Game Show ideas have come in different ways. They have been spawned from other shows or come from personal experiences. Such was the case with veteran movie actor Burt Reynolds, who played a game with his Hollywood friends called Sketchpad Charades. Along with game show host Bert Convy, he came up with the concept of Win, Lose or Draw, which aired in both syndication and on NBC's daytime lineup.
Convy, himself hosted the syndicated version until he left in 1989 to host another show he produced 3rd Degree. He was replaced by Robb Weller. This version didn't get a lot of airplay in the Twin Cities but Weller wasn't as good as Convy. He didn't have the experience of hosting a game show.
The daytime version that aired on NBC is the one I remember most. With Convy busy hosting Super Password, Vicki Lawrence became the host. She did an outstanding job as host, keeping the game moving and interacting well with the celebrities and contestants. She was one of the few women who had success as a game show host. I should also add that Sally Struthers filled in for her on a few episodes when Lawrence was ill and though she lacked experience running a game show, she did fine.
As for the game, it was a very simple game that invited the home audience to play along (if you didn't look at the answer on the screen) as the celebrities drew clues to the identity of a person, place or thing. The set, modeled after Reynolds living room, was simple, not flashy and very homey.
But times were changing in daytime TV as NBC, which was still in third place, erased the show from its lineup in 1989. It was one of the last successful game shows on the network and a show that deserves to be rerun someday on GSN.
Convy, himself hosted the syndicated version until he left in 1989 to host another show he produced 3rd Degree. He was replaced by Robb Weller. This version didn't get a lot of airplay in the Twin Cities but Weller wasn't as good as Convy. He didn't have the experience of hosting a game show.
The daytime version that aired on NBC is the one I remember most. With Convy busy hosting Super Password, Vicki Lawrence became the host. She did an outstanding job as host, keeping the game moving and interacting well with the celebrities and contestants. She was one of the few women who had success as a game show host. I should also add that Sally Struthers filled in for her on a few episodes when Lawrence was ill and though she lacked experience running a game show, she did fine.
As for the game, it was a very simple game that invited the home audience to play along (if you didn't look at the answer on the screen) as the celebrities drew clues to the identity of a person, place or thing. The set, modeled after Reynolds living room, was simple, not flashy and very homey.
But times were changing in daytime TV as NBC, which was still in third place, erased the show from its lineup in 1989. It was one of the last successful game shows on the network and a show that deserves to be rerun someday on GSN.