Play Your Cards Right First Episode January 15th 1980

Play Your Cards Right First Episode January 15th 1980
Recorded at London Weekend Television

[@Greenpoloboy3]

A joy to watch. Made before I was born and better and more fun than anything on TV today

[@bluebear1985]

For those not familiar, this format was based on the one from the American show "Card Sharks". The original version debuted on NBC daytime in April 1978 with Jim Perry as host. It would air until October 1981. A new daytime version debuted on CBS in January 1986 with new host Bob Eubanks. He would present it until March 1989. During some of that time, from September 1986 until June 1987, there was also a five-a-week syndicated nighttime version with Bill Rafferty hosting. A new syndicated version with a few changes to the format debuted in syndication in September 2001 with Pat Bullard. The show only ran until December of that year. Finally, a new weekly primetime version debuted on ABC in June 2019 with Joel McHale. Only a grand total of 21 episodes aired between then and July 2021.

[@chrisfinch8637]

Jim Perry, Bob Eubanks, and Bruce Forsyth were the best. I hated the Joel McHale remake (but I still loved the set).

[@MattTheSpratt]

I adore that weird acrylic microphone, very 80s retrofuturistic

[@brianmorecombe2726]

She works in a biscuit factory in Manchester,that would be McVities biscuits in Levenshulme

[@simonmason7824]

great to see episode 1.

[@mercuryvapoury]

A very early run-out for the EEVC 7-segment displays and a brief, if unneccesary inclusion of their 5x7 displays too. These were replaced in later iterations of the scoreboards by simple backlit plastic arrows.

[@richardyoung1053]

Very futuristic for 1980.

[@enoz.j3506]

At 21.38 ,who kept rewinding cause they thought the question was answered correctly,before letting the show continue LOL

[@Greenpoloboy3]

Me lol

[@montyf2165]

Interesting how the various catch phrases only developed through subsequent series. If you want to find a British person in a crowd just shout " you dont get anything for a pair!" and no Brit can resist the retort, "not in this game!".

[@Redsleather]

‘Good game my love, good game’

[@Saxonybedwitch]

Indeed, they really do catch on 😂

[@NoName-jq7tj]

Oh I love that LWT graphic with that vintage music. This would the start of the weekends. These game shows had such a lively nature to them.

[@BluetheFortune2006]

Although the first episode was recorded on 15th January 1980, it wasn't shown until 1st February 1980 when this show premiered.

[@johnking5174]

That is no shock. Game shows back then were recorded in advance. Today most game shows we see are recorded months in advance and not simply weeks. I remember Big Break on the BBC in the 1990s used to record their entire series of around 15 episodes during five days in July, with three shows recorded per day.

[@jamesmcgrath578]

That sounds right because I know it was originally broadcast on Fridays, 1/2/80 was a Friday and 15/1/80 wasn’t. I was puzzled by the dates till I read your comment.

[@joehurst]

@@johnking5174 It's also highly likely that all 14 editions of this first series of 'Play Your Cards Right' were recorded before this first edition aired on 1st Feb. If they did two a day that would only take 7 days. It's a more economical use of studio space to record them in bulk.

[@johnking5174]

@@joehurst Also helps to have content "in the can" to ensure that if the network had any problems, they would always have it as a filler.

[@joehurst]

​@@johnking5174I see from one of your many posts that you're an American. Can I ask you why you're so interested in British Television?

[@robertcomer2767]

He was lucky this turned into the success it did after the flop of Big Night

[@ooeyb]

Nice clean copy! The first PYCR theme was the best. They got progressively worse sadly. You wouldn't know where to find the full season 1 theme would you?

[@rajnirvan3336]

Before couples were introduced

[@Redsleather]

Brucie before he got a better syrup

[@mikemartin2957]

No syrup before 1983 ! & I recal there was a feature about it in TVTimes when he said he didn't like the audience seeing the comb over when walked to the wall with the cards.

[@robalexander8065]

​​​@@mikemartin2957In 1981, Bruce went to America, where he was "advised" to adopt the wig. Here he looks like he did in the Gen Gsme and the ill-fated Bruce's Big Night. The moustache is his new look in 1980. Strange hearing the embryonic versions of things like "nothing for a pair", yet to acquire the rejoiner "not in this game?"

[@PaulTaylor1]

I've never seen a microphone like that before!

[@robalexander8065]

Reminiscent of Terry Wogan's stick on Blankety Blank.

[@scottptolomey3498]

Notice how Bruce is waiting to go on as the VT clock is running

[@leeosborne3793]

He was such a good presenter. One of those people who looked exactly the same for about 50 years!

[@CaminoAir]

Bruce Forsyth was as professional as entertainers come.

[@Redsleather]

No rug though here!!

[@neilcrowhurst2166]

Where did lwt find 100 japanese women 😂

[@gbhxu]

Japan?

[@jporritt]

When you see it in the context of the disaster of Bruce’s Big Night which came on the back of his Generation Game mega-superstardom, this must have been a massive come down. Previous formats had let him spread his wings, but this was very constricting.

[@danielnewton7357]

I used to like Bruce.

[@what-uc]

It's not him, but this Bob is not unlike "Turkey" Bob from Family Fortunes

[@mercuryvapoury]

Are you sure? Even the laugh is the same... EDIT: Well, the surnames are completely different, so... yeah it's not him, but my word, the likeness is uncanny. Here's a mad conspiracy theory... what if they really are the same person, and he's an actor who's there to act as a contestant in an otherwise unknown gameshow... and his rather odd appearance with a different name in in FF was there just to get people talking about the show and to boost ratings? I'll get me coat.

[@gnirolnamlerf593]

Why didn't Bob get a chance to change the six at the end of the first game? I'm guessing it's because it became his turn because Carol lost control and not because he won on the original question. Is that correct?

[@Saxonybedwitch]

I don't know.

[@HarlemHyena]

That's exactly it; only the winner of the question just played has the privilege of changing their base card (the one under the sliding bracket). If they goof up, their opponent gets a free turn, but is stuck with their current base card.

[@Greenpoloboy3]

21:50 Really confused me this did!

[@michaelcashmore1964]

Imagine asking some of those questions these days

[@McSynth]

WTF was that handheld mic supposed to be about ?

[@ka5269]

The cards were fixed

[@MrMLD1972]

😎

[@Dim4323]

2 player format was better