1968 unsold game show pilot Talking Pictures, hosted by Allen Ludden. With panelists Carol Burnett, Lorne Greene, Peter Lawford, Tom Smothers, Stubby Kaye, Ann Miller, Agnes Moorehead, Jan Sterling, Paul Winchell and Angela Cartwright.
Unfortunately, CBS was moving away from game shows at the time...after daytime To Tell the Truth ended that same year, they didn't air another GS until the short-lived Amateur's Guide to Love in 1972, and it wasn't until later in said year that the genre would make a proper comeback on the network with the successful debut of The (New) Price is Right/The Joker's Wild/Gambit. Also, Hatos-Hall tried another TP pilot in 1976 for ABC, this time w/Monty Hall as host and only 8 celebs (plus some trivia/word game elements to add more variety), but it also failed to sell.
I've noticed that a few years later Monty Hall hosted this show. I wonder how many shows played on the network before they cancelled it. I wish I could find more of these shows.
Shame Allen Ludden was "typecast" to Password and its variants. It seems most of his other game shows ended up in pilots (exceptions being GE College Bowl and Stumpers).
The window opening reminds me of Laugh In. This could have gone on to be very funny if they worked out kinds. Made it more fast paced or something. I guess maybe I'm just more impressed with the star lineup.
swampzoid It would work best with the right mix of comedians and stars, like this pilot was. It would have been hard to make it work week after week. I don't think the silent picture needed to be a character, could have been a mystery celebrity.
Director, Joe Behar (also worked on other Hatos-Hall shows including "Let's Make a Deal"), was married at the time to Joy Behar, who was a schoolteacher and had not yet gotten into show business.
The first 2 questions must have been scripted. Each contestant was told which answer to give for maximum comic effect, and no effect on the scores. Just my observation.
The "silent comedy" character was completely pointless. All it did was slow down the game. If there had been a penalty (maybe lose $10) for choosing that door, it would have made more sense.
