Game Shows Wiki
Advertisement

Opening Spiels[]

1961-1967 (original version):
ANNOUNCER: "This is the...(described occupation & celebrity #1)."
CELEBRITY #1: "Thank you, and this is my partner (insert contestant #1), from (insert contestant’s hometown)."
ANNOUNCER: "This is the...(described occupation & celebrity #2)."
CELEBRITY #2: "Thank you, and this is my partner (insert contestant #2), from (insert contestant’s hometown), and we're all here to play (Celebrity) Password."
ANNOUNCER: "Yes, it's (Celebrity) Password! [Brought to you this evening by (insert sponsor name here).] And now, here's your host on (Celebrity) Password, Allen Ludden!"

NOTE: When reruns aired, the speech in brackets is removed.

Bill Cullen: "And we're all here to pass "Playword"."
Jack Clark: "Yes, it's "Playword"!" - At the opening of a 1963 nighttime show

1971-1974: "From Hollywood, the word game of the stars: Password! This week, starring (insert celebrity name) and (insert celebrity name). And here is your host, Allen Ludden!"

1975 (Password All-Stars): "Competing today for $25,000 in the Grandmaster Tournament, these are the Password All-Stars finalists! (celebrity introductions) Now, the host of Password All-Stars, Allen Ludden!"

1975 (Betty White): "Hi, I'm Betty White, and I'm having the best time all this week and I'm hasting to add this week only. Sooooo these are our contestants who will be playing this week with our celebrity contenders Paul Williams and Allen Ludden...

LUDDEN: (Laugh)

WHITE:...And the name of your game is Password!"

1975 (Password):

LUDDEN: "Hi, I'm Allen Ludden, and these are the contestants. They'll be playing today, with (insert celebrity name) and (insert celebrity name)… and the name of the/your game is Password!"

LAST EPISODE (June 27, 1975): "Hi, I'm Allen Ludden, and these are the contestants. They'll be playing today with Kate Jackson and Sam Melville and for the last time on ABC, the name of your game is Password!"

NOTE: This was said on the last and final episode in the ABC run by Ludden.

1979-1982 (Password Plus): "It's (more than Password, it's) Password Plus! Our guest stars… (insert celebrity name) and (insert celebrity name)! And (now,) here's the star/host of Password Plus, Allen Ludden/Bill Cullen/Tom Kennedy!"

NOTE: The word in parentheses is only used during Johnny Olson's announcing.

1984-1989 (Super Password): "It's Password... it's Super Password! Our special guests this week, from… (insert show and celebrity name) and from... (insert show and celebrity name). And the star of Super Password, Bert Convy!"

2008-2009 (Million Dollar Password): "It's Million Dollar Password! With your host, Regis Philbin! And (insert celebrity #1) And (insert celebrity #2)!"

NOTE: This was only said during season 2 since season 1 of this version didn't have an announcer.

2022-present (Password):

Season 1[]

FIRST EPISODE (August 9, 2022): "(Insert clips) TV's most beloved celebrity game show (scream) is back (insert clip) with Jimmy Fallon (insert clip) and brand new host Keke Palmer (insert clip). It's time to get the party started (insert clip). From Universal Studios, Hollywood. It's Password! And now, here's the host of our show, Keke Palmer!"

REGULAR: "From Universal Studios, Hollywood. It's Password! And now, here's the host of our show, Keke Palmer!"

Season 2[]

FIRST EPISODE (March 12, 2024): "Password is back. With more games, more laughs and more celebrities. And new twists. From Universal Studios, Hollywood. It's Password! And now, here's the host of our show, Keke Palmer!"

Quotes[]

"Hi, Doll." — At the opening of almost every episode since his marriage to Betty, Allen would say this to Tess White, his mother-in-law.

"Ludden: Sylvia, don't tell. Where do you work?

Anderson: (laughter) I'm not gonna tell you.

Ludden: Sylvia Anderson, what do you do?

Anderson: I'm a waitress and I'm also a volunteer teachers aid.

Ludden: You like to play Password?

Anderson: I love it.

Ludden: Would you like to do it?

Anderson: Uhh...

Ludden: We're all ready to do it. He...I mean play Password that is!"

  • Ludden on talking to a contestant named Sylvia Anderson on the premiere episode of Password Plus from January 8, 1979.

"(audience laughter) Ludden: Sylvia it was that second clue that interested me the most. Ok I'll tell you what, what happens now Sylvia. It always reminds me of Jack Paar in the old days, Jack Paar used to do that all the time!"

  • Ludden on how a contestant named Sylvia Anderson failed to give the word "cigar" as a clue to her celebrity partner in the first episode of Password Plus from January 8, 1979.

"Peppard: Here's the thing friends, I think you should know that before we do this program that is, the, do they make you sign that form too?

Steve: I don't know what form you mean to sign.

Peppard: Alright well, there's a form that says that you won't cheat, you won't steal, you won't kick your mother, you won't tell anyone or you won't get any prizes. It goes on and on and on like you were some crook! Well, It's really, uh, unnecessary in this game I mean everybody around this game is paranoid about the truth. They are very careful, uh, and we have somebody from NBC who watches us. Now that get's into the police state mentality and I do not think it's necessary and I personally resent it. Mr. Silverman and the rest of you, would you write him a letter and tell him to stop that?"

Ludden: This is America, everybody has a right to his opinion. Their is this very important fact to remember. When you watch game shows today, you are now assured that what you see is what you get I mean their is no hanky-panky, their is no planning, their is no arrangement, their is no way because all of the networks, all of the networks very carefully supervise their games the fact that NBC elects to have a form offense some people. But it is true that game shows are militantly us, uhh, supervised by the networks and for that all of a sudden the game show business are really grateful because we can...

Peppard:...that parts alright!

Ludden:...it's true, it's straight, their's no cheating!"

  • George Peppard making an infamous on-camera rant about the standards & practices issue at NBC at the time, then Ludden steps in to give his reason for the S&P to happen from a June 11, 1979 episode of Password Plus.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to share something with you if we may. Normally on this show when a mistake is made, we usually edited out and put the two pieces together and you see the show in its entirety without knowing anything ever happened and Gene Wood says at the end of the show such and such happened where it was edited for your edification. We had a situation arise on this show that if Allen Ludden were here, he would've handled it quite efficiently and cleverly and adroitly but I gave it the Kennedy treatment along with my an assist by my friend Dick Martin, we though maybe you would like to see uhh...what happened!"

  • Tom Kennedy giving a disclaimer regarding the French/France incident on a December 23, 1980 episode of Password Plus.

Convy: "I, I think… something went wrong here."
Grandy: "I don't see why you say that."
(audience laughs)
Convy: "I think… Yes, Howard just saying to himself here, 'That's the lowest score we ever had.' We know that, Howard."

  • After a terrible playing of the endgame

"If you are anyone you know have need for an experienced television game show announcer (audience laughter) and game show host just pick up the phone and call the producer, who is also available at 213-965-1111. Available announcer, host and producer (audience laughter) call 213-965-1111!"

  • Gene Wood giving a fake plug as a joke at the end of a March 24, 1989 series finale episode of Super Password.

"No, it was not my show, it was, uhh, fella started the show that I liked a lot. And I just have to say Bert this is the fifth last Password that I've done (audience laughter). So the phoenix shall rise again and just get out of the way we'll be back in a minute!"

  • Betty White referring to her late husband Allen Ludden along with the show coming back in the future as "the phoenix shall rise again" at the end of a March 24, 1989 series finale episode of Super Password.

Catchphrases[]

"Password is a game of word communication, where you try to make your partner say the password using one word clues." - Allen Ludden

"You have (insert number) points, toward a 25 point game. First team to 25 wins. The winner gets $250, and a chance to pick up that much more in the Lightning Round." - Allen Ludden

"If you hear this sound, (BUZZER) it means your clue has not been accepted by our authority, who is (insert authority)." - Allen Luddden

"The password is… (insert word). (DING!)"

NOTE: In the 1971 version, the word “is” is dropped.

"I'm gonna say (insert answer)." "Is it (insert answer)? (Buzzer) not there."

"(insert value), it'll give you the game." - Allen Ludden when the game is on the line

"$25 a word, $5 for every second you save." - Allen Ludden (Level 1 Lightning Round)

"(insert amount) a word, $10 for every second you save." - Allen Ludden (Level 2 Lightning Round)

"Here's the board. (DING!) Here are the words. 30 seconds, GO! (DING!)" - Allen Ludden

"The object of Super Password is to solve a series of puzzles. You get the clues to the puzzles simply by playing Password." - Bert Convy explaining the rules of Super Password in earlier weeks

"If you give an illegal clue, you'll hear this sound. (illegal clue siren) That means we have to reduce his/her potential winnings by $1,000." — Allen Ludden, during earlier weeks of Password Plus

"That was not the password.” - KeKe Palmer (said to the celebrities and the contestants that give the clue perfect answer but it wasn’t not the password)

"We're gonna show you 10 letters starting with the letter (insert letter), and going through the letter (insert letter). (first letter) to (last letter). Each one is the initial letter of the password (you must identify, okay? We'll go down the line in alphabetical order, so that you'll know the beginning letter of every password you're playing for). You'll have 60 seconds, and we will pay you $100 for every word you get. If you get all 10 words, then we will pay you (insert jackpot amount). If you get stuck on a word, you can pass, and come back to it later, if you have the time." - Bert Convy explaining the endgame in earlier weeks

"We'll give you 10 (pass)words starting with the letter (insert letter), and moving (alphabetically) all the way to the letter (insert letter). For every word you get, you get $100. If you get all 10 words in 60 seconds or less, you'll win (insert jackpot amount)." - Password host explaining the Password Plus/Super Password bonus round

"We’ll give you 10 pass(words) starting the letter (insert letter) all the way to the letter (insert letter). For each letter you get, you’ll win a grand. If you sweep the board, you’ll win 25 grand." - KeKe Palmer

"The Ca$hword is… (insert word). (DING!)" - Gene Wood announcing the Ca$hword puzzle answer in later seasons of Super Password

Commemorative Speeches[]

"To Allen Ludden, with each show we send you our love. Our thoughts are with you!" - Tom Kennedy (commemorating Allen Ludden's stomach cancer before his hosting debut of Password Plus on October 28, 1980)

Taglines[]

"Until next time, this is Allen Ludden saying the password for today is (insert password and saying). So long. See you tomorrow/Monday, I hope." - Allen Ludden, Password (1961-1967, 1971-1975)

"Until next time, this is Allen Ludden saying the password today is "thanks". Thanks to you, we're back on the air, and we hope we're going to stay there. Have a good day." - Allen Ludden from the premiere of Password Plus

"Until next time, this is Allen Ludden saying the password (which today came from (insert home viewer's name)) is (insert password & saying). Think about it. See ya tomorrow/Monday." - Allen Ludden, Password Plus (1979-1980)

"Thank you for being the great friends you have been through all twenty years. It'll be back soon, and we'll all look forward to seeing you again real soon. On behalf of all of us, bye for now, and be good to yourselves. Take care." - Tom Kennedy, for the finale of Password Plus (1982)

“Thank you for watching us on Super Password. We love you for it. Bye.” - Bert Convy, at the finale of the 1985 Super Password Tournament of Champions

“Thank you for your loyal support. We love you too. Bye.” - Bert Convy, for the finale of Super Password (1989)

Announcer Sayings[]

"Password has been brought to you this evening by (insert sponsor name(s) here)." - Password announcer

Because the answer to a puzzle in the match between (champion) and (challenger) was inadvertently revealed, the puzzle was discarded and the program edited." - Password Plus announcer

"Some participants of Super Password may receive...!" - Super Password announcer

"A portion of the program not affecting the outcome of the competition has been/was edited." - Password Plus announcer on episodes where an unknown portion of each one was edited (e.g. Gene Wood)

"Due to a technical difficulty, the Alphabetics game was discarded. A new Alphabetics substituted and the program edited."- Password Plus announcer on episodes where the Alphabetics game was replaced (e.g. Gene Wood in an October 1979 episode)

"Because an illegal clue was accepted, the first/second/third/fourth puzzle was replaced and the program edited." - Super Password announcer on episodes where a puzzle was replaced due to an illegal clue (e.g. Rich Jeffries in an October 1984 episode)

"Due to a technical difficulty, the Super Password game was replaced and the program edited." - Super Password announcer on episodes where the Super Password end game was replaced (e.g. Rich Jeffries on an October 1984 episode)

"Due to an inadvertent reveal, the second puzzle was discarded and the program edited." - Rich Jeffries at the start of the credits of a 1984 episode where one puzzle's answer was inadvertently revealed

"Because a clue was inadvertently revealed to the contestants, the first/second/third/fourth puzzle was replaced and the program edited." - Gene Wood on Super Password during the credits of episodes where one inadvertently revealed puzzle was edited out

"A clue which did not meet broadcast standards was edited from the program." - Gene Wood at the start of the credits of Super Password on December 14, 1984

"A response which did not meet broadcast standards was edited from the program." — Gene Wood at the start of the closing credits of Super Password on April 5, 1985

"This has been a Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Production. (This is (announcer) (speaking).) The contestants/participants on this (pre)recorded/recording (of this) (and edited) program are/were (selected and) interviewed in advance."- Password announcer (1961-1967)

"Password All-Stars is a Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Production! John Harlan speaking." - John Harlan (1975)

"This is Gene Wood saying so long for Password Plus, a Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Production."—Gene Wood on the series finale of Password Plus in 1982

"This is (announcer) speaking for (Super) Password (Plus)...

  • …A Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Production!" (1971-1982)
  • …A Mark Goodson Television Production!" (1984-1989)
  • ...A Fremantle Production! (2022-present; on occasion)

"Happy New Year, everyone." - Gene Wood after his sign-off line on the final Super Password show of 1984
"Happy Birthday, Bert." - Gene Wood after his sign-off line due to Bert Convy's birthday celebration on July 23, 1985

Advertisement