User:Daniel Benfield/Catch Phrase Episode Guide

Syndicated, Daily: September 16, 1985 - January 10, 1986 (85 episodes, I think; taped at Metromedia Square in Hollywood)

Despite its brevity, Catch Phrase has a good chunk of its run circulating, so an episode guide was a no-brainer for me. :)

Big thanks to Jason Cranmer and Ryan Rinkerman for some of the below info.

Pilots
Likely taped in 1984, the first was hosted by basketball player Rick Barry with Art James doing the second. That's legitly all I know about them.

A couple of adverts for the show used a variation of the logo with "Catch" in lowercase (seemingly as "CatCh"), but the photo at right indicates the pilot logo was the same as the series one.

On a side note, one of said adverts mentions Art's prior hosting efforts of Say When!!, Temptation, The Magnificent Marble Machine, The Who What or Where Game, and Concentration...never mind that Concentration was only as a substitute, Temptation and Marble were flops, the latest of these shows (Marble) was canned nearly a decade before this advert, and the far more recent Super Pay Cards! oddly goes unmentioned.

Original Format
The first five episodes had several noticeable differences: Art's opening spiel was different, the contestant podiums had monitors facing the players, the first set of dollar amounts ranged from $100-$300 (in the order of $175-$150-$275-$225-$300-$125-$100-$250-$200), the bonus round had prizes hidden behind each square (and winning with the M gave a choice between three larger prizes, including a "huge" one like a car or airplane), the "champ's total" graphic was much smaller, and there was no bonus for winning five games.

Very strangely, this debut week seems to have been swept under the rug, as the player in the champ's position on 9/16 (the date officially promoted as the debut) was a returning champ, but neither this nor their preceding total were acknowledged. They eventually aired during the week of Christmas '85.

My best guess is that since these shows have such noticeable differences (particularly with the endgame), having so many changes after just five shows could've been seen as potentially confusing viewers.


 * December 23, 1985: Robin vs. Susan. [Circulates from a KOVR airing with commercials, including promos for The Nighttime Price Is Right and the debut of The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime.]
 * Art notes that since this is the first show, contestant placement was determined by a coin toss.
 * Commercials in the available copy include one for TV Guide (showing the 12/28/85 cover) and a promo for a football game this Friday (the voiceover saying "December 27"). The US Magazine cover during the fee plugs appears to be the 12/30/85 issue.
 * December 24, 1985: Robin (Day 2) vs. Judi. [Circulates from a KOVR airing with commercials, including a Nighttime Price Is Right promo.]
 * December 25, 1985: Judi (Day 2) vs. ?.
 * December 26, 1985: Judi (Day 3) vs. Michael. [Circulates from a KOVR airing with commercials, including promos for The Nighttime Price Is Right, The New Newlywed Game, The Big Spin, and the debut of The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime.]
 * December 27, 1985: Michael (Day 2) vs. Deborah. [Circulates from a KOVR airing with commercials, including promos for The Nighttime Price Is Right and the debut of The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime.]

Standard Format
Upon the format change, the first set of money amounts were lowered to a $50-$200 range (in the order of $125-$50-$175-$175-$200-$100-$150-$75-$125). In late September or early October (definitely by 10/2), the range was narrowed to $100-$200. These amounts were tweaked again in October (sometime between the 7th and 25th), and once more by about 11/29.


 * September 16, 1985 (Premiere...kinda): Michael vs. Ashley. [Circulates from a KSTP airing, with commercials.]
 * Winning five games awards a Pontiac Fiero.
 * September 17, 1985: Michael (Day 2 - $18,260) vs. Bri. [Circulates from a WCBS airing with commercials, including a brief Break the Bank promo.]
 * Winning five games awards a Pontiac Fiero.
 * September 18, 1985: Bri (Day 2) vs. Bill. [Circulates from original broadcast with commercials, including a Wheel of Fortune scratcher promo.]
 * September 19, 1985: Bri (Day 3) vs. ?.
 * September 20, 1985: Bri (Day 4) vs. ?.


 * September 23, 1985: Bri (Day 5 - $23,000) vs. Chris. [Bri wins the car in an unbelievable game, retiring with $37,966! Circulating copy has average quality and tracking problems for first 9-10 minutes.]
 * Winning five games awards a Pontiac Fiero.


 * September 24-27, 1985: ? vs. Cindy.
 * September 25-30, 1985: Cindy (Day 2 - $2,350) vs. Chip. [Circulates from a WTVX airing, with two commercials. Art tells a contestant they're wrong when they aren't!]
 * Winning five games awards a Pontiac Sunbird station wagon. At this point, the starting amounts are still the same as they were on 9/16.
 * One commercial in the available copy includes brief clips of the 10/9/85 show.
 * September 26-October 1, 1985: Cindy (Day 3 - $4,450) vs. ?.


 * October 1, 1985: ? vs. Mary.

Starting money amounts change to $125-$100-$175-$175-$200-$150-$150-$100-$125 (began by 10/2/85)
 * October 2, 1985: Mary (Day 2 - $3,150) vs. Clayton. [Video cuts out shortly after bonus round, though audio is intact.]
 * Winning five games awards a Pontiac 6000 STE.
 * October 3, 1985: Mary (Day 3 - $16,210) vs. Peter. [Circulates from a 12/85 KOVR repeat with commercials, including a brief Nighttime Price Is Right promo.]
 * October 4, 1985: Peter (Day 2) vs. Annalisa. [Circulates from original? broadcast, with commercials. Annalisa was also on High Rollers and Shuffle.]


 * October 7, 1985: Peter (Day 3 - $9,250) vs. Deborah. [Circulates from original? broadcast, with commercials.]
 * October 8, 1985: Peter (Day 4 - $13,700) vs. Karen.
 * October 9, 1985: Peter (Day 5 - $18,075) vs. Didi. [Peter retires!]
 * October 10, 1985: Kathy vs. Gary.
 * October 11, 1985: Gary (Day 2 - $1,600) vs. Andrew.


 * October 14, 1985: Andrew (Day 2 - $12,100) vs. Candy.
 * October 15, 1985: Candy (Day 2 - $8,325) vs. John.
 * Winning five games awards a Pontiac Sunbird wagon.
 * October 16, 1985: John (Day 2 - $2,275) vs. Shari.
 * Winning five games awards a Pontiac Sunbird wagon. At this point, the starting money amounts are still the same as they were on 10/2.
 * October 17, 1985: Shari (Day 2 - $5,875) vs. Jeb. [Available copy begins at start of Round 2.]
 * October 18, 1985: Shari (Day 3 - $9,600) vs. Tom.


 * October 21, 1985: Tom (Day 2 - $1,650) vs. Florence. [Florence was later on Blockbusters.]

Five-time champs get an extra $10,000 (began 10/22/85)
 * October 22, 1985: Florence (Day 2 - $5,600) vs. Todd.
 * October 23, 1985: Florence (Day 3 - $14,543) vs. Michael.
 * October 24, 1985: Florence (Day 4 - $17,643) vs. Dan.

Starting money amounts change to $125-$100-$150-$175-$200-$150-$125-$100-$125 (began by 10/25/85)
 * October 25, 1985: Florence (Day 5 - $30,733!) vs. Gary. [Florence wins the $10,000 bonus, retiring with $48,488!]

[The below episodes have uncertain placement.]


 * November 7, 1985: ? vs. Sara.
 * November 8, 1985: Sara (Day 2) vs. ?.


 * November 11, 1985: Sara (Day 3 - $13,775) vs. David.
 * November 12, 1985: Sara (Day 4 - $23,875) vs. Richard.
 * November 13, 1985: Sara (Day 5 - $28,225!) vs. Joel. [Sara retires!]
 * November 14, 1985: Christina vs. Marc.
 * November 15, 1985: Marc (Day 2 - $4,650) vs. Jan.


 * November 18, 1985: Marc (Day 3) vs. ?.
 * November 19, 1985: Marc (Day 4 - $22,600) vs. Micki.
 * November 20, 1985: Marc (Day 5 - $30,900!) vs. Robin.
 * November 21, 1985: Robin (Day 2 - $8,125) vs. Alex.


 * November 28?, 1985: ? vs. Charley.

"Five-time champ" bonus reverts to a car/boat (began by about 11/29/85)

Starting money amounts change to $100-$150-$125-$175-$200-$100-$125-$100-$150 (began by about 11/29/85)
 * November 29?, 1985: Charley (Day 2 - $2,300) vs. Susan. [Circulates from a WSB airing, with commercials.]
 * Winning five games awards a Regal Medallion 185 luxury speedboat. One commercial in the available copy promotes an "after-Thanksgiving" car sale this Friday through Sunday.
 * This isn't really related to anything, but it struck me as weird: another commercial in the available copy is for a car dealership offering a free chainsaw with every truck sold. Yes, really.
 * November-December 1985: Charley (Day 3 - $9,673) vs. ?.


 * December? 1985: Charley vs. Christy. [Circulates from a KOVR airing, with commercials. Not sure if this is the same Charley as above.]
 * December? 1985: ? vs. Cherilyn. [Circulates from a KOVR airing, with commercials. I think this directly follows the above show.]


 * December 31, 1985: ? vs. Pat.
 * January 1, 1986: Pat (Day 2 - $8,100) vs. Todd. [Two copies circulate: one has no fee plugs and a brief Headline Chasers voiceover promo, while the other has the fee plugs intact and a different voiceover promo.]
 * Winning five games awards a Regal Medallion 185 luxury speedboat.
 * January 2, 1986: Todd (Day 2 - $3,200) vs. Brian. [Available copy has fuzzy video, bottom half pixelated for most of show, fee plugs missing.]
 * Winning five games awards a Regal Medallion 185 luxury speedboat. Art notes that "Looking back over the last few weeks and a couple of months, I think our largest winner has been around $50,000."
 * January 3, 1986: Todd (Day 3 - $7,925) vs. Patricia.
 * Winning five games awards a Regal Medallion 185 luxury speedboat.


 * January 6, 1986: Patricia (Day 2 - $2,800) vs. Hal.
 * Winning five games awards a Regal Medallion 185 luxury speedboat.
 * January 7, 1986: Patricia (Day 3 - $10,040) vs. Brian.
 * Winning five games awards a Regal Medallion 185 luxury speedboat.
 * January 8, 1986: Brian (Day 2 - $2,525) vs. Scott.
 * January 9, 1986: Scott (Day 2 - $2,475) vs. Jane.
 * January 10, 1986 (Unannounced Finale): Scott (Day 3 - $6,175) vs. Glenna. [Circulates from a WNEC (WHEC?) airing with commercials, albeit beginning after Art walks out.]
 * Winning five games awards a Pontiac Trans-Am. Scott becomes the final champ, with a total of $18,475.