Sale of the Century
A game show where contestants buy prizes with their scores.
The series was one of three NBC game shows to premiere on that date and ran until July 13, 1973, with a subsequent syndicated season.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Game show
- Creator
- Al Howard
- Presenter
- Jack Kelly
- Joe Garagiola
- Jim Perry
- Starring
- Barbara Lyon
- Kit Dougherty
- Madelyn Sanders
- Sally Julian
- Lee Menning
- Summer Bartholomew
- Announcer
- Bill Wendell
- Jay Stewart
- Don Morrow
- Theme music
- Ray Ellis & Marc Ellis (1983–89 version)
- Opening theme
- "Mercedes" (1983–89 version)
- Country
- United States
Facts from the source article.
Game format
Contestants on this show faced general knowledge questions read by the host. A correct answer added five dollars to their score, while a wrong answer deducted five dollars. Unlike many other game shows of the era, only the first contestant to hit their buzzer could attempt a question; if that contestant answered incorrectly, the question was removed from play for the other two. At various points, the player in the lead was given an "Instant Bargain," a chance to buy merchandise at a reduced price. The cost of the item, usually equal to the value of one or more questions, was subtracted from that contestant's score, but the prize was theirs to keep no matter who eventually won the game. Depending on the version, question values either stayed at five dollars or increased over time, and more Instant Bargains could appear. The contestant leading at the end became champion, using their final score to buy a larger prize or playing a separate end game that changed with different versions of the show. Halfway through, question values doubled to ten dollars. The final round initially consisted of thirty seconds of fifteen-dollar questions, but later became five twenty-dollar questions known as "The Century Round." If a contestant's score dropped to zero or below, they were eliminated. At certain moments, all contestants could buy a bargain-priced item. The first to buzz in after the prize was revealed purchased it, and its price was deducted from their score. Prices were always expressed with "and 95 cents," like in a department store, and increased as the episode went on. All prize values were rounded up to the nearest dollar before subtraction. Each Instant Bargain was hidden behind a curtain; buzzing in early resulted in the cost being deducted from the contestant's score and being locked out of buying the prize.
Personnel
NBC staffer Bill Wendell handled announcing duties for the entire original version. Madelyn Sanders, a Black model, was the primary hostess for most of that period, alongside other female models. For the 1980s revival, Jim Perry hosted, initially with Sally Julian as co-host.
Production information
Eastern, taking over the slot held by Personality. The original daytime run ended on July 13, 1973, and was replaced by The Wizard of Odds, a show chosen by NBC executive Lin Bolen to attract younger viewers. Later that year, in September 1973, the program returned as a weekly syndicated series, using the same format from its final NBC weeks. But few stations picked it up, typically airing it on weeknights before prime time, and interest was too low for a second season, so production in New York stopped in 1974. Eastern, replacing Wheel of Fortune, and stayed there until January 2, 1987. During that stretch, it faced Child’s Play, then Press Your Luck, and later Card Sharks. On January 5, 1987, NBC moved it half an hour earlier to 10:00 a.m. Eastern.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who created Sale of the Century?
Sale of the Century was created by Al Howard.
Who stars in Sale of the Century?
Sale of the Century stars Barbara Lyon, Kit Dougherty, Madelyn Sanders, Sally Julian, Lee Menning and Summer Bartholomew.
More in Television Series by Reg Grundy Productions
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