Dream House

Married couples answer questions to win a new house.

1968-1970 Version
Two couples compete in this two year old version. Mike would ask a question and the first player to buzz in got to answer. If s/he was right, the couple received 5 points, but an incorrect answer gave the couple(s) a chance to answer for 10 points. When a player answered correctly, s/he was locked out of the next question. At two minutes (2:00) left in the game, point values were doubled.

At the end of the game, the "Catch-Up Round" was played, where the couple that was trailing chose one last question from 10-50 points. If they answered correctly, then the other couple got one last chance. The couple with the most points won the game & a room full of furniture.

Couples who won seven rooms on the daytime version (four on the 1968 primetime version) won a new house of their own (worth over $40,000, plus $7,000 to purchase land for a total of over $47,000).

Beginning in 1969, three couples competed in the first round which was mostly played the same as the two-couple format, except that only during that first round would everybody play every question. The two highest-scoring couples advanced to the next round, played exactly the same as the previous two-couple format. Five-time champions were offered an airplane by surrendering the chance to win two more games. Seven-time champions won their choice of either their new house or $20,000 in cash.

Front Game
Two married couples (one of them being returning champions) compete. Bob would read a true/false toss-up question and the first player to buzz in got to answer. Should that player buzz in before the question was finished, the opposing couple got a chance to answer. If s/he was right, the couple received $50 and control of a board with four categories, but an incorrect answer gave the $50 and control to the opposing couple. The couple in control chose one of the categories, Bob would read a multiple-choice question related to the chosen category with three possible answers, and the couple would then choose an answer. Then after the couple gave their answer, the opposing couple could challenge and give their own answer (they can challenge no more than twice). The couple with the correct answer received $100 (plus $50 for unsuccessful challenge). The round continued until all four categories were used.

Two rounds were played and the couple in the lead after round 1 won a prize. Round 2 was played the same as the first round but with four new categories, plus a couple could double the value of a question before it was asked. The couple with the most money after two rounds won the game; if the game ended in a tie, one final true/false toss-up was played with the winners of that question winning the game. The winning couple won a room of furniture, and went to the bonus round. Win or lose, each couple got to keep whatever cash and/or prizes they've earned.

Changes in the Front Game
In early 1984, each couple had a "Money Machine" which determined the value of a question before it was asked. The question could either be worth $50, $100, or $150. Also, on the "Money Machine" was a "Prize" space where a correct answer won the couple a prize in addition to the money (on celebrity games the prize space was replaced by another space marked "Double $$ (Dollars/Money)" which of course doubled the value), but the "Money Machine" also had a space called "Turnover", which gave control to the opposing team, and in round 2 only, there was a space called "No. Off" which a correct answer knocked off an extra wrong number in the bonus round.

In addition, players of the same sex faced-off in the true/false toss-ups (except in the tiebreaker); also the number of choice of answers for all questions was reduced from three to two, making it easier for either couple to win the money. Plus, opposing couples can challenge on every question.

Also, if a couple won by $500 or more, they won a prize (later changed to a $500 bonus), if a couple won by $1,000 or more, they won a new car.

Bonus Round
The winning couple tried to win their dream house by guessing a combination to unlock the "Golden Doors".

They were shown 3 rows of 4 numbers, for example:

9852

4982

5954

Each time the champions made it to the bonus round, a wrong number was removed from the lock. Later in the run, a wrong number was no longer removed at the start of the champions first trip to the bonus round. In 1984, wrong numbers can also be removed at the start of the bonus round if the couple answered a question correctly in the front game if they landed on "No. Off" on their "Money Machine".

The couple was shown three categories and they chose one. Bob would then ask the couple three questions related to the chosen category, each with two possible answers. Each correct answer removed another wrong number. Answering the first question correctly removed a wrong number from the top row, answering the second question correctly removed a wrong number from the middle row, and answering the last question correctly removed a wrong number from the bottom row.

Couples can also win their dream house if they remained champions for 7 days, later it was reduced to 5, and then increased to 6. On days when a championship couple could win the house instantly, a plunger would pop out of Bob's podium which was a "hotline switch" or "circuit breaker" and all the couple had to do was press it and the "Golden Doors" automatically opened.

Pilot
There were several differences in the pilot, taped late-1982 on a slightly altered set.

Main Game

 * There were seven categories instead of four. With one of the round two categories being the double dollars category.
 * Couples were not restricted just two challenges, they can challenge as many times as they wished. And if they don't challenge but the opposing couple was wrong, the opposing couple still won $50 ($100 in case of the double dollars category).
 * In round two, a couple can pass the question to the other couple but not challenge if they don't know the answer, with a successful pass being worth $50. The couple can't pass if they chose the double dollars category.
 * $350 ended round one and won the couple who reached that amount a prize.
 * The first couple to reach $750 or more won the game.

Bonus Game
In the end game, the three categories related to questions posed to the general public, and the couple had to pick what they thought was the most popular answer, earning $1,000 for the most popular, $500 for second, and $250 for third. Each answer also increased the odds of opening the "Golden Doors"; winning $250 earned three picks from ten, $500 earned three from nine, and $1,000 earned three from seven.

Music
1983 - "Charade" by Michael Malone

The first theme was originally used for the pilot of Showoffs.

Inventor
Don Reid

Merchandise
A home game for the 1968-70 version was made by Milton Bradley

Links
The Dream House Fanpage

Rules for Dream House (NBC) @ Loogslair.net

Josh Rebich's Dream House Rules Page

YouTube Videos
A montage of four couples who won their dream houses

Larry & Rose Kotel won their dream house on their 2nd day