Acting Crazy
Encyclopedia
Acting Crazy is a Canadian
television
game show
. Hosted by Wayne Cox (who previously hosted Second Honeymoon and Talk About
), announced by Terry Reid and produced by Blair Murdoch
, the show was shot at the CKVU-TV
studios in Vancouver
and originally aired on the Global Television Network
in 1991. It was brought back in 1994 but it was later put into repeat syndication on Global, Prime Television (now known as TVtropolis
). Global and Prime has shown every episode. Currently, GameTV is airing 40 episodes from 1994 in repeat syndication. The format of the show was based on the game of charades
.
The time it took to complete each charade was added to a score for each team, and at the end of the show, the team which had acted out all of its charades in the fastest aggregated time won a prize for its contestant, and the champion would return the next day to defend against a new player. Should the reigning champion win 5 straight games, he/she would receive a chance to select prizes from the "Acting Crazy Galleria" (also referred to by Wayne as "Blair's Prize Emporium" during the 1994 tapings).
Midway through each episode, the contestants switched teams, taking their times with them, and the last round included a side prize which went to the team who had completed its charade the fastest in that round only. In the first few episodes, the time limit in the final round would be 30 or 45 seconds.
The five house players (of which four would appear on any given show) were Sue Burge, Melody Davies, Gary Jones, Billy Mitchell and Denis Simpson
. (Burge and Davis, who are sisters, later competed as one of thirteen teams in the 2001 Travel TV series, The Great Race
). Sue Burge and Denis Simpson also appeared as contestants on Talkabout in 1988/89 which was also hosted by Wayne Cox.
Celebrities and contestants on the show stayed at the Century Plaza Hotel in Vancouver in 1991, and the Westin Bayshore Hotel in 1994.
All celebrities appeared for ten shows, except MacRae (twenty shows, ten for each appearance) and McCoo, Davis Jr. and Jeffries (who were in a three-celebrity rotation with one another, each appearing for twenty shows, overall).
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
. Hosted by Wayne Cox (who previously hosted Second Honeymoon and Talk About
Talk About (game show)
Talk About is a game show produced in Canada for CBC, which bears some similarities to the board game Outburst. Originally produced for CBC for the 1988-89 season, it was later picked up for American television syndication, airing from September 18, 1989 to March 16, 1990, with repeats later airing...
), announced by Terry Reid and produced by Blair Murdoch
Blair Murdoch
Blair Murdoch is a television producer during the mid 1980s to the mid 2000s. He independently produced many television series, mainly game shows, for Global Television Network in Canada and for MGM Television in Los Angeles...
, the show was shot at the CKVU-TV
CKVU-TV
CKVU-DT is a television station based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Owned by Rogers Media , it was the second station to become part of the Citytv system in Canada.-History:CKVU's history dates back to 1975, when Western Approaches Ltd...
studios in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and originally aired on the Global Television Network
Global Television Network
Global Television Network is an English language privately owned television network in Canada, owned by Calgary-based Shaw Communications, as part of its Shaw Media division...
in 1991. It was brought back in 1994 but it was later put into repeat syndication on Global, Prime Television (now known as TVtropolis
TVtropolis
TVtropolis is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Shaw Media and Rogers Media.The channel operates two time shifted feeds: East and West .-Programming:...
). Global and Prime has shown every episode. Currently, GameTV is airing 40 episodes from 1994 in repeat syndication. The format of the show was based on the game of charades
Charades
Charades or charade is a word guessing game. In the form most played today, it is an acting game in which one player acts out a word or phrase, often by pantomiming similar-sounding words, and the other players guess the word or phrase. The idea is to use physical rather than verbal language to...
.
Rules
Each episode of Acting Crazy featured two teams of four, each having one contestant, one celebrity and two "house players" (recurring players hired by the show), playing several rounds. In each round, one member of each team was brought out onto the centre stage and given a charade to act out to his or her team. Those charades are movie titles, song titles, TV shows, famous people, phrases, places, quotes, and often, wildflowers, etc. That person had one minute to successfully communicate to his/her team whatever (s)he was given. The clock counted up from 0 seconds to 1 minute.The time it took to complete each charade was added to a score for each team, and at the end of the show, the team which had acted out all of its charades in the fastest aggregated time won a prize for its contestant, and the champion would return the next day to defend against a new player. Should the reigning champion win 5 straight games, he/she would receive a chance to select prizes from the "Acting Crazy Galleria" (also referred to by Wayne as "Blair's Prize Emporium" during the 1994 tapings).
Midway through each episode, the contestants switched teams, taking their times with them, and the last round included a side prize which went to the team who had completed its charade the fastest in that round only. In the first few episodes, the time limit in the final round would be 30 or 45 seconds.
The five house players (of which four would appear on any given show) were Sue Burge, Melody Davies, Gary Jones, Billy Mitchell and Denis Simpson
Denis Simpson
Denis Simpson was a Canadian actor and singer, best known as a host of the TV series Polka Dot Door...
. (Burge and Davis, who are sisters, later competed as one of thirteen teams in the 2001 Travel TV series, The Great Race
The Great Race
The Great Race is a 1965 slapstick comedy film starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Natalie Wood, directed by Blake Edwards, written by Blake Edwards and Arthur A. Ross, and with music by Henry Mancini and cinematography by Russell Harlan. The supporting cast includes Peter Falk, Keenan Wynn,...
). Sue Burge and Denis Simpson also appeared as contestants on Talkabout in 1988/89 which was also hosted by Wayne Cox.
Celebrities and contestants on the show stayed at the Century Plaza Hotel in Vancouver in 1991, and the Westin Bayshore Hotel in 1994.
Celebrities who appeared during the 1991-92 tapings
- Nina BlackwoodNina BlackwoodNina Blackwood is an American disc jockey and music journalist, who was the first of the original five MTV VJs. She has also been an actress and model.-Early life and career:...
- Eric Boardman
- Jack CarterJack CarterJack Carter may refer to:* Jack Carter, fictional character created by Ted Lewis** from the novels Jack's Return Home, Jack Carter's Law, and Jack Carter and the Mafia Pigeon** from the films Get Carter and Get Carter...
- Jackson DaviesJackson DaviesJackson Davies is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as RCMP Constable John Constable in the television series The Beachcombers, which he reprised in the TV movies The New Beachcombers and A Beachcombers Christmas . Originally from Wetaskiwin, Alberta and now living in Vancouver, BC...
- Micky DolenzMicky DolenzGeorge Michael "Micky" Dolenz, Jr. is an American actor, musician, television director, radio personality and theater director, best known as a member of the 1960s made-for-television band The Monkees.-Biography:...
- Leslie EasterbrookLeslie Easterbrook-Early life:Easterbrook was born in Los Angeles and adopted by a family in rural Nebraska, where she was raised. Her father later earned a Ph.D and became a voice/trumpet professor at University of Nebraska at Kearney...
- Morgan Fox
- Meredith MacRaeMeredith MacRaeMeredith Lynn MacRae was an American actress and singer.-Life and career:MacRae was best known for her television roles as Billie Jo on Petticoat Junction and as Sally Ann in My Three Sons...
- Rip TaylorRip TaylorCharles Elmer "Rip" Taylor, Jr. is an American actor and comedian.-Early life:Taylor was born in Washington, D.C., the son of Elizabeth, a waitress, and Charles Elmer Taylor, Sr., a musician. As a young man, Taylor served in the Korean War while in the U.S...
- Jimmie WalkerJimmie WalkerJames Carter "Jimmie" Walker is an American actor and stand-up comedian, known for portraying J. J. Evans on the television series Good Times, which ran from 1974 to 1979...
- Jo Anne WorleyJo Anne WorleyJo Anne Worley is an American actress. Her work covers television, films, theater, game shows, talk shows, commercials, and cartoons. She is best known for her work on the comedy-variety show Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.-Biography:...
Celebrities who appeared during the 1994 tapings
- Jim J. Bullock
- Billy Davis, Jr.Billy Davis, Jr.Billy Davis, Jr. is an American musician, best known as a member of The 5th Dimension. Along with his wife, Marilyn McCoo, he had hit records during 1976 and 1977 with "I Hope We Get to Love in Time", "Your Love", and "You Don't Have to Be a Star "...
- Jenilee HarrisonJenilee HarrisonJenilee Harrison is an American actress possibly best known for her role as replacement blonde roommate Cindy Snow on the hit sitcom Three's Company from 1980–1982 and Jamie Ewing in Dallas from 1984–1986.- Early years :...
- Anna Maria HorsfordAnna Maria HorsfordAnna Maria Horsford is an American television and film actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Thelma Frye on the sitcom Amen, her role as Craig Jones' mother, Betty Jones, in the 1995 comedy, Friday and the 2002 comedy Friday After Next and as security guard Dee on The Wayans Bros.,...
- Stu Jeffries (later host of the 1996 Blair Murdoch game show, Love HandlesLove HandlesLove Handles is a Canadian television game show produced by Blair Murdoch from 1996 to 1998 on the Global Television Network, and hosted by Stu Jeffries...
, also shot at CKVU-TV) - Larry LinvilleLarry LinvilleLawrence Lavon "Larry" Linville was an American actor. He was known for his portrayal of obnoxious, pious, self-important and inept surgeon Major Frank Burns in the television series M*A*S*H.-M*A*S*H:...
- Meredith MacRaeMeredith MacRaeMeredith Lynn MacRae was an American actress and singer.-Life and career:MacRae was best known for her television roles as Billie Jo on Petticoat Junction and as Sally Ann in My Three Sons...
- Marilyn McCooMarilyn McCooMarilyn McCoo is an American singer, actress, and television presenter, who is best known for being the lead female vocalist in the group The 5th Dimension, as well as hosting the 1980s music countdown series Solid Gold...
- Peter NoonePeter NoonePeter Noone is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist and actor, best known as "Herman" of the successful 1960s rock group Herman's Hermits.-Early life:...
- Sally StruthersSally StruthersSally Ann Struthers is an American actress and spokeswoman, best-known for her roles as Gloria Stivic on All in the Family, for which she won two Emmy awards, and as Babette on Gilmore Girls.-Personal life:...
- Marcia WallaceMarcia WallaceMarcia Karen Wallace is an American character actress, comedienne and game show panelist, primarily known for her roles in television situation comedies...
- Patrick WaynePatrick WaynePatrick John Morrison, better known by his stage name Patrick Wayne , is an American actor, the second son of movie star John Wayne and his first wife, Josephine Alicia Saenz. He made over 40 films in his career, including nine with his father...
All celebrities appeared for ten shows, except MacRae (twenty shows, ten for each appearance) and McCoo, Davis Jr. and Jeffries (who were in a three-celebrity rotation with one another, each appearing for twenty shows, overall).