2023-04-26 Episode 1/20: "Back To The Beginning"
This episode covers the game show landscape pre-history of the show, retells the story of its creation, and a gives an abbreviated overview of the Fleming era.
- Buzzy Cohen - author, dad, husband, and trivia enthusiast (host/narrator)
- Unidentified female voice on Bob Boden's intercom
- Bob Boden - co-founder of the National Archives of Game Show History, executive producer of Funny You Should Ask, a syndicated comedy celebrity game show, rehearsal contestant on a run-through for the pilot of the current version of Jeopardy!, in "Weird Al" Yankovic's "I Lost On Jeopardy!" music video, archivist and collector who has many pieces of game show memorabilia, including the flashing "J" from the Jeopardy! set circa 1985 (who has his museum in his home garage)
- Mia Warren (Somethin' Else podcast producer, heard incidentally and briefly)
- Lisa Broffman - co-executive producer of Jeopardy!, who worked with Merv Griffin in the '80s
- Tony Griffin - son of Merv Griffin and Julann Wright
- Merv Griffin - Jeopardy! creator (2002 interview)
- Mary Eubanks - first-ever Jeopardy! champion in 1964 (now 84 years old, 26 when she appeared)
- Jeff Goldstein - production assistant for Bob Rubin and occasional director on Art Fleming version of Jeopardy! (not to be confused with the contestant Jeff Goldstein who fainted during Final in Season 2 of the Trebek era)
14:50 - 15:21: professionally read ad for SonderMind Therapy
27:57 - 28:00: break without an ad
Tony Griffin's retelling of the "Think!" music being composed didn't explain the evolution of the song from the lullaby "A Time For Tony".
A caption for this picture misidentifies Jeff Goldstein as a contestant. He and June Henoch (another production assistant) aren't dressed up like contestants.