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Merrill Heatter

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Merrill Heatter
Born
Merrill Gabriel Heatter

(1925-12-16)December 16, 1925
New York City,U.S.
DiedOctober 8, 2017(2017-10-08)(aged 91)
Beverly Hills, California,U.S.
Occupations
  • Producer
  • writer
Years active1947–2009
Spouse
​
​
(m.1964; died 2011)​
Children2
RelativesGabriel Heatter(uncle)
Maida Heatter(cousin)

Merrill Gabriel Heatter(December 16, 1925 – October 8, 2017) was an American television producer and writer. He was best known for his collaboration with writer Bob Quigley for over 20 years and the formation of their production companyHeatter-Quigley Productionsin 1960. The company was responsible for the game showsHollywood SquaresandGambitand theanimatedtelevision seriesWacky Races.

He also formedMerrill Heatter Productionsin 1980, which is responsible for theGambit-based showCatch 21.

Early life[edit]

Heatter was born inNew York City,the son of Frances and Edward Heatter.[1]His paternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants fromAustria.Heatter was the nephew of journalistGabriel Heatterand the cousin of cookMaida Heatter.[citation needed]

Career[edit]

Beginnings[edit]

Heatter's career began in the late 1940s when, on July 7, 1947,CBS Radioand writerGoodman Acelaunched thehistoricaleducationalprogramYou Are There.The format of the series was to present important events from history to the viewer as if the viewer were listening to an actual news broadcast. The series aired its last radio broadcast on March 19, 1950.[2]

On February 1, 1953, the series made a transition toCBStelevision. The series starredWalter CronkiteofCBS Newswith several field reporters including radio announcing veteransDick JoyandHarlow Wilcox.Heatter was one of the head writers of the series. The series' last telecast was on October 13, 1957.

Heatter-Quigley Productions[edit]

Background[edit]

In 1960, Heatter met Bob Quigley. Quigley was a former writer for comedian and pianistVictor Borge.[3]Shortly after the two met, they decided to formHeatter-Quigley Productionsspecifically to produce game shows.

Quiz show scandals and early game shows[edit]

The first game show the two created was entitledVideo Village.The series premiered onCBSon July 1, 1960.Video Villagewas one of the first new game shows produced after the infamousquiz show scandals.[3]The quiz show scandals were a series of revelations that contestants of several populartelevision quiz showswere secretly given assistance by the show's producers to arrange the outcome of a supposedly fair competition which took place between 1956 and 1958.[4]

The scandals first arose in 1956. That year, theJack Barry-hosted game showTwenty Onefeatured a contestant,Herb Stempel,coached by producerDan Enrightto allow his opponent to win the game. The matter was brought into focus in 1958 when Enright was revealed to have rigged the show; this revelation caused networks to cancel their entire lineups of quiz shows.[5]

The quiz shows scandals came to an end in 1958 after three popular game shows were cancelled. Those game shows wereTwenty Oneon October 16,The $64,000 Questionon November 2 andDottoon August 15. They were the most publicized of all the shows involved in the scandals.

Heatter and Quigley took the chance and airedVideo VillagewithJack Narzas the original host (Narz also served as the host ofDottoduring the scandals). Narz was replaced by futureLet's Make a DealhostMonty Hallin September 1960. The series was well known for its gigantic life-sized game board which was the set of the show. The series ended its run in 1962.

Heatter and Quigley created and produced several unsuccessful game shows before their breakthrough hitHollywood Squarespremiered. Some of those shows includedPeople Will Talk,which ran for six months onNBCin 1963,Shenanigans,which ran onABCfor one season, andPDQ,which ran in syndication for three seasons.

Hollywood Squares[edit]

Sometime after the premiere ofShenanigans,Heatter and Quigley decided to create apanelgame show.The game show, which would be calledHollywood Squares,was a televised quiz show version oftic-tac-toe.

A pilot episode of the series was taped atCBS Television Cityand aired on April 21, 1965. The pilot featuredBert ParksofBreak the Bankfame as the host. The pilot also featured future HS regularsRose MarieandCharley WeaverwithJim Backusin the center square.[6][7]

Shortly after the taping of the pilot episode,NBCacquired the rights to the game show and after some reworking of theCBSpilot, NBC taped a second pilot episode of the game show, withPeter Marshallas the host and aired it on October 17, 1966. The Marshall-hosted pilot became the official first episode of the game show. NBC airedHollywood Squares'final episode on June 20, 1980. The series continued to air in syndication until September 11, 1981.

Several spinoffs and revival series aired over the next 25 years. The spinoffs includedStorybook Squares,Match Game-Hollywood Squares HourandHip Hop Squares.There was also a 1986 revival[8]and a 1998 revival of the series.

Acquisition by Filmways[edit]

In 1965, Heatter and Quigley sold their company toFilmways.The company still continued to operate with Filmways as the owner.

Gambitand other game shows[edit]

As the 1970s rolled around, Heatter and Quigley were still at work on producing their existing game show,Hollywood Squares,and creating new game shows.

On September 4, 1972,CBSpremiered the new game showGambit.The series was the first new game show of the 1970s produced by Heatter-Quigley. The show was based on the card gameblackjack.The series starredWink Martindaleas the presenter andElaine Stewartas the card dealer.[9]The series was filmed atTelevision City.[10]The series ended on December 10, 1976. A spin-off series entitledLas Vegas Gambitaired on NBC during the1980–81 television season.

Some of the other game shows that Heatter-Quigley produced includedBaffle,High Rollers,andThe Magnificent Marble Machine.Las Vegas Gambitwas the last title produced by Heatter-Quigley. Bob Quigley retired from show business shortly afterLas Vegas Gambitwent off the air.

Merrill Heatter Productions[edit]

Heatter went on to produce several more game shows solo. Most of those game shows were revivals or new versions of Heatter-Quigley produced shows. Some of those shows includedBattlestars,All-Star Blitz,Bargain Huntersand the 1980s version ofHigh Rollers.The last game show that Merrill Heatter Productions produced in the 20th century ended in 1990. On September 28, 1998, Heatter leased the worldwide rights to his solo-developed game shows toKing World(nowCBS Media Ventures).[11]They now own the rights to those game shows.

On July 28, 2008,Game Show Networkpremiered a new game show created by Heatter entitledCatch 21.[12]The show was the first game show Heatter created in 19 years. The series was a revival of Heatter's successful 1970s game showGambit.[13]He created the series along with Scott Sternberg.[14]

Personal life[edit]

Heatter married actress andmodelElaine Stewarton December 31, 1964.[15]Stewart was known for her roles in the moviesThe Adventures of Hajji BabaandNight Passage.She was also known for her guest appearances on the television showsBat Masterson,Burke's LawandPerry Mason.[16]Stewart also was the hostess for two Heatter-Quigley shows,GambitandHigh Rollers.[17]Stewart was previously married to actor Bill Carter.[18]Heatter and Stewart had two children, Stewart Heatter and Gabrielle Heatter. They were married until Stewart's death on June 27, 2011.

Death[edit]

Heatter died inBeverly Hills,Californiaon October 8, 2017, after a short battle withcancer.[19]

Filmography[edit]

Heatter-Quigley Productions[edit]

Merrill Heatter Productions[edit]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Heatter has received threePrimetime Emmy Awardnominations and six nominations for theDaytime Emmy Award.He has also won fourDaytime Emmy Awards.

Year Award Category Work Result
1969 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming Hollywood Squares Nominated
1972 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Achievement in Daytime Programming Hollywood Squares Nominated
1973 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Program Achievement in Daytime Hollywood Squares Nominated
1974 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show Hollywood Squares Nominated
1975 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show Hollywood Squares Won
1976 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show Hollywood Squares Nominated
1977 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show Hollywood Squares Nominated
1978 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show Hollywood Squares Won
1979 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show Hollywood Squares Won
1980 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show Hollywood Squares Won
1981 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show Hollywood Squares Nominated
1983 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Variety Series Fantasy Nominated
1984 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Variety Series Fantasy Nominated

References[edit]

  1. ^"Merrill Heatter in the 1940 Census".www.archives.com.RetrievedJanuary 28,2015.
  2. ^"You Are There".Audio Karma. Archived fromthe originalon May 10, 2011.RetrievedJanuary 28,2015.
  3. ^ab"Merrill Heatter & Bob Quigley - The Classic Hollywood Squares Site".www.classicsquares.com.RetrievedFebruary 17,2015.
  4. ^Venanzi, Katie (1997), "An Examination of Television Quiz Show Scandals of the 1950s", found at"An Examination of Television Quiz Show Scandals of the 1950s".Archived fromthe originalon 2009-06-08.Retrieved2013-12-02.[accessed February 17, 2015].
  5. ^Gross, L. S. (2013).Electronic media: An introduction.New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
  6. ^Part 1onYouTube
  7. ^Part 2onYouTube
  8. ^Graham, Jefferson (August 23, 1988). Now it's hip to watch 'Hollywood Squares'.USA Today
  9. ^Schwartz, David; Ryan, Steve; Wostbrock, Fred (1999).The Encyclopedia of TV Game Shows(3 ed.). Facts on File, Inc. pp. 82–83, 123.ISBN0-8160-3846-5.
  10. ^"Shows–CBS Television City".Archived fromthe originalon July 13, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 17,2015.
  11. ^KING WORLD INTERNATIONAL ACQUIRES EXCLUSIVE INTERNATIONAL FORMAT RIGHTS TO GAME SHOW CATALOGUE FROM MERRILL HEATTER PRODUCTIONS, INC.,prnewswire.co.uk
  12. ^"GSN Launches Catch 21 With Merrill Heatter".luckyblackjack.com.RetrievedFebruary 17,2015.
  13. ^"Merrill Heatter project expected to debut on GSN this summer".Archived fromthe originalon February 17, 2015.RetrievedFebruary 17,2015.
  14. ^Grosvenor, Carrie."Catch 21Explained ".About.com.About Entertainment. Archived fromthe originalon February 8, 2015.RetrievedFebruary 17,2015.
  15. ^Barnes, Mike (June 27, 2011)."Elaine Stewart obituary in 'The Hollywood Reporter' (June 27, 2011)".Hollywoodreporter.com.RetrievedFebruary 17,2015.
  16. ^"Actress Elaine Stewart dead at 81".CBS News.June 28, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 17,2015.
  17. ^Alt, Eric (July 28, 2011)."Actress and Game Show Personality Elaine Stewart Dies at 81".NBC News.RetrievedFebruary 17,2015.
  18. ^"Elaine Stewart:" I'm Company "".RetrievedFebruary 17,2015.
  19. ^@WinkMartindale (9 October 2017)."The world of games has lost another icon. Merrill Heatter has lost his battle with cancer. I hosted" Gambit "&" High Rollers "for him. RIP!"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Merrill_Heatter&oldid=1233865650"