Original title
Password
Released
10/2/1961
Origin country
US
Genre
Reality
Production companies
CBS, Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions, Peak Production
Status
Ended
Number of seasons
6
Number of episodes
174
Password is an American television game show which was created by Bob Stewart for Goodson-Todman Productions. The host was Allen Ludden, who had previously been well known as the host of the G.E. College Bowl. Password originally aired for 1,555 daytime telecasts each weekday from October 2, 1961 to September 15, 1967 on CBS, along with weekly prime time airings from January 2, 1962 to September 9, 1965 and December 25, 1966 to May 22, 1967. An additional 1,099 daytime shows aired from April 5, 1971 to June 27, 1975 on ABC. The show's announcers were Jack Clark and Lee Vines on CBS and John Harlan on ABC. Two revivals later aired on NBC from 1979–1982 and 1984–1989, followed by a prime time version on CBS from 2008–2009. In 2013, TV Guide ranked it #8 in its list of the 60 greatest game shows ever.
Week of October 2-6, 1961. Episodes #1-5.
First prime time show.
Week of February 19-23, 1962. Episodes #106-110.
Joan Benny is Jack Benny's daughter.
Announcer Jack Clark hosted in place of Allen Ludden.
Announcer Jack Clark hosted in place of Allen Ludden
Announcer Jack Clark hosted in place of Allen Ludden
This was the first nighttime show taped after Betty and Allen married (on June 14).
Gloria was the wife of Jimmy Stewart.
A classic episode as far as football fans are concerned. Not only was Frank a great guest on this episode but his New York Giants teammate Alex Webster was a contestant in the second round. Teamed with Betsy Palmer, Alex didn't get one word correct and lost 0-25. In fact it took them four clues to get ""Quarterback""! Frank's teammate didn't know anything about football and after Betsy gave Alex the first clue ""Halfback"", Alex guessed ""Fullback"". Then Frank gave his teammate ""Tittle"". She guessed ""Fullback"". As everyone anticipated an easy Webster victory, Betsy gave the clue ""Y.A."", which is two words! How embarrasing! Frank then says ""Lesser"" and his teammate says ""Quarterback"". That 7 points wins the game and after Frank and his teammate win $250 in the lightning round, Betsy apologizes and says ""I'll pay him"". Truly a classic segment.
Lucy and Gary were joined on the show by her children, Desi Jr. (age 11) and Lucie (""13 in July""). Lucy/Desi Jr. played Gary/Lucie in the first game and then the kids switched partners for the second game. The money the kids won in the first two games was donated to charity. In the third game the kids played as partners against the grownups. Allen explained that, if the kids won, their parents would pay them their winnings as extra allowance - the kids won.
Carol Lawrence announced that she was expecting a baby in November and co-guest Roddy McDowall was responsible! She went on to explain that Roddy had introduced her to then-husband Robert Goulet while the two men were appearing on Broadway in ""Camelot"" a few years earlier.
This was an ""All Star"" episode. After each game, the losing team wrote checks donating their own money to the favorite charities of the winners.
Tony discussed his new movie ""The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao.""
This was Bob's first appearance on the show and he seemed to be a little confused about the rules - ""You try to guess the price of the item and, if you get closer, you get the item..."" Bob also mentioned that he had a 9-month old son.
Alan's wife and sons Bobby and Andy were introduced in the audience.
Lucy and Gary played the first game with regular contestants. But, when the second pair of contestants was introduced, Vivian and Peter came on as ""surprise"" guests. The two couples played the remaining games with all winnings going to charity (Vivian's to Mental Health Society and Peter's to the Kennedy Library).
During conversation early in the show, Gloria mentioned that their older son Ronald has spent the summer as a volunteer on the hospital ship Hope in Ecuador. After playing the first game with regular contestants, the Stewarts were joined in game two by their twin daughters Judy and Kelly (age 13). The four played the remaining games in different combinations, with the girls teaming up against their parents in the final game - the parents won, but the girls played the ""Lightning Round"" for $125 in allowance money from their parents. All other winnings during the show went to the Cystic Fibrosis Society and the hospital ship Hope.
"All-Star" show will all winnings going to charity. Guests: Angie Dickenson, Pat Carroll, Peter Lawford, Otto Preminger Early in the show, each guest mentioned their upcoming projects: Peter - movie "Sylvia" Angie - movie "The Art of Love" Otto - movie "In Harm's Way" Pat - TV musical version of "Cinderella"
Carol showed off the new gold record received for the cast album of ""Hello, Dolly.""
Once again Lucy's children joined her and Gary on the show. Lucie was now 13 and in the 8th grade. Desi Jr. was 11-1/2 and mentioned he would soon be making his first record with friends Dino Martin and Billy Henche. The four played in various combinations, with the kids winning one game for 25 cents a point in allowance money (which Lucy said they wouldn't get all at once!).
Allen mentioned that tomorrow was Rita's birthday (she admitted she would be 33). Paul added that he was 23. This was one of the rare shows on which Allen accidentally gave away one of the words.
An ""all-star"" episode with all winnings going to charity.
In the second game, Lucille and Gary were joined by actor friends Carole Cook and Paul Kent. Lucy explained that they had been students in an acting class she had taught at Desilu Workshop and their winnings would go to a new theater they were starting.
Elizabeth and Roddy were making the movie ""The Third Day"" at the time and had come to the show directly from the movie set. Elizabeth also said her movie ""Ship of Fools"" would be released in the spring. Roddy mentioned his movie ""That Darn Cat"" would be coming out that year and he would soon start work on ""Bullwhip Griffin.""
Week of October 24-28, 1966
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