Q&A with the authors of Celebrities on TV Game Shows 1950-1999 Volume 1

Q&A with the authors of Celebrities on TV Game Shows 1950-1999 Volume 1

How did this book come about?

It started with a phone call about a single game show question. That call turned into a half-hour discussion about the genre, which then led to back-and-forth e-mails about different stars appearing on game shows over the years. After a while, it occurred to us that there might be a book to be written about this.

Why did you want to write a book on this particular subject?

Since the rise of the Internet, a lot of information has become available – and, unfortunately, so has a lot of misinformation. Because of that, we wanted to provide a source on this subject that was as accurate as possible. We also felt it was necessary to preserve as much information as we can about this fascinating subject.

Where did you find all this information?

The shows themselves, obviously, were a primary source when available. Beyond that, we’re both TV Guide collectors, which helped a lot. We also subscribe to several online newspaper archives, and some of our contacts in the industry were nice enough to provide us with information.

What were some of the most surprising facts you uncovered during your research?

Going through listings of some of the 1950s titles, it’s amazing how many important figures in government appeared on shows like “Masquerade Party” and “What’s My Line?” – senators, governors, mayors, and even some future presidents, such as Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter.

Also, the wide scope of personalities who did game shows is staggering: actors, comedians, musicians, models, athletes, columnists, CEOs, news anchors – you name it. People like Joan Crawford, Groucho Marx, Margaret Truman, Mickey Mantle, Aretha Franklin, and Hugh Downs have all played different TV games because they enjoyed them. Some have even had spans of 40 years or more on games, like June Lockhart.

Do you have any personal favorite game shows?

Some of our all-time favorites are “Concentration,” “To Tell the Truth,” “Match Game,” “Hollywood Squares,” “Password,” and the various incarnations of “Pyramid.”

Other than compiling celebrity lists, do you have other game show-related hobbies?

We each collect episodes of classic game shows and still photographs from the sets.

Did you ever do anything to help pass the time while you were doing your research?

Listening to jazz always helps the process, as well as top 40 hits from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Also, a can or two of Mountain Dew Real Sugar speeds things along, though it’s getting harder to find!

Have you thought about what your next project might be?

There’s a lot of game show-related trivia out there, which could make for a fun read. We’ve also been kicking around the idea of a book that goes more in-depth about some popular game show personalities, such as Arlene Francis, Nipsey Russell, and Peggy Cass.