Blockbusters: The First Episode (1 of 4)

[Jarren202]

"He's my clone"

lol!

[earlysunsets3]

jeez the theme tune really sucks compared to the british one. the theme tune was the best bit tbh lol.

[jeffrey44]

What a cow Joanne is for saying "I've got double trouble here". What a bastard Joe is for cracking his knuckles and what a spanner Tom is for saying "He's my clone". The presenter is no Bob Holness either. I hate everyone on this show. I am glad they all perished in the studio fire after this recording was made.

[jablejam]

Pinched from a UK show and summed down for US.

[HarlemHyena]

@jablejam You flipped it. Blockbusters was first created here in the USA. It was more popular across the pond.

You're welcome.

[ElonoreDoug605]

Download the audio from this tune at soundnabber doht cohm.

[atlanta4950]

Happy 30th Anniversary Blockbusters 30 Years of Blockbusters (1980-2010)

[AaronBruceLadner]

WOW! The Players hit those Buzzers with Such Great Enthusiasm.

[AaronBruceLadner]

My Favorite Thing about Blockbusters is the Game Board.

[AaronBruceLadner]

Q: What "M" is the Fast Food Restaurant which features a Red Haired Clown named Ronald?

A: McDonald's

[nextbarker]

Is this the first new G-T game show following Bill Todman's death?

[bvsmyth]

wtf is this? where is Bob Holness?

didnt know there was an american version aswell

[GameShowFanMan]

Yes, there were two runs of the American edition. This one ran from 1980-1982 with Bill Cullen and again for a few months in 1987 with Bill Rafferty. The show suffered the same fate: not appreciated in the States but a hit in other countries. When will Americans learn to appreciate these shows?

[SuperGamer7]

We do appreciate these shows. Some just have longer runs than others. It works both ways though. There have been shows that were sholt-lived overseas, but a hit here.

[Novetrix]

I notice the not-so-digital gameboard, yet some of the transition effects are clearly computer-animated. What year was this?

And what year was the newer version with the fully-digital board? I believe they used an Amiga 500 for controlling the system.

[AaronBruceLadner]

@Novetrix This Original Version of Blockbusters premiered in 1980. The Revival premiered in 1987.

[gamshwfan]

When I see a premire for a game show, I come in hoping i'm going to like it. I never expect perfection but at least a good representation of what the show is about.

Bill Cullen is known as the "Dean of game shows"; a person who is an erect textbook on emceeing (if that is a word). He may be sixty but he can still handle anything that comes his way; Blockbusters looks like it will be one of his bread & butter shows in the years to come.

This geometric quiz looks great right off the bat.

[DorvellTStewart]

This game show is from the 80's, and Bill Cullen is now dead. R.I.P Bill!

[gamshwfan]

I know that! He died in 1990.

[mistofoles]

Are these guys for real?

[Andresouza23]

I'm brazilian and the very first question is interesting!!

[Reed488]

What an underrated game show.

[spankmonkey73]

That's a shame. The UK version - tweaked to use 16-18 year old ("sixth-former") contestants - was very popular.

[gshowguy]

The announcer's Bob Hilton, BTW.

[storrs19]

Nice to see an episode that is not time compressed and credit crunched. Watch an episode on GSN and see how dang fast the opening theme goes. Bill was 60 years young at this time but still his genial self and a great host as always. Thanks so much for posting this.

[riceboy1701e]

@storrs19 feh...who needs GSN anymore?

[DENo1MatchGameFan]

@storrs19 One of the many reasons I don't watch that network anymore! Plus no more great G/T shows like this one!

[punkrockandsocks]

"I'm glad" you posted this!

[kes1963]

i think this was his best show

[RealTime88]

@kes1963 I agree one million times over. I read Bill received an Emmy nomination for this show.

[Fartingbellybutton]

@kes1963 Yes It was, He won a Emmy for it.

[JeopardyandWheelFan]

@kes1963 I agree with you, man. This was Bill Cullen's best show ever.

[artytoons]

A rare shot of Bill Cullen walking on camera.

Cullen walked with a limp from a childhood case of polio and was never shown walking on camera in most of the game shows he hosted. He was usually standing or seated at his host podium during the game show introduction scenes.

[UmedaRaton]

Ironically, in the first round, there was a question about the oral polio vaccine.

[ILOVETHEWHAMMY]

I think this game would work on todays tv line up!

[rfrancis51284]

that was a horrible sound at 2:23...

[Hawqis1]

sounds like he broke his fingers

[viddykiddy18]

@Hawqis1 Yeah, it was just Joe cracking his knuckles.

[johnissoevil]

Bill's return to Goodson-Todman after several years with Bob Stewart.

[Jnelson09Returns]

Also his first show for NBC since 1975.

[tsskiller]

Not true, you forgot about Chain Reaction, which was on NBC from Jan. - June 1980 (and ironically Blockbusters replaced Chain Reaction).

[Jnelson09Returns]

Right after I posted that, I remembered. But Blockbusters didn't replace Chain Reaction.

[vnisanian2001]

Is this copy from the original studio master/original broadcast?

[mrmatchgame]

yes

[bellybutton4]

Do you Have Classic Concentration?

[MrTroydninja]

@mrmatchgame NO!

[MrTroydninja]

@mrmatchgame No you fucking block me you fucking idiot you don't get so snappy at me you fucking idiot!

[JeopardyandWheelFan]

@mrmatchgame Don't worry about what MrTroydninja said. He is an idiot!

[MrTroydninja]

@vnisanian2001 No!

[JeopardyandWheelFan]

@vnisanian2001 Ignore what MrTroydninja said. He is a jackass!