‘I’ve Got A Secret’…The 1976 Primetime Fiasco
In 1976, CBS decided to revive this perennial favorite as a summer replacement in their primetime lineup, and if it did well, they would consider it for a longer run. Unfortunately, it was up against ABC’s wildly popular ‘Happy Days’, and only four episodes aired from June 15 till July 6, 1976. Not even a dead cat bounce in the ratings.
https://youtu.be/wYCxePElUjw
At the link is one of two pilot episodes shot 9 months before the June debut. Both pilots aired and only two other newer episodes were taped in Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center in NY, which we see in this rare photo.
The host was Bill Cullen, who was a long time panelist on the show, and on the new panel was another veteran, Henry Morgan. Richard Dawson, Elaine Joyce and Pat Collins rounded out the rest of the panel. Enjoy and share! – Bobby Ellerbee
One of the weird things is how ABC and CBS pretty much competed against each other during the mid 70s. Fred Silverman pretty much rebuilt CBS from a rural-themed network into a ratings powerhouse. They say he put Good Times on Tuesday night in an effort to destroy Happy Days…..only to go to ABC in 75 and be given the task to put Happy Days back on the map….which he not only did, but succeeded in putting ABC on the map as a ratings powerhouse.
OMG, all of us were so young back then!
I always love the design of game show sets back in the day. Moving set pieces, sliding doors, flashing lights. Ever since Who Wants To Be A Millionaire they’re mostly dark. daunting places with vari-lites and digital screens.
There are so many of them, but watching this and getting caught up in it all is definitely a MAJOR RABBIT HOLE.
The theme music to this version of IGAS was reused on the ABC game show “Second Chance”
@Dennis Degan Ah, yes…who could forget classics like “Supertrain” and “Pink Lady and Jeff”…
It never ceases to amaze me, how the cameras make a stage and sets look so much bigger than they really are. I thought this set was huge…until I saw this picture. Still, another cool picture!