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A chat with Monty Hall; The King of LMAD talks with me!
Topic Started: Nov 15 2015, 05:42 PM (142 Views)
AlbieGray689
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Anyone who ever owned a TV set will certainly remember Monty Hall as the long-running host of Television's classic game show, Let's Make A Deal. Because of his overseeing of the "Marketplace of America", he is perhaps TV's best known deal maker. It's not for nothing that he's still considered, to this day, "TV's big dealer". He presently is the creative consultant for the current incarnation of LMAD, which airs on CBS.

On Harpers Falls, he will be making a one-day guest appearance as David Corwin, the estranged husband of Genevieve Corwin (Pam St. Clement) and the father of Susan (Wendy Richard; Tracy-Ann Oberman) and the grandfather of Alex (Todd Carty; Robert Kazinsky) and Jacqueline (Alyson Hannigan).

I sat down with Monty and we discussed his one day guest shot, and also talked a lot about his days on LMAD. He is still as bright and engaging to this day as he ever was!

AG: Monty, it is very good to have you sit down with us today.

MH: Thank you very much, and I am glad to have this chat with you.

AG: Most everyone would readily recognize you as the host and creator of Let's Make a Deal, but that wasn't the only game show you hosted, although you are certainly more well known for it.

MH: That is correct. I have done many games over the years, Split Second; Beat the Clock; The Joke's On Us!; It's Anybody's Guess; among others, but I am always more recognized from Let's Make a Deal.

AG: You have just completed your one day guest shot as David Corwin, who hasn't seen his family in years. How was it to work in an acting role as opposed to your hosting duties?

MH: It was a lot of fun. When I got word of being on the show, I asked my daughter, Joanna Gleason, who has been an actress for many years, for some advice, and she said to just be yourself, and that was what I did.

AG: I saw your work on the episode and you were indeed sensational. How did you enjoy working with Wendy Richard, Pam St. Clement, Alyson Hannigan and Todd Carty?

MH: They are the best actors I've ever had the pleasure to work with. Despite the fact that I've only known Wendy Richard from her role on Are You Being Served, it was an absolute joy to work with Todd, Alyson, Wendy and Pam, all four are well versed in their roles. Greg Rikkart (Dylan) was also wonderful as was Michelle Stafford (Shelby). When I read over my lines for the episode, I had my wife, Marilyn, critique them, and she was very pleased with your writing.

AG: That is great praise indeed, Monty. What has your life been like since LMAD went off the air?

MH: Mainly in retirement, and enjoying my life and my family. It's wonderful to do some work again.

AG: When it comes to LMAD, many people would always ask about not only you, but also Carol Merrill and Jay Stewart. They were as much stars on LMAD as you were. You couldn't think of one without the other. All three of you were what made the show.

MH: I am glad you think so. Jay was one of the best announcers I've ever worked with. Sadly, he and my producing and creative partner Stefan Hatos, are both no longer with us. Carol lives in Hawaii and runs a pineapple farm with her husband. At one time, Carol's daughter, Hilary Safire, was a prize model, like her mother was, on the 1987 revival of Truth or Consequences. In the eighties revival, I worked with voice actor Brian Cummings, who was a lot of fun, and he often added crazy voices when we did the zonk prizes; and two models Karen LaPierre and Melanie Vincz did the prize modeling. They all did a fantastic job.

AG: Was it true that when LMAD was first on the air, the audience's attire was more sedate? And you were on NBC, before you went to ABC?

MH: Yes it was. When we first went on the air in 1963, the traders usually wore dresses and suits and ties, the costumes came on a few weeks into the show, first a sign here; a crazy hat there, all meant to get my attention, and then it just evolved into the costume wearing menagerie that we are all familiar with. Nobody provided the costumes, they came, in Jay's words, they came "dressed as they are." The costumes, over the years, were always fresh, unique, and they were created and thought out with the best of care. Everyone always tried to outdo their neighbor. For the first few years, LMAD was on NBC, but after a dispute with them; we moved to ABC and did successfully there; and also had a long life in syndication.

AG: Most episodes that are seen on GSN are from the 1971-1977 syndicated episodes, and they are classic.

MH: Yes, they really are. For most of those years, we were from Los Angeles, and for the final year, we were in Las Vegas at the Las Vegas Hilton. They were wonderful years. We had three other versions of the show, one was set in LA, one in Canada and one at Disney Movie Studios in Orlando, Florida It was the latter version which allowed us to return to our original network, NBC. During the first few weeks, Bob Hilton did the hosting, but then, wouldn't you know it, Uncle Monty had to come back! Also during the 80's revival, when I was under the weather, Geoff Edwards (Jackpot; Chain Reaction) pinch-hitted for me, and he did a wonderful job.

AG: When you had those pricing deals, you always were speaking about a certain criteria on the prices; what did you often refer to?

MH: I always used the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Selling Price on the West Coast. I never used discounted prices. On all the shows, that was the criteria of pricing that I chose, and it seemed to work the best.

AG: And those Big Deals, those were absolutely great. Especially the always famous Door number 1, Door number 2 and Door number 3.

MH: Yes, those Big Deals are always classic. Though they weren't zonks, (there was never a zonk on the Big Deals) there was always the chance that the traders would trade down from what they had. On the eighties revival, we had unique Big Deals especially with Monty's Cookie Jar; and Monty's Piggy Bank, which were a lot of fun and those were always straight cash prizes. In the original, we would have Monty's claim check. Some of the traders would, on very rare occasions, choose to trade perhaps one of the biggest ticket items that they won, like a major trip or a car to participate in the Big Deal.

AG: When the Super Deal came along, was that anyone's specific idea and did a lot of people like it?

MH: I think it was both Stefan and I that came up with the Super Deal, but it went on for only that one season, prior to our move to Las Vegas for the final season, and a lot of people didn't like it, but they didn't begrudge it either. It ate up time because the Big Deal winners would have to risk their winnings to choose between three smaller doors hiding a cash prize, first go around it was $1000; $2000 and $20,000; as it evolved, the second amount was a mystery, then $2000 and $20,000. We had some winners of the Super Deal, in fact, the first time we had the Super Deal, it was won; but when they didn't get the Big Deal, they didn't do the Super Deal.

AG: One of the newer features of the 80's revival, was Door #4. Was that also a good thing?

MH: I believe it met with more approval and was more well received than the Super Deal was. For Door #4, all 36 traders on the trading floor for that day would have a fair shot at it, even if they had traded with me before, they had a number along with their nametags, (which we hadn't done in the original) and whatever number was chosen was the person chosen by a random choice via a computer I called the "people picker". At first it was strictly a cash amount, anywhere from $1 to $5000, in which I would offer a Sure Thing that was always very nice and no zonks at that time; but then it evolved into a wheel of chance, where they could more than double, triple or quadruple their money, (the amount they risked was $750, in the later shows, it was $1,000) they could even win a car; or, sadly, could even get a lesser amount of money or even a zonk, in this case a t-shirt that said "I got zonked by Monty Hall!" That always added a bit of suspense and was always a great time, because nobody knew for sure when it would happen.

AG: I've heard that LMAD is returning to TV this coming fall, is this true?

MH: It is indeed! We've shot some new shows, and the new LMAD will be taking over the spot that Guiding Light will be vacating on CBS. Once more, we're shooting out of Las Vegas, this time at the Tropicana. Wayne Brady will be the new host, and I am working behind the scenes which will be a lot of fun. Makes me wonder what the new costumes will be like, and how it will work to this day. All new games, contestants, zonks, and the works. This will make LMAD one of the few shows that have been seen on the three main networks in its existance. Beginning on NBC; thriving on ABC; and now on CBS! What a joy it is.

AG: Did you meet the others who work with Wayne?

MH: Yes, I have. They are a wonderful crew. Wayne is fantastic; his announcer, Jonathan Mangum (his announcer from his former talk show) is great, and the models, Alison Fiori and now Tiffany Coyne, are sensational. They are as much of a core as Jay, Carol and I were. That is so much a part of the magic of the show. When the show returned to Los Angeles (where is still is today), I went with it. Watching some of the deals (which often include some sketches) are like watching one of the finest comedies. Sometimes, I think Wayne; Jonathan and Tiffany have gone to places where Carol, Jay and I had never dared to go. Also, their new music director, Cat, is as big of a star as Wayne, Jonathan and Tiffany. It's amazing.

AG: Is there anything about the current series that you think could be improved upon?

MH: Sometimes. I think the practice of having only ONE person go for the Big Deal is kind of something I didn't think on doing. But it's become the practice, even though I didn't much like it. When I hosted, it was usually the top TWO finishers who went for the Big Deal, but currently, it's usually one person, which makes the process even more harder, and I think it makes finding the Big Deal harder. I was amazed that during one of the celebration weeks, they dusted off the Super Deal and worked that for a week. It was impressive, and a lot MORE than what we did when we first created it, but it was great anyway! Also, we don't use the pricing items deals anymore because they would be too similar to The Price is Right's grocery games, which is understandable. However, most of the new games are as good as any of the old ones we don't use anymore.

AG: Monty, it has been a sincere HONOR and a very sincere pleasure indeed to sit down and chat with you today. And your episode will be posted tomorrow.

MH: Thank you, Albert, and you said you grew up watching Let's Make a Deal as a child?

AG: Absolutely! And I still watch it to this day on GSN, so I basically grew up with LMAD in my youth, and I am still pleased I can watch it to this day!

MH: Well then, Albert Gray, Uncle Monty has got a deal for you!

(Epilogue: :D Don't worry, folks, I didn't get zonked! At first, I did manage to get $200 for having a certain digit in my ID a number of times! $50 times 4! He also had a souvenir zonk T-shirt, (The same I got Zonked by Monty Hall T-shirt he told me about) in which was hidden, inside the shirt, a $500 bill! So in all, I got $700! When it comes to "TV's Big Dealer" Monty Hall, some things change while others stay the same!)
Edited by AlbieGray689, Nov 15 2015, 05:46 PM.
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