User:Daniel Benfield/Beat the Clock 1979 Video Archive

CBS Daytime: September 17, 1979 - February 1, 1980 (taped September 8?, 1979 - January, 1980 at Television City)

The 1979-80 Beat the Clock brought the show back to CBS and revitalized it, as well as getting Monty Hall back in the spotlight after the failure of It's Anybody's Guess in '77.

I really like this version, personally, and even the All-Star format they adopted eight weeks in isn't too bad a change (nowhere near as bad as, say, Celebrity Bullseye making Bonus Island an afterthought).

Some civilian-era dates per this episode guide at the Mark Goodson Wiki, although despite my best attempts I think some of the info might be off.

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 ©1979-80 Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions/FremantleMedia and associated entities.

Pilots
Taped September 4-5, 1979 at Television City (3 episodes)

The three pilots had a longer/slower intro and a bunch of stunts that were reused for the series. The Clock was also only used for counting downward, whereas the series showed the Clock setting itself for each stunt (which I thought was a nice touch, and led to an amusing incident during the second part of the run).


 * Taped 9/4/79 (Pilot #1: Les & Mindy {Day 2 - $5,000} vs. Michael & Rhonda {Bonus Stunt: Use a fishing rod/line to set a large penny flat on top of a short pole}; has slate and...fee plugs?!)
 * [Has a format hole that was patched in Pilot #2. I'm not sure exactly what, but I think it's that the Bonus Shuffle doesn't actually award any money itself (the spaces are $3,000-$10,000), meaning a couple could become the champs with no money at all.]

Civilian Format
September 17 - November 2, 1979

Originally, while the Clock was setting itself it made this tinkling sort of sound. Later on, this became a sort of "ascending" cue that I can't really describe.

September
 * September 17, 1979 (Premiere: Gary & Sue vs. David & Jerri {Bonus Stunt: Set up three bowling pins using only your feet and legs}; taped from GSN in 9/07, with a That's the Question graphic promo {alternate copy from a later GSN airing, begins at opening logo})
 * September 18, 1979 (Gary & Sue vs. Steve & Melissa; taped from GSN)
 * September 19, 1979 (Promo for this, Whew!, and The Price Is Right; notably, the Clock clips all appear to be from Pilot #1)

Intro slightly altered: "clang" sound added during animated portion, Clock now rotates, and first stunt usually already set up (began by 9/25/79)
 * September 25, 1979 (Brad & Suanne {Day 3? - $5,700} vs. Karen & Peter {Bonus Stunt: Use a fishing rod/line to set a large penny flat on top of a short pole}; taped from GSN {alternate copy, runs a bit shorter})
 * [Monty notes that this is the third or fourth time this Bonus Stunt has been used.]


 * September 28, 1979 (Tim & Lisa {Day 2 - $9,800} vs. Ron & Gloria, with the sweater debacle that caused one couple to be brought back later on {Bonus Stunt: Keep eight plates in motion at the same time}; taped from GSN)
 * [Still has the old "Clock setting itself" cue. Monty says they'll be back "tomorrow".]

October-November

"Clock setting itself" cue changes to an ascending sound effect (began by 10/10/79)
 * October 10, 1979 (David & Renee vs. Gary & Kim {Bonus Stunt: Guide a ball along a line from start to finish}; taped from GSN)
 * [Champs retired last time. Still has the ascending "Clock setting itself" cue.]
 * October 11, 1979 (Gary & Kim vs. Bill & Linda {Bonus Stunt: Using fishing rods/lines, transfer bowler hats from your head to your partner's}; taped from GSN)
 * [Ryan Rinkerman lists this as 10/17.]


 * October 16, 1979 (Steve & Karen {Day 2 - $1,300} vs. Frank & Gloria {Bonus Stunt: Toss four beanbags onto a table}; taped from GSN)
 * [Monty notes that the champs failed the Bonus Stunt "yesterday", and the winners will be back "tomorrow".]

All-Star Format
November 5, 1979 - February 1, 1980

I'm not really sure why they opted to change to an all-celeb format, but it's really not too bad a change. Each couple now plays for a different section of the audience, similar to Tattletales, and each group of four celebs stays for the entire week.

The collections I've seen don't distinguish episodes of each week from each other. As such, the listings below will include a brief description of the first stunt.

1979

1980