ABC'S Carnival '74|FULL PILOT

From Quickie to a full pilot...in all its glory!!!
Go behind the scenes with TV and radio legend Wink Martindale!
Facebook: / winkmartindalegames
Twitter: / winkmartindale
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[@reedberry]

I'm not wild about the show, but it's awesome to see Johnny Gilbert featured so prominently in it. Clearly, he loves his work, and that's why he's still announcing at age 95!

[@armorybrunotjr.3204]

This game show is "Let's Make A Deal" minus the zonks and set on a midway. Nice guest appearance by Ruth Buzzi. Johnny Gilbert is terrific as the barker.

[@millenniumman75]

Johnny Gilbert had a Johnny Carson like show in Dayton, OH in the mid 1960s after Price is Right went off the air. He left to go back to New York and the game show world. The time slot in Dayton was filled with a talk show hosted by then-local newscaster....... *Phil Donahue* - and the rest is history.

[@davemeyer8483]

Wow, this is the 70's-est thing that has ever 70's-ed. Good times.

[@jeprice08]

This is basically Let's Make A Deal without the zonks, Monty Hall, Jay Stewart, and Carol Merrill!

[@DrummingWriterTrekfan84]

It's like a cross between the price is right and let's make a deal with a wacky carnival twist! Lol!!

[@montana_patriot]

Wink is on a roll. Thanks for all the awesome premiers.

[@giovannia5685]

Well, this certainly IS a surprise, Wink! This feels like Let’s Make a Deal on LSD. This certainly is Johnny Gilbert at his loudest, and Tom Kelly is a good host. I can’t even describe the surprise after watching this, wow. Another pilot that deserved to sell. Keep it up, Wink. You’re doing so great. ❤️

[@RedStrikerBeetleborg]

More like magic mushrooms

[@millenniumman75]

4:11 - interesting you say Let's Make a Deal - the music cue and the pool table were both on Let's Make a Deal!

[@James-mdnght]

From “Ladies and gents! Boys and girls! Step right up!” to “This is Jeopardy!” What a long way to come from! 😂

[@AdamJ617]

And he also announces on Celebrity J! On abc.

[@anthonyfrail2286]

& “ok you’re on”

[@americasevilgenius]

Throughout the show I was wondering, "I wonder if Monty Hall knew that someone had ripped off Let's Make A Deal"...then I saw it was a Stefan Hatos/Monty Hall production...

[@wisp2007]

i guess Hall wanted dominance, as he also had Split Second still going at the time on ABC

[@tnpir73]

Ruth Buzzi!!! Awesome!!!

[@therealbrentrolland]

Oh man! I remember the snippet of this on Wink’s channel! Johnny Gilbert is CRUSHING it. I’ve never seen him this in character and lively. This is fun! Wink and team, thank you for all these treats!

[@alexromero2319]

With some major modernizing and expansion to an hour I could see something like this work as a summer prime time show today.

[@kingporter67]

That lady looks gorgeous in a yellow bikini bathing suit at the 2:28, 2:36 marks, this is a super magnificent 1974 ABC's carnival full pilot game show classic!!

[@MikeyWayne-zw9pw]

It's Let's Make a Deal on LSD 🤣🤣🤣

[@Marc010]

You can see why this remained a pilot but give props to them for trying.

[@vinniemystery563]

WOW It's here it's here Wink has done it again 🎉❤

[@wjburgess64]

Tom Kelly was primarily a sportscaster, doing broadcasts for the USC Trojans for years. I mainly remember him doing play-by-play of boxing from LA’s Olympic Auditorium. Excellent sportscaster and appeared to do a good job with what little I’ve watched of the pilot thus far.

[@neumannsod]

Johnny drank a second cup of coffee that day. The games could easily find a place on Let’s Make a Deal and would have livened that up a bit.

[@Ian16545]

Having already got LMAD on their plate, I think Monty and Stefan realized they'd bit off more than either one of them could chew with this. I mean, I can hear some of LMAD's cues on this. Either way, though, this was a wild and crazy pilot with *some* promise-if not a lot. Bring on the fair food!

[@ChuckD79]

Thanks for sharing...another pilot was shot w/Bob McAllister (of Wonderama fame) as host.

[@paddydoublems]

This is Let's Make a Deal if Sid and Marty Krofft got their hands on it. I guess Monty Hall wanted to make a companion piece to LMAD. Johnny Gilbert is certainly game. Ruth Buzzi is a good fit since it gives off Laugh In vibes, but I think that portion was staged since she was so close to guessing the contestants weights.

[@JamesStein-w1b]

Cute pilot. I enjoyed it. Sort of like a more fun version of Let's make a deal.

[@JayTemple]

My hunch is that they put '74 in the title because it helped Match Game.

[@stedco75]

Hatos-Hall probably had to send themselves a cease and desist letter after this one. It’s pretty much exactly LMAD with a carnival theme.

[@benkizer9509]

Well, you could make the argument that they could have done that with The New Price is Right. Even Mark Goodson admitted they were trying to create their own version of Let's Make a Deal with that show.

[@ebrenner5059]

Remember ABC back in 1974 picked up The $ 10,000 pyramid from CBS. Because Pyramid was very popular, that probably ended any chance for ABC Carnival to be picked up for ABC daytime.

[@ebrenner5059]

Sometimes, it is possible for a show to get away with a similarity. Look at the original Split Second end game. Picking the right car to start. On LMAD there was the game to pick the right key to open the car door.

[@RobHoffmann]

Is there an interview anywhere that explains why Hatos/Hall piloted this LMAD clone for the network that was airing LMAD at the time?

[@pjwilldexter1762]

How could i have missed this as a kid........and I thought Almost Anything Goes was a strange concept

[@JohnWatsonPuppetChannel]

Very interesting show.

[@accampbell]

This game is wild. It is LMAD with a touch of pure insanity. This should have sold. I mean this would work now. It's just crazy and fun.

[@alkohalak8199]

Considering that I'm a child of the 1970's and 1980's. I'm surprised this didn't sell. It would have fit right in with the times.

[@ElizabethNicoleSchwartz]

I think it's because Let's Make A Deal already existed and they didn't want something too similar.

[@fredmckinney8933]

​@@ElizabethNicoleSchwartzMy thoughts exactly. The producers would have done better to pitch this idea to CBS or NBC.

[@sonicsanime44]

Let's Make A Deal with carnival games. Interesting idea.

[@TheAverycross]

Entertaining pilot, overall! I enjoyed it very much and thanks so much for sharing it. Considering the carnival-like atmosphere and competitive spirit you'd normally see on the Monty Hall era "Let's Make a Deal", this proposed pilot for "Carnival '74" was really well done. Tom Kelly, Johnny Gilbert, and Ruth Buzzi did a superb job hosting the action...and making the contestants feel right at home in the thick of it. Had "ABC Carnival '74" been picked up as an actual series, it would have been a great addition to ABC's Saturday night prime-time lineup, along with "Let's Make a Deal" and "The Newlywed Game" (in its final season).

[@jaywilliams896]

Actually, this was for ABC’s daytime schedule meaning that had it sold either Password or Girl in My Life would have been cancelled with the upcoming acquisition of The $10,000 Pyramid from CBS.

[@millenniumman75]

I wonder if the one model was Barbara Lyon. She would occasionally fill in for Carol Merrill. She could have had her own series if it had been picked up.

[@devares2006]

​@jaywilliams896 not exactly. ABC was considering beginning programming at either the 7am spot or the 10/9 spot. But, since NBC and CBS dominated the 10/9 at the time, they decided not to program at that spot and instead aired AM America (a precursor to Good Morning America), which began that January.

[@benkizer9509]

What a trippy show. Kind of gives you an idea of what Johnny Gilbert would have been like if he did a show like Let's Make a Deal or The New Price is Right (I know he did the OG Price is Right)

[@sidkrantz9533]

Tom Kelly, IIRC, was Roy Firestone’s announcer on ESPN’s “Sports Look”. Was Barbara a fill-in for Carol Merrill on LMAD?

[@realfrantic]

Ruth Buzzi is so lovably wacky.

[@DrummingWriterTrekfan84]

No wonder it seemed like let's make a deal, it's a Monty Hall production! Lol!!

[@bryanlaw9262]

Let’s Make A Deal a carnival game? Fascinating!

[@holden190]

Oh my gosh! Probably way expensive to ever be picked up.

[@KiddBloo86]

Just when I thought I'd never see this; Wink comes thru with another great surprise!

[@KrakenMan5853]

I liked it. I thought it was a good show. Definitely a clone of LMAD. Johnny was fantastic as the barker. Tom Kelly was good as the emcee. But, I could've imagined Jack Clark or maybe Geoff Edwards as the emcee. Jack Clark would've been my choice. Should mention it must've been Ivan Ditmars and his combo doing the music. Yes, it should've sold! I can also imagine it as a technologically updated, one hour long version for today's TV.

[@markstevens9249]

Hmm, ABC in 74, auditioning a potential contender for Price is Right? The real winner on this show is Johnny Gilbert, a nice showcase for him. Plus produced by Monty Hall? Me thinks he was looking for a replacement for Deal?

[@MarkAHoltz]

The 70s were an interesting time.

[@SalisburyTheWaterFoxxo]

This was funny. Wish this was a series

[@jeffreyking7033]

The Sweepstakes at the end was not unlike Price is Right’s pricing game Rat Race 🏁 🐁

[@mucketymuck6723]

An interesting watch. Kelly and Gilbert were quite good here and , as always, Ruth Buzzi is a true comic genius. Props to the music. Trippy “wah wah” end at @21:40. Game play was a little all over the road and contestants were wayyy too excited. At least there was effort and energy.

[@jeffreyking7033]

Let’s Make A Deal + skill games = ABC Carnival 74

[@SIRTAFFYTUSH]

What in the Chuck Barris?

[@ebrenner5059]

I forgot if Mr Kelly filled in for Monty Hall in 1973 or 1974 but if he filled in for Monty in 1973, this would be like a spinoff.

[@ronflatter1235]

OMG.

[@yaphettvazquez9796]

$245!!!!!

[@yaphettvazquez9796]

$695!!!!

[@mabus42]

The show is, um, how to say it.... interesting. Makes for a good one off - maybe they could have done a limited 6-8 week run of one hour episodes in the summer for a season, but there's no way that this show would have had any real staying power. With that said, the entire cast was very high energy and they did a great job... its just that the concept in general is not something that would have a real staying power, or even enough legs to garner a decent ratings/share - even back when there were only three broadcast networks and cable was only in its infancy. I"ll give this a solid C+.

[@GeekGameCulture]

I could have seen this concept work as a kids game show, though. Maybe partner with someone who knew how to make game shows for kids so you could tailor it for a kids format, get a host that knew their way around a game like that, and then let them run with it. I could have also seen it working if there was a host that already had a handle on that concept. I looked at this and immediately thought if they could have gotten the late Bob Barker before he was tapped for The Price Is Right, he would have fit right into a show like this. As this was produced by Monty Hall, I could have seen him just doing it himself, too. Goeff Edwards would've been perfect for this, too, though not sure what he was doing at the time (his experience with Treasure Hunt might've made him a good fit here, too). Could've worked in the 80s and 90s as an MTV type of game show when they already had some very oddball concepts. This could've worked with some slight changes and the right target audience.

[@njadakaboles9999]

I love 🎉🎉🎉 it very wild

[@jnadle1]

Announcer is Johnny Gilbert, although Jay Stewart could've announced this, considering it was Hatos-Hall behind this.

[@andresbustamante4777]

What could it be

[@tyrese3745]

It's ABC's Carnival '74, of course! Thank you, Winkster!

[@rikp]

Exhausting. I know the 1970s were an exuberant decade (I'm a 70s kid) but I think this went just a bit too far up the scale.

[@yaphettvazquez9796]

Tom Kelly Is The Host Of Show.

[@RedStrikerBeetleborg]

This was just a mess

[@VahanNisanian]

Hatos-Hall ripping themselves off.

[@JonesDylan874]

Johnny Gilbert? YES PLEASE

[@WillWatchAnything]

This is really just LMAD in a different package. Its still an okay show just prefer the one its based off of better.

[@louislokuta2463]

9:05 I don't know what Ruth has been drinking, but that scale clearly says 179 NOT 184...........she just caused the show $250.

[@ElizabethNicoleSchwartz]

It's essentially a rip off of Let's Make A Deal but much worse lmao.

[@StepAntObe]

I can only imagine how much expired cough syrup was consumed... or smoked... to make this.

[@kingofmadprops]

I’m confused, was this on ABC?

[@jehobden]

The pilot was made for ABC, so ABC could've broadcast it but chose not to.

[@someguy23475]

First off, the set hurts my eyes. Even for 1974 it’s too busy. The game is essentially LMAD in a carnival setting. Tom Kelly is decent, certainly he had training from Monty. Johnny Gilbert is too loud even for a carnival barker and Ruth Buzzi is a bit too obnoxious (I get that’s the character she is playing). I would take it the celebrity would change on a weekly basis. I can see why it didn’t sell.

[@SalisburyTheWaterFoxxo]

I can see why this one failed. Nobody wanted to do the 3rd slot for the Horse Racing. That or not enough excitement? It WAS a funny and good pilot. Sometimes you ask yourself, why did they pull a show off?

[@LogoMan7777]

They borrowed from Let's Make a Deal, where two people compete.

[@AdamJ617]

No Wonder it didn’t sell. WAY too similar to LMaD. This is like Hatos-Hall tried to make New Coke out of LMaD.

[@brimer735uu8]

How would you like it if this show was tried and made it in Present Day today?

[@amb6899]

I can see why it didn't make it to a network. Definitely not for me

[@gabeh7923]

Is this the same Ruth who appeared on "Sesame Street" in the 1990's?

[@willmack5909]

Let's Make A Deal mashed up with a carnival. I think this was too much like LMAD.

[@jamesqualls8125]

Great Scott! Need pool lessons from Minnesota Fats Johnny? That was a awful shot on breaking

[@joes9954]

Why use VTR on the opening slate? Video Tape Recorder? If so why date.

[@WinkMartindaleGames]

It means "Video Tape Recorded" - The date the show was recorded for future airing.

[@joes9954]

@@WinkMartindaleGames Thank you very much for the answer. Keep up the great work!

[@wrestlingfan31100]

I wasn't too impressed with TV, The Game show

[@ZACHERYalderton-s3h]

Tell Sandy hello

[@trekadam30]

A Let's Make a Deal rip-off.

[@TonyKanameKuran]

The same show produced by Sefan Hatos and Monty Hall.

[@fluffy_preacher]

This show was very cringe

[@williambone5678]

Fun show! 1 part Let's Make A Deal, 1 part Beat The Clock, 2 parts fun. I see why Johnny Gilbert is one of the BEST announcers on TV! Thanks Wink for a great pilot!