User:Daniel Benfield/Trump Card Video Archive

Trump Card is yet another of those syndicated shows during the 1990-91 season that got trampled on. Even then, its originator pulled off the format far better.

The host, Jimmy Cefalo, went on to do sports coverage for WPLG, hence part of the reason I'm doing this. But there's more than just the American and British versions...

LEGAL STUFF SO I DON'T GET SUED: I'm only linking to these videos, none of which were uploaded by me, for the purposes of research and as a public record. Footage ©1984-97/2001 Fiedler-Berlin Productions/Telepictures and associated entities.

American Version (1990-91)
Syndicated, Daily: September 10, 1990 - September 6, 1991

The one thing about this version that rubs me the wrong way is that there was a $100,000 Tournament at the end of the run, but the winner of the whole thing didn't actually get said money – they had to play the bonus round for the cash.

Said person lost.


 * 1990 (WCAU promo)


 * September 10, 1990 (Premiere: Melissa/Duane/John, with an appearance by Donald Trump)
 * October 29, 1990 (Dan/Brett/Tom)
 * Taped 1990 (Joe/Bob/David)


 * 1990-91 (Tommy Mazza doing an audience warmup)
 * 1991 (DKFI promo)

British Versions
The franchise started out in the UK, the only country that held on to it after 1997.

Bob's Full House (1984-90)
BBC1, Weekly: September 1, 1984 - January 27, 1990 (115 episodes in 6 series)

The format originator, and possibly the only one that ever got it right. Hosted by Bob Monkhouse, who's always a bright spot in these things (unless it's Wipeout, by which point he was much older and by his own admission "wiped out" from doing a daily series such as that).


 * May 25, 1987 (Intro; original broadcast)
 * December 31, 1988 (Intro; original broadcast)
 * September 2, 1989 (Bonus round and credits; original broadcast)

One to Win (1991-92)
BBC1, Weekly: September 21, 1991 - January 25, 1992 (17 episodes in 1 series)

Hosted by Andrew O'Connor, the title didn't really have any meaning except when a player was one space away from winning, at which point Andrew would say they needed one to win.


 * September 21, 1991 (Debut promo)

Lucky Numbers (1995-97)
ITV: January 9, 1995 - 1997

Hosted by Shane Richie this time, although Nick Weir helmed the pilot (and later went on to break his foot on Catchphrase).

Nick Weir
 * Taped 1994? (Pilot: First 41 seconds)

Shane Richie

The Biggest Game in Town (2001)
ITV, Daily: September 10 - December 21, 2001 (90 episodes, aired live)

Taped in the smallest studio, ironically. Steve le Fevre was the main host, with Bobby Davro filling in for three episodes.

Any episode's airdate can be determined by the card number, which went sequentially. Lettered cards are Friday Flyer games, a second episode done on late Friday afternoons.


 * October 3, 2001 (#18: Mark/Lesley/Ernie; begins shortly before player intros)

Ted Robbins added, seemingly just to do celebrity impressions in the control room
 * November 16, 2001 (Game J/Celebrity Special: Shobna Gulati {Coronation Street}/George Rossi {The Bill}/Dee Whitehead {Emmerdale} {Part 3})
 * [Hosted by Bobby Davro, who notes that it's a Friday Flyer. Home viewer question notes that today is Frank Bruno's 40th birthday.]

German Version (1991-92)
Sat.1, Monday-to-Saturday: February 18, 1991 - 1992 (525 episodes)

Bingo, hosted by Wolf-Dieter Herrmann. A spinoff, Kinder-Bingo, aired in '92.


 * 1992 (Clip)

Finnish Version (1991-95)
Kolmoskanava: March 4, 1991 - 1992

MTV3: 1993 - May 1995

Megavisa, hosted by Jukka-Pekka Palo. Started out with a pretty dull set, but became much more colorful (and flipped the set orientation) by 1993.

In any case, even though I don't speak or understand the language I can tell there's one huge problem with this version: almost nobody seen on-camera looks like they want to be there, so much so that one uploader put together a bunch of clips and called it "Tribute to MEGAVISA - the Satanic GameShow!"

I don't agree, mind you (at least it's not something like The Chamber), but boy does this feel at times like it's one severe bloody injury away from getting into Creepypasta territory.

Dull set
 * 199? (Pirjo/Jukka/Marja; MTV is listed in the credits, suggesting it's from that era)

Colorful set
 * 1993 (Reijo/Risto/Helge; begins just into open, ends during credits)
 * [Listed as "Megavisa #1" by the uploader.]
 * 1993 (Jupli?/Martti/Jouni?; begins just into open, ends during credits)
 * [Listed as "Megavisa #2" by the uploader.]
 * 1993 (Jussi?/Pekka/Pauli; begins just into open, ends during credits)
 * [Listed as "Megavisa #3" by the uploader.]
 * 1993 (Kari/Ulmo/Jouko; very low audio)


 * 199? (Vesku/Panu/Jari)