Password Plus: George Peppard's Rant

[@thunderbird64masterson13]

NBC still hired him for the A team ..

[@helenaville5939]

Just been reading George's bio on Wikipedia and apparently that criticism of NBC's executives by George cost him work, and this episode never aired because of it.

[@CC-Tron]

If George didn't have a history of being 'difficult', this probably wouldn't have been a big deal. He got himself fired from a lead role in Dynasty not too long after this.

[@13buckbucks17]

he says Deep Throat, with a completely straight face and then he sits looking at the guy who he's partnered with, with a look on his face like Lucy from Charley Brown when she's being smug about something. Priceless.

[@gedon4evr]

he probably was drunk. He dealt with alcoholism for a long time. He finally overcame it and helped othe alcs.

[@NeonGen2000]

Where on American TV do you go to see a debate take place where people don't interrupt each other, don't try to out yell each other and remain respectful of each other. Why a game show in the 70s of course.

[@GiselleGauthier]

"Deep Throat?" XD Brilliant.

[@walterlv01]

Death stare from Allen Ludden at 4:10 - then a look at how obviously uncomfortable the two contestants are - and Elaine Joyce with the awkward hand-wringing. Painful to watch.

[@whewfan]

Allen looked a bit miffed when George did that rant. While he handles it in his usual classy way, you could see in his eyes that he was thinking "I'm gonna get you for this." I should also point out that George Peppard was probably the only celeb I've seen openly smoke on Password or any version of it.

[@donavitum]

He was not drunk, but on a movie set in the late 1950's he was warned by an influential Hollywood producer-as was Wm Frawley a.k.a. Fred Mertz, "if anyone smells booze on you again, you won't work again for a long time.

[@anthonybarnett6828]

George drank away the 70's

[@mcharrison23]

Somebody had to.

[@rodneykingston6420]

The impressive thing in this video is Allen Ludden's dignified, reasoned and diplomatic rebuttal to Peppard's rant: there WERE RIGGED game shows in TV history, the networks wanted total accountability and that meant poor old George had to sign a long form to appear, boo hoo.

[@wschmrdr]

Especially considering that particular network bought B&E shows, and had to appear in court to testify.

[@daisyflowers9334]

Jeff Lewis You're right. In the 1950's there were so many scandals, because some of the games were rigged.

[@elvicare35]

+Daisy Flowers There's a limit to what you have to be submitted to, and this wasn't the 50's, and good for him for having the guts to speak his mind, all Ludden was doing was kissing NBC's ass!!!!!

[@NeonGen2000]

George Peppard had a reasonable argument and Allen Ludden has a reasonable response. Why is that a reason to talk trash? George didn't behave like a baby and Allen didn't behave like an ass kisser. If only disagreements were discussed in such a respectful manner on talk shows. Instead of yelling over people, interrupting people, barraging people with 20 points and not even letting properly respond to 1 or pretending you are having technical difficulties because the director cut the feed to someone who isn't playing along with the narrative....

[@peterbenedetto2497]

George and the host dealt with the situation in dignified manners. I don't know what your problem is.

[@jeffwestend909]

Are you sure this episode wasn't shelved because of George Peppard buying a top from Dress Barn?

[@shitcasecinema]

Haha, what a legend. Speaking his mind (which would naturally be cut these days), and smoking (not allowed these days in most places). Brilliant footage! RIP mate.

[@Lisa-di1wi]

In case George Leopard forgot: there were the quiz show scandals of the 1950's. Allen Ludden was right about one thing: game shows have to be strictly supervised.

[@akampfer]

I've heard he was matter of fact like that all the time. Marla Heasley once said on her first day on the A-Team he came up to her and matter of factly told her they didn't want a woman in the cast, were fighting the network on the issue and she wouldn't be there very long. On her last day, he came up to her and told her (again in a matter of fact way) he thought she had been very professional and did good work but reminded her he said they did want a woman in the cast and this is how it is. I have to guess his Password rant was similar to that.

[@rocket7697]

Looks like my kind of guy. Great ' stick it to them' attitude..

[@elvicare35]

+rocket7697 Totally agree!!!!!

[@stevefowler5970]

always liked that cute lady with the overbite

[@HanBOHobbit]

There's no "hanky panky?" Really now? I think "blow" and "suck" say something entirely different.

[@SIRSMITH08]

good for george a celeb with a backbone ,not like the lambs who are just about the money. now modern celebs couldnt give a stuff about anything as long as they get paid. george was never a " has been or a wanna be " thats why he will always be a tv and movie STAR ,

[@toddwacha5108]

After this incident, George Peppard was NEVER invited back to Password Plus. He put Password Plus, Goodson-Todman, Allen Ludden, etc. on the line. George could have been blackballed by NBC, but thankfully came back to the network with "The A-Team." Allen Ludden handled it in a distinguished manner, like he always did.

[@woflover]

No one's asked.... what was the episode of "Deal or No Deal" that was not aired? Did I miss that happening?

[@drystyx]

That was the "rant"? Kind of a "whine", no offense. Everyone is entitled to a few "whines" a week. "Rant"? I expected more.

[@GreyWolfEyes1222]

"I love it when a plan comes together." George Peppard aka; John "Hannibal" Smith. R.I.P mate.

[@LukeL007]

The FCC could fine and even suspend a broadcast license for cheating on a game show and anyone in the industry at that time was well aware of the quiz show scandals of the 1950s. Why do you think it took until Jeopardy! in 1984 to really bring back the trivia game show? It was because no exec wanted to be associated with any type of quiz show period.

[@elc1960]

@PleezDontFeedtheBums To expand on what MontajBlaze said to you - George Peppard was in "The A-Team" and "Banacek" (oddly enough, like "Password" those were both NBC shows), and he was also in "The Carpetbaggers" and "Sex and the Single Girl".

[@CaminoAir]

I always wondered about what kind of personality George Peppard had and whether that had anything to do with his uneven film career. For a young actor who had several high profile roles early ('Blue Max', 'Breakfast At Tiffanys', 'Operation Crossbow'), his career didn't pan out in later years, until 'The A-Team'. That could be for several reasons I can think of. So I'm wondering if he was 'difficult to work with', chose the wrong film projects, or had bad luck? Anyone care to enlighten me?

[@hathawayalfred6084]

+Numinous20111 I guess the three of them.

[@rogerwilco4397]

Peppard was a raging alcoholic. Clearly he's buzzed here. Beyond this, the 50's quiz show scandals were still fresh in the mines of Goodson-Toddman, who were giants of the genre back in the day, and still were in the mid 70's. Sure, there was overkill, but it was because the networks did not want even a whiff of scandal regarding their game shows. Peppard was drunk, stupid and paranoid. Nice shirt, too... sport.

[@recordman64]

He WAS difficult! Peppard was the original choice to play Blake Carrington in Dynasty, but after filming the premiere episode with him, he was dumped, John Forsythe was brought in, and the pilot was re-filmed. The rest is history.

[@aztiff]

Boy, those were the days, when free speech still had a chance. What year is this?

[@daveconleyportfolio5192]

George was a Polish kid from Detroit, son of a contractor. Lot of people in that area had a union hall mentality, very militant if they thought their rights were being stepped on.

[@silvereagle2061]

He was never allowed back after this

[@defiraphi]

The great times when people could smoke,drink on shows . Not as nowadays bullshit ( politicaly correctness,nonsense ) ah i wished to life on those golden years . R.I.P. George Peppard aka Hannibal Smith " i love when a plan comes together "

[@4seeableTV]

+defiraphi And the lung cancer he got a couple of years before he died didn't seem to do him much good. Petulance has consequences.

[@herbie747]

+defiraphi smoking has nothing to do with political correctness, you moron. It's to do with health.

[@mcleanartists]

+defiraphi He had smoked three packs of cigarettes a day for most of his life until he quit after being diagnosed with lung cancer in 1992. He died in 1994 from it.

[@bobbyvoltage7171]

defiraphi And all that jazz...lol.

[@snoops71]

Too bad he was never asked back. He was a terrific player, and a real gentleman. So respectful to the ladies. I saw the whole week of episodes recently on GSN. I enjoyed watching him.

[@christianhafer9819]

I have always loved Password, and Allen Ludden, who was Betty White's husband, by the way.

[@BlackwoodCompany]

So do I. I loved THE A-TEAM along with you.

[@bashbrannigan]

Peppard had a point. If you're forced to sign something saying you won't cheat, is forcing you to admit you might cheat. It's self indictment. Peppard is right that it's degrading. Unfortunately most people are sheep and would do anything without complaint.

[@DIEGOSHAY]

It's not even remotely degrading. They just legally have to ensure the games are fair, after the Quiz Show scandals of the fifties.

[@bashbrannigan]

The quiz show scandals wasn't the fault of the contestants it was instigated by the producers of the show. Asking the contestants now to cheat is complete BS. Besides, anyone who would cheat is not going hesitate to lie about cheating. I still say that asking someone to sign something saying their honest is degrading.

[@thejazzenigma]

@BlackwoodCompany - Should be 1980, cause thats when Fred cancelled Hollywood Squares, Chain Reaction and High Rollers to make way for the flop Letterman daytime show.

[@blozier2006]

SOMEBODY was pissed... since Peppard was never invited back after this taping, and this particular episode was never aired by NBC, and only ended up on TV when Game Show Network got rerun rights to the show.

[@stripervince1]

Wow....loved banacek and never really saw him in any other way. He really bad mouths nbc execs. His bosses. Thats a no no

[@elvicare35]

+stripervince1 What's wrong with speaking your mind?

[@stripervince1]

in hollywood it can get you zero work. he had a reputation as difficult to work with

[@videogameguy24]

I want to find out what the password was!

[@ECO473]

I always thought George got a bad rap for this. What he said wasn't so terrible. If he were here today, he'd be embarrased at how the PC police run akok.

[@BDOUG23]

HEY!!! What was the password? LOL

[@CptDunsel]

Absolutely, completely, unequivocally 100% George as I knew him! The only filters were on his cigarettes.

[@vincewindeuycker3219]

CptDunsel aww

[@BlackwoodCompany]

This should be 1980.

[@bearmare9710]

Drunk.

[@gimcrack555]

I'm still wonder what the puzzle was. Blow Suck. And we know it's not Deep Throat.

[@stephenholloway6893]

Blow and suck in this case was talking about a harmonica.

[@michaelholman517minKC]

Linux Overdose It was harmonica.

[@MontajBlaze]

@PleezDontFeedtheBums That was peter graves you're talking about. George wasn't in those(at least not Airplane)

[@safenabors3006]

This is what makes for great tv. Was George coked up ? Love it when he attacks that fat NBC tv executive Fred Silverberg. We've lost all of the truly charismatic handsome guys like Peppard.

[@Lisa-di1wi]

Sorry. George Peppard.

[@jimtrue1465]

If you object to signing the form, then don't go on the show. No one forced him.

[@trainluvr]

How surreal. The cigarette is a nice touch.

[@Rayoscope]

BanaSek.

[@oldhamegg]

drunk

[@EloiseDecember]

What do you expect from a bloody tv network - afraid of their lives of honesty or anybody who is not afraid.

[@BlackwoodCompany]

I know what you mean, but I don't have anymore. I am sorry.

[@Goosemeyer]

Hannibal was a queen? I'd never have guessed.

[@aceventura3241]

He wasn't. In fact George Peppard was married 5 times. He died of lung cancer.

[@DDumbrille]

Ace Ventura So was Cary Grant. Closet cases often marry in order to hide their true orientation. He's clearly gay...

[@Goosemeyer]

sorry if I came off as "Gay/Transphobic".. not the intent. In the old days lots of famous people were "fabulous" off camera and macho when it was on.

[@DDumbrille]

You didn't come off as homophobic. He definitely seems quite fabulous in this clip, but probably didn't realize it until later… :)

[@elvicare35]

+DDumbrille You sound more Gay than anybody, he was gutsy enough to speak his mind, serve his country-Peppard enlisted in the United States Marine Corps July 8, 1946, and rose to the rank of corporal in the 10th Marines, leaving the Corps at the end of his period of enlistment in January 1948.[2]-wikipedia *No offence to Gay people is meant.

[@digiblader1]

They need to bring these forms back.. reality/game shows these days in primetime TV are extremely fake and rigged. Has anyone noticed?

[@missespeppard]

blow and suck...brilliant. :) OH and GO GEORGE!

[@thunderbird64masterson13]

You should never go on TV drunk ..

[@bleepiestofbloops]

If this episode was banned by NBC, I'd expect it to be because of Deep Throat, more than anything. They could've edited the contract rant.

[@elvicare35]

James Rhett Kennedy 5 years ago No one is forcing you to participate, George. "Police state???" It's a freakin' game show! What part of NBC are you involved in? Yeah, it's just a freakin' game show, so stop freakin' out dude!!!!!

[@dickdog1]

he made a fool of himself on Carsons Tonight Show IIRC. I think he had been targeted.

[@TranceSuperWave]

Wow I didnt know George Peppard was gay, but its very obvious here.

[@GAME4WAR]

Most actors were and even today still are. Even when they have fake marriages called lavender marriages. Ben Afflect,Matt Damon,Tom Cruise,Brad Pitt, almost all of them except for Mel Gibson.

[@jeffeastwood15]

+Rodney Kingston I'm gay and have pretty decent gaydar and I am not getting that vibe from him. I think people on here are assuming that he is because of (as weird as that sounds) the sweater he's wearing.

[@RW4X4X3006]

Peppard had three or four wives, and three kids, for what it's worth.

[@jermfra4005]

+RW4X4X3006 exactly, and if you ever watch Banacek-- he's sleeping with women left and right on that show.

[@38ddkelly]

You might be thinking of George Grizzard, an actor around the same era. Grizzard was gay.

[@notaclerk1]

In wine there is truth

[@pamhi7633]

George Peppard was so small he acted like that in all of shows a team