Headline Chasers
| Headline Chasers | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Genre | Game show |
| Created by | Wink Martindale |
| Directed by | Kevin McCarthy |
| Presented by | Wink Martindale |
| Narrated by | Johnny Gilbert |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Wink Martindale Merv Griffin |
| Producer(s) | John Tobyansen |
| Location(s) | Tav Celebrity Theater Hollywood, California |
| Running time | approx. 26 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
Merv Griffin Enterprises Wink Martindale Enterprises |
| Distributor |
King World Productions CBS Television Distribution Sony Pictures Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | Syndicated |
| Original release | September 9, 1985 – September 5, 1986 |
Headline Chasers is a syndicated game show that ran daily from September 9, 1985 to September 5, 1986. The series was hosted by Wink Martindale, with Johnny Gilbert serving as announcer. Martindale, who left Tic-Tac-Dough and was replaced by Jim Caldwell to take the position on Headline Chasers, also created the series and was its executive producer. The show was a co-production of Wink Martindale Enterprises and Merv Griffin Enterprises with King World Productions, Griffin's partner for his other syndicated game show offerings, as distributor. Headline Chasers was recorded at TAV Celebrity Theater in Hollywood, the same studio which housed The Merv Griffin Show (which, at the time Headline Chasers premiered, was still in production).
This show pits two couples against each other solving Hangman-style word puzzles designed to look like newspaper headlines, as well as answering questions about the subjects of these puzzles, in an attempt to win money.
Wink Martindale came up with the idea for the show while reading the Los Angeles Times. He then created a pilot titled Front Page, which he submitted to Merv Griffin Enterprises. As Martindale was both host and producer of Headline Chasers, he stepped down from his role as host of Tic-Tac-Dough in 1985, where Jim Caldwell succeeded him.
Headline Chasers was played in three rounds, referred to on air as "editions" by Wink Martindale in keeping with the newspaper theme of the program. Married couples competed against each other.
In the first edition, a newspaper headline with various letters missing (referred to as an "altered headline") was presented to both couples. The value of each headline began at $500 and decreased by $100 for each clue provided. As a clue was presented, additional letters were placed into the headline. The first couple to buzz-in and correctly solve the headline received the money, and Martindale then asked two toss-up questions based upon the headline for $100 each. Three newspaper headlines were played in the first round. After several weeks of shows, a voice (mostly Gilbert's) would tell the home viewers how many words were in each headline.
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Wikipedia