Love Experts, The

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The Love Experts was a show that was part talk show and part game show that ran from September 11, 1978 to September 7, 1979. It was hosted by Bill Cullen and Jack Clark was the announcer. The show was created by Bob Stewart. Bebu Silvetti's "Spring Rain" was used as the show's theme song.

Three guests would appear and talk about their love lives - most of them were about love gone wrong and torn between two different people. After each guest told his/her story, a panel of four celebrities would give advice to the contestant. After the guests told their stories, the celebrity panel would then choose which of the three contestants gave the most interesting story and that particular contestant won a prize (usually a trip).

Among the celebrities who appeared as panelists were David Letterman, Elaine Joyce, Jo Anne Worley, Geoff Edwards, Soupy Sales, Nipsey Russell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jay Johnson, and Billy Crystal.

The Love Experts debuted September 11, 1978 as a unique syndicated attempt - a talk show with a small game element added in. The series was somewhat of a precursor to the long-running Love Connection, however focused only on one person at a time.

The series was also the only time host Bill Cullen emceed a talk show format on a regular basis; prior to this, his only talk-show experience was as a guest-host for Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show.

Critics panned The Love Experts as being too obnoxious as a relationship advice show, however, and it ended after one season. In more recent years, the series has gained positive reviews; not only are the panel chemistry and host Cullen cited as top-notch, the series has also been lauded for openly discussing relationship-based topics that were still considered somewhat "taboo" on television at the time.