Latest news with #MervGriffin
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
People are just realizing Jeopardy! nearly had a VERY different name
Game show fans are only just discovering that America's beloved quiz program Jeopardy! was nearly called something completely different. Television legend Merv Griffin, the creator of the long-running show, originally planned to call his creation 'What's the Question?' before a stroke of genius changed everything. Most fans have no idea about the fascinating story behind how it got its iconic name. While brainstorming ideas with his wife Julann back in 1963, Griffin was deeply concerned about the quiz show scandals that had been popular on television in the previous decade. In the 1950s, popular programs like 'Twenty-One' and 'The $64,000 Question' had been embroiled in controversial cheating scandals when producers were caught secretly giving answers to favored contestants. This left viewers feeling betrayed and suspicious of quiz shows. As a result, Julann made an offhand remark that would change television history forever. She suggested a show where contestants would be given the answers first. This was the exact opposite approach of other quiz shows at the time, Griffin revealed in the foreword to 1990's 'The Jeopardy! Book.' 'She was kidding, but the thought struck me between the eyes,' he said. The early concept was still under the title 'What's the Question?' It featured an ambitious 10-by-10 game board with 100 questions organized into 10 categories. While NBC executives loved the initial run-through, they worried the massive board wouldn't fit properly on television screens. But Griffin responded by dividing the categories into shorter rounds of play - but the show's iconic name was still missing. The breakthrough came during a meeting with NBC producer Ed Vane, who reviewed his notes with Griffin and made a comment that would inadvertently give birth to television history. Vane 'told me that he liked the premise but that it lacked enough 'jeopardies,'' Griffin shared in his 2007 memoir, 'Merv: Making the Good Life Last,' as reported by the New York Post. This led Griffin to decide to implement the crucial component of the game which involves contestants actually losing money if they buzzed in with incorrect responses. Griffin later admitted that Vane had 'inadvertently given me the perfect name for the show'. Jeopardy! finally made its television debut on March 30, 1964, with original host Fleming at the helm. The beloved quiz show has seen five official hosts throughout its impressive 39-season run. But it's best known for its host Alex Trebek, who led the show for an incredible 36 years from 1984 until his death from pancreatic cancer in November 2020. The show is now famously hosted by Ken Jennings, who took over full-time hosting duties after initially sharing the role with 'The Big Bang Theory' star Mayim Bialik.
New York Post
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Jeopardy!' creator Merv Griffin almost gave the iconic game show a wildly different name
What is… Merv Griffin didn't have the name 'Jeopardy!' in mind for the iconic game show when he created the concept. In fact, he had a wildly different title picked out. Griffin's first choice was 'What's the Question?' and how the long-running NBC show's name came to be is quite the story. Advertisement While brainstorming ideas for a new game show with his wife, Julann, all the way back in 1963, Griffin reportedly began mulling over the previous scandals that plagued other quiz shows. 7 'Jeopardy!' creator Merv Griffin and host Art Flemming. NBCUniversal via Getty Images 7 Merv Griffin didn't have 'Jeopardy!' in mind for the show's name when he began pitching the concept. WireImage Advertisement In the 1950s, producers on popular shows 'Twenty-One' and 'The $64,000 Question' were called out for giving their favorite contestants answers to the questions. The misconduct left a bad taste in viewers' mouths, with many at home believing the programs could no longer be trusted. While Griffin stewed on the controversies, his wife made a joke that changed the trajectory of his idea and the show. Julann jokingly proposed that her husband create a show where contestants are given 'the answers to start with,' Griffin revealed in the forward of 1990's 'The Jeopardy! Book.' 7 1990's 'The Jeopardy! Book' revealed the shocking first title of the show. HarperCollins Advertisement 7 Alex Trebek was the most famous out of the game show's five hosts. ABC via Getty Images 'She was kidding, but the thought struck me between the eyes,' he noted. The early version was still being developed under 'What's the Question?' and had several similarities to what 'Jeopardy!' is today, only it included one round of 100 questions. The questions were displayed on a large board and organized into 10 categories with 10 clues in each, which was a concern to executives. Advertisement The bosses at NBC had a positive reaction to the trial run; however, they weren't sure Griffin's 10-by-10 game board would fit a TV screen. 7 Betty White, Alex Trebek, David Leisure, Bea Arthur, Merv Griffin. ©Touchstone Television/Courtesy Everett Collection The game show creator continued to fine-tune his idea, squashing the concerns by dividing the categories into shorter rounds of play. But it wasn't until NBC producer Ed Vane went over his notes with Griffin that 'Jeopardy!' became the clear front-runner. Vane 'told me that he liked the premise but that it lacked enough 'jeopardies,'' Griffin shared in his 2007 memoir, 'Merv: Making the Good Life Last.' 7 Alex Trebek (who died in 2020) and the current host Ken Jennings. Getty Images 7 Ken Jennings hosting the 'Jeopardy! Masters' semifinal. ABC via Getty Images That's when Griffin implemented the concept that contestants would lose money if they buzzed in and gave the wrong answer. Advertisement Griffin, who died in 2007, said that Vane had 'inadvertently given me the perfect name for the show.' 'Jeopardy!' debuted on March 30, 1964, with the original host, Art Fleming. While the game show has had five official hosts over its 39-season span, the most popular host was Alex Trebek. Advertisement He hosted 'Jeopardy!' for 36 years, from 1984 until his death. Trebek passed away from pancreatic cancer in November 2020, with his last episode airing the following month. 'Jeopardy!' is now famously hosted by Ken Jennings after he shared on-camera duties with 'The Big Bang Theory' alum Mayim Bialik.
