Tic Tac Dough, billed as everybody's game of strategy, knowledge and fun, was an American television game show where contestants answered trivia questions to earn squares on a tic tac toe board. A game show is a radio or television program, involving members of the public or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, playing a game, perhaps involving answering quiz questions, for points or prizes. ... The term trivia is widely used to refer to tidbits of unimportant (or trivial) information, but it can also mean general knowledge. ... Tic-tac-toe, also called noughts and crosses and many other names, is a paper and pencil game between two players, O and X, who alternate in marking the spaces in a 3×3 board. ...

Broadcast history

Tic Tac Dough originally ran during the 1950s (July 30, 1956-October 23, 1959 on NBC), but was cancelled, plagued by the quiz show scandals of that era. Hosts included Jack Barry (who produced the show with partner Dan Enright) and Gene Rayburn. // Events and trends The 1950s in Western society was marked with a sharp rise in the economy for the first time in almost 30 years and return to the 1920s-type consumer society built on credit and boom-times, as well as the height of the baby-boom from returning... July 30 is the 211th day (212th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 154 days remaining. ... 1956 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 69 days remaining. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Broadcasting Company or NBC is an American radio and television broadcasting company based in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ... The American quiz show scandals of the 1950s were the result of the revelation that contestants of several popular television quiz shows were secretly given assistance by the producers to arrange the outcome of a supposed competition. ... Jack Barry (March 20, 1918-May 2, 1984) was an American television game show host and producer. ... Dan Enright was one of the most successful game show producers in television. ... Gene Rayburn, born Eugene Rubessa (December 22, 1917-November 29, 1999), was an American radio and television personality. ...

The modern version premiered @ 9:00 a.m. (EDT) on Monday, July 3, 1978 on CBS as The New Tic Tac Dough, and moved into syndication that fall. It remained in production in syndication until its series cancellation in 1986, after 2,125 shows. Tic Tac Dough was hosted by Wink Martindale through 1985, when he left to create and host a new show, Headline Chasers, which would last only one year. Jim Caldwell emceed the eighth and final season. Monday is considerd either the first or the second day of the week, between Sunday and Tuesday. ... July 3 is the 184th day of the year (185th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 181 days remaining. ... 1978 was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) is a major radio and television network in the United States. ... In the television industry (as in radio), syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast television programs to multiple television stations, without going through a broadcast network. ... 1986 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Wink Martindale was born Winston Conrad Martindale on December 4, 1934 in Jackson, Tennessee, USA. He is perhaps best known as a game show host for such classic shows as Gambit, Tic Tac Dough, High Rollers, and Debt. ... 1985 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jim Caldwell is a television presenter. ...

A syndicated revival was tried in 1990 with Patrick Wayne hosting, but was a ratings failure (and also critically panned due to the inept hosting from Wayne and many unpopular changes from the original series) and lasted only half a season. 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Jay Stewart was the primary announcer of the Wink Martindale-era episodes from 1978 to 1981, with Charlie O'Donnell announcing for the final five seasons. Johnny Gilbert, John Harlan and Art James filled in for the regular announcer (Stewart or O'Donnell) on occasion. The 1990 version featured longtime ABC promo voice and current KNX newsman Larry Van Nuys as its announcer, with James subbing for him for two weeks. Jay Stewart (1918 - 1989), whose real name was Jay Fixx, was an American television and radio announcer most famous as the announcer on Lets Make a Deal and in the 1980s as the voice of Sale of the Century. ... Charlie ODonnell is a television announcer best known as the voice of the Wheel on Wheel of Fortune. ... Johnny Gilbert (born c. ... There have been several notable people named John Harlan: John Marshall Harlan, a former Supreme Court Associate Justice John Marshall Harlan II, Harlans grandson, who also became a Supreme Court justice John Harlan, a 20th Century television announcer This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other... Art James (October 15, 1929 - March 27, 2004) was best known as the announcer on the classic game show Concentration. ... KNX is a Los Angeles, California, clear channel radio station operating on 1070 kHz with 50,000 watts of power from a transmitter site in Torrance. ...

A British version, Criss Cross Quiz, ran on ITV from 1957 to 1967. Junior Criss Cross Quiz, without cash prizes, also ran alongside the main programme for the whole of its run. Independent Television (ITV) is the name given to the original network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up to provide competition to the BBC. In England and Wales the channel was recently rebranded ITV1 by ITV plc who own the regional broadcasting licences for the regions. ... 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Rules of the game

The object of the game was to achieve a "three in a row" on a tic tac toe board (either across, up-and-down or diagonally), winning squares on the board by correctly answering trivia questions.

Tic Tac Dough used a "roll-over" format in its show (also sometimes known as "straddling"); there was no clear beginning or end to the game in any given half hour segment. Sometimes, in fact, a match between two players could run so long that it would take up multiple episodes.

Main game

A match between two players always begins with an empty Tic Tac Toe board, and the announcement of nine different categories. Standard categories are presented with a blue screen, and in later seasons, up to three special categories per round (like "jump-in" or "opponent's choice") are signified with a red screen (or a black screen during the CBS era).

The champion, playing 'X', begins a round by selecting one of the nine squares on the Tic Tac Dough board. If the player is able to correctly answer the question assigned to the space, he is awarded an 'X' for the space. Then the categories are shuffled and play continues with the challenger, playing 'O'. Play continues in this manner until one player achieves a "Tic Tac Dough" by achieving three 'X's or 'O's in a row, either across, up-and-down or diagonally; doing so ends the match. In the event of a draw, where no possible way to win exists, the board is cleared, and a new game begins. On the CBS version, when a tie game occurs, a toss-up question is asked, and whomever buzzed in with the right answer won the game.

Challengers are awarded $250 for every tie game should they end up losing the match.

For each won square, $200 is added into the winner's pot. The center square, however, being of the most strategic importance, adds $300 to the pot, but is a two-part question, with the player given ten seconds to think of the answers needed to win the square. In a tie game, the pot carries over into the next round.

As Tic Tac Toe, if played correctly, always ends in a draw no matter who goes first, the excitement in Tic Tac Dough resulted from the correct and incorrect answers given by the players. If one player was clearly better at answering trivia than the other, he would easily win. If, however, both players were equally matched in their trivia skill, a draw would likely occur. This could, in fact, happen multiple games in a row, pushing the value of the pot up dramatically.

Special Categories

The use of special categories, which appeared in red squares, began on the syndicated version beginning around 1980 with the "Secret Category", a mystery category that is announced by host Wink Martindale. A correct answer to that category doubled the value of the pot, and during one time, the pot would double to $10,000 or sometimes $20,000 or more. The double-value question boosted the pot to its highest during the five games that all-time Tic Tac Dough champ Thom McKee played against challenger Pete Cooper. After four ties, McKee eventually defeated Cooper in game five to win the largest single jackpot in the show's history -- $36,800. Cooper received $1,000 for the four tie games against McKee. Thom McKee was a officer in the United States Navy who was a contestant on the television game show Tic Tac Dough in 1980. ...

Eventually the "Secret Category" became the "Grand Question", which would add $1,000 to the pot with a correct answer.

At first, just one special category (starting in the lower center box) was used per game. Eventually, three of these appeared per game (in the upper center, center right and lower center boxes to start the game). These special categories added to the game's excitement, often because the outcome of the game could – depending on a contestant's success (or lack thereof) in the given category – at any moment. Special Categories were never used in the center box.

Other special categories used are as follows:

• Auction -- Somewhat similar to the "contract" on Bullseye. Players are read a question with multiple answers. Players take turns bidding on how many correct answers they can name. If the winning bidder can fulfill the bid, (s)he wins the box. If not, the other player only needs to give one correct answer in order to win the square.
• Bonus Category -- A three-part question is asked, which, if answered correctly, gives that player another turn. More than once, a player obtained Tic Tac Dough without allowing his/her opponent a chance to play by selecting this category multiple times, which may have led to its eventual retirement during the final season. When that happens, the other player returns to play another game.
• Challenge Category -- The player who selects this category may answer the question or challenge his/her opponent to answer.
• Double or Nothing -- If the player answers the question correctly, he/she may either keep the box or risk it and try to earn another box. If successful, he/she gets both squares. If not, he/she loses both boxes. Like the Bonus Category, Tic Tac Dough can be accomplished by picking this category twice and a regular category on one turn.
• It's A Dilemma -- Player hears a question and may ask for up to 5 clues. BUT, the opponent decides who answers the question. Not a popular category and is usually picked only for a block or for Tic Tac Dough.
• Jump-In Category -- Both players put their hands on the red plungers in front of them and a question was asked to both players. Whomever buzzed in with the right answer won the square. An incorrect answer however, gives the other player a chance to win the box by hearing the entire question.
• Number Please -- Somewhat like survey questions asked on Card Sharks. A player is asked a question that involves a numerical figure. The player who picks the category guesses the numerical number and his/her opponent then has to guess if the correct number is higher or lower. Whomever is closest to the correct answer won the box. An exact guess to the question won the square automatically.
• Opponent's Choice -- Player answers a question from one of two categories. However, the opponent selects the category. When Jim Caldwell hosted, it was one question from one category or two questions from the other.
• Play Or Pass -- The player could answer one question or pass on it but must answer the next question.
• Seesaw -- Similar to that of Hot Potato. Question with multiple answers is read to both players. Players go back/forth naming correct answers until one player screws up, in which case, the other player earns the box. The box can also be won by giving the last correct answer.
• Showdown -- Players hear a two-part question, using the plungers to ring in. First player to buzz in answers one part of the question. The other answers the other part. If one player answers right and the other player answers wrong, the player with the right answer earns the box. If both players answer right or both answer wrong, another question is asked.
• Three to Win -- In this category, both players play by using the red plungers as a series of questions are asked. The first player to answer three toss-up questions correctly gets the square.
• Top Ten -- Somewhat like Family Feud, in which a question with ranked answers is asked. The box is awarded to the player who guesses the highest answer possible, with the number one answer earning that player the box automatically. Renamed Top This during the final season.
• Trivia Dare -- Multiple-choice question is asked. Player may answer or dare the opponent to answer. If the player who answers first is right, (s)he wins the box. Otherwise, the other player selects from the remaining two choices. If right, that player wins the box. If not, the other player wins the box.

Bullseye, billed as the game in which daring determined the fate of the players, was the title of an American game show that aired in syndication from September 29, 1980 to September 24, 1982. ... Card Sharks was an American television game show in which contestants guessed whether a playing card was higher or lower than the card that preceded it. ... Hot Potato is an expression that denotes something unwanted, of which nobody wishes to claim the responsibility of, and passes it on to others as quickly as possible (as if to avoid getting burned). ... Family Feud is a popular television game show in the USA that pits two families against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey-type question posed of 100 people. ...

Bonus round

The winner of a Tic Tac Dough match was given the chance to "Beat the Dragon." The Tic Tac Dough board was given nine numbered boxes. Behind two were the words "Tic" and "Tac." Behind others, six dollar amounts were available: $100, $150, $250, $300, $400 and $500. Behind the last box was the "Dragon" (and his mean growl).

The object was for the player to accumulate $1,000 or more; if successful, the player won a prize package that consisted of furniture, trips, jewelry and much more. The player automatically won by uncovering "Tic" and "Tac" (at which point the player also had his cash total amended to $1,000). However, if the player found the Dragon before reaching $1,000 (or finding both "Tic" and "Tac"), the game ended and the player lost the prize package and any accumulated cash. The contestant could stop at any time, take the money and forget the prize package.

During one short time in 1983, a player had to accumulate $1,000 exactly without going over. That rule was quickly scrapped.

For a brief time in 1983, members of the studio audience were invited onstage to play a special "Find the Dragon" game. Unlike the regular bonus round, the idea was to find where the dragon was hidden using the remaining numbers. The first player to reveal the dragon won $250 (but everyone who played got a Tic Tac Dough "Dragon" cap just for playing). For a brief time, two audience members play the game.

On the CBS daytime version in the '70s, the bonus round had four Xs, four Os and one dragon. The Xs and Os were shuffled and distributed so that there was only one way to win. The player started calling off numbers. Each X and O that appeared was worth $150 to the pot. The player had the option to take the cash and end the game or continue to play. Finding the "Dragon" lost the bonus round and the money. Finding 3 Xs or Os in a row meant the contestant won the money and a prize package.

If a player was fortunate enough to win five Tic Tac Dough matches in a row, he would win a new automobile, as follows: A small variety of cars, the most popular kind of automobile. ...

• 1978-1979 – Buick Skylark
• 1979-1981 – Buick Century
• 1981-1984 – Chevrolet Chevette
• 1984-1985 – AMC Eagle
• 1985-1986 – Mazda GLC

Except for the AMC Eagle (which was worth $12,000), most of the cars were valued at around $6,000. Players remained on the show as long as they kept winning. The Buick Skylark is a passenger car produced by General Motors. ... Century is a model name used by Buick numerous times over a period of nearly 70 years. ... 1976 Chevrolet Chevette and 1974 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Brougham The Chevrolet Chevette was Chevrolets version of GMs worldwide T-car program of the 1970s. ... The AMC Eagle was produced by the former American Motors Corporation, introduced for the 1980 model year and based on the AMC Concord range. ... The Mazda Familia is Mazdas compact car family. ...

Thom McKee (left)

One player in particular, one Naval officer named Thom McKee, was a relative mastermind on Tic Tac Dough. Over the course of nine weeks on the show in 1980, he was able to win against 43 opponents, win eight cars and take home $312,700 in cash and prizes. Over $200,000 of that was in cash (adjusted to today's dollars would bring the value to more than $794,100 in total winnings), a syndication record for a solo player until 2002 [1]. His winning streak was a record for 24 years until Ken Jennings broke the record on Jeopardy! in 2004. Image File history File links This is a screenshot of a copyrighted website, video game graphic, computer program graphic, television broadcast, or film. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... Thom McKee was a officer in the United States Navy who was a contestant on the television game show Tic Tac Dough in 1980. ... 1980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Ken Jennings on Jeopardy!. Kenneth Wayne Jennings III (born May 23, 1974) holds the record for the longest winning streak on the syndicated game show Jeopardy!, as well as other records. ... Jeopardy! logo (1994-1996) Jeopardy! is a popular international television game show, originally devised by Merv Griffin, who also created Wheel of Fortune. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• The Tic Tac Dough Supersite
• Tic Tac Dough @ www.streetcarmike.com