In 1976 the Bowling For Dollars franchise in the Washington DC area was filmed at River Bowl in Bethesda, Maryland. Some local schools there had Saturday afternoon junior leagues. I first bowled ten pins in the eighth grade. Before that I had bowled candlepins in New Hampshire, where that specific type is popular . I admit that I was never overly impressed with the comparatively paltry cash prizes. Hell, a strike shoulda won ya at least a thousand bucks !!!
I used to watch this all the time when I was a kid. I then started bowling in Junior Leagues in 1979 and still bowl in leagues now. My grandmother put all of us grandkids' names in Bowling for Dollars but I don't think any of our names were ever picked.
I think a show back in 1978 was cheaper than a 1977, the sticker price was something like $2999.00. in 1977, my father had a trifecta at Monmouth Park that paid $33,700.00 , He bought my mother a new Chevy impala, and himself for one year-old Chevy caprice, both cars were under $5,000.
This was hilarious, I think they were like seven people in the audience, and the guy would get up there and win six dollars and say he like to say hi to everybody at Joe’s bar
So funny! Wholesome show for sure. So much better then the disgusting garbage family feud hosted by Steve Harvey where every question is a sexual innuendo.
I have been trying to find this episode of Bowling For Dollars in my area. I live in Northeast Pennsylvania The year was 1976 or 1977. I was 11 or 12 at the time & they showed us in the audience and my sister's friend was a contestant. I have tried for years to find that episode but to no avail. My sister's friends name was Keith Ovens I believe!
In my opinion, I believe he missed that fourth one on purpose. Nobody wanted a 1978 Chevy Chevette. I remember watching these shows as a child. And I really enjoyed them.
Larry Kenny, the voice of Lion-O of the Thundercats, here as a smarmy game show host on Bowling for Dollars. "Thunder, thunder, thunder! THUNDERCATS, BOOOOOWWWLLLL!"
I think part of the appeal of these shows was how local, and relatively low-budget they were. I think some of the ABC reboots are a little over-the-top. Too flashy, too focused on a contestant's life story, and sometimes the game becomes an afterthought. Not to mention, they seem to enjoy building up suspense, only to interrupt the show with commercial breaks.
@@jasonacg It's the same formula as crap shows like American Idolators. They paste on fake stories of the little guy, ugly guy, down and out gal making it big.