Shark Bytes

When the models started wearing full body mascot costumes (such as bear costumes) that was the end of the show. The show had become quite stupid at that point. It was like a cross between Deal of the Century and New Zoo Review.

I too was on the show Definition and it was quite an experience.Especially after seeing it on tv for so many years then getting to see how it was actually made(real low budget by todays standards.

By the way it was Dave Devall(the announcer for the show) that styarted out as a weatherman

1)
Jim Perry AFTER the Sale of the Century?
2) The most DECADENT prize in the history of game shows?

A few of you asked what happened to Jim Perry after the SOFC. In 1985 I was a contestant on the Canadian game show he hosted for many years, "Definition." It was like a low budget Wheel of Fortune but the puzzles were answers to cryptic riddles, often involving puns. You can see Jim and some of this show on You Tube. I am fairly certain that he was doing both Sale and Definition simultaneously. Canadian game shows were pretty chintzy compared to American shows - I won five games and came back for two more in the "tournament of champions" and my total winnings were about $2000 in cash and prizes (1985). Jim Perry was pretty well known in Canadian television; I think he may have gotten his start on CTV in Toronto as a weatherman . . .
As for Sale of the Century, it was a great show when it first started. And I don't know, maybe it was the first game show in history to offer a PLANE as a prize! The winners (whose end of games scores were usually around $100) were often tempted to stick around for more shows, hoping to earn the $300 to buy the car - but the plane's "sale price" was slightly over $1000. Decades ago, we were a pretty simple people - and to see a PLANE as a prize on a game show was astonishing.

Sale of the Century moved into a new era two years ago, when it was re-born in Australia under the title of Temptation. You can find out the details at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temptation_%28game_show%29. (An American version of this is due to start next month)

When it was only 3 contestants vieing for cash and prizes,and when it was hosted by the late Jack Kelly,(the first host of original,why he was replaced,I have no idea)and in the latter version by Jim Perry,it did not jump.HOWEVER,when Joe Garagiola took over for the late Jack Kelly,on the original,it jumped ,but not a lot.And it jumped AGAIN in the original version when the three contestant format was replaced by a married couples format.Thank goodness when it was returned to NBC in the 1980's,new producer Reg Grundy left the three contestants vieing for cash and prizes format alone(although I didn't care much for the fame game,and was glad to see it replaced by the "money cards" bit).

$otC JTSed when the delightful Sally Julian was let go as a spokesmodel after only a few months. I miss her terrific soprano-like speakin' voice. Anybody know where she is now? Peace.

Please Fremantle, if you ever bring a new Sale of the Century don't destroy it like you did to just about every classic game show you revived!

$ale of the Century. Where else can you get a $30,000+ car for $350? This was a great show, and it could've lasted longer if they didn't screw around w/ that bonus game. I liked the shopping, and the Winner's Board wasn't all bad. BUT THEN THEY PUT THAT PIECE OF CRAP WINNER'S BIG MONEY GAME! WBMG had nothing to do with the format of $otc. I really think shopping was the superior end game format. If they hadn't tinkered w/ the end game....this could've lasted longer.

First of all, to the poster who said the show was destroyed, only the early 70's version is, the 80's version is intact from 1985-1989 but it's currently not being shown on GSN because Fremantle (current rights owner) hasn't given them rights to show it. That being said, the obvious Jump The Shark for $ale was the changing bonus round from shopping to a winner's board. First of all, SHOPPING is what the show is about, not matching prizes. And the bigger problem with the winner's board is that once the car is matched, then a player feels encouraged to stop and take what they've won to that point, forgetting that a jackpot could be won. And I'm got going to get started with the linking words bonus round used in 1987.

Definitely ahead of its time!! Both 1969-73 and 1983-89 versions never JTS. FYI, Sale of the Century wasn't always 3 contestants in a single lengthy podium. On March 26, 1973, there was just 2 couples on the show (ala Gambit) competing in rapid fire $5, $10, and $20 (which lasted just five) question rounds. What kept the two versions apart was that the 1969-73 version had no fame game round which started off as faces of famous people until later 1983, it was switched to High Rollers-esque numbers with $10,$15, and $25 spaces, mystery money, etc. I agree with the above poster that it should be brought back to life by GSN, but I have some bad news. It seems that NBC which aired both versions had completely destroyed them all of the daytime eps from both the 70s and 80s so we'll never see it on GSN again along with Scrabble. Pity, no wonder I no longer watch NBC anymore, not even the Golden Girls.

The most groundbreaking thing I noticed about this show was that they used MEN, not just women, as prize models. Occasionally they would wear brief bathing suits if they were showing a hot tub or something. Male cheesecake! The models (M and F) were hot. Jim and Summer were good, and it was fun to watch. I am going to sound sick for remembering this but I remember a woman named Barbara Phillips went "all the way" and won EVERYTHING! The only contestant I saw "retire." (She wouldn't have had enough if she had bought any of those things Jim tried to sell her during the game.) One of the prizes they tried to sell was a champion purebred puppy! Great show!

While the "Winner's Big Money Game" was the only type of bonus round on $OTC that I saw as a kid, I still think that bonus round sucked big time. Maybe if they kept the shopping part (and maybe the Winner's Board), it would run on longer. BTW, I know all the networks that air $ale around the globe: NBC (US), Nine Network (Australia), ITV, then Challenge TV (UK), Tele 5 (Germany), TVNZ (New Zealand), Star Channel (Greece), ATV (Hong Kong), and Canal 9 (Paraguay). Other than the WBMG, "$ale" is a very creative format put together by a legendary overseas producer. Reg Grundy must've done something to make this one of the most popular game shows in the world, or something. Anyone ever thought of reviving it? I have, but I don't know who to use as host, hostess, and announcer. I do know what set I'd use. It'd the more recent set as used on the Aussie version, from 2000 (when the Aussie title was "$ale of the New Century" due to the fact they were in the year 2000). I think this is one the best shows out of Reg Grundy's closet.

When they made the third "Instant Bargain" the "Instant Ca$h." Dishonorable mentions: When they instituted the "Winner's Big Money Game," replacing the "Winner's Board"; and when they had contestants stop flashing lights on the "Fame Game" board, a la "Press Your Luck."

I agree the word game bonus round sucked big time. However there was a saving grace that could have aided in the show jumping back. Remember, when they started the word game, they also started a new feature on the last "Instant Bargain" called "Instant Cash" where the player could choose from three boxes. Two had $100 each. One had a jackpot that started at $1,000, and rose $1,000 each day that it wasn't won. The cost was the value of your lead. When jackpots were high and players were shooting for major victories, this was an interesting thing to watch. One corny thing that adds to the show's charm, on their final week on the air, all the bargains were items that didn't sell in the previous years. A tag sale if you will. GSN should get the reruns, in spite of the jump, it's still a classic.

JTSed when they went to the word game bonus round! Most people argue that this show jumped when they went from the shopping round to the prize board, then DEFINITELY when the word game was brought in. I would say for the word game, because that pretty much KILLED the show. My one beef with the shopping round was how occasionally a contestant would win and win and win and come back and come back, etc. etc. etc. building it all up to where he had the chance to take it all home, then he loses on the final game and it all blows up in our faces and you have to start all over again with a new contestant. That can wear you out. The prize board shows at least you walk away with SOMETHING big every game, THEN you have the chance to put it ALL on the table for a chance at $50K more. Still for a game show loving guy like me, this was a great show, and it got better as they went along during the main show.