Bob Stewart

Game Show Creator / Producer

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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

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

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

01:34

Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)

Producer Bob Stewart on Pyramid's Emmy wins

02:31

Eye Guess

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

01:26

Face Is Familiar, The

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

02:53

Jackpot

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

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

03:48

Morey Amsterdam Show, The

Bob Stewart on producing The Morey Amsterdam Show

03:48

Password

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

Producer Bob Stewart on his panel show Personality

05:24

Price is Right, The

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

Producer Bob Stewart on the game show Shoot for the Stars

00:49

Sky's the Limit, The

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

02:50

Songs for Sale

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

03:22

Spin to Win

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

02:15

Stand Up and Be Counted

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

01:21

To Tell the Truth

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

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

03:38

You're Putting Me On

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

01:01

Topics

Censorship / Standards & Practices

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

04:49

Emmy Awards

Producer Bob Stewart on Pyramid's Emmy wins

02:31

Hollywood Blacklist

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

Bob Stewart defines the genres of game shows versus panel shows

01:31

Quiz Show Scandals

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

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Producer Bob Stewart on what makes a good game show host

01:26

Genres

Game Shows

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

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

Alan Alda

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

05:24

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

Barbara Feldon

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

01:34

Betty White

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

05:55

Bill Cullen

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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

Bill Todman

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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

Billy Crystal

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

03:26

Bob Clayton

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Game show producer Bob Stewart on announcer Bob Clayton

00:17

Bud Grant

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

07:07

David Letterman

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

06:58

Dick Clark

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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

Dick Van Dyke

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Bob Stewart on To Tell the Truth panelist Dick Van Dyke

01:01

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

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

Garry Moore

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Bob Stewart on Garry Moore

00:45

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

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

Hope Lange

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

02:50

Jack Clark

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Game show producer Bob Stewart on announcer Jack Clark

01:08

Jamie Lee Curtis

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

06:58

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

Leonard Nimoy

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

03:26

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

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

Milton Delugg

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

03:48

Monty Hall

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

05:19

Morey Amsterdam

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

03:48

Nipsey Russell

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Bob Stewart on Nipsey Russell

00:21

Peggy Cass

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

00:34

Peter Lawford

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

05:55

Polly Bergen

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

00:52

Rob Reiner

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

07:07

William S. Paley

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

01:21

William Shatner

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

03:26