All Star Secrets
Encyclopedia
All Star Secrets was an NBC
daytime game show that aired from January 8 to August 10, 1979. A Hill-Eubanks Production, the show was hosted by co-creator Bob Eubanks
and announced first by Charlie O'Donnell
, but due to conflicts with his announcing duties on Wheel Of Fortune
, he was later replaced by Tony McClay, who was a sub-announcer on Eubanks' famed game show The Newlywed Game
.
On each secret, a randomizer shuffled money amounts ranging from $120 – $300, stopping when a player pressed a button. After the secret was read, one celebrity whom the secret did not pertain to (just for fun) offered his/her opinion on which star had the secret. The contestants then secretly chose which star had the secret, and a correct answer won money according how many contestants got it right: if two or all three players were correct, they split the money (1/3 for all three, and 1/2 for two), but if only one player got it, he/she got the whole pot.
Money values doubled for the third and fourth secrets. In the final round, all three players would attempt to identify one final secret, called the "Blind Item", which was worth $1,500. In the final round, no stars were able to guess who they thought was the person who had the secret. The player with the most money at the end of the game was the winner and received a bonus prize, while the other two contestants got to keep whatever money they earned, with a guaranteed $100 minimum, and also received parting gifts.
In the final segment, and during the end credits, Eubanks would sometimes bring in someone that was related to a secret one of the celebrities had or bring in an item mentioned by a celebrity during the game.
and Arnold Schwarzenegger
.
A syndicated revival was planned for the 1989-1990 season (as part of a game show block that included Jackpot!
, Talk About
, and The Last Word
), but was scrapped after the show's distributor ran into financial problems.
as part of a one-off Bruce Forsyth's Big Night
special that aired in April 1980 on ITV
. The celebrity panel consisted of Joan Collins
, Reginald Bosanquet
, Carol Channing
, Jimmy Tarbuck
, and Susan George
.
The series returned to British television
as a regular series four years later, in 1984. Hosted by Michael Parkinson
, it ran until 1986.
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
daytime game show that aired from January 8 to August 10, 1979. A Hill-Eubanks Production, the show was hosted by co-creator Bob Eubanks
Bob Eubanks
Robert Leland "Bob" Eubanks is an American television/radio personality and game show host, best known for hosting the game show The Newlywed Game on and off since 1966, where he was known for using the catchphrase, "Makin' Whoopee"...
and announced first by Charlie O'Donnell
Charlie O'Donnell
Charles John "Charlie" O'Donnell was an American radio and television announcer, primarily known for his work on game shows...
, but due to conflicts with his announcing duties on Wheel Of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune (U.S. game show)
Wheel of Fortune is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin, which premiered in 1975. Contestants compete to solve word puzzles, similar to those used in Hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a large wheel. The title refers to the show's giant carnival wheel that...
, he was later replaced by Tony McClay, who was a sub-announcer on Eubanks' famed game show The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game is an American television game show that pits newly married couples against each other in a series of revealing question rounds to determine how well the spouses know each other. The program, originally created by Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir The Newlywed Game is an American...
.
Game play
Three contestants were told some interesting secrets about a panel of five stars. The secrets were given to the producers beforehand in an interview, and the contestants' job was to match the secret to the celebrity that gave that secret.On each secret, a randomizer shuffled money amounts ranging from $120 – $300, stopping when a player pressed a button. After the secret was read, one celebrity whom the secret did not pertain to (just for fun) offered his/her opinion on which star had the secret. The contestants then secretly chose which star had the secret, and a correct answer won money according how many contestants got it right: if two or all three players were correct, they split the money (1/3 for all three, and 1/2 for two), but if only one player got it, he/she got the whole pot.
Money values doubled for the third and fourth secrets. In the final round, all three players would attempt to identify one final secret, called the "Blind Item", which was worth $1,500. In the final round, no stars were able to guess who they thought was the person who had the secret. The player with the most money at the end of the game was the winner and received a bonus prize, while the other two contestants got to keep whatever money they earned, with a guaranteed $100 minimum, and also received parting gifts.
In the final segment, and during the end credits, Eubanks would sometimes bring in someone that was related to a secret one of the celebrities had or bring in an item mentioned by a celebrity during the game.
Notable celebrities
A number of people who rarely made television game show appearances participated in the show, including Wilt ChamberlainWilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
and Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
.
Pilots
The show was originally going to be called Celebrity Secrets, but was changed at the last minute; had its planned 1989 revival made it to air (see below), it would have used said title.A syndicated revival was planned for the 1989-1990 season (as part of a game show block that included Jackpot!
Jackpot (game show)
Jackpot! is a television game show seen in three different runs between 1974 and 1990. Geoff Edwards hosted the original version of this Bob Stewart production from January 7, 1974 until September 26, 1975 on NBC. A second version, produced in Canada, aired from September 30, 1985 to December 30,...
, 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...
, and The Last Word
The Last Word (game show)
The Last Word is a game show seen in syndication in the United States and on the Global Television Network in Canada that was produced by Merrill Heatter Productions and ran from September 18, 1989 - January 5, 1990. The host was Wink Martindale, and the co-host/announcer was Jennifer Lyall...
), but was scrapped after the show's distributor ran into financial problems.
Episode status
The episode status is unknown. Four episodes are known to exist, including a Studio Master, among private collectors.Foreign adaptations
A version of All Star Secrets was produced by LWT for the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as part of a one-off Bruce Forsyth's Big Night
Bruce Forsyth's Big Night
Bruce Forsyth's Big Night was a TV show screened on ITV on Saturday nights throughout the autumn and winter of 1978. It starred Bruce Forsyth. A total of 12 episodes were broadcast between 7 October and 31 December 1978. A further one off special was shown on 4 April 1980.The show was made by...
special that aired in April 1980 on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. The celebrity panel consisted of Joan Collins
Joan Collins
Joan Henrietta Collins, OBE , is an English actress, author, and columnist. Born in Paddington and raised in Maida Vale, Collins grew up during the Second World War. At the age of nine, she made her stage debut in A Doll's House and after attending school, she was classically trained as an actress...
, Reginald Bosanquet
Reginald Bosanquet
Reginald Bosanquet was a British journalist, best known for presenting ITN news in the 1970s.-Early life:He was the son of the cricketer Bernard Bosanquet, inventor of the "googly" and a cousin of the public relations executive Christopher Bosanquet...
, Carol Channing
Carol Channing
Carol Elaine Channing is an American singer, actress, and comedienne. She is the recipient of three Tony Awards , a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination...
, Jimmy Tarbuck
Jimmy Tarbuck
Jimmy Tarbuck OBE or Tarby is an English comedian. Growing up he was a schoolmate of John Lennon.His first television show was It's Tarbuck 65! on ITV in 1964. He has also hosted numerous quiz shows, including Winner Takes All, Full Swing, and Tarby's Frame Game...
, and Susan George
Susan George (actress)
Susan Melody George is an English film and television actress, and film producer.-Career:She trained at the Stage School, Corona Theatre School and has acted since the age of four, appearing on both television and film...
.
The series returned to British television
British television
Public television broadcasting started in the United Kingdom in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channelsTaking the base Sky EPG TV Channels. A breakdown is impossible due to a) the number of...
as a regular series four years later, in 1984. Hosted by Michael Parkinson
Michael Parkinson
Sir Michael Parkinson, CBE is an English broadcaster, journalist and author. He presented his interview programme, Parkinson, from 1971 to 1982 and from 1998 to 2007.- Early life :...
, it ran until 1986.