Thursday, June 12, 2014

Classic TV: Name That Tune (1952)

On The Honeymooners, Ralph Kramden (Jackie Gleason) was a contestant on a game show similar to Name That Tune. Of course, Brooklyn's most famous lovable loser, after the Dodgers in those days, that is, wasn't a big winner.

However, Name That Tune was a big winner, one of the most successful quiz games of all time, and that's largely because there weren't that many music-centric quizzes. In the course of its history, it's been hosted by a few legends in the game show business, such as Bill Cullen, Dennis James, Jim Lange, and the most definitive MC, Tom Kennedy.

There were two daytime runs, including in the 70's on NBC, but it was more successful in syndication, and helped launch the careers of Kathie Lee Gifford (then Kathie Lee Johnson) and Steve March-Torme. Kathie Lee will be seen in this sample clip from 1977.



This was fun, to be sure. And didn't Kathie Lee look so cute back then?

Rating: A-.

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