The Hollywood Squares "Pilot" - W/O/C - August 12th, 1966

[@mullen25]

this is a real find, thank you for posting this time capsule. fred silverman passed on this show for cbs and it went onto to be a huge hit for nbc.

[@PaulTesta]

Vera Miles is still going strong at 94 yrs old. All the rest...rest in peace.

[@davidcullen382]

I did not know Bert Parks was the host of the pilot.. I didn't know Jim Backus was the center square for the pilot. I know that Buddy Hackett was the center square for a couple of seasons. When "Bewitched" was in it's last season, 1971, Paul Lynde ended up as the center square for the final 10 seasons of the show.

[@davidchavers5881]

The obvious missing ingredient was Paul Lynde. Also, I thought Peter Marshall made the perfect host!

[@deloreswillis9224]

Me 2 ❤

[@PaulTesta]

That's why TV shows have "pilots."

[@MarkSchmidbauer]

I went on an NBC Burbank tour when I was a kid in the late '70s, and saw the main HS set in a hallway. It's far smaller than would think it is.

[@JasonA.Routhier-vw1wd]

Does anybody know what they did with the original Squares Set after it left NBC in 1980 before the cast and crew went to the Riveria hotel in Las Vegas?

[@hknapp-hj2sn]

That make sense; most of your height is in your legs and since everyone's seated that'd reduce and pretty much equalize everyone's height.

[@johnmitchelljr]

Thank you from a Wally Cox fan. Good stars.

[@timothy4545]

Thank God they brought in Peter Marshall, but Mr. Magoo was the original center square, very fasinating.

[@christopherangel6690]

Jim Backus was only in this pilot. He never was on the actual network show

[@disneyfan8178]

@@christopherangel6690 Actually, in a picture from Peter's book "Back Stage with the Original Hollywood Square", there's a picture from an episode of "Storybook Squares"with Jim Backus in a square.

[@christopherlucas4620]

This pilot episode was made somewhere around the same time that the Dick Van Dyke Show’s last episode aired.

[@5400bowen]

That was a burn. Parks said purveyance TWICE, then the second time he said surveillance real quick and trailing off. That poor girl got burned! But the strategy is as bad as later, worse even. You ALWAYS take the center square first. Most basic strategy in tic tac toe!

[@georgemaster689]

Love this show! Especially when Paul Lynde was chosen.

[@Musicradio77Network]

30:53 is the NBC “Kinescope” logo from 1952 which was pretty late for 1966. They stopped using it by the late 1960’s when NBC went to full color, and the show that were in kinescope 16mm film was replaced with video tape.

[@markschildberg1667]

This is the evolution of Heatter-Quigley's Celebrity Game from 1964. Several improvements have been made in the game - that huge set is a real eye catcher - but more crucial changes came later, particularly in casting. (It can be a real challenge casting a celebrity panel; the chemistry has to be there, and it's hard to find the right fit. Peter Marshall, the eventual host, had invaluable stage experience as a straight man in a comedy act, something Bert Parks didn't have.) The pilot was shot at CBS Television City, and they had terrible technical problems with the set. The shoot took a very long time. But it became Heatter-Quigley's biggest show, so all that work was well worth it.

[@kingchrisl89]

I wish this theme was available instead of just the 70s & later themes.

[@reedberry]

First time seeing this. Bert Parks clearly wasn't a good fit and, had he gotten the gig, I doubt if the show would have enjoyed the longevity it did with Peter Marshall steering the ship. Peter was perfect because he was loose and had fun with the show without being funnier than those in the squares. And props to the late Kenny Williams, the outstanding announcer on the show. As a teenager in the 1970s, I attended many tapings of the show at NBC in Burbank. Always a good time!

[@larryunruh7548]

Absolutely right about that Peter Marshall did bring a lot of heart and soul to that show one of my favorites...

[@albertowen1025]

Great find! Thanks for the upload!

[@TheWOCArchive]

You're welcome!

[@williamharrell9305]

Peter is best

[@user-kp2zm7xg7z]

I'm old!

[@fromthesidelines]

Actually, this was originally produced for CBS in the winter of 1966 [and taped at their Television City facilities]. They had a choice of taking this show- or Bob Stewart's "THE FACE IS FAMILIAR" (with Jack Whitttaker as emcee}. The network went with "THE FACE IS FAMILIAR"- which lasted four months as a prime-time summer replacement. Meanwhile, Heatter & Quigley took the "SQUARES" over to NBC, taped another pilot with Peter Marshall [at NBC Burbank]....and the network bought it for their daytime schedule, beginning that October. It lasted 14 years. This kinescope of the pilot was used by NBC to "sell" the show to various advertisers.

[@Richard82567]

Barry the pilot was produced in April 1965. Hollywood Squares was already on the air by winter of 1966.

[@fromthesidelines]

The "SQUARES" was initilly telecast on NBC on October 17, 1966.

[@fromthesidelines]

Apparently, "THE CELEBRITY GAME" was a favorite of Jim Aubrey's; he scheduled it as a partial replacement for "THE JUDY GARLAND SHOW" in April 1964.....and in its second season, replaced "THE BAILEYS OF BALBOA" in April 1965.... *after* he was fired. Without his influence, it was pretty much "dead" (although there were repeats on Sunday afternoons during the summer of 1967).

[@browningautomatic2393]

cool show.

[@pattibrooks1907]

Paul Lynde was my favorite !

[@user-hd3dc5up6i]

Lucky enough to watch all 16 seasons of the Hollywood Squares ❤

[@quiricomazarin476]

The female contestant is gorgeous.

[@jeprice08]

Yes but based on her decisions, not very bright.

[@michaelboyce9373]

Bert Parks was replaced by Peter Marshall who was playing on Broadway. Bett later was on the Mrs America beauty pageant.

[@kevinvanmeter2264]

Parks as great host always, but Peter Marshall was the key ingredient.

[@williamharrell9305]

Rip Bert parks

[@christopherangel6690]

This is the first of 2 pilots. The network didn't go with Bert Parks' over dramatic style. According to Peter Marshall's book, there was a second pilot shot with Sandy Barron. That one is unknown if it exists or not.

[@williamboylejr.9098]

Bert Parks was a good host but his style on The Hollywood Squares was like oil and water.

[@PaulTesta]

Didn't know about the 2nd pilot w/ Sandy Barron.

[@jamesjowitt1713]

If I what have known about Hollywood Squares back in 1965 to 1966 I would have started Trivia back in 1965-1966 I would either be 9years Old or 10 Years Old its too Young but someone has too do it that should be Jay

[@ConradMason-ei8hm]

Do you have any from the 60's with the original commercials? This one says woc but was edited out.

[@jamaicatrumpet]

the obvious advantage is to get the center square.. yet nobody went for the center square (Jim Backus) until halfway through the show! and even then, he was forced to go for the center square to block

[@MsColetha]

VERY Telling!!

[@mikewswcoast2004]

And it would be 32 years before Squares returned to Television City as a series.

[@danohimm22]

1965

[@williamharrell9305]

Rest in peace Abby

[@freddyfurrah3789]

This is terrible. Underdog was good. Stick with Miss America, Bert. I hope this wasn't aired.