User:Daniel Benfield/Family Feud 1994 Video Archive

Syndicated, Daily: September 12, 1994 - May 26 [September 8], 1995 (taped August 1994 - March 1995 at Television City)

I don't get television sometimes. At this point, Family Feud was sinking in the syndication ratings and the network version's canned, and Jonathan Goodson opted to pin the blame on...Ray Combs, the guy who (per Gene Wood in a 1995 interview) promoted the heck out of the show even though he didn't have to.

That would ordinarily be bad enough (I'd just as quickly blame Bullseye for forcing the main game to be cut down, and I like Bullseye!), but then Jonathan said "We're bringing Dawson back." Richard had been pretty much retired since '85, so yeah...Ray understandably didn't take that well and felt like a loser, even stating as much during Fast Money on his last show while a contestant kept getting zeroes.

As for Season 7 itself...the show expanded to an hour (using the Family Feud Challenge format) with a truncated Bullseye (now Bankroll), only four members per family, and lower payouts. Special weeks during this season only used the second half of the hour, with the first half having two families from the 1976-85 era.

Overall...I like this run. Despite everything going against it (including the OJ Simpson trial), the show was still fun and ended the "golden age" of Feud on a good note.

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 ©1994-95 Mark Goodson Productions/FremantleMedia and associated entities.

AND ANOTHER THING: The full hour is present unless otherwise noted. If I only note one half of an hour-long show, that's because it's the only half I have info on.

1994

Originally, the second half saw the winners of the first half playing against a family from the 1976-85 era. On October 10, they went back to using returning champs, beginning with the winners of Combs' last show.

When the show began taping, the Fast Money ("FAMILY FEUD") board was static and the nametags resembled those of the Combs era. The board became animated again shortly into taping, before the Challenge format returned; shortly afterward, and definitely by October 10, the nametags became darker with a thinner border and blockier lettering.

Winners of first half face a family from Dawson's first run in the second half
 * Taped 8/94 (#001/first taped: Schneidmiller vs. Stewart, with Kinsman {from 1977} playing later and the Schneidmiller captain showing off a special Richard memento; taped from GSN's Richard Dawson Tribute marathon, with commercials)


 * September 12, 1994 (Premiere: Williams vs. Pepeli, with Conway {from 1982} playing later and the real survey board shown on-camera; taped from TV3, begins at tail end of Game 2, fee plugs missing)
 * Taped 8/94 (Redd vs. De Leon, with Reinking {from 1981} playing later; taped from GSN with some commercials, ends during fee plugs)
 * [Apparently aired first in at least one market.]
 * Taped 8/94 (Ruggles vs. Chase, with Panagon {from 1982} playing later and the survey board being blank before Richard comes out; taped from GSN)


 * November 16, 1994 (Playboy Playmates vs. "Hunks" {male models}, Day 3 {Part 3})

"FAMILY FEUD" sign becomes animated again
 * September 28, 1994 (Barnes vs. Black, with Trejo {from 1980} playing later and Richard joking about The Running Man {alternate copy of first five minutes of second half, taped from TV3})
 * [The Trejo family was responsible for the infamous "September" answer that caused Richard to lose it.]


 * December 1994 (Beckford vs. Mellon, with Bello {from 1977} playing later and a terrible Fast Money; taped from GSN, begins at last Bankroll question of second half, "shaky-cam" upload)

"Returning champs" format (winners of first half face returning champs in second half); nametags change from the Combs-era style to one much different
 * October 31, 1994 (Davis vs. Llorens, with Missakian {Day 4 - $5,195} playing later and the set decorated for Halloween; taped from GSN in 2004!)
 * November 1, 1994 (Milner vs. Wegter {taped 10/13?/94}, with Missakian playing later {Parts 3, 4, and 5}; original? broadcast, wavy video, ends just before fee plugs {alternate copy taped from GSN, begins near end of second G1Q2, "shaky-cam" upload})
 * [Richard notes that a woman named Michelle played in The Writing on the Wall (with Hal Linden) "a couple of days ago". This was a Schoolbreak Special that aired October 11.]


 * November 3, 1994 (Quigley vs. Kelly, with Buenviaje {Day 2 - $10,000} playing later; taped from GSN, begins shortly before Fast Money #1, "shaky-cam" upload})


 * November 7-9/11, 1994 (Driscoll {from 1981} vs. Ellis {from 1982}, with Richard making a Geoff Edwards reference!; possible repeat from 4/13/95 {alternate copy})
 * [Has no closeups of each family member in the caricatures. First half of a Young & Restless vs. Bold & Beautiful episode.]


 * Taped 9/94 (Manio vs. Armstrong, with Delvecchio {Day 4 - $19,810!} playing later; taped from GSN {although they display a "1/94" tapedate}, second half only, "shaky-cam" upload)
 * [Richard mentions Circus of the Stars as taping "next door".]

Uncertain placement
 * Taped 1994 (Beauty vs. Brawn, Day 3 {Part 3})
 * [Animated "FAMILY FEUD" sign.]
 * 199? (Divorced Couples Week, Day 2: Ex-Husbands vs. Ex-Wives, with a Groucho Marx question where Richard briefly mentions the 1988 pilots when You Bet Your Life is an answer!; ends after Fast Money)
 * [Animated "FAMILY FEUD" sign, redone nametags.]

1995
 * January 16-19, 1995 (Mindel vs. Billingsley {taped 10/94}, with Nguyen {Day 2 - $12,000!} playing later; taped from KCBS with commercials, begins during Richard's monologue in first half, audio disappears from 31:55 onward, ends late in second commercial break of second half)
 * [Still has no closeups of each family member in the caricatures. A promo at 28:00 is for an event this Friday, January 20; Richard's second monologue notes a then-recent boxing match.]

Family carciatures now have a closeup of each member (debuted by February 3)
 * February 3, 1995 (Tonnessen {$3,000} vs. Thomas {Day 3 - $14,370!}, with Gretchen and Shannon making cameos; intro and Bankroll only)


 * February 7, 1995 (Carol Burnett vs. Betty White, Day 2; intro and Bankroll only)
 * February 8, 1995 (Carol Burnett vs. Betty White, Day 3 {Part 3})
 * February 10, 1995 (Carol Burnett vs. Betty White, Finale {Part 3, Part 4})


 * February 16?, 1995 (Wassell {from 1978} vs. Williams {from 1979}, with only the second instance of a rare event since Richard's return; taped from GSN)
 * February 16, 1995 (American Gladiators Battle of the Sexes, Day 4: Ladies {$13,000} vs. Men {$5,940})


 * February 21, 1995 (Marcello vs. Daley, with Tonnessen {Day 3 - $9,645} playing later {taped 12/8/94})


 * May 26, 1995 (Finale: Last day of LAPD vs. LAFD, with Richard saying his goodbyes {taped 3/95}; intro and credits only)