Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions
Encyclopedia
Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions was a television production company responsible for producing several American game shows in the 1970s and 1980s. The company is best known for its hit series Let's Make a Deal
, which aired in several company-produced iterations off and on between 1963 and 1986.
The company disbanded sometime in 1987.
game show Your First Impression
, hosted by Bill Leyden
, Stefan Hatos and Monty Hall had different career paths. Hatos was a writer and producer who had worked in both television and radio and had also been a producer for Bob Hope
's early television specials. Hall's American media career began in 1955 when he became a contributor for the NBC Radio Monitor program. After five years of this he moved to Hollywood and became the host of the Merrill Heatter-produced Video Village
. While hosting the series in 1962, he sold his first production (the aforementioned Your First Impression) to NBC and met Hatos, who was working on the show as a producer (Hall was executive producer).
The next year, the duo debuted the long running Let's Make a Deal on NBC, and the show was an instant success, running in daytime on NBC and later on ABC for 13 seasons. Two weekly network primetime versions also aired, one on NBC in 1967 and one on ABC from 1969-1971.
The show's popularity also spawned a syndicated version, which aired weekly from 1971–1977 and was one of the first network game shows to do so.
Other game shows produced by the team included Chain Letter, Three for the Money
and It's Anybody's Guess
for NBC and It Pays to Be Ignorant
and Masquerade Party
in syndication. The last of those series was the hosting debut for Richard Dawson.
Hall has been retired for the most part since the 1987 cancellation of Split Second, though he frequently makes cameos related to Let's Make a Deal. He has appeared on both of the last two Let's Make a Deal series, taking over as host of the 1990-91 NBC version for its last few months and making a cameo appearance on the 2003 Billy Bush-hosted NBC primetime series. He reprised his role as host for a one-off mini-episode on Good Morning America
in 2008. For the 2009 CBS daytime series, Hall serves as a consultant and Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions is credited as a co-production company (much in the same way Mark Goodson
's name was used on The Price Is Right
long after his production company was dissolved). Hall has also hosted at least one game on the current version.
Let's Make a Deal
Let's Make a Deal is a television game show which originated in the United States and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The show is based around deals offered to members of the audience by the host. The traders usually have to weigh the possibility of an offer being...
, which aired in several company-produced iterations off and on between 1963 and 1986.
The company disbanded sometime in 1987.
History: Let's Make a Deal
Prior to meeting while working in 1962 on the NBCNBC
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...
game show Your First Impression
Your First Impression
Your First Impression is a NBC daytime game show which aired from January 2, 1962, to June 26, 1964. A panel of three celebrities tried to guess the identity of mystery guests from clues supplied by the host. Bill Leyden was the MC of the program, with Dennis James as a regular panelist or...
, hosted by Bill Leyden
Bill Leyden
William "Bill" Leyden was a World War II veteran serving in the Marine Corps and a television game show host and announcer who emceed six game shows, including It Could Be You , Your First Impression , and You're Putting Me On...
, Stefan Hatos and Monty Hall had different career paths. Hatos was a writer and producer who had worked in both television and radio and had also been a producer for Bob Hope
Bob Hope
Bob Hope, KBE, KCSG, KSS was a British-born American comedian and actor who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in radio, television and movies. He was also noted for his work with the US Armed Forces and his numerous USO shows entertaining American military personnel...
's early television specials. Hall's American media career began in 1955 when he became a contributor for the NBC Radio Monitor program. After five years of this he moved to Hollywood and became the host of the Merrill Heatter-produced Video Village
Video Village
Video Village is an American television game show produced by Heatter-Quigley Productions which aired on the CBS network in daytime from July 11, 1960 to June 15, 1962 and in primetime from July 1 to September 16, 1960....
. While hosting the series in 1962, he sold his first production (the aforementioned Your First Impression) to NBC and met Hatos, who was working on the show as a producer (Hall was executive producer).
The next year, the duo debuted the long running Let's Make a Deal on NBC, and the show was an instant success, running in daytime on NBC and later on ABC for 13 seasons. Two weekly network primetime versions also aired, one on NBC in 1967 and one on ABC from 1969-1971.
The show's popularity also spawned a syndicated version, which aired weekly from 1971–1977 and was one of the first network game shows to do so.
Other shows
In addition to LMAD, Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions also produced the 1970s hit Split Second for ABC. The series, which ran from 1972–1975, was the only other show the company produced that lasted more than one season.Other game shows produced by the team included Chain Letter, Three for the Money
Three for the Money
Three for the Money was a short-lived American game show produced by Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions that aired on NBC for nine weeks from September 29 to November 28, 1975...
and It's Anybody's Guess
It's Anybody's Guess
It's Anybody's Guess is an American game show broadcast on NBC from June 13 to September 30, 1977. Monty Hall hosted the show while his second-banana from Let's Make a Deal, Jay Stewart, was the announcer. It was produced by Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions.-Gameplay:The show featured seven...
for NBC and It Pays to Be Ignorant
It Pays to Be Ignorant
It Pays to Be Ignorant was a radio comedy show which maintained its popularity during a nine-year run on three networks for such sponsors as Philip Morris, Chrysler, and DeSoto....
and Masquerade Party
Masquerade Party
A syndicated revival was produced by Stefan Hatos and Monty Hall in 1974, hosted by Richard Dawson and announced by Jay Stewart. The basic premise was the same as the original show. Bill Bixby, Lee Meriweather, and Nipsey Russell were regular panelists. Col. Harland Sanders of Kentucky Fried...
in syndication. The last of those series was the hosting debut for Richard Dawson.
The 1980s
After a hiatus of several years, Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions returned to production in the mid 1980s with a revival of Let's Make A Deal, which ran in daily syndication from 1984-1986. (Another daily syndicated version, which aired from 1980–1981, while hosted by Hall was not produced with Hatos.) After that series ended its run, Hatos and Hall revived Split Second in syndication in the fall of 1986. The company broke up following the show's cancellation.Afterwards
Although Hatos retired from writing and producing television shows after Split Second ended in 1987, he continued to oversee the licensing agreements and was involved with the foreign versions of Let's Make a Deal until his death in 1999.Hall has been retired for the most part since the 1987 cancellation of Split Second, though he frequently makes cameos related to Let's Make a Deal. He has appeared on both of the last two Let's Make a Deal series, taking over as host of the 1990-91 NBC version for its last few months and making a cameo appearance on the 2003 Billy Bush-hosted NBC primetime series. He reprised his role as host for a one-off mini-episode on Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
in 2008. For the 2009 CBS daytime series, Hall serves as a consultant and Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions is credited as a co-production company (much in the same way Mark Goodson
Mark Goodson
Mark Goodson was an American television producer who specialized in game shows.-Life and early career:...
's name was used on The Price Is Right
The Price Is Right (U.S. game show)
The Price Is Right is an American game show which was created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Contestants compete to identify the pricing of merchandise to win cash and prizes. The show is well-known for its signature line of "Come on down!" when the announcer directs newly selected contestants to...
long after his production company was dissolved). Hall has also hosted at least one game on the current version.