On the Spot (American game show)
| On the Spot | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Game Show |
| Directed by | Jeff Shrum (1984-1986) Patrick Freeman (1987) |
| Presented by | Larry Blackmar |
| Narrated by | Michael Bailey |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Brenda Buratti |
| Producers | Bill Stainton (1984-1985) Joe Kaleel (1985-1987) |
| Production locations | KGW Studios; Portland, Oregon |
| Camera setup | Multi-Camera |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company | KGW-TV |
| Original release | |
| Network | KGW-TV |
| Release | September 1984 – October 1987 |
| Related | |
| On The Spot! High School Challenge (1985-1987) | |
On the Spot! was an American game show produced by and broadcast on KGW-TV in Portland, Oregon five days a week from September 1984 to October 1987. Northwest newscaster Larry Blackmar was the emcee and local disc jockey Michael Bailey was the announcer.
Object
Three contestants, one of which a returning champion, competed against each other in a game of trivia knowledge, memory, and strategy for a chance to win thousands of dollars in cash and prizes.
Game Play
Starting the Game
Each player was spotted 1000 points at the beginning of the game.
Round One
The Category Board
At the beginning of the round, all three players were shown a category board consisting of six categories to be used for the entire game. Each category had three lighted triangles, each representing a different multiple choice toss-up question 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 Questions
The emcee begins the round by asking a non-category question, a question whose category did not come from the category board. The players can buzz in to answer the question at any time with a maximum of five seconds after the question was asked. If a player buzzed in with a correct answer, 100 points was added to their score and the player earned the right to choose one of the categories from the category board. A question from the chosen category, worth 100 points, was then asked to all three players in the same manner. If the first player to buzz in gave an incorrect answer or failed to answer the question within five seconds, 100 points was deducted from their score, and the question was then offered to the two opponents. If the second player to buzz in gave an incorrect answer or failed to answer within five seconds, 100 points was deducted from their score, the correct answer was given and a new non-category toss-up question was asked. Also, if none of the players buzzed in with an answer, the correct answer was given and a new non-category toss-up question was asked.
Exhausted Categories
If at any time a player who answered a question correctly chose a category that was exhausted of all three of its questions, 100 points was deducted from their score and a new non-category toss-up question was asked.
Ending the Round
The round is played until either all of the categories have been exhausted of questions or until a times-up bell rings at the end of an approximately five minute round.
Round Two
Round two is played similarly to round one with the category board shown once again to the players and with the following exceptions:
Toss-up Questions
Correct answers are add 200 points and incorrect answers deduct 200 points
Exhausted Categories
200 points is deducted for choosing a category that has been exhausted
Passing their Turn
Each player, after giving a correct answer, has the option of choosing a category or passing their turn to one of their opponents, forcing that player to choose a category. However, the players are limited to one pass per game. It was often a good strategy to pass ones turn toward the end of the round when there were several categories that were exhausted of questions.
Spotlight Question
One question in a category is predetermined to be a special “spotlight question”, a somewhat more difficult question that only one player can answer themselves. If a player chooses a category, and that next question is the spotlight question, that player can wager from 100 to 500 points on their ability to answer the question. If correct, the wager is added to their score. If incorrect, the wager is deducted from their score. The category and question position of the spotlight question is shown only to the home audience during the category board reveal for round two. The players and studio audience will know once the question is picked.
Winning the Game
The player with the highest point score at the end of the second round wins the game, a special prize, and the right to play the bonus round. Both runners up also receive consolation gifts including gift certificates from local stores or restaurants. All contestants receive an “On the Spot” logo umbrella made by Shedrain.
Bonus Round – “The Flash Round”
The champion plays the “Flash Round” for a chance to win up to $1,000 in cash and one of two grand prizes. The prizes would range from furniture to trips to even a brand new car, all provided by local stores and dealerships.
The Wheels
The champion is shown two wheels in a wheel-within-a-wheel setup. The inner wheel contains two sets of the dollar wedges worth $25, $50, 75, and $100. The outer wheel contains two wedges each of the names of two grand prizes. The champion spins the wheels to determine the dollar amount of each question and which grand prize they would play for.
The Questions
The champion is then given 60 seconds and ten open-ended (non-multiple choice) questions to answer, one at a time. The clock starts after the first question is completely asked and the Champion can give as many answers to each question as possible until they give a correct answer. Each correct answer earned the amount of money the inner wheel landed on with no penalty for incorrect answers.
Passing a Question
If the Champion could not answer a question, they can say “pass” and return to that question if time remains on the clock.
Winning the Game
If the Champion answers all ten questions within 60 seconds, they win whatever grand prize the outer wheel landed on. All money earned is the Champion’s to keep regardless of the bonus game’s outcome.
Length of Stay
Champions can remain on “On the Spot” until they have gone to the bonus round five times.
Changes
Starting with the 1985-1986 season, the series made a number of changes to the game.
Category Board (1985-1987)
During the first commercial break in the middle of Round 1, the players were shown the category board for the second time, including the number of questions that were played from each category at that point.
Final Question (1985-1987)
Whenever a player chose the category containing the last question in either round, 100 points were added to their score.
Spotlight Question (1985-1987)
The spotlight question became home-viewer driven. Home viewers sent in their questions, and if the question was used that viewer won an On the Spot! t-shirt (later a gift certificate to a local store or restaurant).
$25 wedges (1985-1987)
In the bonus round, all $25 wedges were eliminated from the inner wheel leaving the $50, $75, and $100 wedges. In addition, Blackmar paid out winnings in bills of money (similar to The Joker’s Wild).
$5K Giveaway (1986-1987)
For the final season, a "$5K Giveaway" was instituted as the third grand prize in the bonus 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 bonus game, they received a $5,000 check in addition to the cash amounts earned for each correct answer.
Each time a contestant returned to the bonus game, an additional 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 bonus game, the contestant was given another wedge to place in any position on the wheel.
Spinoff – “On the Spot! High School Challenge”
Starting in 1985 and played during the school year, a weekly Saturday edition called the “On the Spot! High School Challenge” was played. This version featured local area high school students playing for cash and prizes along with scholarship money for their schools.
Development
The game was based on an original concept created by Douglas K. Vernon, who at the time was a videotape editor for KGW-TV.
Set
The set was designed and built by All West Display Company of Portland, Oregon. For the 1984-1985 season, the set utilized a gold color scheme. This was changed to a blue color scheme for the rest of the run.
External Links
Emcee Larry Blackmar, now a real estate agent
Shedrain Umbrellas
News Article on the Death of Announcer Michael Bailey