I remember this crap. One of the worst game shows, ever! Trebek used to waste soooooo much time, while the dame clock was ticking away. Jeopardy saved his career.
@KanadianKyuubi Yeah, with Trebek saying he has no good memories of the show because it's the one he was never paid for. Though he didn't make clear if they stiffed him or if he was working pro bono.
I just read a contestant on Pitfall, Eileen Mintz of Mercer Island, died back on Feb. 1, 2009, at age 66. Would somebody please post her episode(s) of Pitfall on YouTube in her memory? Thank you!
If that happens, maybe Alex will finally get paid for hosting this show. The check he was given by Catalena Productions was denied by the bank. He actually had the check framed, and he still has it today.
Would anybody please put a complete episode of Pitfall on this site? Too bad the complete credits were not included on this video because I like this show's music. Who did the music, by the way?
That would be Alex Trebek's worst nightmare to bring this show back. He has personally called it "one of the great tragedies of my life". The check he was given as pay was no good, so he still has it framed on his living room wall.
Panorama Studios in Vancouver; the 1980-81 version of Let's Make A Deal (co-produced by Catalena Productions and Hatos-Hall Productions) was done there as well.
Great bonus game! Although I heard the main game wasn't one of the best-- it was just a Family Feud clone for that round, but the bonus game is unique.
The show was cancelled by the time this came around. But still, here, there are certain spots in which you lose time and you try to get the passes to avoid them.
Too awesome, thank you for posting. I forgot about some of that cheesy music, e.g. after getting out of a pitfall. And showing the pitfalls during the credits.
Yeah, check out the clip from the Life and Times ep they did profiling Trebek (which is also on here)...he talks about Pitfall and shows the never-cleared earnings check that he keeps framed on his office wall.
OMG I was wondering when Pitfall footage would end up on YouTube. The day has arrived! I still remember hearing that cool music when the clock is counting down... Thanks for posting!
This was my favorite game show when I was wee. It came on at 1:30 on Ch 9 (WOR) in the NY area in the mid-80s. The main part of the game was an audience poll, and the contestants got pitpasses for getting their first, third, and fifth correct answers. I remember one game where the contestant had a pitpass but forgot to give it to Alex, and he still had to go all the way to the bottom. I also remember that Alex and the contestant took an elevator up but took pitfalls to get down after the game.
It's Canadian, yet one of the prizes is 30 yards of carpet? Was that used because of US syndication, or had Canada not fully converted to metric in the early 80s?
The show was produced and taped in Canada, but it was meant to be sold to a U.S. network, so any references to metric or Canadian content would not work for american audiences.
True, but since the show was mostly seen in Canada, I'm surprised they didn't use metric. I do know there's no requirement for broadcasters to use metric - some Windsor radio stations give the temperature in Fahrenheit only because they're obviously targeting Detroit and Toledo.
Yeah, I think they wanted to look as American as possible, since it was airing here as well...they only ever gave hometowns for US contestants, and probably the only indication of its country of origin came w/the hotel plug near the end of the show (The Inn @ Denman Place, in Vancouver).
Best game show, too bad about how it ended. That light show may have been harder than it looks; the numbers are superimposed on screen but are not there in studio.
I was wondering how the numbers appeared on the screen when the lights were dimmed but not there when they came on, did it have something to do with the fancy stuff on the wall behind the pitfall.
Where in the world did you find this!? I have been looking for episodes of this show for quite some time! I thought these were all lost when Catalena Productions went under? If you have more episodes, please post them! Great find!
"One of the great tragedies of my life." Alex Trebek has said this about Pitfall. The production company went bankrupt and stiffed him. He still has the bounced check framed in his house.
After this ended, Trebek hosted pilots for what became Starcade. The creators of Starcade mentioned on their website that Trebek had just moved back into his parents' house when he was hired to host the pilot (which was eventually picked up by TBS, minus Trebek). The bankruptcy of Catalina Productions (and thus, the bounced checks) were the likely cause of this.
I screwed up. The previous information I found is not on the official Starcade website, but in an article I read online a couple of years ago (that I now cannot find). It is true that Trebek was unemployed (both Pitfall and The New Battlestars had been cancelled by this point) and in need of work when Starcade came calling (at the time, they were pitching the show to NBC, and had they picked it up, Trebek would have hosted).
I was a contestant on this show in about 1981. I won about $5K in prizes, never got paid. The show never got picked up. You'll notice the prizes are generic, no brand names. It was because when the show was taped, it wasn't sold yet, so the prizes were all bullshit. Taped in Vancouver, B.C.
You must have heard about the latest news on Alex Trebek...he had a minor heart attack on 12/11/2007...he's resting comfortably at a southern California hospital, and he'll be back in time for Christmas and taping of new "Jeopardy!" showings.
I remember this crap. One of the worst game shows, ever! Trebek used to waste soooooo much time, while the dame clock was ticking away. Jeopardy saved his career.
kcufmalsi 3 weeks ago
I like the bonus round tune (not when they come up from the bottom, but the rest of it).
Pyrotech56 1 month ago
Ha, that's the segment I just watched from the previous user! That's funny.
Dodgerfn5 2 months ago
i would not nessescarly say cheap that was more than the bonus round of say jokers wild and tic tac dough most games back then didnot go to high
loutenore33 4 months ago
Wow.. Those were some fancy prizes for a Canadian TV show. Ususally you won vinyl seat covers and hockey tape or something.
jherikurl 11 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Can you all believe that Trebek is 70?
CainmosniMirrored 1 year ago
Kebert Xela
Nooblogs 1 year ago
Someone on Jeopardy (on april fool's day I must add) brought up this show a few days ago...
KanadianKyuubi 1 year ago
@KanadianKyuubi Yeah, with Trebek saying he has no good memories of the show because it's the one he was never paid for. Though he didn't make clear if they stiffed him or if he was working pro bono.
RetroBoyWontDie 1 year ago
@RetroBoyWontDie His cheque bounced. He actually still has it, framed in his house or office somewhere.
erikdraven1731 1 year ago
Alex has an afro!
rdub520 2 years ago
8 and 3
evchild 2 years ago
awesome!!!!! I can't believe that footage of this exists. wow
canadaguy2112ca 2 years ago 2
I just read a contestant on Pitfall, Eileen Mintz of Mercer Island, died back on Feb. 1, 2009, at age 66. Would somebody please post her episode(s) of Pitfall on YouTube in her memory? Thank you!
chrisbox51 2 years ago
I forgot to mention it was in Mercer Island, WA.
chrisbox51 2 years ago
I just posted one of Eileen's episodes. Enjoy!
davewalls 2 years ago
Thank you davewalls!
chrisbox51 2 years ago
Do you have any more episodes? I was on the show and won the pitfall round. Ross
ross1961 2 years ago
@chrisbox51 All four parts are currently posted off to the right in the related videos. "davewalls" is the poster.
Dodgerfn5 2 months ago
Do you have the rest of the end credits, or are they cut off on the videotape you have?
mbsjrcc06 2 years ago
Could you upload a full episode, please, Justin? I want to see the main game, even though I know the basics of it.
Hondo20132 2 years ago
Good. 2, including this one, are posted.
Hondo20132 2 years ago
This game show could have been produced by Merrill Heather and Bob Quigley!
heine71 3 years ago
It wasn't, though.
Jnelson09Returns 2 years ago
Canada is famous for hockey!
heine71 3 years ago
It's also famous for bad game shows.
Biblepipe 2 years ago
Not necessarily bad, just very cheap
SuperGamer7 2 years ago 3
Yes, that's true. Good point! : )
Biblepipe 2 years ago
Will Canada cable channel Game TV ever pick up reruns of Pitfall?
heine71 3 years ago
That would proably be a nightmare for Alex Trebek considering that he once called this show "one of the great tragedies of my life".
bluebear1985 3 years ago 3
I think that they will since this was good.
BlackwoodCompany 3 years ago
If that happens, maybe Alex will finally get paid for hosting this show. The check he was given by Catalena Productions was denied by the bank. He actually had the check framed, and he still has it today.
bluebear1985 3 years ago
Would anybody please put a complete episode of Pitfall on this site? Too bad the complete credits were not included on this video because I like this show's music. Who did the music, by the way?
chrisbox51 3 years ago
They should remake this show with the bonus pitfall round incorporated as a main component of the game.
FreshWesss 3 years ago
That would be Alex Trebek's worst nightmare to bring this show back. He has personally called it "one of the great tragedies of my life". The check he was given as pay was no good, so he still has it framed on his living room wall.
bluebear1985 3 years ago
What does anything you've said have to do with the quality of the show?
brb588 3 years ago
except if they did this show now, the pitfalls would involve being dropped into a tub of alligators or something.
pem1974 3 years ago
Does anyone know which studio Pitfall was taped at?
MikeTeaveeJr 3 years ago
Panorama Studios in Vancouver; the 1980-81 version of Let's Make A Deal (co-produced by Catalena Productions and Hatos-Hall Productions) was done there as well.
johnnyafairbanks 3 years ago
Monte hall & Alex Trebek are both Canadians.
frankd1965 3 years ago
Alex must have been a lady killer in his day!!
sodoku50 3 years ago
Alex's hair and the elevator gimmick made this show legendary.
secordman 3 years ago 2
Great bonus game! Although I heard the main game wasn't one of the best-- it was just a Family Feud clone for that round, but the bonus game is unique.
gshowguy 3 years ago
I disagree. The bonus round is a copy of "The Gauntlet of Villians" from "Whew!".
Rlotpir1972 3 years ago
In what way. It does remind me of Russian Roulette thouhh.
gamshwfan 3 years ago
The show was cancelled by the time this came around. But still, here, there are certain spots in which you lose time and you try to get the passes to avoid them.
Was that Don Pardo announcing?
Hondo20132 3 years ago
No, it was Canadian radio/TV personality John Barton.
WhatsAYak 3 years ago
Does John Barton has a MySpace and/or Facebook site?
heine71 3 years ago
@Rlotpir1972 The Gauntlet didn't have potential time penalties, or elevators for that matter.
KanadianKyuubi 1 year ago
@Rlotpir1972 No, it isn't.
fatmanfiftythousand 10 months ago
Too awesome, thank you for posting. I forgot about some of that cheesy music, e.g. after getting out of a pitfall. And showing the pitfalls during the credits.
bubbabubba20042004 3 years ago
used to watch this on global in Canada, nice fro alex
Love4SK 3 years ago
Reminds me of the Gauntlet Of Villain on WHew!
balboa77 3 years ago
Yeah, check out the clip from the Life and Times ep they did profiling Trebek (which is also on here)...he talks about Pitfall and shows the never-cleared earnings check that he keeps framed on his office wall.
WhatsAYak 3 years ago
I liked this game show. I would love to see clips from Just Like Mom.
cne08 4 years ago
Fun game, very underrated...too bad none of the contestants (or Alex) got paid near the end!
WhatsAYak 4 years ago
OMG I was wondering when Pitfall footage would end up on YouTube. The day has arrived! I still remember hearing that cool music when the clock is counting down... Thanks for posting!
Flogboy 4 years ago
i dont know the main game of it
dim432 4 years ago
It was kind of a Family Feud-type game, with the audience voting live.
Jnelson09Returns 4 years ago
I remember this bit of Canadiana quite well. It was on Global, weekdays at 2:30 if my memory serves me correctly.
icm1970 4 years ago
This was my favorite game show when I was wee. It came on at 1:30 on Ch 9 (WOR) in the NY area in the mid-80s. The main part of the game was an audience poll, and the contestants got pitpasses for getting their first, third, and fifth correct answers. I remember one game where the contestant had a pitpass but forgot to give it to Alex, and he still had to go all the way to the bottom. I also remember that Alex and the contestant took an elevator up but took pitfalls to get down after the game.
PopeInnocentXIV 3 years ago
I remember it came on at 12:30pm during its run from 1981.
jaydude28 2 years ago
I gotta see more of this!
Jnelson09Returns 4 years ago
It's Canadian, yet one of the prizes is 30 yards of carpet? Was that used because of US syndication, or had Canada not fully converted to metric in the early 80s?
someguy23475 4 years ago
That is a very good question. I couldn't tell you, but I'd like to know too.
JimmySand9 4 years ago
The show was produced and taped in Canada, but it was meant to be sold to a U.S. network, so any references to metric or Canadian content would not work for american audiences.
ross1961 4 years ago
True, but since the show was mostly seen in Canada, I'm surprised they didn't use metric. I do know there's no requirement for broadcasters to use metric - some Windsor radio stations give the temperature in Fahrenheit only because they're obviously targeting Detroit and Toledo.
someguy23475 4 years ago
Yeah, I think they wanted to look as American as possible, since it was airing here as well...they only ever gave hometowns for US contestants, and probably the only indication of its country of origin came w/the hotel plug near the end of the show (The Inn @ Denman Place, in Vancouver).
WhatsAYak 3 years ago
Best game show, too bad about how it ended. That light show may have been harder than it looks; the numbers are superimposed on screen but are not there in studio.
misterspiffy 4 years ago
I was wondering how the numbers appeared on the screen when the lights were dimmed but not there when they came on, did it have something to do with the fancy stuff on the wall behind the pitfall.
jaydude28 4 years ago
Nope, the numbers were simply superimposed over the image electronically. Alex and the contestant don't see those numbers.
pem1974 4 years ago
I was on the show and we figured out that the last 3 lights that flashed were the pitfalls, so it was easy to win.
ross1961 4 years ago
Gotta love all of that Pitfall music!
BRBTheFireball 4 years ago 4
yeah we need more of these episodes on youtube because the fanbase is big for lost game shows like this one.
jaydude28 4 years ago
JustinInAtlanta,
Where in the world did you find this!? I have been looking for episodes of this show for quite some time! I thought these were all lost when Catalena Productions went under? If you have more episodes, please post them! Great find!
cololover07 4 years ago
It's a shame Alex got screwed over when he hosted this game, the bonus round was amazing, and the music helps, too!
It was a good thing Dan remembered to give the pitpasses to Alex or else he would have lost!
JBird30761 4 years ago
Man, gotta love that bonus round music!
Tubewings 4 years ago 4
And how.
Jnelson09Returns 4 years ago
"One of the great tragedies of my life." Alex Trebek has said this about Pitfall. The production company went bankrupt and stiffed him. He still has the bounced check framed in his house.
Jnelson09Returns 4 years ago
After this ended, Trebek hosted pilots for what became Starcade. The creators of Starcade mentioned on their website that Trebek had just moved back into his parents' house when he was hired to host the pilot (which was eventually picked up by TBS, minus Trebek). The bankruptcy of Catalina Productions (and thus, the bounced checks) were the likely cause of this.
Troggle84 3 years ago
I screwed up. The previous information I found is not on the official Starcade website, but in an article I read online a couple of years ago (that I now cannot find). It is true that Trebek was unemployed (both Pitfall and The New Battlestars had been cancelled by this point) and in need of work when Starcade came calling (at the time, they were pitching the show to NBC, and had they picked it up, Trebek would have hosted).
Troggle84 3 years ago
He also hosted a really bizarre (but hilarious) pilot for a show called Malcolm. Mikek1975 has uploaded it, check it out.
Jnelson09Returns 3 years ago
I would be kool if the show came to the US and the play for cash prizes instead of prizes.
bpot22 4 years ago
Nice win. I thought he might have blown it with that last pitfall, but he just made it!
SuperGamer7 4 years ago
I am just curious if the contestant got paid?
scottof83 4 years ago
I was a contestant on this show in about 1981. I won about $5K in prizes, never got paid. The show never got picked up. You'll notice the prizes are generic, no brand names. It was because when the show was taped, it wasn't sold yet, so the prizes were all bullshit. Taped in Vancouver, B.C.
ross1961 4 years ago 2
It was sold, but the production company had financial problems.
Jnelson09Returns 4 years ago
The end credits have been suddenly cut off.
mrceleb2006 4 years ago
You must have heard about the latest news on Alex Trebek...he had a minor heart attack on 12/11/2007...he's resting comfortably at a southern California hospital, and he'll be back in time for Christmas and taping of new "Jeopardy!" showings.
mrceleb2006 4 years ago
He blew a question on Canada's favorite sport, hockey??
heine71 4 years ago
wait a sec, i think 4 of them lit up twice.
Wheeloffortunefan999 4 years ago
uh, no.
order of lighting up:
2,8,4,1,7,3,6,8,5,3,7
7,3,8 being the ones lit twice.
aji00 4 years ago
They show you at the end of the round which 3 were the Pitfalls. Look closely enough and you'll see.
MTCesquire 4 years ago