Bowling for Dollars

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Bowling for Dollars is a TV game show on which ordinary people could try their hand at the sport of bowling. Contestants won cash and sometimes prizes based on how well they bowled.

Unlike most TV game shows of the time, which were taped in New York or Hollywood and broadcast nationally, Bowling for Dollars was produced by local TV stations and only had contestants from the immediate area. The show was actually a franchise, created by Bert Claster of Claster Television, also the creator of Romper Room. Episodes of Bowling for Dollars were taped either in a local bowling alley, or on a pair of bowling lanes constructed right inside the TV studio.

The show reached its heyday in the 1970s. The most recent station to air the format was Buffalo, New York's WGRZ-TV, in an abbreviated format from January to February 2008.[1]

Contents

[edit] The show

The show's main set consisted of a sliding door from which the host emerged, as did the contestants, one-by-one. There was also a Jackpot light with a numeric display of its value, and a Pin Pal barrel (see below). There were also stands set up for an audience.

Local editions may have varied, but there were two musical themes used. One was a custom theme for the show's opening and close (with a short phrase to introduce each contestant). The other was played when a contestant hit the jackpot, also used for commercial bumper music in some editions. The latter was an instrumental version of "Keep the Ball Rollin'" by Al Hirt, a song originally done by Jay & the Techniques.

[edit] Gameplay

As each contestant appeared, the host would interview him or her for a couple of minutes. Then the audience camera would cue as the contestant pointed out who he brought along ("There's my wife Haroldine, there's my son Eustance..."). The contestant was then instructed to pick a Pin Pal out of a large barrel, then went off to the lanes where they would bowl two shots.

A half-hour show had seven contestants.

[edit] Prizes

Basically, each contestant received one dollar for each pin felled, e.g., a contestant who knocked down a total of 8 pins would receive $8, though some versions may have had a $5 minimum for less than five pins. A strike or a spare would award $20. But the real allure of the show was the jackpot, which was awarded to any bowler who got two consecutive strikes. The jackpot started at $300 or $500 (depending on the version) and was incremented by $20 each time it was not hit.

Some versions of Bowling for Dollars awarded prizes in addition to the money. In the Detroit edition of the show, a contestant who got a spare won a dinner for two at a local restaurant. If that spare was a split, they would also get two large pies from Buddy's Pizza. If the contestant got only one strike, they got to pick a pin from a "pin board" for a prize from a local jeweler; one such prize was a genuine diamond ring. Finally, if a contestant did break the jackpot, he or she got to bowl one more time, and if that was a strike they would receive yet another prize like a recliner chair or bicycle.

[edit] Pin Pals

Each contestant, just before approaching the bowling lane, was instructed to randomly pick a postcard out of a large, horizontally-mounted barrel. The name on the card was then read aloud by the host. These were Pin Pal cards, allowing a viewer at home to participate in the game on TV. Whatever the contestant won the Pin Pal won also, although the jackpot may actually have been split between the two of them. Many people wrote clever messages on their Pin Pal cards, like "Strike it rich!" A Pin Pal was only eligible once per show, in case folks tried to send an overwhelming amount of postcards.

[edit] Local editions

Bowling for Dollars was broadcast from TV stations serving medium to large communities all across the United States and Canada.

[edit] Baltimore

There were two separate runs. Both aired on WBAL-TV Channel 11

This show only required contestants to make one strike for the jackpot — a significantly harder task in duckpin bowling than in standard tenpins.
  • Bowling for Dollars
    • Tom Cole, then Ron Riley, then Royal Parker

[edit] Boston

This edition was titled Candlepins for Cash and had two separate runs

  • 1st run (1973-80)
    • Station: WNAC-TV Channel 7
    • Host: Bob Gamere
    • Site: Lanes in the basement of the studio
  • 2nd run (1980-82)
    • Station: WXNE-TV Channel 25
    • Host: Rico Petrocelli
    • Site: Wal-lex lanes in Waltham, MA (closed)
    • (The show moved to channel 25 in [[1980]

Both editions only required contestants to make one strike for the jackpot — a significantly harder task in candlepin bowling than in standard tenpins. In the last 2 seasons of the show, the player would get 30 dollars for a spare plus one bonus ball and would get two dollars more per pin knocked down (ex. knocks 5 pins down on bonus ball, gets an extra 10 dollars). When a person threw a ten box (all pins knocked down on the third ball) they got 20 dollars plus one bonus ball.

  • The 2006 show Candlepins For Dollars that aired on WLVI Channel 56 was not related to this format.

[edit] Buffalo

A revival of Bowling for Dollars aired between January and February 2008 on WGRZ, also hosted by Kilgore. This version, airing weekdays at 11:45 AM, was much shorter, with only one frame. It uses a rotation of numerous theme songs, mostly from game shows from the 1970s. It has suspended production; the show during which it aired was cancelled at that time. Its future is unknown.

A similar competing show, called "Beat the Champ," aired on WBEN-TV, hosted by Van Miller.

[edit] Cincinnati

  • Station: WKRC Channel 12
  • Host: Glenn Ryle
  • Site: In studio. The set for Nick Clooney's daytime talk show sat atop the lanes. There was also a daytime version that featured only lady bowlers called "Strikes And Spares" hosted by Jerry Thomas (who retired from WKRC radio in Cincinnati in December 2006)
  • The show first ran on WKRC for a 13-week trial run in the fall of 1971.
  • The show re-appeared on September 3, 1972, Mon-Fri at 7:00 p.m. following repeats of Hogan's Heroes
  • The show later was moved to 6:30 p.m., replacing Hogan's Heroes, when the Mike Douglas Show moved to 7:00.
  • The last weeknight program was Thanksgiving night 1975.
  • The show was cancelled by then WKRC Program Manager, Gus Bailey.
  • Fill ins for Glenn Ryle included WKRC weatherman Mike Fenwick, sports reporter Dale Conquest, but the main substitute was Jerry Thomas, who is mentioned above.
  • WKRC began a Saturday afternoon show in 1976, hosted by Dick Schorr of WTVN-TV (now WSYX) of Columbus, Ohio. WKRC and WTVN were both owned at the time by Taft Broadcasting. Schorr hosted the WTVN weeknight edition. The WKRC Saturday shows were pre-recorded and were shown in "throwaway" Saturday afternoon times, the weeknight shows with Glenn Ryle were live.
  • Ryle, a.k.a. "Skipper Ryle" hosted a children's show in the 1960's on WKRC-TV.

[edit] Cleveland

Had two separate runs of Bowling for Dollars. Both used in-studio lanes.

  • 1st run
    • Station: WEWS Channel 5
    • Host: Don Webster
  • 2nd run

[edit] Columbus, OH

  • Station: WTVN Channel 6 (Now WSYX)
  • Host: Dick Schorr, Gene Fullen with Sally Flowers
  • Site: Two in-studio lanes

[edit] Dallas/Fort Worth

[edit] Dayton, OH

  • Station: WLWD (now WDTN)
  • Host: David G. McFarland
  • Site: the WLWD studios (aired live)

The show aired Mon-Fri at 7:00 p.m.

[edit] Detroit

This was originally at Highland Lanes in Toledo, OH, but moved to Detroit in about 1974.

[edit] Flint, MI

  • Station: WJRT Channel 12
  • Host: Ed Phelps
  • Site: Unknown; likely taped at a bowling center
  • Original Host: Fred Trost 1979-1980

[edit] Honolulu, Hawaii

  • Station: KWHE Channel 14
  • Site: Aiea Bowling Center, Barber's Point Bowling Center, Hickam Bowling Center, K-bay Bowling Center, Leeward Bowling Center, Pali Bowling Center, Schofield Bowling Center, and Subase Bowling Center [2]
  • Time: 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. every Saturday [3]

[edit] Kansas City

  • Station: KMBC Channel 9
  • Host: Fred Broski
  • Site: Originally at King Louie West, then in studio

[edit] Kitchener, ON

  • Station: CKCO Channel 13
  • Host: Bill Inkol, later Jeff Hutchison
  • Site: Twin Cities Bowl

[edit] Los Angeles

[edit] Milwaukee

1st station

  • WVTV Channel 18(1972-1975)
    • Site: Red Carpet Lanes North(Now closed)

2nd station

  • WISN-TV Channel 12(1975-1978)
    • Site: In studio

[edit] Minneapolis/St. Paul

  • Station: KSTP-TV
  • Host: Tom Ryther
  • Site: Village North Bowl (closed)

[edit] New York

[edit] Philadelphia

  • Stations: WTAF-TV (now WTXF-TV); WPHL-TV
  • Host: Bob Gale (WTAF), Tom Dooley (WPHL)
  • Site: The WTAF version was taped in the basement of their Center City studios, which also served as the studio for weekly bowling matches, while the WPHL version was taped at Andorra Key Lanes in Philadelphia.

[edit] Pittsburgh

  • Station: WTAE Channel 4
  • Host: Nick Perry
  • Lanes: In Studio Lanes. These same lanes were also used for Channel 4's Greater Pittsburgh Championship Bowling, a fixture on Saturday afternoons throughout the 70s and 80s

[edit] Rochester

  • Station: WOKR-TV Channel 13 (Now WHAM-TV)
  • Host: Ron DiFrance
  • Site: In studio. (Studio's lanes also host to Sunday's "Junior Bowling" and "Brighton-Panorama TV Roll-offs" hosted by sportscaster DiFrance, then Tony Distino.)

[edit] St. Louis

  • Station: KTVI Channel 2
  • Host: Morgan Hatch
  • Site: Arena Bowl (no longer in existence)

[edit] Syracuse

The WSTM version was taped in the basement of the studios on James Street. The studios were also used for the taping of Challenge Bowling, a regional junior bowling show co-hosted by Marty Piraino.

[edit] Tampa/St. Petersburg

  • Station: WTSP Channel 10
  • Host: Jim Bradley
  • Site: Sunshine Bowl in Pinellas Park (closed, following hurricane damage in 2004 and, during rebuilding, a fire in 2005)

[edit] Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

  • This was a five-pin edition of the show, which ran in the mid 80's. The bowler must throw three consecutive strikes to win the jackpot.
  • Station: CKND Channel Nine
  • Site: Academy Uptown Lanes.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bowling For Dollars on WGRZ.com
  2. ^ Hawaii TV Bowling Online - Hawaii TV Bowling's Official Website
  3. ^ Hawaii Tv Bowling