Blank Check

A short-lived game show where contestants fill in numbers for a large check.

Broadcast
NBC - January 6, 1975 – July 4, 1975

Packager
Jack Barry Productions

Host
Art James

Assistant
Judy Rich

Announcer
Johnny Jacobs

Music
Alan Thicke & Stan Worth Pilot Theme "Chump Change" by Quincy Jones

Inventors
Jack Barry, William T. Naud, Rich Jefferies

Gameplay
Six contestants competed for one whole week trying to win big cash prizes by filling in a four digit check.

One contestant was dubbed the "Check Writer" and stood in front of a giant check behind a podium. To start, five digital randomizers spun a series of numbers, and the "Check Writer" stopped them by hitting a button in front of him or her. When the numbers stopped, he/she then chose a number to put into the check afterwhich Art read a riddle to the other five contestants seated in a gallery. The first player to buzz-in with a correct answer then got to choose which number the check writer has selected. If successful then that contestant became the new check writer and started a new check, if not successful the current check writer stays the check writer and the actual number was placed on into the check. The process continued for the next two numbers (tens then hundreds) until the check writer came up to the thousands column. At the point, an audience game came into play.

Audience Game
In the audience game, one member of the studio audience came up on stage to play for up to four prizes. The four prizes were shown to both the audience member & check writer. The check writer's job was to guess which prize the audience member has chosen. The audience member kept every prize chosen should the check writer make a mistake, and if the check writer made three mistakes, the audience member won all four prizes. If the the check writer get at least two right before getting three wrong, one final riddle was asked to the gallery. If the gallery player who came up with the correct answer cannot guess the right digit, the final digit was placed, and the check writer won the amount of the check.

Notes: Should the check writer lose his/her position, he/she still the won check amount shown up to that point. And after the check was completed or if the audience game was won by the audience member, a toss-up riddle was asked to the gallery for the position of the new check writer.

Bonus Prizes
When spinning & stopping the numbers, if the number landed on formed a straight, the check writer won a prize.

At the end of the week, the player with the largest check amount won a bonus prize, usually a car.

Trivia
At one time, Jack Barry's longtime producer partner Dan Enright sued Mark Goodson Production and their long-running hit show The Price is Right and it's host Bob Barker, because one of the pricing game on that show was called Blank Check. Because of this lawsuit, in 1986 The Price is Right decided to change the name to Check Game.

Blank Check was replaced with another Art James hosted show The Magnificent Marble Machine.

Links
Blank Check @ Game Shows '75 Blank Check @ usgameshows.net An audio clip of the Blank Check opening is found here