Memorable non-celebrity gameshow contestants

[George White]

ANy gameshow guests/contestants that stuck in the mind, real people who just seemed to be very memorable, be that for any reason possible?
On Winning Streak, an Irish gameshow, there was an auld lad who looked a bit like Glenn Ford, from somewhere in the south countryside, who dedicated his hopeful win to practically every deceased person in the village. He went on for about five minutes, dedicating.
Then, there was this ginger-haired rural bumpkin in tweed, looked a bit like Brendan Gleeson if stuck in the mud for a week, whose "family and friends in the audience" (every guest/contestants has their family members who consist of the audience, usually with huge celebratory banners with the likes of "Go on, PJ!" on them) included a grey bloke in tweed with a gigantic fedora with a peacock feather sticking out of it on top of his head.
Watching Challenge you get them. Mark Gatiss once said on twitter, that is something actually poignant about watching repeats of gameshows. You get on something like 3-2-1, a young idle couple in their twenties, the wife looks like Dorka Nieradzik, the husband like Joe 90, and you wonder are they still married, divorced, widowed, etc?

[David Boothroyd]

Lots of them on Fifteen-to-One. Bill McKaig, Matti Watton, Anthony Martin etc etc.

Daphne Fowler no longer counts because she went on Eggheads.

[JWG]

Does Janice Nicholls count? http://www.express.co.uk/comment/column ... ey-all-now

[Billy]

Gameshows were essentially ruined forever for me when I realised that lots of the contestants you see have been on about ten other gameshows prior to the one you're currently watching - usually the wackiest of extroverts. Even the supposedly dotty old ladies who get the rules wrong and generally amuse the host/audience greatly, some know exactly what they're doing and are just playing a role. Back in the early days of Deal or No Deal I talked to one of them online and was somewhat disallusioned as they talked seriously about their 30 year gameshow career and I realised that they were much more savvy and wiser than they seemed on TV.

Saying that you do get some genuine amusing characters sometimes, here's some of my favourite clips:

* This mega-obsessive American Price is Right contestant from 2001 who's clearly having the greatest day of his life: [reluctantly edited - admin]

* 'Raymond' on American Wheel of Fortune in about 1993/94. [reluctantly edited - admin]

* And the 1989 Norwegian winner of Going for Gold, about a minute into https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bw23_xaWts .

Please remember that YouTube clips must be on an official channel/uploaded by the copyright owner for the link to be acceptable on the Mausoleum Club.

[JezR]

American networks in their heyday used to limit multiple entries by requiring applicants not to have been on a gameshow for a period, typically the previous 5 years.

[GarethR]

Gameshows were essentially ruined forever for me when I realised that lots of the contestants you see have been on about ten other gameshows prior to the one you're currently watching

Come off it, it's nowhere near as many as you're making out. The vast majority of game show contestants will never have been on TV before. If you look through an entire series of any given show you'll be able to spot the occasional game show regular, but so what? It's not like they're loading the contestant panels of every edition of every show.

[manticore]

my favourite was a fatish forigen woman(polish maybe)on the generation game when it came back in the early 90s.she spent just about the whole time laughing her head off leaving brucie to give one of those looks to the audience(several looks I guess)it was hilairious.

[Ross]

I remember an Irish woman on Blankety Blank back in the days of Terry Wogan. She lost her round, but when Terry was about to announce her consolation prize she said firmly, "Not a Blankety Blank cheque book and pen. I want the washing machine because I've only got an old twin tub."

They actually used the clip as part of the "This evening on BBC1" trailer even though it gave away in advance the fact that she'd lost.

As a kid watching I thought she was serious, but I suspect she just had a very dry sense of humour.

[Simon Coward]

Monica Rose was a contestant on Double Your Money before she became a hostess on that programme and, later, The Sky's The Limit.

[JWG]

(Major) Charles Ingram from Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

[Simon36]

A young Simon Cowell on Sale of the Century is one of the weirdest things imaginable. But it did happen.

[Simon36]

I remember on The Price is Right back in its Leslie Crowther era, a young black guy going absolutely BERSERK when he got called out of the audience. He was completely bonkers and gave crazy estimates at all the prizes but I'm pretty sure ended up winning. A clip of him made it onto a clip show shortly afterwards. He was great.

Of course the Turkey man from Family Fortunes was a legend, though the best part of that for me was the shot of his family's reaction after he screwed up the Big Money game.

3-2-1 threw up a few good 'uns. The "Handl's Water Music" woman, and also one lady who disappeared during a commercial break due to feeling ill and never came back leaving hubby and Ted to finish the show.

[Brock]

Of course the Turkey man from Family Fortunes was a legend, though the best part of that for me was the shot of his family's reaction after he screwed up the Big Money game.

Bob Johnson. I think he was also the one who answered "Disraeli" in the infamous "Name a famous Irishman" round.

[ChartUpdate]

Whilst I've never seen any verifiable proof that the episode ever existed or was broadcast (although the source is impeccable), Bob Monkhouse's first autobiography recounts the tale of a Family Fortunes edition featuring the unfortunately named Thicke family who regrettably lived up to their name.

The matriarch of the family was required to answer the question "name something that is abandoned in winter" and hit the buzzer with enthusiasm and when asked to give her answer proudly stated "Me cousin Aggie". The audience dissolved into gales of laughter, prompting the woman to round on them angrily with hands on hips and shout "sure and it isn't funny, her with five kids and Christmas on the way..."

[Mike S]

Does anyone else recall the (much-hyped) debut UK edition of The Price Is Right? I was only ten, but I recall the show was dominated by a hyperactive/extrovert woman who inevitably became the winner. It only sticks in the memory beacuse this was very ususual behaviour on a British game show, where inaudible nervousness was normally the order of the day, so I suspected (or rather my dad did) that she had been something of a plant. Or at least a 'character' who had been fast-tracked through the auditions.

Anyone else remember her?

[Brock]

Whilst I've never seen any verifiable proof that the episode ever existed or was broadcast (although the source is impeccable), Bob Monkhouse's first autobiography recounts the tale of a Family Fortunes edition featuring the unfortunately named Thicke family who regrettably lived up to their name.

As also mentioned on the ever-reliable UK Game Shows site:

Bob Monkhouse and the rather aptly named 'Thicke Family' in 1980:
(GAME BEGINS)
Bob: "Name something blue..."
Family Member 1 (Liam): "Sky"
Bob: "Top answer!, play or pass?"
Family Member 2 (Liam's Mother): We'll play!
Bob: "Name something blue..."
Family Member 2: "We've already answered that one!"
(PAUSE) Bob explains the rules of the game.
Bob: "Name something blue..."
Family Member 2: "My cardigan"
Bob: (looking gobsmacked) "Let's see if it's up there!"
(UH UHH!)

[Mike S]

My favourite Family Fortunes answer was this:

'Name something considerate a husband might do for his wife.'
'Um...teach her to drive?'

[Simon Coward]

Whilst I've never seen any verifiable proof that the episode ever existed or was broadcast (although the source is impeccable), Bob Monkhouse's first autobiography recounts the tale of a Family Fortunes edition featuring the unfortunately named Thicke family who regrettably lived up to their name.

As also mentioned on the ever-reliable UK Game Shows site:

Bob Monkhouse and the rather aptly named 'Thicke Family' in 1980:
(GAME BEGINS)
Bob: "Name something blue..."
Family Member 1 (Liam): "Sky"
Bob: "Top answer!, play or pass?"
Family Member 2 (Liam's Mother): We'll play!
Bob: "Name something blue..."
Family Member 2: "We've already answered that one!"
(PAUSE) Bob explains the rules of the game.
Bob: "Name something blue..."
Family Member 2: "My cardigan"
Bob: (looking gobsmacked) "Let's see if it's up there!"
(UH UHH!)

Mainly courtesy of Bob's video collection, Kaleidoscope now looks after copies of all but three of the FF editions in the 1980 series... no sign of the Thicke family so far...

[Brock]

Hmm, could UKGS have been taken in for once then? From "Monkhouser" on http://www.atvland.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2721:

"Original host Bob Monkhouse revealed on An Audience with Bob Monkhouse that when he was hosting the show there was a family that was called The Thicke Family..."

It could all have been an elaborate gag, although he might also have been talking about an actual episode and changed the name to avoid embarrassment.

[GarethR]

although he might also have been talking about an actual episode and changed the name to avoid embarrassment.

Fairly pointless to worry about embarrassment if the programme was real and was actually broadcast, especially back in those days when it would have attracted a much bigger audience than nowadays.

[Paul Hayes]

Darren Shacklady on Countdown in the 1990s - purely because of the name, I am afraid, which stuck with me as a child.

[JWG]

Hmm, could UKGS have been taken in for once then? From "Monkhouser" on http://www.atvland.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2721:

"Original host Bob Monkhouse revealed on An Audience with Bob Monkhouse that when he was hosting the show there was a family that was called The Thicke Family..."

It could all have been an elaborate gag, although he might also have been talking about an actual episode and changed the name to avoid embarrassment.

It's a proud enough name: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0179553/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_lk2

[Billy]

The Les Dennis version of the story was a family called the Dicks, cue jokes about being the "head" of the family etc. Not sure if that genuinely happened either.

[JezR]

Monica Rose was a contestant on Double Your Money before she became a hostess on that programme and, later, The Sky's The Limit.

I used to get my shopping checked out by Monica sometimes when she was working in Asda in the 1980s.

[Mike S]

The 'My cardigan?' answer has become such a regurgitated piece of stand-up comedian folklore. I strongly suspect it never happened. Rather conveniently, it's never turned up in either Challenge repeats or, it seems, Bob's full VHS tapes.

Some kind soul may volunteer to go through the PasB sheets, but until then...

[GarethR]

I know that I've actually seen a FF contestant give the answer "my [something]", but it wasn't a Monkhouse edition. Possibly Les Dennis era.

[Nick Cooper 625]

I remember an Irish woman on Blankety Blank back in the days of Terry Wogan. She lost her round, but when Terry was about to announce her consolation prize she said firmly, "Not a Blankety Blank cheque book and pen. I want the washing machine because I've only got an old twin tub."

They actually used the clip as part of the "This evening on BBC1" trailer even though it gave away in advance the fact that she'd lost.

As a kid watching I thought she was serious, but I suspect she just had a very dry sense of humour.

Might actually have been true, as twin-tubs were still fairly prevalent, and unlike these days, back then people worked their appliances until the died (either the machines, or the owners!).

[Ross]

The 'My cardigan?' answer has become such a regurgitated piece of stand-up comedian folklore. I strongly suspect it never happened. Rather conveniently, it's never turned up in either Challenge repeats or, it seems, Bob's full VHS tapes.

And tellingly, no one ever remembers seeing it.

[celticguy]

Another Family Fortunes from the Monkhouse era was a special edition with the Marquis of Bath's family versus the Marquis of Beaulieu clan which apparently prompted this memorable exchange -

Monkhouse: Name a bird you might see everyday in your garden.
Marquis of Bath: Peacock!

[Billy]

I've mentioned before that I was absolutely astonished about a decade ago to actually learn - and see - that the infamous snooker "For those of you watching in black and white, the blue ball's next to the green" commentary genuinely happened, they used a clip on a Denis Norden show. For years I assumed, like perhaps a lot of these Family Fortunes supposed moments, that it was just a silly joke that people pretended had actually been said.

Les Dennis had a whole comedy routine of "bad Family Fortunes answers" and I'm more and more convinced he just made lots of them up, or at least bended the truth a little.