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Image:Tic Tac Dough (80s Logo).JPG Image:TTD2.jpg Tic-Tac-Dough was an American television game show based on the pen-and-paper game tic-tac-toe. Three versions were produced: The initial 1956-59 run on NBC, during the big-money quiz show craze, a 1978-86 run initially on CBS and then in syndication, and a brief syndicated run in 1990-91. The show was produced by Barry-Enright.

The first syndicated run, and another Barry-Enright show, The Joker's Wild, made its co-producers millionaires and were embraced by a generation of TV viewers that either forgave or were unaware of the original version's role in the thick of the quiz show scandal, a scandal instigated in large part by the show's co-executive producer, Dan Enright.

Contents 1 Broadcast History 1.1 The Original Version 1.1.1 The Quiz Show Scandal 1.2 1978 Revival 1.3 1990 Revival 1.4 International Versions 2 Rules of the Game 2.1 Adding Money to the Pot 2.2 1978 CBS differences 2.3 Special categories 2.4 1978 Bonus round ("Beat the Dragon") 2.4.1 CBS Bonus Round 2.4.2 Syndication Bonus Round 2.4.2.1 Dragon Finder 2.5 1990 Bonus Round 2.6 Winning a Car 3 Thom McKee 4 Trivia and quotes 5 Episode status 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Broadcast History

[edit] The Original Version

Tic-Tac-Dough premiered on NBC daytime television July 30, 1956, hosted at first by co-creator and co-executive producer Jack Barry, who also hosted soon-to-be-popular (and scandal-ridden) Twenty-One.

Barry yielded Tic-Tac-Dough's hosting to Gene Rayburn later in the year, who in turn yielded to the show's announcer, Bill Wendell in 1958. Wendell hosted the show until its demise on October 23, 1959, with the announcing taken over by Bill McCord. A nighttime version of Tic-Tac-Dough, played for bigger stakes, premiered in 1957. This version's first host was former Twenty Questions host Jay Jackson, who was replaced by Win Elliot for the duration of the show's nighttime run.

[edit] The Quiz Show Scandal

Main article: Quiz show scandals

In August 1958, the cross-network hit game show Dotto was cancelled after network and sponsor executives discovered the game had been rigged; and, when newspaper headlines exploded with confirmation that deposed Twenty-One champion Herb Stempel's allegations of rigging on that show were true. The big-money quiz shows began to sink in the ratings and disappear from the air as the scandal widened.

Tic-Tac-Dough did not go unscathed before its cancellation. A 1957 installment preserved on kinescope, featuring a U.S. military serviceman winning over $140,000 during his run on the show, became one key subject of the federal grand jury investigating the quiz fixing. That run occurred during Jay Jackson's tenure as host. Jackson was never implicated in any wrongdoing himself, and he had left the show well before the quiz investigations began, but he never again hosted a television game show.

It was also revealed that one of the key figures in the Twenty-One side of the scandal, Charles Van Doren, had applied originally to become a Tic-Tac-Dough contestant; only Enright's persuasion convinced Van Doren to compete on Twenty-One, in the infamous challenge that dethroned Herb Stempel.

[edit] 1978 Revival

Image:Wink1.jpg Almost two decades after its original cancellation, the game was reborn as The New Tic Tac Dough when CBS gave it a summer daytime run. The show premiered on July 3, 1978, and ran until September 1. That fall, the show moved to first-run syndication. The program aired in some markets as a companion to The Joker's Wild.

Veteran disc jockey and game host Wink Martindale hosted Tic-Tac-Dough until fall 1985. Martindale would customarily wear hats on the Friday shows that had been sent by viewers. Jim Caldwell took over as host for the eighth and last season.

Longtime Let's Make a Deal announcer Jay Stewart served as the new Tic-Tac-Dough announcer for its first three seasons; Charlie O'Donnell announced the final five seasons. Occasional substitutes for those announcers included Johnny Gilbert, John Harlan and Art James.

In a recent interview, Wink Martindale said that while the CBS version began airing, Barry & Enright Productions secured a spot to air a syndicated version that began in the fall. The CBS version ended due to poor ratings, but the syndicated version drew high numbers, and as a result, enjoyed an eight-year run.

[edit] 1990 Revival

Another revival attempt premiered in 1990, hosted by Patrick Wayne, but was cancelled at midseason due to low ratings and critical disdain for Wayne's hosting ability^{[citation needed]}. The theme music for the revival was composed by Henry Mancini, his final television theme song. The 1990 version featured Larry Van Nuys as announcer, with Art James filling in for two weeks.

[edit] International Versions

A British version of Tic-Tac-Dough, Criss Cross Quiz, ran on ITV from 1957 to 1967. Junior Criss Cross Quiz, without cash prizes, also ran alongside the main programme for the whole of its run. Until 1962, it was hosted by Jeremy Hawk; Barbara Kelly replaced him as host until the end of its run.

A German version called Tick-Tack-Quiz, hosted by Fritz Benscher, ran on ARD from 1958 to 1967. Called just plain Tic-Tac-Toe it ran again on RTL Plus in 1992, hosted by Michael "Goofy" Förster. It was played just like the 1990 version.

These, along with the foreign versions of Twenty One, are the only known foreign versions of any Barry-Enright game show. The 1992 German version was distributed by Reg Grundy Productions.

[edit] Rules of the Game

Image:TTD1.jpg The tic-tac-toe element of the game came in the form a tic-tac-toe game board with the same goal — to get a line of three X or O markers (with the reigning champion always mounting X's). Each of the nine spaces on the game board featured a category. Contestants alternated choosing a category and answering a general interest or trivia question in that category. If they were correct, they would get an X or O in that square; otherwise, it would remain unoccupied. The center square, being of the most strategic importance, involved a two-part question, with the player given ten seconds to think of the two answers needed to win the square. After each question, the categories would shuffle into different positions (in the 50s & early on in the 1978 versions, the categories would shuffle after each round [both players had taken a turn]; this would be ammended to the categories being shuffled after each player answered a question; in the 1990 version, players used a button to stop the shuffling themselves).

The game board on the original 1950s version used rolling prism-style bars between horizontal rows to display subject categories,with light boxes beneath them to display the X's and O's; the 1978 version used monitors to display the categories and markers. On the 1990 version, the entire board was computer-generated; X's & O's would "float" from either side of the board, rather than light up or "appear," to their respective boxes after a question had been correctly answered.

Like some television games, Tic-Tac-Dough used the rollover format, sometimes known also as "straddling". The matches were not confined to single episodes and could start or end at any point in an episode, and be carried over to the next. Sometimes, an entire episode would not be long enough to show one match. The contestant who won the game was the champion and could return until they were defeated, and there was no limit on the length of reign (except in the 1990 version where a 15-game limit was imposed, which was never reached). If at any point in a game it became imposible for either player to win, the game was immediately declared a draw, and the same two players would play a rematch until a game ended in a win.

[edit] Adding Money to the Pot

As questions were answered correctly, money would be added to the pot which went to the winner:

• Original and 1978 daytime versions: $200 for the center box and $100 for each outer box.
• Original primetime version: $500 for the center box and $300 for each outer box.
• 1978 syndicated version: $300 for the center box and $200 for each outer box.
• 1990 version: $1,000 for the center box and $500 for each outer box.

In a tie game, the pot carried over into the next round. During the 1990 version, the pot reset to zero after each tie game, however the center box value increased by $1,000 and each outer box's value increased by $500. The loser would be awarded $100 in the original run and $250 during the syndicated revivals for any tie games they had forced before being defeated. From 1981 to 1984, at the request of CBS (many of its affiliates aired the show), both Tic Tac Dough and The Joker's Wild instituted a $50,000 winnings limit for the show; while champions were still allowed to remain until defeated, anything over the $50K limit would be donated to charity by the production company.

[edit] 1978 CBS differences

The CBS summer season had a few gameplay differences:

• Jump-In Categories - If a category was signified with a black background, it would be played in the same manner as the Jump-In category (see "Special Categories" below).
• Shuffling - Early on, the categories would be shuffled at the beginning of the game and after both players selected a category, but was changed to its best-known shuffling rules.
• Tie-Breaker - When a tie game occurs, a toss-up question is asked, and whomever rung in with the right answer won the game.
• Winnings Limit - When a player won more than CBS limit at the time of $25,000, they were retired from the show. They received everything they'd won; the limit merely retired the player from further games.

[edit] Special categories

The use of special categories, which appeared in red squares, began on the syndicated version starting around 1980 with the "Secret Category", a mystery category announced by the host after it was selected. A correct answer to that category doubled the value of the pot. Eventually the "Secret Category" was replaced by the "Grand Question", which would add $1,000 to the pot with a correct answer.

At first, just one special category (starting in the lower center box) was used per game. Eventually, two appeared each game (one in the upper center, the other in the lower center at the start), then three of these appeared per game (in the upper center, center right and lower center boxes to start the game). The categories then shuffled like normal categories; though special categories never shuffled into the center square.

Other special categories used included:

• Auction - Players were read a question with multiple answers. Players take turns bidding on how many correct answers they can name until either a contestant defered to his opponent, or a contestant opted to name all the answers on the list. If the winning bidder fulfilled the bid, they won the box. If not, the other player only needed to give one additional correct answer to win the square.
• Bonus Category - A three-part question was asked, which, if answered correctly, gave the player another turn. More than once, a player obtained Tic Tac Dough without allowing his/her opponent a chance to play by selecting this category multiple times (after it had shuffled to another location), which may have led to its eventual retirement during the final season. When that happened, the other player returned to play another game.
• Challenge Category - The player who selected this category could answer the question or challenge their opponent to answer.
• Double or Nothing - If the player answered the question correctly, they could either keep the box or try to earn a second box. If they failed, they would lose both boxes. (Later in the show's run, they were forced to take the risk.) When this category was selected, the board did not shuffle after the first question was answered correctly.
• It's A Dilemma - The player heard the question and could ask for up to five clues. but, the opponent decided who answered the question. It was not a popular category and was usually picked only for a block or for the win.
• Jump-In Category - Both players had the chance to ring in on the plungers in front of them to answer the question. A correct answer won the box, but an incorrect answer gave the other player a chance to win the box by hearing the entire question. In the 1990 version, the category name was accompanied by either one of the four "W"-question words or a general subject.
• Number Please - This was played like the Card Sharks toss-up rounds. The players were asked a question with a numerical answer. The player who picked the category guessed the answer and the opponent guessed if the correct answer was higher or lower. If the opponent was correct, they won the square, otherwise the first player won. An exact guess of the number won the square automatically for the first player.
• Opponent's Choice - The player answered a question from one of two categories which were selected for them by the opponent. When Jim Caldwell hosted, it was one question from one category or two questions from the other.
• Play Or Pass - The player had the option to skip the first question and answer a second.
• Seesaw - A question with multiple answers was read to both players. Players alternated giving correct answers until one player gives a wrong answer, repeats an answer, or cannot think of an answer. The other player won the box. The box could also be won by giving the last correct answer.
• Showdown - Players were asked a two-part question, using the plungers to ring in. The first player to ring in answered one part of the question. The other player answered second. If one player was right while the other was wrong, they won the square. Otherwise, another question would be asked until one player was right and the other wrong.
• Take Two - The question had two clues. The player could answer after the first clue, but to receive the second clue they had to first give the opponent a chance to answer.
• Three to Win - A series of toss-up questions are asked to both players who rung in with the plungers. The first player to answer three correctly won the square.
• Top Ten - This is played like the Family Feud faceoff rounds. A question with ranked answers is asked of both players. Whoever picked the highest ranked answer won the square. The number one answer won automatically. Renamed Top This during the final season.
• Trivia Dare - A question with 3 multiple-choice answers was asked. The player chose who would answer first. Regardless of who it was, if they were incorrect, his/her opponent could choose from the remaining answers. If they were also wrong, the box remained unclaimed.

[edit] 1978 Bonus round ("Beat the Dragon")

There was no bonus round in the original series (like most 1950s game shows). The bonus round was introduced in the 1978 version. The winner of a match was given the chance to "Beat the Dragon", another of Barry & Enright's "Beat The Bad Guy" bonus games. For the 1978 run, the Tic Tac Dough board was given nine numbered boxes.

[edit] CBS Bonus Round

On the CBS daytime summer run, the bonus round had four Xs, four Os and one dragon. The Xs and Os were shuffled and distributed so that there was only one way to win. The player started calling off numbers. Each X and O that appeared was worth $150 to the pot. The player always had the option to take the cash and end the game. Finding the "Dragon" lost the bonus round and the money. Finding 3 Xs or Os in a row meant the contestant not only kept the money but also a prize package.

[edit] Syndication Bonus Round

On the syndicated run, the squares contained the words "Tic" and "Tac", and six dollar amounts: $100, $150, $250, $300, $400 and $500. Behind the last box was the "Dragon". The object was for the player to accumulate $1,000 or more; if successful, the player won the cash and a prize package that consisted of furniture, trips, jewelry and much more. The player automatically won by uncovering "Tic" and "Tac" (at which point the player also had his cash total amended to $1,000). However, if the player found the Dragon before reaching $1,000 (or finding both "Tic" and "Tac"), the game ended and the player lost the prize package and any accumulated cash. The contestant could stop at any time, take the money and forget the prize package, but they rarely chose to. For a brief period in 1983, a player had to accumulate $1,000 exactly without going over but that rule was quickly scrapped.

[edit] Dragon Finder

Also briefly, in 1983, members of the studio audience were invited onstage to play a special "Find the Dragon" game. Unlike the regular bonus round, the idea was to find where the dragon was hidden behind the remaining numbers. The first player to reveal the dragon won $250 (but everyone who played got a Tic Tac Dough "Dragon Finder" cap just for playing). For a brief time, two audience members played the game.

The game would take place only if the player stopped or won the bonus game.

[edit] 1990 Bonus Round

The bonus round in the short-lived 1990 version was basically the same as the CBS bonus round in the '70s. X's and O's, along with the dragon, were on the board but with slight differences.

In this version, the contestant had to choose either X or O as their symbol. When the contestant found the symbol of their choice, they won $500; the amount then doubled for every subsequent chosen symbol. The contestant could only win by finding Tic Tac Dough with their own chosen symbol (not always possible), or by finding a dragonslayer which was also added to the board. The dragonslayer doubled the player's money like the chosen symbols. Of course, finding the dragon lost all the money and ended the bonus game.

During a point in the run, the producers saw fit to make the dragon and dragonslayer rap (prior to which the dragon sounded like a dragon would, and a majestic theme played for the dragonslayer), later using poems that sounded like reject Card Sharks poems. This did not go over very well with the viewers, and is part of the reason why this version of Tic Tac Dough was not so well received^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Winning a Car

If a player was fortunate enough to win five Tic Tac Dough matches in a row on the 1978 run, he would win a new automobile:

• 1978-1979 – Buick Skylark
• 1979-1981 – Buick Century
• 1981-1984 – Chevrolet Chevette
• 1984-1985 – AMC Eagle
• 1985-1986 – Mazda GLC

Except for the AMC Eagle (which was worth $12,000), most of the cars were valued at around $6,000. No automobiles were awarded during the 1990 revival.

[edit] Thom McKee

Over the course of nine weeks on the show in 1980, Thom McKee he was able to beat 43 opponents, win eight cars and take home $312,700 in cash and prizes, a record at the time. Over $200,000 of his winners was in cash. In one game, he broke the record for the biggest pot in a match which was $36,800 after four tie games against challenger Pete Cooper; The record was overtaken later in the series by Randy James, who competed in a series of tie games that lasted for six consecutive shows before winning the final pot of $46,900^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Trivia and quotes

• On a question where a contestant was trying for a block, "If you're right, you'll have a successful block..."
• "If you find the dragon you lose it all; get 'Tic' and 'Tac' and you automatically get the dough" - Wink Martindale, explaining the rules to the bonus game.
• Wink often referred to the dragon as "that mean ol' monster".
• On a match-ending win, Wink would shout, "Right! For Tic Tac Dough!"
• During the Jim Caldwell era, in an embarrassing and unusual moment, one contestant was not amused at how Caldwell was handling his hosting abilities, and went as far as to tell Caldwell about it.
• Prior to hosting the 1990 revival, Patrick Wayne did a game show pilot and appeared as a celebrity player on Celebrity Bullseye, where host Jim Lange stated that Wayne would be a great game show host (he would later be proven wrong). Patrick, who was playing against F. Lee Bailey, was playing for the John Wayne Cancer Research Institute, and accumulated over $3,000 in his match against Bailey, who won two games to one.
• During the 1990 version Patrick Wayne was infamous for his over-enthusiastic "YOOOU WIIIIN!!" (often after a ridiculously long pause meant to increase suspense). Martindale also used this phrase, but not as over-the-top as Wayne.
• During the 1990 version of the show when a contestant would mistakenly choose a square which didn't block their opponent, Patrick Wayne would glibly remark "Interesting strategy, let's see if it works for you".
• Wayne was a celebrity player on Wink's version of TTD as part of a "Classy Guys" tournament in 1983 (see promo clip below).
• One match had to be decided after six episodes when numerous tie games were played. The pot won was $46,900.^{[citation needed]}
• For the 1980's version, the game board was driven by 9 Apple II computers, one each responsible for displaying a single box of the gameboard, and in turn controlled by an Altair 8080 system. It was one of the very first uses of computer graphics on a television game show. [1]
• Christopher "Kit" Salisbury of West Palm Beach, Florida was second on the all-time money list with just under $200,000 in cash and prizes.
• On a special "Over 80's Tournament" (contestants were at least 80 years of age), an old lady told Wink she had four boyfriends. Wink asked about them & she explained, "I get up in the morning with Will Power, take a walk with Arthur Itis (arthritis), come home with Charlie Horse and go to bed with Ben Gay!"

Image:Patrick Wayne on 80s TTD.JPG

[edit] Episode status

The status of the original NBC run is unknown, although if these episodes do exist, they would be owned by NBC. Some episodes hosted by Jack Barry are located at the Museum of Television and Radio in New York City. The CBS version with is believed to be destroyed, although the syndicated run with Wink, and later Jim Caldwell, is intact, and currently held by Sony Pictures Television. The 1990 Patrick Wayne episodes are believed to be intact. Reruns from the Martindale and Wayne runs appeared on USA Network, while reruns of the Martindale and Caldwell runs appeared on Game Show Network.

[edit] References

• TVgameshows.net
• The American Experience: Quiz Show Scandal
• Joseph Stone, Prime Time and Misdemeanors

[edit] External links

• The Tic Tac Dough Supersite
• Tic Tac Dough @ www.streetcarmike.comde:Tick-Tack-Quiz