| A Mark Goodson/Bill Todman Production air dates: 2/18/74-3/31/78 & 1/18/82-6/1/84 on CBS daytime, 9/77-9/78 in syndication host: Bert Convy announcers: Jack Clark ('74), John Harlan, Gene Wood ('74-'78), Johnny Olson ('82-'84) HOW TO PLAY: Each of three celebrity couples would represent one of three sections of the studio audience. One couple played for the red section, one played for the yellow "banana" section, and one for the blue section. The money won by each couple would be divided amongst all members of their rooting section, not to mention a $1,000 bonus for the winning couple(s). During the first half of each show, the husbands would be seated onstage with the wives being secluded offstage wearing soundproof headphones, after which the roles switched places for the second half. During the first few months of the original run, the husbands would be read a topic for a story concerning the couples' love life. The first player to ring in would tell a story relating to the announced topic and give a one-word or two-word clue to help his wife recognize the incident. Then their wives would be displayed on television monitors, one on each podium. After Bert read the clue, if the wife whose husband told the story signaled first and told the exact same story, the couple would earn for their rooting section $100 for a one-word clue or $50 for a two-word clue. After two such questions had been played, Bert would read the three couples a Newlywed-Game-esque question called a Tattletale Quickie. Each onstage player would predict how his/her spouse might respond to the question, and then the spouse in isolation would be read the same question. If the couple matched answers, their section earned $100. After the first half of each show, the husbands and wives traded places and play round 2 the same way. At the end of the game, the couple with the most money would earn an additional $1,000 for their rooting section. If the game ended in a two-way tie for the lead, each tied couple would earn $500. If all three couples tied, they each earned another $334. After the first few months on the air, the format changed so that all shows used Tattletale Quickies only. Bert asked two such questions in each round, with the couples who matched answers on each question sharing $150 (If all three couples matched answers, they each scored $50. If two matched answers, they each earned $75. If only one couple matched answers, they earned the entire $150.). If no one matched answers on a particular question, the pot was added to the value of the next question. The fourth question would be worth $300. On rare occasions, if time permitted, another $300 question would be played. The $1,000 bonus rule remained the same throughout both runs. OTHER TIDBITS: During the late 1950s, Bert Convy (1933-1991) sang with a group called the Cheers and scored a Top 40 hit with the song "Black Denim Trousers". Shortly into the run, Bert began referring to the yellow section as the "banana" section because whenever their couple earned money for their section, they would "go bananas"! Whenever their couple won the game, Bert would say "We'll be back to give the banana section their bananas!" Based on the 1969 show He Said, She Said, Tattletales followed Match Game after replacing The Secret Storm in the same time slot. Back to my game show joint or my homepage. |
| "EVERYONE IN THIS ARENA HAS A MONEY STAKE IN ONE OF THESE FAMOUS COUPLES AS WE PLAY THE GAME OF CELEBRITY GOSSIP..." |
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