Bob Stewart

Game Show Creator / Producer


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About
About this interview

In his three-hour interview, Bob Stewart (1920-2012) speaks about his transition from radio to television and his first television show, Songs for Sale. In 1955, Stewart began his association with producers Mark Goodson and Bill Todman (Goodson-Todman). He talks about creating the game shows To Tell the Truth, The Price is Right, and Password. He discusses the Quiz Show Scandals and their impact on future game shows. Stewart talks about his continued his success with his show The $10,000 Pyramid (later re-titled The $100,000 Pyramid). He discusses the importance of game show host selection, the qualities of a perfect contestant, and the key to creating a fun and successful game show. Fred Wostbrock conducted the interview on September 11, 1998 in Los Angeles, CA.

All views expressed by interviewees are theirs alone and not necessarily those of the Television Academy.

"Once you cause somebody at home to talk to the television set aloud, even by himself or herself, then you've got a good game show."  

People Talking About ...
Highlights
Bob Stewart on the genesis of To Tell the Truth and The Price is Right
05:19
Bob Stewart defines the genres of game shows versus panel shows
01:31
On the creation and production of Password
11:03
Bob Stewart on how he would like to be remembered
00:24
Bob Stewart on the Quiz Show Scandals and how it affected game show producers
01:21
Full Interview

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Chapter 1

On his childhood and early years growing up in New York during the Depression era
On first seeing television at the 1939 New York Worlds Fair 
On his military service during World War II
On his introduction to radio writing and his first jobs including WNEW radio game shows and soaps (We Love and Learn) and writing for Gene Rayburn; his short stint at Benton & Bowles advertising

Chapter 2

On his early television work including Songs for Sale and local New York broadcasts
On The Sky's the Limit and The Morey Amsterdam Show
On learning of the Blacklist
On the genesis of The Price is Right, To Tell the Truth, and his uncredited work on the short-lived Stand Up and Be Counted; his relationship with Mark Goodson and Bill Todman

Chapter 3

On asserting control on The Price is Right
On his panel show To Tell the Truth  
On the genres of game shows versus panel shows
On the concept and production of The Price is Right , the initial prizes and showcases, and the selection of host Bill Cullen

Chapter 4

On working with host Bill Cullen and his feelings about The Price is Right's more current versions
On the Quiz Show Scandals
On the creation and production of the game show Password
On leaving Goodson-Todman and starting his own production company and launching The Face is Familiar

Chapter 5

On the panel show Personality and his opinions on using celebrities on his game shows
On the panel show You're Putting Me On; on his production company and its staff; working with networks; and his first videotaped show Eye Guess
On the genesis and early production of The $10,000 Pyramid

Chapter 6

On how production on the Pyramid game shows were done and how disputes were resolved; on the show's Emmy wins
On the game shows Jackpot, Shoot for the Stars; host Geoff Edwards; and some of the announcers he's worked with (Don Pardo, Joe Clayton, Jack Clark)
On moving to the West Coast; his shows The Love Experts and The 80s Woman; working with David Letterman and Barbara Feldon
On his then-current semi-retirement; how the industry has changed; his favorites of his game show creations; his opinion of the future of interactive game shows

Chapter 7

On how he would like to be remembered
On some of the people he's worked with in his career
On some photos featuring his work
Shows

10,000 Pyramid aka 25,000 Pyramid aka 100,000 Pyramid

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Bob Stewart on the genesis of The $10,000 Pyramid
07:07
Bob Stewart on how celebrity contestants were chosen for The $10,000 Pyramid
03:26
Bob Stewart on how production on the Pyramid game shows were done and how disputes were resolved
04:50
Producer Bob Stewart on Pyramid's Emmy wins
02:31
Bob Stewart on a photo of Dick Clark hosting $10,000 Pyramid
00:10

80's Woman, The

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Producer Bob Stewart on The 80's Woman talk show and its host Barbara Feldon
01:34

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

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Producer Bob Stewart on Pyramid's Emmy wins
02:31

Eye Guess

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Bob Stewart on his first use of videotape on his game show Eye Guess
01:26

Face Is Familiar, The

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Bob Stewart on the genesis of the short-lived primetime game show The Face is Familiar
02:53

Jackpot

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Producer Bob Stewart on the game show Jackpot
02:36
Bob Stewart on a photo of host Geoff Edwards on the set of Jackpot
00:09

Love Experts, The

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Producer Bob Stewart on his short-lived panel show The Love Experts
03:48

Morey Amsterdam Show, The

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Bob Stewart on producing The Morey Amsterdam Show
03:48

Password

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Bob Stewart on the creation and concept of Password
03:39
Bob Stewart on how Allen Ludden became the host of Password
01:21
Bob Stewart on how the words were chosen for Password and working with celebrity guests 
05:55

Personality

View Show Page
Producer Bob Stewart on his panel show Personality
05:24

Price is Right, The

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Bob Stewart on the genesis of The Price is Right
01:03
Bob Stewart on his work as an uncredited writer on Stand Up and Be Counted
05:19
Bob Stewart on asserting his control on The Price is Right
02:37
Bob Stewart on the basic concepts of his game show The Price is Right
03:26
Bob Stewart on how The Price is Right almost never got on the air
02:18
Bob Stewart on the prizes featured on The Price is Right
03:27
Bob Stewart on the first host of The Price is Right, Bill Cullen
03:53
Bob Stewart on his relationship with game show host Bill Cullen 
02:35
Producer Bob Stewart on announcer Don Pardo's nervousness when he had to fill in for ill host Bill Cullen on The Price is Right
01:06
Producer Bob Stewart on a concept he had for The Price is Right that never materialized
01:42
Bob Stewart on a photo of Price is Right host Bill Cullen from 1956
00:10

Shoot for the Stars

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Producer Bob Stewart on the game show Shoot for the Stars
00:49

Sky's the Limit, The

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Bob Stewart on producing the local New York game show, The Sky's the Limit
02:50

Songs for Sale

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Bob Stewart on his first job in television as a writer for Songs for Sale
03:22

Spin to Win

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Bob Stewart on a Spin to Win phone contestant's win
02:15

Stand Up and Be Counted

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Bob Stewart on his work as an uncredited writer on Stand Up and Be Counted
01:21

To Tell the Truth

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Bob Stewart on the genesis of To Tell the Truth and The Price is Right
05:19
Bob Stewart on how his panel show To Tell the Truth got its name
00:47
Bob Stewart on Mike Wallace, the host of To Tell the Truth's pilot, who turned down the show to pursue journalism
01:48
Bob Stewart on the celebrity panelists on To Tell the Truth (including Dick Van Dyke and Peggy Cass)
02:57
Bob Stewart on a cast photo of To Tell the Truth
00:17

Wheel of Fortune

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Producer Bob Stewart on his short-lived panel show Love Experts
03:38

You're Putting Me On

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Producer Bob Stewart on his game show You're Putting Me On
01:01
Topics

Censorship / Standards & Practices

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Bob Stewart on the Quiz Show Scandals and how it affected game show producers
04:49

Emmy Awards

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Producer Bob Stewart on Pyramid's Emmy wins
02:31

Hollywood Blacklist

View Topic
Bob Stewart on finding out about the Blacklist when Abe Burrows was discussed as a possible radio show guest but denied because he was "in the book"
01:36

Pop Culture

View Topic
Bob Stewart defines the genres of game shows versus panel shows
01:31

Quiz Show Scandals

View Topic
Bob Stewart on the Quiz Show Scandals and how it affected game show producers
04:49
Bob Stewart on record companies secretly paying an AD to use their music on The Price is Right
00:58
Professions

Game Show Host

View Profession
Producer Bob Stewart on what makes a good game show host
01:26
Genres

Game Shows

View Genre
Bob Stewart on the genesis of The Price is Right
01:03
Bob Stewart defines the genres of game shows versus panel shows
01:31
Bob Stewart on the creation and production of Password
10:45
Bob Stewart on his preference for game shows featuring celebrities
00:48
Bob Stewart on the process of creating game shows and how his company was run
07:11
Bob Stewart on how the popularity of word games waned
01:23
Producer Bob Stewart on what makes a good game show host
01:26
People

Alan Alda

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Producer Bob Stewart on his panel show Personality (which Alan Alda was up for hosting)
05:24

Morey Amsterdam

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Bob Stewart on producing the local New York game show, The Sky's the Limit
03:48

Polly Bergen

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Bob Stewart on To Tell the Truth panelist Polly Bergen (and husband/agent Freddie Fields)
00:52

Larry Blyden

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Producer Bob Stewart on his panel show Personality
05:24
Bob Stewart on the genesis of The $10,000 Pyramid
07:07

Abe Burrows

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Bob Stewart on finding out about the Blacklist when Abe Burrows was discussed as a possible radio show guest but denied because he was "in the book"
01:36

Peggy Cass

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Bob Stewart on To Tell the Truth panelists Johnny Carson and Peggy Cass
00:34

Dick Clark

View Interview Page
Bob Stewart on the genesis of The $10,000 Pyramid
07:07
Producer Bob Stewart on how production on the Pyramid game shows were done and how disputes were resolved; on the show's Emmy wins
07:21
Producer Bob Stewart on what makes a good game show host
01:26
Bob Stewart on Dick Clark
00:13

Jack Clark

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Game show producer Bob Stewart on announcer Jack Clark
01:08

Bob Clayton

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Game show producer Bob Stewart on announcer Bob Clayton
00:17

Billy Crystal

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Bob Stewart on how celebrity contestants were chosen for The $10,000 Pyramid
03:26

Bill Cullen

View Person Page
Bob Stewart on asserting his control on The Price is Right
02:37
Bob Stewart on the first host of The Price is Right, Bill Cullen
03:53
Bob Stewart on his relationship with game show host Bill Cullen
02:35
Bob Stewart on his first use of videotape on his game show Eye Guess
01:26
Producer Bob Stewart on what makes a good game show host
01:26

Jamie Lee Curtis

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Producer Bob Stewart on his short-lived panel show Love Experts
06:58

Milton Delugg

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Bob Stewart on producing the local New York game show, The Sky's the Limit
03:48

Dick Van Dyke

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Bob Stewart on To Tell the Truth panelist Dick Van Dyke
01:01

Geoff Edwards

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Producer Bob Stewart on the game show Jackpot
02:26

Gil Fates

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Bob Stewart on Gil Fates
00:17

Barbara Feldon

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Producer Bob Stewart on The 80s Woman talk show and its host Barbara Feldon
01:34

Mark Goodson

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Bob Stewart on the genesis of To Tell the Truth and The Price is Right
05:19
Bob Stewart on working with Mark Goodson and Bill Todman
02:15
Bob Stewart on asserting his control on The Price is Right
02:37
Bob Stewart on Mark Goodson
00:22

Bud Grant

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Bob Stewart on the genesis of The $10,000 Pyramid
07:07

Monty Hall

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Bob Stewart on the genesis of To Tell the Truth and The Price is Right
05:19

Hope Lange

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Bob Stewart on producing the local New York game show, The Sky's the Limit
02:50

Peter Lawford

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Bob Stewart on how the words were chosen for Password and working with celebrity guests 
05:55

David Letterman

View Person Page
Producer Bob Stewart on his short-lived panel show Love Experts
06:58

Allen Ludden

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Bob Stewart on how Allen Ludden became the host of Password
01:21
Bob Stewart on how the words were chosen for Password and working with celebrity guests 
05:55
Producer Bob Stewart on what makes a good game show host
01:26
Bob Stewart on Allen Ludden
00:09

Garry Moore

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Bob Stewart on Garry Moore
00:45

Leonard Nimoy

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Bob Stewart on how celebrity contestants were chosen for The $10,000 Pyramid
03:26

William S. Paley

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Bob Stewart on his work as an uncredited writer on Stand Up and Be Counted
01:21

Don Pardo

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Producer Bob Stewart on announcer Don Pardo's nervousness when he had to fill in for ill host Bill Cullen on The Price is Right
01:06

Gene Rayburn

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Bob Stewart on producing the local New York game show, The Sky's the Limit
02:50
Bob Stewart on the Quiz Show Scandals and how it affected game show producers
01:21

Rob Reiner

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Bob Stewart on the genesis of The $10,000 Pyramid
07:07

Nipsey Russell

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Bob Stewart on Nipsey Russell
00:21

William Shatner

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Bob Stewart on how celebrity contestants were chosen for The $10,000 Pyramid
03:26

Fred Silverman

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Bob Stewart on the genesis of the short-lived primetime game show The Face is Familiar
02:53
Bob Stewart on the genesis of The $10,000 Pyramid
07:07

Bill Todman

View Person Page
Bob Stewart on working with Mark Goodson and Bill Todman
02:15
Bob Stewart on asserting his control on The Price is Right
02:37
Bob Stewart on Bill Todman
00:24

Mike Wallace

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Bob Stewart on Mike Wallace, the host of To Tell the Truth's pilot, who turned down the show to pursue journalism
01:48

Betty White

View Interview Page
Bob Stewart on how the words were chosen for Password and working with celebrity guests 
05:55

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