Final Fleming Episode

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alietr
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Final Fleming Episode

Post by alietr »

The final episode of the Fleming era has been posted on Youtube:

Foretopman
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by Foretopman »

Wow, does this bring back memories.

For some reason I was always fascinated by the cups of water on the desks.
Art always, at some point during the game, would use the word "recap". This is where I first learned that word.
I had completely forgotten the asterisk design on the backs of the wager cards.
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pinkfreud
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by pinkfreud »

I loved watching this! It brought back memories of my youth, when I aspired to be a contestant, but never really thought it would happen. I had forgotten that the players were allowed to sit down. If I'd been able to play while seated, my score would probably have been somewhat higher. I wonder why they changed this.

The water cups were something I didn't remember either. Nowadays they provide cute little bottles of water during the breaks, but having constant access to water might make a difference to people with frogs in their throats (frogs, as we all know, love water).

Art Fleming, unlike Alex Trebek, never struck me as someone who might know most of the correct responses before looking at his notes. Back in those days, I thought that Hugh Downs or Steve Allen would've been better hosts.
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by TenPoundHammer »

Jeopardy! 1964 for $10 is the kind of clue-writing that seems to have been more common on the Fleming era, but I've rarely if ever seen it on even older Trebek episodes.

Also, is it just me, or is the Final Jeopardy! music about a half-step lower than it normally was? I've heard someone say that the pitch did get a little lower on later Fleming episodes. I know I've seen other 70s and 80s game show episodes where the music would be slightly lower pitched. Most likely it was a cartridge/tape issue of some kind.
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by davey »

Pleasing to know that the "guest star" remains a fan of J! more than 40 years later...
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Linear Gnome
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by Linear Gnome »

TenPoundHammer wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2018 1:56 pm Also, is it just me, or is the Final Jeopardy! music about a half-step lower than it normally was? I've heard someone say that the pitch did get a little lower on later Fleming episodes. I know I've seen other 70s and 80s game show episodes where the music would be slightly lower pitched. Most likely it was a cartridge/tape issue of some kind.
I clearly remember the first part being in C major with the second part in E flat major, and it was definitely about a half-step below that in this recording. I can't say if it was ever broadcast at the lower pitch or not, though.

Very cool--thanks to alietr for the link!
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by acthomas »

TenPoundHammer wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2018 1:56 pm Also, is it just me, or is the Final Jeopardy! music about a half-step lower than it normally was? I've heard someone say that the pitch did get a little lower on later Fleming episodes. I know I've seen other 70s and 80s game show episodes where the music would be slightly lower pitched. Most likely it was a cartridge/tape issue of some kind.
It might be a *little* slower on the tape, but it sounded consistent to me with everything else:

Fleming/early Trebek FJ: B, then D
Early Trebek theme, F, then Ab, then B
mid-Trebek: theme, F, then Ab, then B; FJ, C then Eb
Current Trebek: theme, C then Eb; FJ, F then Ab

Sports Jeopardy: Bb then Db
Rock and Roll Jeopardy: A then C
TenPoundHammer

Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by TenPoundHammer »

acthomas wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2018 4:03 pm
TenPoundHammer wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2018 1:56 pm Also, is it just me, or is the Final Jeopardy! music about a half-step lower than it normally was? I've heard someone say that the pitch did get a little lower on later Fleming episodes. I know I've seen other 70s and 80s game show episodes where the music would be slightly lower pitched. Most likely it was a cartridge/tape issue of some kind.
It might be a *little* slower on the tape, but it sounded consistent to me with everything else:
It sounds like the tempo is the same, but the pitch is slightly lower. I know that some tape players have pitch offsets that are independent of the overall tape speed. Turning the audio brightness all the way down can also make things sound slightly lower pitched.
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by Linear Gnome »

TenPoundHammer wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2018 4:31 pm
acthomas wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2018 4:03 pm
TenPoundHammer wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2018 1:56 pm Also, is it just me, or is the Final Jeopardy! music about a half-step lower than it normally was? I've heard someone say that the pitch did get a little lower on later Fleming episodes. I know I've seen other 70s and 80s game show episodes where the music would be slightly lower pitched. Most likely it was a cartridge/tape issue of some kind.
It might be a *little* slower on the tape, but it sounded consistent to me with everything else:
It sounds like the tempo is the same, but the pitch is slightly lower. I know that some tape players have pitch offsets that are independent of the overall tape speed. Turning the audio brightness all the way down can also make things sound slightly lower pitched.
I just listened to a clip from 1968 that definitely went from C to E flat. I can think of several possible explanations, one of which is that the pitch was lower in later years as mentioned by tph above.
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georgespelvin
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by georgespelvin »

I guess that since Brad Rutter lost to Watson that Robin (Robyn?) Geehan(?) is really the only undefeated Jeopardy player (except for the ToC winners I guess, except for Burns Cameron).
I used to be AWSOP but wanted to be more theatrical.
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by Bamaman »

Foretopman wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2018 11:11 am Wow, does this bring back memories.

For some reason I was always fascinated by the cups of water on the desks.
Art always, at some point during the game, would use the word "recap". This is where I first learned that word.
I had completely forgotten the asterisk design on the backs of the wager cards.
I always thought the water cups were interesting. It seems like with the cone shaped cups in the holder, it would be hard to grab a sip on the fly.

Thanks for posting this, alietr. It is fun to see what it was like back then.
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by Bamaman »

georgespelvin wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2018 7:40 pm I guess that since Brad Rutter lost to Watson that Robin (Robyn?) Geehan(?) is really the only undefeated Jeopardy player (except for the ToC winners I guess, except for Burns Cameron).
There was a version that ran for a few weeks in the late ‘70s, so the last champ from then would qualify. Also, Barbara Lowe and a number of kids and teen champs along with many celebrities.
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by twelvefootboy »

Thanks for the chance to use the wayback machine. I was a tweenager when the show came on daytime tv and remember how novel the concept was. I also remember being annoyed that it came on so early in the morning and I had to get up by 10:30 AM! For a short time it was appointment TV, along with the Match Game and Concentration. I never did like the contestant driven shows like Price is Right. I think Password had the status as prime time TV back then.

If the bell is the indicator, it looks like they could ring in anytime they wanted, and he rarely finished reading a clue as is the rule now. I think I enjoy his pace and even the occasional ad lib and patter he threw into the game on the quick. They left 9 clues total even with the extra features and ceremony of the final episode - very impressive.

How about that $40 bet on a DD!

I'll have to look up how the show came to be canceled and then re-started unless someone wants to volunteer the context. Was the re-boot already in the works when this last show was aired? Very enjoyable diversion and the musical critique from the boardies is interesting - I'll have to try to finger it out on the guitar later.
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by TenPoundHammer »

That pitch thing drives me nuts. I have perfect pitch, so listening to some of the Beatles songs where they screw with the tape speed ("Rain", "Strawberry Fields Forever", etc.) throws me massively off balance.
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by silverscreentest »

pinkfreud wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:21 pmArt Fleming, unlike Alex Trebek, never struck me as someone who might know most of the correct responses before looking at his notes. Back in those days, I thought that Hugh Downs or Steve Allen would've been better hosts.
Art Fleming was the host ofCollege Bowl when I played. A former stuntman, he was 6 foot-4 and stocky. One of the questions he read was so obviously wrong, but then again the writers and producers missed it as well, and it had to be corrected after a protest. He was not as distant as Alex, but it was on radio and the audience consisted only of the other teams. So there was a lot of banter while technical difficulties were worked out.

I also worked with "the other Mark Wahlberg" on the production side, not as a contestant. He was very nice. He carefully asked us about pronunciation before each game.
Silver Screen Test, my movie trivia game show. Watch some of the episodes On-Demand.
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by twelvefootboy »

TenPoundHammer wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2018 3:31 pm That pitch thing drives me nuts. I have perfect pitch, so listening to some of the Beatles songs where they screw with the tape speed ("Rain", "Strawberry Fields Forever", etc.) throws me massively off balance.
Also "When I'm 64" was raised a half-step (to C#) so Paul's voice would sound "younger". It took a while to lose that earworm on my last birthday.

What makes me mad is E-flat. I hate the chord and the key. And folk singers who capo ONE fret. Seriously, you can't sing one half step lower? End of rant and off-topic post.

On topic - was the recording off standard tuning? Possibly due to the endless playback and copying across media platforms?
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by trainman »

Foretopman wrote: Sun Jan 14, 2018 11:11 am For some reason I was always fascinated by the cups of water on the desks.
I remember my mother being concerned in the early days of the Alex Trebek version because the contestants didn't have water available on the lecterns. (Decades later, after I went to a taping, I was able to officially reassure her that they give the contestants all the water they can handle during commercial breaks.)
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by TenPoundHammer »

twelvefootboy wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2018 11:16 pm What makes me mad is E-flat. I hate the chord and the key. And folk singers who capo ONE fret. Seriously, you can't sing one half step lower? End of rant and off-topic post.
There are way too many hymns that are in E-flat. Easier on the organ, at least.
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by rmfromfla »

Original show cancellation: look up Lin Bolen, who wanted to bring NBC game shows and hosts into a '70s look.
Pilot for short-lived remake in 1977. The "14th Edition" (there was not a 13th) home game was in 1982 (interesting how a clue on the 1981 World Series got there?).
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Re: Final Fleming Episode

Post by Linear Gnome »

TenPoundHammer wrote: Mon Jan 15, 2018 3:31 pm That pitch thing drives me nuts. I have perfect pitch, so listening to some of the Beatles songs where they screw with the tape speed ("Rain", "Strawberry Fields Forever", etc.) throws me massively off balance.
I'm about to post a trip report about my adventure to Culver City yesterday, but perhaps the geekiest thing I did was take a picture of the sheet music of "Think Music #1" as composed by Merv Griffin and arranged by Steve Kaplan. Starts in C, ends in E flat. :geek:
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