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 was based around deals offered to members of the audience members by the host. The contestants usually had to weigh the possibility of an offer being for a valuable prize, or an undesirable item, referred to as a "zonk".
The original and most widely-known version aired from 1963 to 1976. Other short-lived versions aired in 1980, 1984, 1990 and 2003. Longtime host Monty Hall also co-produced the show from the 1960s through the 1980s with Stefan Hatos.
The original incarnation of the show was an ABC Films production (and as such appeared on the ABC Television Network), and was later produced by Worldvision Enterprises. The 1984 syndicated version was produced by Telepictures.

Contents

Format

Other deal formats

Trading deals

Games of chance

Skill-based games

Door #4 (1984-1986 only)

Big Deal of the Day

Value in different incarnations

Audience

Broadcast history

Episode status

References in popular culture

International

DVD releases

See also

External links

Format

Each episode of ''Let's Make a Deal'' consisted of several "deals" between the host and a member or members of the audience as contestants. Audience members were picked at the host's whim as the show went along, and couples were often selected to play as "one" contestant. The "deals" were mini-games within the show that took several formats.
In the simplest format, a contestant was given a prize, and the host offered them the opportunity to trade for another prize; however, the offered prize was concealed. It might be concealed on the stage behind one of three curtains, or behind "boxes" onstage (large panels painted to look like boxes), within smaller boxes brought out to the audience, or occasionally in other formats. The initial prize given to the contestant might also be concealed, such as in a box, wallet or purse; or the player might be initially given a box or curtain. The format varied widely.
Technically, contestants were supposed to bring something to trade in, but this rule was seldom enforced. On several occasions, a contestant would actually be asked to trade in an item such as his or her shoes or purse, only to receive the item back at the end of the deal as a "prize". On at least one occasion, the purse was taken backstage and a high-valued prize was placed inside of it.
Prizes generally were either a legitimate prize, cash, or a "zonk". Legitimate prizes often included furniture and appliances, or vehicles. Zonks were unwanted prizes which could be anything from animals to large amounts of food, or something outlandish like a giant article of clothing or piece of furniture. On the original series, zonks were often demonstrated by the show's announcer, Jay Stewart, and legitimate prizes were modeled by Carol Merrill (although Merrill, too, helped model the zonks). A trumpet fanfare in a downward series of notes always accompanied the zonk's reveal.
Contestants legally won the zonks; however, after the taping of the show, any trader who had been zonked would be offered a consolation prize instead of having to take home the actual zonk. This is partly because some of the zonks were intrinsically impossible to take delivery of: for example, if a contestant won an animal, they could legally insist that it be awarded to them, but chances are that they do not have the means to care for it. In fact, a disclaimer at the end of the credits of later 1970s episodes read "Some traders accept reasonable duplicates of zonk prizes."
In addition, as the end credits of the show rolled, it was typical for Monty Hall to ask random members of the studio audience to participate in fast deals. The deals were often in the form of offering cash to one person (or the first person in the audience) who had a certain item on them, or else offering cash for each of a specific item (such as pennies) the person had, up to a certain limit (usually 100). The deals usually had a low value ($50-100), but provided filler until the end of the show. Perhaps the best known fast deal was Hall's, "I'll give you $300 for a hard-boiled egg." At first, there was no limit on the number of items that couuld be traded in, until a rumored incident in which Hall offered a woman $100 for every dime she had -- whereupon she produced a roll of dimes.

Other deal formats

Deals were often more complicated than the basic format described above. Additionally, some deals took the form of games of chance, and others in the form of pricing games, similar to those used on ''The Price is Right'':

Trading deals

★ Choosing an envelope, purse, wallet, etc., which concealed dollar bills. One of them concealed a pre-announced dollar bill (usually $1 or $5), which awarded a car or trip. The other envelopes contained a larger amount of money as a consolation prize. The player had to decide whether to keep his/her choice or trade.

★ Three unrelated traders acted as a team on deals. Sometimes, only one was allowed to speak for the team without consultation of the others; other times, a "majority rules" format was used. Usually after a series of deals, Hall broke up the team and each contestant could individually decide on one or more options on a final deal.

★ At the start of the show, a contestant would be given a large grocery item (e.g., a box of candy bars), almost always containing a cash amount. Throughout the show, he/she was given several chances to trade the box and/or give it to another trader, in exchange for the box or curtain. Only after the Big Deal of the Day was awarded (or if the last trader with said item elected to go for the Big Deal) was the cash amount or prize given. Variant: A "claim check" was given to a trader at the start of the show for any prize shown during the regular deals and chances to trade throughout the episode. The prize ranged from cash and cars to zonks. The "claim check" was sometimes played as the very last regular deal, however, with one sure deal offered in lieu of its contents.

Games of chance

★ Choosing four of seven envelopes, each containing $1 and $2 bills, whose contents they hoped added up to at least $7 for a grand prize.

★ 'Monty's Cash Register', wherein a couple had to punch keys on a 15-key register. Exactly 13 of the buttons hid amounts of either $50 or $100, and getting to a stated amount (usually $500-$1000) won a grand prize. The couple could stop at any time and keep what they have (always then being tempted with a follow-up keep-or-trade deal) but hitting "no sale" at any time ended the game. One twist involved the two "no sale" buttons; if an unlucky button were struck on the first try, hitting the second "no sale" button the very next time also won the grand prize. Otherwise, Monty allowed the couple to take home whatever dollar amount they hit with the next key punch.

★ A contestant or a couple was presented with a choice of three keys, one of which unlocked anything from boxes (containing money, trip tickets, etc.) to cars. This game gave rise to the Monty Hall problem of probability. Hall usually offered a sure-thing buyout consisting of a smaller prize package, which was offered once Monty demonstrated one of the "dud" keys). A variation of this game involved more than one contestant selecting a key (sometimes from four instead of three); in this case, more than one key would open the item, and contestants could trade in their key for an unknown behind a curtain/box or a cash amount.

★ Deciding whether an announced prize was real or imitation, and choosing a cash amount or the box/curtain as a substitute.

★ 'Beat the Dealer': three contestants would choose envelopes to start the game; two of them contained $500 cash, the other $50. The two dealers who chose the $500 continued on to try to win a middling prize by picking the higher-suited card out of nine off a game board. The one who won could then risk the prize and the cash by picking two more cards - one for themself and one for Monty, winner take all. If the player picked the higher card for themself, they added a new car (or another big prize); otherwise, they lost everything.

★ Deciding whether an egg given to a contestant was raw or hard boiled and choosing a cash amount or box/curtain as a substitute.

Skill-based games

These games were played for a grand prize, such as a car or trip. At certain stages of these games, the host often offered a deal (a box/curtain/etc. or cash amount) to quit before the answer was revealed. If all of Hall's offers were turned down and the grand prize lost, Hall would usually give the priced items to the contestant as a consolation prize along with $50 or $100 in cash:

★ Arranging small prizes (usually $5-50) in order of dollar value.

★ Determining which item out of several was appearing on the show for the first time.

★ Choosing which item was a pre-announced price, or added up to a certain amount

★ Recalling which grocery items were concealed beneath the letters in the name of a car model or trip destination.

★ Pricing successive items within a predetermined amount from the suggested retail prices (SRP) (on the West coast). The first item was always easy while the last item was always more difficult.

★ Pricing items with the total of all guesses within a predetermined amount from the total of the SRPs; a similar concept would be used for the game Check-Out on ''The Price is Right''.

★ The contestant is given a dollar amount (often $5), and is asked to price several items. The difference between the contestant's guess and the actual SRP of the item was deducted from the contestant's money. If the contestant had even a penny left, they won the grand prize.

★ Two traders competed against each other to price a series of four grocery items or small prizes. The first contestant gave a price, and the opponent gave one; the one who was closer got a cash prize (e.g., $100). Each succeeding item was worth more (e.g., $200, $300 and $400), with the players alternating turns going first. The first trader (or team) to collect a pre-set amount (usually $700) won a grand prize, such as a car or a trip (and got to keep any leftover money). The losing contestant was offered a regular take-it-or-leave-it deal in exchange for any cash accumulated; the consolation deal was also played for both teams if both obtained less than the required amount.

Door #4 (1984-1986 only)

Played every few days, and announced with siren and quick-zoom fanfare, a contestant was chosen by a computer at random based on a number which now appeared on the contestant's tag (1 to 36). This contestant was chosen to play a special deal, which had four incarnations:

★ 'Version 1' - The contestant was offered a prize in exchange for a mystery cash amount ranging from $1 to $5,000, which was concealed behind "Door #4" (in actuality another curtain).

★ 'Version 2' - A 20-space carnival wheel was brought out from behind Door #4, which contained cash amounts from $100 to $5000. The contestant spun the wheel, and could keep the amount won or spin again in hopes of winning a higher amount. If a lesser amount was spun, all winnings were lost. One space on the wheel read Double Deal, and if it was hit on either spin, doubled the winnings up to a maximum of $10,000. Hitting Double Deal on both spins also earned the top $10,000 prize. Wheel configuration: $5,000, $750, $600, $200, $3,000, $350, $700, $150, $1,000, Double Deal, $500, $2,000, $400, $250, $800, $4,000, $300, $450, $900, $100.

★ 'Version 3' - The contestant could keep $750 or risk it by spinning the wheel, which now contained spaces that earned $1,500 (by landing on a space marked 'DOUBLE'), $2,250 (landing on 'TRIPLE'), $3,000, a new car ... or win less (anywhere from $100 to $500, or perhaps even a 'zonk'). The zonk was a T-shirt that read "I was ZONKED by Monty Hall". If the contestant kept the money, Monty would let the player spin the wheel just for fun to see what was passed up.

★ 'Version 4' - Played the same as Version 3, except the contestant was given $1,000 to start. Wheel configuration: Car, $200, $100, Triple, $200, Double, Zonk, $100, Triple, $200, Car, $100, $200, $4,000, $100, Double, Zonk, $200, Triple, $100.

Big Deal of the Day

Each show ended with the Big Deal of the Day. Beginning with the day's biggest winner, and moving in order to the winner of the lowest prize value, the host would ask each contestant if they wanted to trade their winnings for a spot in the Big Deal (whose value was usually revealed at that point). He would continue asking until two contestants agreed to participate.
The big deal involved three doors, famously known as "Door number 1", "Door number 2" and "Door number 3", each of which contained a prize or prize package. The top winner of the two was offered the first choice of a door, and the second contestant was then offered a choice of the two remaining doors. One door hid the day's Big Deal, which was usually more than the top prize offered to that point. It often included the day's most expensive prize (a luxury or sports car, a trip, furniture/appliances, a fur, cash or a combination of two or more of said items). The other two doors concealed prizes or prize packages of lesser value. Zonks were never included in the Big Deal, although the contestant sometimes risked winding up with less than his or her original winnings.

Value in different incarnations

During the classic era (1963-1977), the daytime Big Deal of the Day was typically worth $1,500-$5,000; the nighttime and syndicated show's Big Deals were worth $7,000 to $15,000 or more, with cars often being part of the runner-up door.
During the 1975-1976 syndicated season, a new "Super Deal" was offered for Big Deal winners. At this point, Big Deals were limited to a range of $8,000 to $10,000. The contestant could risk his Big Deal winnings on a 1-in-3 shot at adding a $20,000 cash prize. The other two doors caused the player to lose the "Big Deal," but he/she took home a $1,000 or $2,000 consolation prize. Given this scenario, a Super Deal winner could win as much as $30,000 in cash and prizes (in fact, the first-ever Super Deal won the $30,000 maximum). Later, the consolation prize was changed to $2,000 and a mystery amount (between $1,000 and $9,000). The Super Deal was discontinued when the show permanently moved to Las Vegas for the final season (1976-1977), and the value of "Big Deal" returned to its previous $10,000-15,000 range.
In the 1980-1981 syndicated series, Big Deals were worth around $5,000 (which meant regular prizes were also cheaper). Also, instead of offering cash in actual currency, cash was given in the form of "Monty Dollars" (a/k/a "Let's Make a Deal Money"). As explained in the show, this was due to the fact that the show was seen in Canada and the U.S., and contestants could take home money in US or Canadian currency, with a likely preference for the American greenback because of its relative strength.
For the ''All New'' syndicated series, Big Deals ranged from $6,000 to $8,000 from 1984 to 1985, and from $8,000 to $11,000 from 1985 to 1986. On the 1990-1991 NBC daytime, Big Deals could be worth up to $20,000. On the 2003 NBC primetime revival, the Big Deal on each show added up to over $50,000. On the 2005 ''Univisión'' series, Big Deals were worth around $3,000-5,000 on the regular show and around $26,000 during the primetime specials.

Audience

When the series began, studio audience members wore suits and ties or dresses. Over time the show gradually evolved into the costume-wearing menagerie it became. In 2003, GSN featured the long-lost 1963 pilot episode of LMaD, hosted by Hall himself. In the special, Hall mentioned that two weeks into the series an audience member had brought in a small placard that read:

''"Roses are red, violets are blue,
I came here to deal with you!"''
The placard caught Hall's attention and he chose the player to be a contestant. On later tapings more people began bringing signs. Again to get Hall's attention another audience member showed up at a taping wearing a crazy hat, which also eventually caught on with others. The costumes and signs just became a part of the show itself and got crazier and crazier as the show went on.
The most frequently asked question was if the show provided the zany costumes for the studio audience. The standard response was that all contestants came "dressed as they are", in the words of Jay Stewart.

Broadcast history

Main article: Let's Make a Deal broadcast history

Episode status

Many of the show's estimated 4,700 episodes exist:

★ The NBC daytime version is unknown, though it is very likely that the original tapes were wiped as they were recorded over by NBC with new programming in an era when videotape was an expensive commodity. The 1963 pilot exists, with Wendell Niles as announcer and contestants in normal business attire (typical of its first season).

★ The ABC daytime version is unknown.

★ The 1969-1971 ABC prime-time and 1971-1977 syndicated nighttime seasons exist almost in their entirety, and episodes from these years can currently be seen on GSN. [1]

★ The 1980-1981 Canadian version is unknown.

★ The syndicated 1984-1986 revival exists in its entirety.

★ The 1990 NBC revival is unknown.

★ The 2003 NBC prime-time series still exists. Only three of the five taped episodes have aired, with no current plans to air any of them in the future.

★ The 2005 Univision series still exists.

References in popular culture

★ The show is the focus of an episode of ''The Odd Couple'', featuring Hall, in which Oscar (Jack Klugman) and Felix (Tony Randall) team up and come dressed as a horse.

★ A spoof of the show appeared at the beginning of the ''Flintstones'' animated film ''The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone'' (1979), entitled ''Make a Deal or Don't''. The game-show's host was called Monty Marble (voiced by Casey Kasem). The way in which 'Marble' was pronounced gave emphasis to the end of the word, making it sound like 'marb-hall'.

★ Another spoof appeared on the situation comedy ''Sanford and Son'', when Fred Sanford, Grady and Bubba appeared on a show called ''Wheel and Deal'', hosted by Harry Monty (John Barbour).

★ On the cartoon ''Wacky & Packy'', the title characters appear on a parody called ''Let's Make A Bundle'' with host Monty Tall.

★ The show was parodied by Cheech and Chong in their ''Let's Make A Dope Deal'' comedy routine from their second album ''Big Bambu''. Several years later, they made a sequel from the album of the same name, ''Let's Make A New Dope Deal''.

★ George Carlin discusses the show on his second album ''FM & AM''

★ ''Door Number 3'', a song authored by Jimmy Buffett and Steve Goodman, mentions many regulars on the show, and was used in the documentary movie about the show, ''Deal''.

★ In ''The Simpsons'' episode "Homer Goes to College," Mr. Burns — playing the role of Monty Hall — attempts to bribe inspectors with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with a LMaD-style offer in an effort to get them to reconsider sanctions against the plant for critical safety and environmental violations (which had been exposed during a surprise inspection). Waylon Smithers plays the part of Carol Merrill, modeling the prizes Burns had hoped to bestow upon the inspectors.

★ In the 1995 computer game "The 11th Hour: The Sequel to the 7th Guest", the show was parodied in the ending sequence, where choosing a door also chose the game's ending. The name was changed to "Let's Make a Real Deal." The host was "Monty Stauf", mixing the names of the original host and game character.

★ In a Showcase on ''The Price is Right'' where the theme was "network TV shows that never made it to air", one of the shows was entitled ''Let's Make a 'Meal'''.

★ In a That 70s Show episode, Donna Pinciotti (Laura Prepon) had a nightmare about her future. In the dream she appeared in an episode of ''Let's Make A Deal''-- dressed as a carrot. Hall appeared as himself, with his gray hair dyed to its color during the 70s.

★ In an episode of ''The Wonder Years'' titled "The Test", the show's main character Kevin Arnold procrastinates in studying for his upcoming SAT test by watching an episode of ''Let's Make a Deal''. Kevin eventually falls asleep in front of the TV and has a dream where Kevin, dressed in graduation style cap and gown, is a contestant on the show. Kevin is asked by Hall, who appears as himself with his hair dyed, to pick one of three doors. After much wrangling, Kevin ultimately chooses Door #1. His prize: "30 years at Norcom", a reference to where Kevin's father works. The announcer says that at Norcom, Kevin will receive "low pay, constant stress and a peptic ulcer". Monty Hall then says, "Jay, show him what he could have won". Door #2 is then opened where a yacht is displayed with Kevin's long-time girlfriend Winnie Cooper and childhood pal Paul Pfeiffer lounging on deck chairs sipping drinks in front of it. Jay says Kevin could have won "the good life". Finally, Monty Hall says "and all because you didn't study for your SATs...SATs...SATs..." before Kevin wakes up.

International

★ RTL Group holds international rights to the show, and has licensed the show to 14 countries.

★ The show is scheduled to air on Alpha TV in Greece. 140 60-minute episodes have been ordered.

★ A German version called ''Geh aufs Ganze!'' ran from 1992-2003. The show began on Sat.1 and later moved to kabel 1. The show was initially hosted Jörg Draeger, who was later succeeded by Elmar Horig.

★ A Spanish-language US version called ''Trato Hecho'' aired on Univision in 2005. Guillermo Huesca was the host.

★ Spice Girl Geri Halliwell was a model on a Turkish version of the show.

★ An Indonesian Version of ''Let's Make a Deal'' debuted on the Antv network April 2006, as ''Superdeal 2 Milyar (The 2 Billion Rupiah Superdeal)''.

DVD releases

In the late summer of 2006, a new DVD ''Let's Make a Deal'' game was released, which along with a playable game features classic clips from the Monty Hall years of the show.[2]

See also

★ Monty Hall

★ Monty Hall problem

★ ''The New Treasure Hunt'' — a game show similar in concept

★ ''Deal or No Deal'' — another game show similar in concept

External links

★ Official website

★