ior). Also, the pilot episode is (I think) on file at th UCLA Film and Television Archive.

  • very few episodes are known to exsist, but its possible more exsist since it went on syndication in 1977

  • Love the music on this...kinda' sounds like the modern-day slot machines in Vegas or Laughlin! Appropriate, huh?

  • Three Aces in three cards--WHAT ARE THE ODDS?! Somehow I knew it was in the cards for them. And what's this about Merrill Heatter getting back into the game?

    Knowing it's GSN it could be as good as Lingo or as bad as Love Buffet! I wish Mr. Heatter the best of luck.

  • The odds are 1 in 5,525, which I believe is equivalent to the odds of finding the entire CBS run of Gambit in a tape warehouse somewhere ready for rebroadcast on GSN.

  • I really wish GSN would not only put Gambit on their waves (as you say, fat chance)...but also other good classic shows as "Sale of the Century" (Jim Perry and even Joe Garagiola from 70's), "Scrabble" from 80's, etc.- plus why not return the old B$W shows they used to run overnites like "Beat the Clock" and "Password", rather than the ever-increasing (and shitty) poker crap shit?! Sure, Gambit's kinda like poker but presented in a more interesting way...like a real game show! And I like Wink.

  • I Agree.

  • Thanks.

  • I was always into the music on this show.. wish someone would post a clean copy of the bonus round board reveal cue.. Great show!

  • Yeah, the music is great!  I especially love the tune played during the Speigel catalog/ticket plug.

  • When a purson busts the buzzsounds like the Buzz sound on Card Sharks 1986

  • The date of this clip is 1974, about halfway through Gambit's run. "Conrack" was released in 1974.

  • Not to mention that Shaft and Toma both aired during the 73-74 season, although the big giveaway was the reference to Happy Days as "a new series".

  • great post. i remember that game board with the prize-flaps!!!

  • Wow. Now this is one crazy bonus round! :) I love it. Glad they are remaking it. It's a very good format

  • Fantastic. I love the delayed reaction from everyone (except the guy running the score readout) :)

  • i have a question, if they gave away the a of spades, would they have given away the $500 as well?

  • Yes, they did. As a result of those two suit cards, $1500 was given away.

  • i think u misunderstood me, i said if karen and bill had decided to not take the a of spades. (meaning not put it in their hand.) would they have still earned another $500?

  • This is the Gambit Board round. You can't reject or give away cards here. They *have* to take them.

  • i asked that because of the fact that wink said "you won't give that away will ya?"

  • In a word Adam: Nieeece!! I watched a handful of game shows when I was little, and I never saw this before (keep in mind I was born in 1975). If the new show is similar to Gambit, I hope the bonus round is just the same as the one in this clip. BTW, It's been a while since I heard Merrill Heatter doing any TV shows. I thought he disappeared.

  • Wow, thanks for posting this!

    I wonder if this was the biggest bonus win!

  • Dave and Randi Garrett of Woodland Hills, CA won $13,270 at the Gambit board in one shot on the 900th show in 1976. (I watched that show.)

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