Anyone Remember "Musical Chairs"?
ElmerCat
There once was a game show called "Musical Chairs". It was one of the first
to have a black host. He would sing the theme song as the show began. The
game was something like "Name That Tune" except that when a contestant was
eliminated, instead of walking off stage--- a door opened behind the losing
contestant and their chair was pulled off the set. It was very funny to
watch. Does anyone remember this show? Is it being rerun anywhere?
ElmerCat
T. Jay
ElmerCat wrote:
>
> There once was a game show called "Musical Chairs".
%SNIP%
Does anyone remember this show? Is it being rerun anywhere?
Well, I sure do!!! It was a show that featured the original Tokens as
one of the "house" groups. (BTW, I'll get to see the Tokens this
Saturday!! I did get to ask Jay Siegel, lead singer, about the show.
He was surprised anyone knew about it!!)
As far as the whereabouts of the shows, rumour has it that most, if not
all, copies still exist in the hands of Don Kirschner, the producer of
the show.
I would LOVE to see that show return. I think it would be a wonderful
pair-up with VH-1's My Generation game show!!! I could see the promos
now:
1 hour of music trivia,
with 2 shows from 2 different generations,
and both generations battle it out in the 90s!!
Musical Chairs and My Generation,
Weekdays on VH-1.
I have sent my wish into VH1 hoping they might pursue it. Anyone else
who likes the idea (even if there's only a few months worth of Musical
Chairs that were ever made.) should also join in the crusade and e-mail
VH-1.
T. Jay
Tjhornikel
"let's play the game of MUSICAL CHAIRS. Let's give ourselves a round of
applesauce". Just the mention of that show makes me cringe. It was like
watching a traffic accident.
TJay, what are you thinking?????????????????????????????
Let's match MY GENERATION with Kennedy's NAME THAT TUNE (disco version).
"May all your consequences be happy ones",
Tom Hornikel
a.k.a. The Winemaster
David Johnson
Uh, Winemaster...the lyrics to the "Musical Chairs" song were "Let's
play a game of Musical Chairs/Let's sing our favorite song".
It debuted on CBS the same date as "Spin-Off" and unlike that
series,unfortunately, "Musical Chairs" actually PLAYED on the local CBS
station I had back then.
--David Johnson
TADXN
>TJay, what are you thinking?????????????????????????????
>Let's match MY GENERATION with Kennedy's NAME THAT TUNE (disco
>version).
I disagree! I think T. Jay has a VERY good idea on his hands, for I have NEVER
seen Musical Chairs in ALL MY LIFE!
If you are going to pair MY GENERATION w/something OTHER than that, I say pair
it with FACE THE MUSIC starring Ron Ely!
Actually, I say have a 2-hour afternoon GS block on VH1 with both of the above
shows PLUS Musical Chairs and *Lange*'s NAME THAT TUNE.
Kenneth Johannessen
(Music open)
Let's play a game...of "Mu-si-cal Chairs"...
Let's hear our fav-o-rite songs of to-day and yes-ter-day...
Let's see if we can re-mem-ber the words...
To all our fav-o-rite saw-ongs...
(Adam Wade:)
And when the music stops I give you a choice:
Is it "A": (guests:) "I love you!"
"B": "I need you!"
"C": "What'cha doin' after the show?"
(all:)
Let's play a game...of "Mu-si-cal Chairs"...
and give our-selves a round of app-lause!!!
This show also had a neat way of choosing the winner. The winner of the
game had to have not only the high score, but also the first right answer.
Therefore, the second place contestant could keep him/herself in the game
blocking out the leader.
Was taped at the Ed Sullivan Theater...it was a good show that should have
lasted longer than it did. Jerome Schnur and Don Kirschner produced it,
and I haven't seen or heard of it since it went off the air.
k.j.
ElmerCat <elme...@nycap.rr.com> wrote in article
<6f7cue$74p$1...@proxye3.nycap.rr.com>...
> There once was a game show called "Musical Chairs". It was one of the
first
> to have a black host. He would sing the theme song as the show began. The
> game was something like "Name That Tune" except that when a contestant
was
> eliminated, instead of walking off stage--- a door opened behind the
losing
> contestant and their chair was pulled off the set. It was very funny to
> watch. Does anyone remember this show? Is it being rerun anywhere?
>
> ElmerCat
>
>
>
Charles Blaquiere
Tjhornikel wrote:
>
> "let's play the game of MUSICAL CHAIRS. Let's give ourselves a round of
> applesauce". Just the mention of that show makes me cringe. It was like
> watching a traffic accident.
Woooo, nasssty! Count me in as a big Musical Chairs fan, although I must
confess not having seen the show since it went off the air. My opinion
may dim somewhat once I get to see it on a trade tape.
Meowmtmla
As I've shared before, this is one show that moves me to wax more than
nostalgic...Myself and another a-t-g-s contributor who is lucky enough to work
in this business (among others) spent the better part of the sticky summer
evenings of 1975 in the (sometimes) air conditioned environs of the Sullivan,
thrilling to Pat Hernon's stirring audience warmups (if you think he was dull
on air, you should have seen him work a room), The Tokens, Mary Stuart,
Stephanie Mills, Bobby Rydell, and others. We were, in a word, regulars. Hey,
I earned $50 salary for the entire summer as a camp counselor--it was the only
nighttime New York City entertainment I could afford.
The coup de grace, though, was Adam Wade's truly genial offer to host our high
school's talent show--for a minimum wage plus car fare--a week CHAIRS bit the
dust. What he owed to a bunch of zealotic Queens teens was literally nothing,
but out of intrigue and loyalty (he had a couple of high school-age kids at the
time and loved the idea of giving something back to them) he came through. He
literally filled an otherwise lethargic school auditorium to capacity, gave us
something promotable enough that it actually got picked up by the local Daily
News edition and helped provide a memorable night. Kind of like Marcia Brady
getting Davy Jones to her dance, only real...
This was almost 23 years ago and you can tell how etched in my memory this
was...CHAIRS and Adam will always have a special place in my heart...Thanks for
letting me share...
SL
AlfonzoS
Gang,
For those who don't know what the fuss is about, here is what I remember about
this game: Four contestants would listen while someone sang a popular song. In
the middle of the song, the singer would stop and the host would declare "Is
the next line..." and the sing would sing next line along with three faux
lines. Speed was important because the faster you rang in the correct answer
the more you earned. If everyone chose the correct line, the last contestant to
buzz in received nothing.
The second half of the game saw an increase in the payoffs for correct
responses but the lowest scoring player would be eliminated. The eliminated
player, chair, podium and all would be yanked off stage. Newsweek (I believe)
reported that one contestant was yanked off so far he screamed "Whiplash!"
I vaguely remember two different bonus games but both were very easy and very
lame. Most contestants walked off with the $2000 grand prize. The first bonus
round had players matching the first line of a song with the second line on a
board. The second try at a bonus game had the contestant singing the second
line after hearing the first. Both games were played against a sixty second
clock.
Alfonzo Smith
Kenneth Johannessen
> For those who don't know what the fuss is about, here is what I remember
about this game: Four contestants would listen while someone sang a popular
song. In the middle of the song, the singer would stop and the host would
declare "Is the next line..." and the sing would sing next line along with
three faux
lines. Speed was important because the faster you rang in the correct
answer
the more you earned. If everyone chose the correct line, the last
contestant to
buzz in received nothing.
>
> The second half of the game saw an increase in the payoffs for correct
> responses but the lowest scoring player would be eliminated. The
eliminated
> player, chair, podium and all would be yanked off stage. Newsweek (I
believe)
> reported that one contestant was yanked off so far he screamed
"Whiplash!"
Correct, but the contestants were only given three choices - the correct
lyric, and two incorrect ones. Or sometimes it wouldn't be lyrics at all,
but a question about the song with three choices. The first round answers
were $50, the second $75, and the third (and elimination round) $100.
Near the end of the run, the format was changed slightly - the three
questions in each round had values of 50, 75 and 100 dollars respectively,
and the low scorer at the end of each round had his/her chair "yanked."
>
> I vaguely remember two different bonus games but both were very easy and
very lame. Most contestants walked off with the $2000 grand prize. The
first bonus round had players matching the first line of a song with the
second line on a
board. The second try at a bonus game had the contestant singing the second
line after hearing the first. Both games were played against a sixty second
clock.
That may be the way the first bonus game was played; I honestly don't
recall. But after the first bonus game was scrapped, for a time the
winning contestants' haul was doubled. Then about a month before the show
was cancelled, there was a new bonus game: The contestant chose one of
three categories, heard the melody of a song, and then had to put ten
lyrics to the song in order on a board within THIRTY seconds. $100 per
correct line, $2,000 for all ten. A lame bonus? I don't think so; not
everybody came away with the two grand, and it was challenging considering
many lyrics to some songs are almost the same, but slightly different.
In any event, a good game, one that died much too soon, IMO.
By the way - the "Musical Chairs Orchestra" leader was a very good jazz
pianist, Derek Smith. I'd like to know who made up the rest of the band.
Can anyone post that info, please??
Thanx...
k.j.
T. Jay
FWIW:
At the last minute I was asked to introduce an oldies group at our
station-sponsored oldies concert Saturday Night.
That group?? Only one of the Musical Chairs group regulars -- The
Tokens.
And If I wasn't so much like the "deer in the headlights" when I went
out on stage, I was going to say that the Tokens were also regulars on a
shor-lived 70's game show (MC).
I did talk to Jay Siegel (lead) about the show -- I did this in '96 also
-- he said he'd love to get his hands on a few of the eps he was on.
Unfortunately, they aren't on the ep currently in trading, but if you
ever come across one, let me know!!!
BTW, one Token member said he sees Adam Wade every so often -- IIRC, he
is currently either a Doctor or a teacher in NYC...
T. Jay