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Let's Make a Deal is a television game show aired in the United States. The original and most widely known version aired from 1963 to 1977. Other short lived versions aired in 1980, 1984, 1990 and 2003. more...
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The show's attraction was its deals - audience members were challenged to maximize their winnings by matching wits against the host, usually Monty Hall, who also co-produced the show from the '60s through the '80s with Stefan Hatos.
Premise
Each episode of Let's Make a Deal began with the host (again, usually Monty Hall) choosing a studio audience member at random to play a game against him. Although the specifics of the games varied, the usual pattern was that the audience member was given a small amount of cash or prizes, or promise of cash or prizes. The choice posed to the audience member was to keep a relatively safe bet, or to risk for the potential of a larger or different prize or cash award. Choices could be hidden onstage behind one of three curtains; behind several large boxes which were occasionally wheeled in; or even on smaller table-top boxes or inside other items brought down by the show's announcer and Monty's frequent sidekick/assistant/co-conspirator, Jay Stewart.
Initially, studio audience members came in their Sunday best - suits and ties and dresses. Shortly into the show's run, a single audience member carried a sign to try to get Monty's attention, and he picked her. That led to more signs, costumes, hollering...anything an audience member could think of to become the lucky person Monty picked next. The free-for-all with the audience became a hallmark of the show.
Format
The show opens with a series of deals between Monty and contestants he picks.
For example, Monty Hall picks a studio audience member at random to become a contestant. He gives him a plastic egg. Monty: "You have a plastic egg that may have a thousand dollar bill hidden in it, or it may have a lot less. You can either keep that, or trade it for what's behind the large box on the display floor."
Now the contestant is forced to make a difficult choice: keep the egg he's been given in the hope that a thousand dollars is contained within, or pick the box and its contents instead. Either may have a prize of value – the egg could contain $1,000, or the box might reveal a prize (e.g., a refrigerator/freezer and a gas range). However, either location may also contain something worthless, called a zonk on the show.
Notable Zonks included:
Giant shoes or other articles of clothing;
A garbage can or washtub for each day of the week;
An enormous amount of some food item (1 ton of watermelons, 500 pounds of bananas/cabbage/lettuce/etc.);
A room of junky, worn furniture; broken, rusting 19th-century appliances, etc.;
Every type of live animal imaginable (they were rented from local zoos or farms);
Junk antique automobiles (usually rusted out shells with steaming radiators, flat tires, broken windshields, etc.) Occasionally (especially starting with the "All New" version), these would be sawn in half.;
Large stuffed animals;
Giant toys or baby furniture (high chairs, red wagons, rocking horses, etc.); these usually featured the models and/or announcers dressed as babies and/or their mothers.;
Other giant objects, including a hot water bottle, a donut, a cupcake, and a paper airplane;
Hideously decorated household items (sequin and/or fur-covered garbage cans, wildly painted and sequined rocking chairs labeled "punk rockers", etc.);
Read more at Wikipedia.org
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