Guess What is a Canadian game show that aired from 1983 to 1987. The show was created by Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir, the pair behind The Newlywed Game and a series of long-running Canadian productions such as Definition, and was a production of Glen-Warren Productions for CTV. Robin Ward served as the host while Nick Hollinrake announced.
| Guess What | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Game show |
| Created by | Nick Nicholson E. Roger Muir |
| Directed by | Sidney M. Cohen Rick Watts Elena Jasechko |
| Presented by | Robin Ward |
| Narrated by | Nick Hollinrake |
| Country of origin | Canada |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 520 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Gerry Rochon |
| Producers | Sidney M. Cohen Bill Burrows Rick Watts |
| Production locations | CFCF-TV, Montreal, Quebec CFTO-TV, Toronto, Ontario |
| Running time | 30 minutes (w/commercials) |
| Production companies | Glen-Warren Productions CTV Originals |
| Original release | |
| Network | CTV Television Network |
| Release | 1983 – 1987 |
Guess What originally was taped at CFCF-TV in Montreal, CTV's owned-and-operated station in the largest city in Quebec, with production later moving to CFTO-TV, CTV's Toronto-based flagship at Glen Warren Studios in Scarborough.
Main game
editGuess What was played between two family teams with three players on each side; one was usually a returning champion. The main game consisted of three rounds, each containing three multiple-choice questions and one Team Effort question as detailed below. Some questions included audio or visual content.
Multiple Choice Questions
editThe host asked a question with six answer options, one of which was correct. Control alternated between the two teams, with a different member choosing an answer on each turn but not allowed to confer with their teammates, until someone guessed the correct answer. The value of each question began at 60 points and decreased by 10 for each incorrect guess.
Team Effort Question
editThe host asked a question with four answer options, one of which was correct, and all six contestants had five seconds to secretly chose an answer without conferring. They did this by going into a compartment built into their team's desk, in which they would find four paddles marked with the letters A, B, C, and D.
Once the five seconds were up, Ward polled each contestant, one at a time, for their answer choices. If at least one team member answered the question, it was worth 20 points. If two answered correctly, the team would receive 50 points. If all three teammates answered correctly, the team received 100 points.
In the third and final round, this question awarded 100 points per correct answer, for a maximum of 300 per team. The higher-scoring team took/retained the championship, won a collection of prizes, and advanced to the bonus round.
Bonus round
editThe host asked three questions, with four answers available on the first, five on the second, and six on the third. Each member in turn was given one chance to guess, without conferring. Each of the first two questions was worth CA$50; if the team answered them both correctly, the third one was played for the day's top prize. If not, it was played for an additional CA$50.
Any family that remained champions for five consecutive episodes, later seven, won a grand prize.