Break the Bank (2)

''Three of these boxes will break the (insert jackpot amount) bank (worth over $10,000 in prizes). Is this one of them? Or is it this one? Or this one? (three random boxes flash) We'll find out in a moment in this game of hide and seek as these nine celebrities (Insert celebrities) all join us all in playing BREAK THE BANK! Now meet our host, TOM KENNEDY/JACK BARRY!!!''

This is the game of hide and seek where two contestants try and find three Money Bags to break the Bank which could be worth thousands of dollars in cash and prizes. This is also the second show to be called Break the Bank.

Premise
Two contestants played a Hollywood Squares/Concentration-like game, while trying to break the Bank.

Rules
Two contestants, one man and one woman, faced a game board of 20 squares numbered 1-20 with nine stars seated around it. Behind those numbers were three money amounts in groups of three that touched each other along one side of board, five money bags which scattered all around the board and may or may not touch each other, five blank spots which never touched other, and one wild card which can be found anywhere & used for anything. The player in control called out a number, after which that box flipped over, and if a money box or the wild card was found, the host asked a question to the two stars connected to it. One celebrity gave a true answer (the correct answer), while the other gave a false answer (a wrong answer). The player's job was to choose the correct answer, doing so captured the box and place his/her symbol in the box, either a mustache or red lips (mustache for the man, lips for the woman); that player also kept control of the board. Choosing the wrong answer lost control to his/her opponent. Originally on a miss, the box would be flipped back to its normal position, but in later episodes, the box would be given to the opponent unless it triggered a win (for a win had to be earned by the player going for it); that's when it would be flipped back. Control of the board would also be passed if the player uncovered a blank space.

If a Money Bag was uncovered, the player in control could either take it (not having to answer the question, but also forfeiting control) or turn it back and select a different box. The first player to capture one group of three matching money boxes won the game, the total of the amounts showing, and a special surprise prize. Capturing three Money Bags broke the Bank for at least $5,000.

ABC Version
In the Tom Kennedy version the money boxes were $100 (Yellow), $200 (Blue), and $300 (Orange) respectively; so the cash prizes for winning a game would be $300, $600, and $900.

The winners of each game faced another player unless the player defeated did not get a chance to play (at which point that player was invited back to play in the next game). They remain champions until defeated or until they exceeded $20,000 (champs can keep up to $25,000, however).

The bank was an increasing cash jackpot which started at $5,000 plus $500 (later $250) for every game it was not broken.

In this version the games straddled episodes.

Syndicated
Jack Barry's version replaced the blue $200 boxes with red $500 boxes, for a possible maximum winning total of $1,500. The $300 boxes were now blue while $100 stayed the same.

The Bank was a prize package worth more than $10,000 including a new car.

Contestants played for the entire show, and the first player to break the Bank or the player who won the most games won the match.

When time ran out in the middle of a game or at the start of a game, players alternated turns picking boxes with no questions asked until one of the players got three of the same amount.

There were no returning champions.

Bonus Game (Syndicated only)
The winner of the match also got a chance to play a bonus game for $5,000. In the bonus game, eight of the celebrities held a money amount ranging from $200-$1,000 in $100 increments, but one had a BUST card which bankrupted the contestant if found. The contestant picked off celebrities one at a time; each time he/she found a money amount, it was added to his/her score, after which the player would then decide to either quit with the money earned or continue picking. If the contestant reached $2,000 or more, s/he won $5,000 in cash.

Music
Stewart Zachary Levin

Broadcast History
The daytime version aired on ABC in April 12, 1976 at 2:30pm/1:30pm Central with Tom Kennedy as host. Even though it was popular, ABC cancelled it on July 23, 1976 to extend 2 soap operas (General Hospital and One Life to Live) from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. Barry & Enright Productions quickly launched the show again in weekly syndication on September 18, 1976, with Jack Barry as host (due to Kennedy's Name That Tune contract not letting him host). Due to its hasty launch, many affiliates didn't sign on and the show was cancelled on September 11, 1977. Both Kennedy and Barry wore sunglasses during the taping to block the bright lights in the set.

Merchandise
Milton Bradley released a home edition of the game in 1977. The rules and materials were based on the syndicated version, with the $100–$300–$500 cash cards and the Bonus Round. Basic gameplay had three players participate in three full games, each taking a turn as emcee and two as a contestant, with the player who won the most money being named overall champion.

Greek version
Despite its failure in America, the 1970s Break The Bank had two successful versions in Greece. The original version called What About You? hosted by Kostas Rigopoulous aired on EPT from 1987-1988; in 1989, the series was revived on the Mega Channel under its new name Tilemplofes, hosted by Claus Tsivilikas.

Links

 * Game Show Utopia: Break the Bank '76
 * David's Break the Bank '76 Page
 * Rules for Break the Bank '76 @ Loogslair.net
 * History of Break the Bank
 * Josh Rebich's Break the Bank '76 Rule Sheet