| Host | |
| Larry Blackmar | |
| Announcer | |
| Michael Bailey | |
| Broadcast | |
   | |
| Packager | |
| KGW-TV | |
On the Spot also known as On the Spot High School Challenge (not to be confused with the short-lived syndicated trivia show or the short-lived Pricing Game from The Price is Right of the same name) was a locally-produced Oregon game show based on an original concept created by Douglas K. Vernon, who at the time was a videotape editor at KGW.
Gameplay[]
Main Game[]
Three contestants, one usually a returning champion, competed. Each player was spotted 1,000 points at the beginning of the game.
Category Board[]
At the beginning of each round, all three players were shown a category board consisting of six categories to be used for the entire game. Each had three lighted triangles representing different multiple-choice toss-up questions to be asked. The players were given ten seconds to study and memorize the category board before it was turned away from view. The players had to keep track of the category names and the number of questions asked in each category in the round by memory.
Toss-up Question[]
The round began with a non-category question, whose category did not come from the category board. The players had five seconds to buzz in to answer the question. A correct answer scored points and gave that player the right to choose one of the categories from the category board.
Category Questions[]
A question from the chosen category, was then asked to all three players in the same manner. If the first player to buzz in was incorrect or failed to answer within five seconds, he/she lost points and the question was repeated for his or her two opponents.
Only two players could attempt each question, and if they were both incorrect, a new non-category toss-up question was asked (this also applied if no contestant buzzed in with an answer).
Exhausted Category[]
If a controlling player chose a category that had been "exhausted" (all three questions from it were already asked), he/she lost points and a new non-category toss-up question was asked.
The round was played until either all categories were exhausted or until five minutes elapsed (signified by a ringing bell).
Scoring[]
- Round 1 – 100 points
- Round 2 – 200 points
Passing[]
In Round 2, a player, after giving a correct answer, could either choose a category or pass his/her turn to one of his/her opponents, forcing that player to choose a category. Each player, however, was limited to one pass per game.
A good strategy was for a contestant to pass his/her turn near the end of the round, when there were several exhausted categories.
Spotlight Question[]
In Round 2, one question in one category somewhat more difficult, and only the player that found it could answer. If a player chose a category, and that next question was the Spotlight, he/she could wager from 100-500 points on it. A correct answer added the wager, while an incorrect answer deducted it.
The category and question position of the Spotlight was shown to the home audience during the category board reveal for Round 2.
Winning[]
The player with the most points at the end of Round 2 won the game and received a prize, while his/her opponents received consolation gifts (including gift certificates from local businesses). All contestants received an On the Spot umbrella made by Shedrain.
Flash Round (Bonus Round)[]
The day's champion played the "Flash Round" for up to $1,000 cash and one of two prizes (ranging from furniture to trips to a new car, all provided by local stores and dealerships).
Wheels[]
The champion was shown a special double-wheel setup similar to the Melody Roulette wheel on Name That Tune. The inner wheel had two sets of dollar wedges (worth $25, $50, $75, and $100) while the outer wheel had two wedges each of the names of two grand prizes. The champion spun the wheels to determine the value of each question and which grand prize he/she would play for.
The champion then had 60 seconds to answer 10 questions. The clock started after the first question was read, and each correct answer awarded the dollar amount that the inner wheel landed on. Contestants weren't penalized for incorrect answers, allowing them to give as many answers to each question as possible until he/she gave the correct one. They could also pass on questions, returning to them if time remained.
If all ten questions were answered correctly, the contestant won the grand prize the outer wheel landed on. All money earned was his/hers to keep regardless of outcome.
Champions stayed on the show until they were defeated or won five games.
Changes[]
Starting with the 1986–1987 season, a number of changes were made to the game.
1986[]
- During the first commercial break in the middle of Round 1, the players were shown the category board for a second time, including the number of questions played to that point.
- The Spotlight Question became home-viewer driven. Viewers sent in their questions, and if the question was used they won an On the Spot t-shirt (later a gift certificate to a local business).
- The player who chose the category containing the last question in either round had 100 points added to their score.
- All $25 wedges were eliminated from the inner Flash Round wheel. In addition, Blackmar paid out winnings in bills of money (similar to The Joker's Wild).
$5K Giveaway (1988)[]
Starting around February 1988, a "$5K Giveaway" was added as a third grand prize in the Flash Round. Presented in association with KGW's AM radio sister-station 62 KGW, the "$5K Giveaway" gave winning contestants a chance to play for $5,000.
A small wedge marked "62 KGW" was added in one of the spaces between the two grand prizes on the outer wheel. If the outer wheel landed on the special wedge and the contestant won the round, he/she received a $5,000 check in addition to the cash earned for each correct answer.
Each time a contestant returned to the Flash Round, another wedge was added to another space between the two grand prizes on the outer wheel, thus increasing the chances of playing for the $5,000. On the fifth and final trip to the Flash Round, the contestant was given another wedge to place in any position on the wheel.
On the Spot High School Challenge[]
A spinoff using local-area high-school students as contestants, playing for cash and prizes along with college scholarship money.
The series' debut was preceded by a special week on the parent series. Similarly, while the spinoff aired on Saturdays, its 1988 Tournament of Champions aired from May 2-5 in the parent show's timeslot.
Scott Runkel from South Salem High School was a contestant in 1987 and recalled in 2017 that "It was really, really annoying that you had to remember all the categories and how many questions had been asked in each one." He did not do very well on the show as a result.
Promo Ad[]
Set[]
Designed and built by All West Display Company of Portland, Oregon. For the first season, the set utilized a gold color scheme. This was changed to a blue color scheme for the rest of the run.
Music[]
Main - "Monkey Business" by Craig Palmer of Network Music
Links[]
Larry Blackmar's official website
Shedrain Umbrellas
News article on the death of announcer Michael Bailey
YouTube Videos[]
Original format (1985-86)
A full episode from November 1985 (Jerry/Nancy/Don)
A full episode from December 1985 (Dick/Wendy/Gary)
Second format (1986-88)
A full episode from 1987 (Trey/Lisa/Bob)
A full episode from 1987 (Chris/Richard/Carol)
A full episode from 1987 (Mark/Julia/Kelly)
A full episode from 1987 (Bob/Barbara/Mark {Day 2})
A full episode from November 5, 1987 (John/Sue/Jerry {Day 5})
A full episode from November 6, 1987 (Brett/Marty/John {Day 2})
A full episode from November 9, 1987 (Jack/Britt/John {Day 3})
A partial "Battle of the Radio Stars" episode from early 1988 (Archer/Bob Miller/John Erickson)
$5K Giveaway era (1988)
A full episode from February or March 1988 (Jean/Judy/David)
A full episode from early 1988 (Ryan/Margaret/Michael)
On the Spot High School Challenge (1987-88)
A full episode from 1987 (Jason/Jamie/Paul)
A full episode from 1987 (Bill/Aaron/Nathanael)
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