Hollywood Squares

1966

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1
6.8| 0h30m| TV-PG| en| More Info
Released: 17 October 1966 Ended
Producted By: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

Hollywood Squares is an American panel game show, in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants. The stars are asked questions by the host, or "Square-Master", and the contestants judge the veracity of their answers in order to win the game. Although Hollywood Squares was a legitimate game show, the game largely acted as the background for the show's comedy in the form of joke answers, often given by the stars prior to their "real" answer. The show's writers usually supplied the jokes. In addition, the stars were given question subjects and plausible incorrect answers prior to the show. The show was scripted in this sense, but the gameplay was not. In any case, as host Peter Marshall, the best-known "Square-Master" and the man in whose honor the show's first announcer, Kenny Williams, actually "coined" the term, would explain at the beginning of the Secret Square game, the celebrities were briefed prior to show to help them with bluff answers, but they otherwise heard the actual questions for the first time as they were asked on air.

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Reviews

TrueJoshNight Truly Dreadful Film
Mjeteconer Just perfect...
Bergorks If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.
Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
mrb1980 "The Hollywood Squares" was certainly popular during its run from the 1960s to the early 1980s. The game included celebrities in a giant tic-tac-toe set, who would provide answers to questions on various subjects. Contestants would be required to guess whether the answers provided by the stars were correct or incorrect in order to win each square.It sure sounds like fun, except the shows were scripted, and the stars were provided information about questions before each episode. Did you ever wonder how Paul Lynde was able to give such quick, snappy, and funny answers right after the question was asked? No, he wasn't a mind-reader and he wasn't a genius; he was provided information on each question before the shows, as were the rest of the stars. I was a little kid when this game show premiered in the 1960s, and it seemed like a lot of fun back then. I marveled at how the celebrities were able to give such quick, funny responses to questions when it seemed like they had just heard the questions for the first time. It turns out the whole thing was choreographed and phony. People who like and believe this show are the same people who think pro wrestling is real. Turn the channel.
John T. Ryan Putting SOME VARIOUS loose pats together, the creative team of Merrill Heater & Bob Quigley soon found that they had something that was greater than the sun of its parts. Although there was really nothing new, in and of itself; yet the very pleasant half hour installments continually pulled in huge Nielsen Ratings.FIRST OF ALL, we have the assembly of nine showbiz personalities, the configuration of a Tic Tack Toe game, two contestant, competition for board position based on questions asked and answered. Add to this we add a great, likable MC and see the magic flow freely.ALTHOUGH THIS WHOLE premise could have fizzled and blown up on the launch pad, careful engineering and selection of permanent panelists provided us with a tightly knit sort of kaleidoscope of a laugh fest.ONE VERY POWERFUL element that may have tipped the scales of a potentially fickle public was the selection of Peter Marshall as the Host. It was during the 1950s that he was half of the Comedy Team of Noonan & Marshall. Playing the role of Straihght Man to Tommy Noonan's stooge proved to be the perfect training for asking the stars their questions.AND SPEAKING OF those questions and the answers that kept us all in stitches for years, there are some misconceptions about them. In spite of popular belief, the questions were premeditated and known to both Host and the celeb in question. Ergo, the responses were also preconceived; be they comical or straight answers.THIS ALLOWED REGULARS, such as Wally Cox, Rose Marie, Clif Arquette (Charley Weaver), Joan Rivers and especially Paul Lynde to come up with the most amusing responses on a consistent basis.
ShelbyTMItchell Peter Marshall's Squares is the best. As the original is the best one. As Marshall did the best straight man training as he came from the comedy group, Noonan and Marshall.He plays it straight while the other celebs in the Tic Tac Toe squares play comedic to him. In particular straight man Paul Lynde. And Rose Marie, Morey Amsderdam, among the others.The contestants have to agree to disagree on which celeb is telling the truth. As the contestants have to decide also whether the celeb is bluffing or using a comedic answer with a straight face.Miss game shows like these. As there is not enough game shows on TV these days back in those days.Circle does get the square!
zensixties The Gameshow Channel is now running the original Hollywood Squares from the 60s. First thing that strikes you is the spontaneity, the rapour, the easy going fun fresh atmosphere, the 1960s feel of the show. As the show goes along you realize the contrast between the cleverness of the answers and the dimwittedness of today's gameshows. And of course the nostalgia value...it's now a classic. As a kid I watched the show from the early 70s on when the formula was getting dry and worn out, so see the 60s shows. Of course they're all worth it for Paul Lynde.

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