To Lie and Lie again: The Liars' Club (1976, 1988)

 While the real life Liars' Club is based in Washington these days, better known as the Republican Party, let's take a look back at the last two iterations of the game show.

Producer Ralph Andrews (You Don't Say, It Takes Two) brought the show back in 1975 as a local series, with Bill Armstrong (the announcer on Celebrity Sweepstakes) as host. When the series went into national syndication the following year, Armstrong came with it, but was let go after the 1976-7 season, replaced by game show icon Allen Ludden, who was in between iterations of Password.

This time, actor Larry Hovis (ex-Hogan's Heroes, Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In) was on board as a producer as well as a panelist. Once the Club closed again in 1979, Hovis spent more time behind the camera as a producer, working on various other projects.

Let's take a look at a sampler from the Ludden era:

I don't think Peter Haskell (ex-Bracken's World) did too many game shows during his career, as he was a virtual novice here. This Club went through two different syndicators, 20th Century Fox & Sandy Frank, during the 3 year national run.

Nine years after it was cancelled, the Liars' Club returned one final time, as one of the last series under the Four Star umbrella. Andrews was no longer involved, and the show was taped in Canada. Eric Boardman, a relative newcomer, was the new host, and lasted just the one season. In the opener, the panel includes John Barbour (ex-Real People) and Rebecca Arthur (Perfect Strangers).

Didn't see the 1988 show. However, I did see the 1976-9 version. Rating: B.