Headline Chasers (Part 4 of 4)

[@ChuckD79]

Nice that they actually forgot to bring up the canned applause during the credits...combined with the LONG credit roll, it gave us a chance to hear a good chunk of the theme in the clear, including the kick-ass guitar section!

[@tvpirate05]

Always did enjoy this theme, although they included some cuts I don't remember toward the end. Cool hearing this theme without the applause as well...

[@GameShowMike]

Several of the people who worked on "Headline Chasers" currently work on "Jeopardy!" Announcer Johnny Gilbert is still announcing "Jeopardy!" He did both "Jeopardy!" and "Headline Chasers" along with the "$1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime" simultaneously in 1986.

[@danalong1237]

Not anymore! Clay Jacobsen is now the director of Jeopardy!

[@2005dave]

@@danalong1237 Dave Irete is still in the fold. AD on Jeopardy! and camera operator on Wheel.

[@lorraineburgess4802]

Of course, Wink Martindale Enterprises came up with game shows with Bumper Stumpers & Second Honeymoon.

[@2005dave]

The theme is based on a cut on Merv Griffin's "Escape" album called "Samba de la Noche" - but this version used on the air is much better.

[@ChuckD79]

2005dave - I agree, especially with that kick-ass guitar section!

[@willjarmon]

Wish this would come out in the clear i want this theme!

[@jwgreek8606]

according to Wink's bio. He sold it to Michael King who worked with Wink on TTD when he was working for Colbert Television.

[@megamanj2004X]

John Tobyansen was a former B-E staffer, b/c he was the EP of the CBS version of The Joker's Wild from 1972-very early 1975 when Dan Enright took over as EP.

[@jwgreek8606]

Also in 1984, Johnny Gilbert was announcing J!, Every Second Counts, and Anything for Money, simultaneously.

[@drummingdanny84]

Sounds like Carlos Santana or Steve Lukather playing the guitar. Real nice.

[@rodney1279TheFlip]

I like this theme it is so relaxing.

[@Aladdin7796]

The guitar playing part of the music has to be Santana since it was improvised and how it was beautifully played.

[@samsticka]

In 1985? Because as I recall, on "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune", Johnny and Charlie would read all fee plugs and do updated ones on repeats until 1996. Then they started doing it the way they do it today.

[@megamanj2004X]

By mid-season January 1986-May 1986 of the 1985-86 TV season, Johnny Gilbert was regularly simultaneously announcing 3 syndie GS's at once: Headline Chasers, Jeopardy!, and The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime (which started on January of 1986).

[@cevancarr]

Also in the rotation for both Pyramids!

[@samsticka]

That Kix commercial shows how it was a rarity to have commercials in place for fee plugs on game shows. It became more common in 1996.

[@ChuckD79]

It was actually fairly common in the 80s...besides HC, Face the Music, Tic Tac Dough, The Joker's Wild, Jeopardy!, USA Jackpot, Bumper Stumpers, WoF, and nighttime $ale of the Century all made use of "mini commercials" like the ones seen here during their fee plug segments.

[@jnadle1]

I don't think so. Just a studio session player, but he almost sounds like what Santana was like in those days.

[@johnissoevil]

Many people complained that this was a bad show. I wouldn't exactly complain about this anymore considering the so-called "game show" Wink is hosting on GSN nowadays.

[@kresblain]

@tvpirate05 In my humble opinion, this arrangement of the theme song is way cooler.

[@johnissoevil]

I noticed John Tobyansen's name in the credits. Wasn't he once with Barry & Enright? I guess when Wink left TTD, he brought Tobyansen with him.

[@GH32143]

Did the 1996 CTTV logo cut the KingWorld logo on GSN reruns of this show?

[@tnawcwvictoria]

@megamanj2004X you're right about that, and also, The Winker is also Good Friends w/Fellow Game Show Legends Peter Marshall, Monty Hall, Tom Kennedy, Jim Lange, Bob Eubanks, Dick Clark and he's also friends w/Legedary DJ Casey Kasem and Bill Cullen was his mentor when it came to Game Shows and Merv Griffin was friends w/Wink, Alex and Pat and Vanna, God Bless Him, RIP Merv

[@loutenore33]

this is why he left tic tac dough what a shame

[@SCMediaWorks]

The theme kinda sounds like a TPIR cue.

[@cevancarr]

Splendido - 1976 TPiR cue!

[@tnawcwvictoria]

Wink Martindale and Merv Griffin were close friends and Merv would later sell his company to The Coca-Cola Company and also, Wink wearing his usual Botany 500 Wardrobe. The same wardrobe worn by Jim Perry, Jim Lange, Bob Eubanks, Bob Barker, Tom Kennedy, Bill Cullen, Jack Barry, Richard Dawson and Jack Klugman.

[@rodney1279TheFlip]

I like the music soundtrack

[@CraigFoye80]

What about that cool fonts for the closing credits of "Headline Chasers"??

[@samsticka]

If Charlie O'Donnell was the announcer for "Headline Chasers", I'll bet the closing would've gone like this: He wouldn't introduce himself by saying "This is Charlie O'Donnel speaking." "Headline Chasers" is PRODUCED BY Merv Griffin Enterprises (not "is A PRODUCTION OF") In association with Wink Martindale, Inc. Distributed by KingWorld." (not "AND distributed by KingWorld") No copyright screen afterwards, as it would've been plastered under the yellow Merv Griffin Enterprises banner.

[@32rodrick]

@tnawcwvictoria Hey don't forget Dance Fever as well.

[@Tubewings]

Great show. Please bring us more game shows!!

[@Ian16545]

Yeah, I gotta agree: if they EVER do a revival of this, they should absolutely put this rule into play.

[@samsticka]

But the theme would still be playing and the announcer would read the description? Yeah, I've seen something like that. An episode of "Jeopardy!" from 1986 uploaded here has something like that.

[@daniellewalton4100]

That's wink Martindale right

[@megamanj2004X]

and Jack Narz also wore Botany 500 suits when he hosted the 1973-78 syndie version of Concentration.

[@jwgreek8606]

I agree man!

[@jwgreek8606]

when USA reran nighttime $otC, I did not get to see the fee plugs. Apparently they cut them out.

[@cosmowanda868]

Yes, the show may have been average, but the theme song more than makes up for it.

[@iamjuniorbarnes2609]

5:00

[@samsticka]

This was never shown on GSN.

[@mixon270]

it was for a short time

[@johnissoevil]

I don't remember HR going against Wheel or J! in the same timeslot in any markets.

[@johnissoevil]

Ah, I misread your comment. I thought it said that HR was up against J! and Wheel in the same timeslot in some markets, and Wheel and J! beat the crap out of the show. I see now. :-)

[@HensonLorde]

There will be a reboot of Headline Chasers on syndication in the fall of 2031.

[@samsticka]

Oh, really? I never saw that happen until 1996.

[@zachhoran]

J!, TTD, TJW, nighttime $otC, and $100K Pyramid, and Break the Bank all had mini commercials during fee plugs at the time.

[@zachhoran]

The most a contestant could win in one show is 2100 in round one, plus 2000 in round two, plus 5600 in round three, and double their money on the final question, plus win 5000 in the bonus for $24400

[@Rlotpir1972]

High Rollers was from Merrill Heater Productions, not Merv Griffin.

[@danalong1237]

Some couples successfully solved the Headline Extra and won the top prize of $5000, and some didn't.

[@tnawcwvictoria]

I know lol I know

[@samsticka]

OK, who the hell downrated my comment? Not funny!