THE ALL NEW LET’S MAKE A DEAL  1984-1986 VERSION

 

 

The first page dedicated to the most successful revival of Let’s Make A Deal.

 

Production Company: Stefan Hatos & Monty Hall Productions

Host: Monty Hall

Announcers:  Brian Cummings 1984-1985

           Dean Goss 1985-1986

Models: Various Models were used until Melanie Vincz & Karen LaPierre were decided on. 1984-1986

Executive Producer: Stefan Hatos

Producer: Alan Gilbert

Director: Joseph Behar

Set Designers: Ray Klaussen, Molly Joseph, & Bob Rappaport

Music: Sheldon Allman & Todd Thicke(Alan Thicke’s brother)

Origination: NBC studio 4 1984-1985; Hollywood Center Studios 1985-1986

 

            How this show came to be is almost a fluke, but here’s the story.  Monty was trying to pitch a talk show to Telepictures(who syndicated The All New Let’s Make A Deal), who once they realized who they had, Telepictures wanted another version of Let’s Make A Deal.  Monty had wanted to call it quits, but after talking with Stefan and agreeing to do another version, came The All New Let’s Make A Deal.  This version was also daily syndicated.

 

            The most popular addition to this version was Door #4.  This particular part of the program was changed four times.  The way people were picked however never changed.  There were 36 traders on the trading floor and they wore numbers signifying what number they were.  A “people picking computer” randomly flashed number from 1-36.  With a cue from Monty, the model would hit the button and stopped the computer.  Whatever number it landed on(dealt with or not)had the chance to play Door #4.

 

 

Variation #1

Once the trader was chosen, The trader received a secret cash amount hidden behind Door #4, which was worth anywhere from $1 to $5000.  They had the option of keeping the dollar amount or taking a sure thing which Monty would offer them.

 

Variation #2

With this change came the Dealer Wheel.  With this version the trader had the chance to win up to $10,000.

The trader, once selected, won $750 and had the chance to risk the $750 to try for up to $10,000.  The rest of the following information came from Jon Wood’s LMAD page, the link can be found on the main page of this tribute.

“The spaces contained amounts from $100 to $5,000, as well as two spaces which read "Double Deal." Should he hit both $5,000 and "Double Deal," he was awarded $10,000. If he spun a second time and did not hit "Double Deal," he received whatever the second spin landed on, unless the FIRST spin read "Double Deal" in which he received double whatever it landed on the second time. A contestant could also win the $10,000 if he spun "Double Deal" twice.”

 

Variation #3

The most famous of the variations.  The contestant still won $750, but this time had the chance to turn that into a brand new car.  The contestant had the option to spin the dealer wheel which had these spaces:

ZONK, $100, $200, Double, Triple, $3000, & Car.  If the contestant spun the wheel they got whatever they landed on.  If the contestant landed on ZONK, they usually got a t-shirt that read “I was zonked by Monty Hall”.

 

Variation #4

The rules stayed the same as Variation #3 , except the dollar amount the trader won was upped to $1000 which caused space changes on the dealer wheel to this:

ZONK, $100, $200, Double, Triple, $4000, Car.

 

This version started off great and stayed that way for two years.  Toward the end of the run, Monty & Stefan were proposed with the option of signing another contract for the 1986-1987 season, but Monty & Stefan talked it over and they both decided to call it a show.  They would tape the last episode in 1986 with Jay Stewart & Carol Merrill making a cameo appearance.  Monty called the last show their anniversary show, that episode marking 4,600.

Here's a picture of Monty Hall and a trader during the first season of The All New Let's Make A Deal.

 

Monty & Stefan would produce a 1986-1987 daily syndicated version of Split Second, this version being taped in Toronto.  After that version ended in 1987, Monty retired from game show hosting until he was coaxed back into taking the helm of the failing 1990-1991 version replacing Bob Hilton.  Monty’s coming back did not save the show and it was cancelled in 1991.  Monty then officially retired from game show hosting and has not hosted another one since. 

 

Rumors of a new LMAD almost came to pass until the new selected host, Rosie O’Donnell, wanted too much money and the Deal was off.  Recently, NBC was interested in bringing back LMAD, but that deal would also be shelved.

 

Monty Hall enjoys retirement and Stefan Hatos unfortunately passed away in 1998 of a stroke.

 

1984-1985

Some important events

The pilot for this version is rumored to have the Super Deal, this will be confirmed or denied when I found out.

 

Brian Cummings would make his only appearance as a game show announcer on this show.  Monty & Brian had great chemistry together and Brian(oddly enough)sounded just like Jay Stewart! 

 

Geoff Edwards would sub for Monty for one week while Monty had laryngitis.  Geoff did a great job as always. 

 

Door #4, as explained above, would go through 4 changes before finally ending up on version #4.

 

 

1985-1986 season

Dean Goss would make this show his 1^st announcing job, replacing Brian Cummings.  Dean Goss even hosted a deal in this season.

 

 

Did you know…

Future TANLMAD model Melanie Vincz, was a contestant on The $1.98 Beauty Show” with Rip Taylor in 1979? Unfortunately she didn’t win, but she looked GREAT!!