User:Daniel Benfield/Break the Bank 1985 Video Archive

Syndicated, Daily: September 16, 1985 - June 20 [September 12], 1986 (195 episodes)

The 1980s Break the Bank had two rather different, but still pretty good, formats. It was also the first show by Kline & Friends, which had been formed by ex-Barry & Enright staff, and as a result much of the set was recycled props from prior B&E games (the paneling in the front game was from Hot Potato, while the Number Jumbler was from an unsold Twenty-One revival).

CBN aired repeats of the Farago era from September 1 through December 26, 1986.

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 ©1985-86 Kline & Friends Productions and associated entities.

Gene Rayburn (1985)
September 16 - December 13 [20], 1985 (65 episodes)

Good lord, what a mess. Don't get me wrong, it started out great and improved over time, but as things went on it became clear that Kline & Friends didn't like Gene joking around on what they considered a serious and suspenseful show. By his final week, Gene was bored, going through the motions.

Unfortunately, the ratings were sagging (not helped by the 1985-86 season being filled with game shows), so Kline & Friends had to do something. Instead of, say, tweaking the main game to award seconds based on how fast the puzzle was solved (rather than basically rewarding players who didn't know the answer early)...they put the blame on Gene and kicked him out. As a parting shot, he put an embargo on his episodes so they couldn't be rerun.

On a side note, I have one problem with the Prize Vault itself: if time ran out after you completed a stunt but before you got that Bank Card into the slot at home base, you didn't get that Card or that prize. To my knowledge, this was never remedied before the bonus round was overhauled (but that's for later).

Big thanks to Jason Cranmer for some of the below placement. :)

Pilot (1984)

Had a slightly different set (most notably the contestant podiums) and front-game format (note that the displays are only showing single digits, although they clearly have room for three). The Prize Vault also seems to be slightly different, with the other page of the print ad at right showing a Bank worth $25,000.

A photo of the pilot appeared on Page 86 of the 1/14/85 Broadcasting.

September

Originally, the hostess was Kandace Kuehl. On September 19, she was replaced by Julie Hayek.


 * September 16, 1985 (Premiere: Michael & Lori vs. Tim & Becky {Part 3, Part 4}, with the Bank at $20,000; taped from WCBS or KSTP, not sure which {alternate copy})
 * [Guests: Joe Farago, Louise DuArt, Bubba Smith.]

Stunt timer now in a blue box (began 9/17/85)
 * September 17, 1985 (Tim & Becky vs. Ron & Gale; has commercials)
 * [Guests: Jerry Robinson, Steve Elliot, faux Humphrey Bogart.]

Julie Hayek becomes hostess, Stunt timer box becomes purple (began 9/19/85)
 * September 20, 1985 (Ron & Gale vs. Jana & Dan; taped from KTVU, with commercials)
 * [Guests: CHARLES NELSON REILLY, Joe Farago, Denny Hardwick.]


 * September 25, 1985 (Lonnie & Julia {Day 2 - $4,275} vs. Sherry & Gary, with the Bank at $23,033; has a Contestant Plug, begins shortly before Julie opens the Prize Vault)
 * [Guest: CHARLES NELSON REILLY. Prize Vault still has the stand next to the couples' podium, containing the stunt descriptions (up to ten).]


 * September 30, 1985 (? & ? vs. James & Rebecca, with the Bank at $25,753; last segment only {alternate copy})
 * [Guests: Ron Walden?, Oscar Dillon, Steve Dunne, faux Clint Eastwood, Rip Taylor.]

October

By October 16, the Prize Vault staging was altered slightly to remove the stand next to the couples' podium, which had the envelopes containing each stunt description. Instead, each stunt description envelope was on the respective stand showing the prize's name.

October 30 brought two major changes: the first part of the intro changed from describing several of that day's stunts to showing clips of previous Prize Vault runs, and the bonus round timer now stopped while Gene explained the chosen stunt.

Stand next to couples' podium in Prize Vault removed (began by 10/16/85)
 * October 16, 1985 (Bruce & Debra {Day 3 - $2,745} vs. Muffet & Michael {Part 2}, with the Bank at $38,031; taped from KTSP with commercials, begins at tiebreaker puzzle {alternate copy, slightly shorter})
 * [Guests: Brenda Dickson, Sports Goofy, faux Ronald Reagan, Lou Ferrigno.]
 * October 17, 1985 (Bruce & Debra vs. Brad & Connie {Part 2}
 * [Guests: Mark Halloran, Brenda Dickson, Sports Goofy, faux Ronald Reagan.]
 * October 18, 1985 (Bruce & Debra vs. Tim & Melissa; last two segments only {alternate copy})
 * [Guests: Brenda Dickson, Mark Halloran, Lou Ferrigno, faux W.C. Fields.]


 * October 24-25/28-29, 1985 (Montage of clips from said four episodes, all mashed together, starting with Paul & Carmelita {Day 2 - $4,374} vs. Percy & Linda)
 * [Guests: Captain America, Wayland Flowers & Madame, Roger Owens (10/25); faux Queen Elizabeth II (10/28).]

Clip montage added to intro, Gene now enters from Prize Vault, bonus round timer becomes larger (no box) and stops during stunt explanations (began 10/30/85)

November

The set background changes from orange to purple on November 21.


 * November 5-6, 1985 (Jeff & Tina {$10,120} vs. Cheryl & Frank, with the Bank at $29,385 {Part 2, Part 3})
 * [Guests: Alan Chapman?, faux Princess Di, Rip Taylor.]
 * [Widely stated to be Gene's Finale, but the "punny" clues and original star circle are present, both of which were gone by his final week. The fact the intro has the clip montage means it isn't from early October (the only other gap in the available episodes).]


 * November 20, 1985 (John & Sharon {Day 3 - $8,155) vs. Peter & Linda, with the Bank at $30,560; taped from WVIT {alternate copy})
 * [Guest: Jm J. Bullock.]

Set background becomes purple (began 11/21/85)

December

Star circle on Prize Vault door becomes smaller (began by 12/3/85)

"Home audience only" clues changed to straightforward clues (began by 12/9/85)

Joe Farago (1985-86)
December 23, 1985 - June 20, 1986 (130 episodes)

Joe, a guest during Gene's tenure, was hired on to host despite having no prior game show hosting experience. He's not bad, but pales in comparison to Gene.

Despite firing Gene in part because he made jokes during a "serious and suspenseful" end game, in January 1986 they decided that the Stunt format needed to go too.

Stunt format, continued

Master Puzzle format (began 1/86)

Master Puzzle now uses regular sounds and multiple Bank Cards (now the familiar 1-1-1-2-2-3 default); couples now pick each Card right before insertion; Bankrupt Card added

"Home audience only" clue font uses different typeface, with lowercase as needed (began 3/ or 4/86)