HOLLYWOOD SQUARES
packagers: Merrill Heatter/Bob Quigley Productions ('66-'81), Century Towers/Orion Television ('86-'89), KingWorld ('98-'04) in association with Moffitt/Lee Productions ('98-'02) and Henry Winkler/Michael Levitt Productions ('02-'04)
air dates: 10/17/66-6/20/80 on NBC, syndicated weekly 11/1/71-9/72, twice/week 9/72-9/80 & 5/week 9/8/80-9/11/81 by Rhodes Productions, 9/15/86-9/9/89 by Orion Television as
The New Hollywood Squares, & 9/14/98-9/04 by KingWorld
hosts: Peter Marshall ('66-'81, 12/12/02), John Davidson ('86-'89), Tom Bergeron ('98-'04)
sub-hosts ('86-'89): Shadoe Stevens, Joan Rivers, Jm J. Bullock, ALF
announcers: Kenny Williams ('66-'81), Shadoe Stevens ('86-'89, '98-'02) Jeffrey Tambor ('02-'03), John Moschitta Jr. ('03-'04)
sub-announcers: [Richard Stevens, Howard Stern ('86-'89)], Henry  Winkler (two weeks in '03), Rod Roddy (12/9-12/13/02), Shadoe Stevens (Game Show Week from '03-'04 season)
HOW TO PLAY:
Two players, a man and a woman (Mr. X and Miss Circle) faced a tic-tac-toe board of nine celebrities (sometimes certain squares would be occupied by more than one celebrity). The player picked a square and the host popped a question to the star(s) sitting in that square, who usually responded with a goofy answer before giving their actual answer. If the star(s) didn't know the correct answer, (s)he/they must give a "bluff" answer. If the player correctly (dis)agreed with the given answer, that player's mark, X or O, was placed on that square. An incorrect (dis)agreement gave the opponent the square, unless it meant a win, because players must earn game-winning squares by themselves. On the original version, if a star couldn't come up with an answer, the player could either answer the question or have the star answer another one. The first player to get three celebs in a row, across, up/down, or diagonally, or get five squares won the game.
In a "secret square" game, a preselected star would be shown only to the home audience. Only the first player to pick that square would be given an opportunity to win the "secret square" bonus prize(s) on that turn only. A multiple-choice question was read to the star(s), and if the player (dis)agreed correctly, (s)he won the prize(s).

NBC daytime: Contestants played a 2-out-of-3 match. The champ faced off against a new player. Early in the first season, each game was worth $100 and the winner of the match earned a $300 bonus for a total of $500. This was soon changed to $200 a game with no bonus for winning the match until '76. From '76-'80, when the winner of each match picked on of the 9 stars, each of whom held in an envelope with an odd statement which always led to a fine prize. All the contestant had to do was to pick a star and that star read what was inside the envelope and the player won the described prize. It could be $5,000 in cold, hard cash! The first complete game of each day included a "secret square" played for a prize package which started at about $2,000 and grew each day until won. Players retired undefeated after winning 5 matches but also won a brand new car. From '77 to the finale, each player who retired undefeated would win an additional $5,000 in cash, plus a fabulous vacation and TWO brand new cars!! Later, they sold one of the cars for $5k.
NBC primetime from '68: Two players competed for an entire half hour. Each game netted $300 to its winner. If the show ended in the middle of a game, each player was paid $50 for each square earned in that game. Whoever won the most moolah also won a bonus prize. The Secret Square was played in the first 2 games. If the first "secret square" prize wasn't won, it was paired with the second one. On this edition, the Secret Squares were always played for a vacation and a car (sometimes a boat).
Syndicated ('71-'81): Same as the NBC primetime version, except that each game paid $250, with $50 per square when time expired, and that whomever won the most money in the end also won a car. Each "secret square" offered an array of prizes. During the first couple of years, the "secret square" was played in the first two games. If the first "secret square" wasn't won, those prizes were added to the "secret square" stash for the second game. This later changed to playing the "secret square" in the first THREE games, and the prizes did not carry over. As with the '68 primetime edition, each player was guaranteed to earn $100+. From '80-'81, contestants played only for prizes. No secret squares were played but the show did feature a $100,000 tournament. (Thank to Dixon Hayes for that info.)

On the Saturday morning kids' version from '69,
Storybook Squares, the stars dressed up as famed characters. Two kids competed for the entire show. Each game awarded the winner with a prize. Sometimes in the '70s, special Storybook Squares shows would feature two families competing for the entire show. Each game paid $300, with $50/square when time was called, and the family with the most money won a car.

('86-'89): The payouts from the first syndie show were doubled in the first season ($500/game, $100/square when time expired). For the rest of that run, the first two games each paid $500, with $1,000/game after that, and $200/square when time ran out. The second game of each show featured the "secret square." Only this time the prize stash didn't grow. The player who won the most dough when time was up would play for one of five cars. If a new champ was crowned, (s)he would pick one of five keys from a glass bowl, one key for each car. (S)he would then pick a car and a celeb for good luck to ride shotgun. If the car started, (s)he would, of course, drive off in a new set o' wheels and retire undefeated. If not, (s)he would come back on the next show and, if the champ won again, (s)he would take that same key and select from one of the remaining cars. Winning 5 shows in a row automatically won the remaining car. In the last season, each star held a key and the champ selected one of those nine keys.

('98-'04): During the first month, the first two games each paid $500, $1,000 for the third game, and each one after that was worth $2,000 with $250/square when time was called. A month later, these payouts were doubled. Each player was guaranteed to win $500+ during the first six seasons ($250+ during the first few weeks). For the last season, players played a best-of-3 match with each game paying $1,000 (Yes, Peter, times have indeed changed!), though the previous payout structure was used during special weeks.
The Secret Square was played in the second game of each show. In the first season, each time the Secret Square wasn't won, it was moved to another square in the next game. For the next five seasons, the Secret Square was played in the second game only and one prize was added to the Secret Square stash each day until the stash was won. In the final season, the Secret Square would be played in the second game of each match and the prize varied from match to match.
The player with the most money when time was up played the bonus round. In the first few weeks of the first season, the player simply picked a star and won the prize in the envelope, which could be a new car. Later, the player had to correctly (dis)agree with that star's answer to a multiple-choice question. In the first season, there were no returning champs, and a bonus round loss added $2,500 in consolation cash.
Starting in the second season, returning champs were allowed to play for up to five days. Starting in late 2001, the winner played a new bonus round invented by Whoopi in which each star held an envelope with a cash amount inside ranging from $1,000-$5,000. The champ picked a star and then answered as many multiple-choice questions as possible in one minute. The celebrity partner was allowed to help but only the contestant's answer counted. Each correct answer earned the contestant the amount revealed. After 60 seconds, the player was given the category to a double-or-nothing question. If (s)he opted to go for it, the question and three choices were read only once and the player and star must come up with an answer within 10 seconds. Again, only the contestant's answer counted. If successful, the bonus cash doubled. Otherwise, it went bye-bye.
In September 2002, another bonus round was introduced. The champ picked a star, about whom a statement was read. A correct (dis)agreement won that square. The player was allowed 30 seconds to try to earn as many squares as (s)he could. After all nine stars had been played, or when time expired, the player was shown nine keys. One "dud" key was taken away for each square won. The player then selected a key from those remaining. If it started the car, or opened a cash safe, or a steamer trunk if the prize was a trip, the prize was won. For the first few weeks of the fifth season, if a wrong key was chosen, $500 was awarded for each square won. This was soon changed to $1,000/square, but reverted back to $500/square for season 6. During the fifth season, each "dud" was also ditched for each return for that same prize, but started back at nine upon each bonus win. If the bonus prize was won and that same player defended his/her championship again, (s)he played for the next higher prize. Here is a rundown on the prizes for the fifth season:
Level 1: a new car
Level 2: a safe containing $25,000
Level 3: a steamer trunk for a trip around the world
Level 4: a $50k safe
Level 5: never reached, but believed to be worth $100k

During the final season, the winner of each match ($1,000 x 2 games = $2,000) played for a bonus prize. This time, the bonus prizes progressed as follows:
Level 1: an exotic vacation
Level 2: $10k
Level 3: a car
Level 4: $25k
Level 5: a trip around the world

OTHER TIDBITS:
The pilot for the first run was taped for CBS in '65 and hosted by Bert Parks, who became better known for hosting the Miss America pageants. A second pilot starred Sandy Baron as host.

Peter Marshall, of the comedy team Noonan & Marshall, also hosted
All-Star Blitz, Yahtzee, and co-hosted Fantasy with Leslie Uggams. For a special Game Show Week in December '02, he sat in the center square. On the Thursday show, he and Tom switched places, so Peter hosted for the first time in 21 years. However they did switch places again for the bonus round.

Comedian Paul Lynde, who occupied the center square from '68-'79, was best known for portraying Uncle Arthur on
Bewitched.

Wally Cox, a regular from '66 until his death in '73, played the title role on the '50s TV show
Mr. Peepers as well as the voice of The Underdog.

Cliff "Charley Weaver" Arquette, a regular from '66 until his death in '74, was indeed the granddad of Rosanna, Patricia, and David.

Singer/actor John Davidson also hosted
Time Machine in '86 on NBC and the '91-'92 run of The $100,000 Pyramid.

Can we talk? Talk show hostess Joan Rivers occupied the center square from '87-'89.

Tom Bergeron is currently the host of two shows
on ABC, America's Funniest Home Videos (as of 2001) and Dancing with the Stars (as of 2005).

Before becoming a TV producer, Henry Winkler gained fame as Fonzie ("AYYYY!") of
Happy Days.

Shortly into the '98 revival, a week of shows was taped featuring Olympic gold medalist Florence Griffith Joyner as a guest star. Before the shows were aired, she suffocated to death during a seizure. Each of those episodes began with a special opening in memory of FloJo.

Jeffrey Tambor, the announcer from the '02-'03 season, starred with Jason Bateman on the Fox sitcom
Arrested Development.

John Moschitta Jr., who announced from '03-'04, is listed in the
Guinness Book as the world's fastest talker.
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