Haggis Baggis
Encyclopedia
Haggis Baggis was an American game show
that aired on NBC
from 1958-1959. Jack Linkletter
hosted the primetime version while Fred Robbins
and Dennis James did the daytime show. The announcer was Bill Wendell
, with some editions announced by Jerry Damon
.
The series was produced by Rainbow Productions, otherwise known as Joe Cates Productions.
In the bonus game the winner secretly chooses one of two prizes titled "Haggis" or "Baggis". If the opponent picks the other package, each contestant wins the prizes they chose; if not, then only the champion wins whatever she selected.
Champions could stay on the program until defeated.
.
The daytime series was hosted by Fred Robbins
from the June 30 debut until February 6, 1959. The following Monday, Dennis James took over and hosted through the end of the run.
due to network policies at the time. For NBC in particular, this was quite common through 1980.
Three episodes are known to exist - two Jack Linkletter episodes are held by the UCLA Film and Television Archive, while the February 18, 1959 episode (with Dennis James, announced by Jerry Damon) is held by collectors. The latter is notable for current champion Mrs. Sheehan, who successfully defends her title four times during the 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...
that aired on NBC
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...
from 1958-1959. Jack Linkletter
Jack Linkletter
Jack Linkletter was an American game show and television host and entertainer. He was the son of Art Linkletter.-Early life:...
hosted the primetime version while Fred Robbins
Fred Robbins (broadcaster)
Fred Robbins was a popular American radio personality who went on to become a television host and celebrity interviewer.-Background:...
and Dennis James did the daytime show. The announcer was Bill Wendell
Bill Wendell
Bill Wendell was an NBC television staff announcer for almost his entire professional career.-Biography:...
, with some editions announced by Jerry Damon
Jerry Damon
H. Jerome D'Amato , known professionally as Jerry Damon, was an American radio and television announcer and actor.-Biography:Damon was a staff announcer for NBC in New York from 1954 until his death...
.
The series was produced by Rainbow Productions, otherwise known as Joe Cates Productions.
Game play
Two players, usually women, competed. The object was to identify an image of a celebrity's face, which was concealed behind a 5x5 grid, with the horizontal dimension showing letters and the vertical dimension showing categories. One contestant picks a category and the other picks a letter. The person who picked the letter then must name something that starts with that letter and that also fits the category chosen by the other player. If she does this, she gets to see the part of the portrait behind the square that corresponds to the category and number chosen, and she also gets a free guess. If she is wrong, her opponent gets the free guess. The first to guess the picture gets the better role in the bonus round and gets to come to play the next game.In the bonus game the winner secretly chooses one of two prizes titled "Haggis" or "Baggis". If the opponent picks the other package, each contestant wins the prizes they chose; if not, then only the champion wins whatever she selected.
Champions could stay on the program until defeated.
Broadcast history
The nighttime series ran from June 20 to September 29, 1958 with Linkletter as host. When the daytime series premiered on June 30, Linkletter refused so as to not compete with his father Art LinkletterArt Linkletter
Arthur Gordon "Art" Linkletter was a Canadian-born American radio and television personality. He was the host of House Party, which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years, and People Are Funny, on NBC radio-TV for 19 years...
.
The daytime series was hosted by Fred Robbins
Fred Robbins (broadcaster)
Fred Robbins was a popular American radio personality who went on to become a television host and celebrity interviewer.-Background:...
from the June 30 debut until February 6, 1959. The following Monday, Dennis James took over and hosted through the end of the run.
Episode status
The series has not been rerun and is most likely wipedWiping
Wiping or junking is a colloquial term for action taken by radio and television production and broadcasting companies, in which old audiotapes, videotapes, and telerecordings , are erased, reused, or destroyed after several uses...
due to network policies at the time. For NBC in particular, this was quite common through 1980.
Three episodes are known to exist - two Jack Linkletter episodes are held by the UCLA Film and Television Archive, while the February 18, 1959 episode (with Dennis James, announced by Jerry Damon) is held by collectors. The latter is notable for current champion Mrs. Sheehan, who successfully defends her title four times during the show.