''It Takes Two'' is a

game show A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or demonstrative and are typically directed by a host, ...

in which contestants gave numerical answers to questions (which usually entail stunts and/or demonstrations). The original program was created and produced by

Ralph Andrews Ralph Herrick Andrews (December 17, 1927 – October 16, 2015) was an American television producer best known for producing the 1960s game show '' You Don't Say!'', the 1970s game show '' Celebrity Sweepstakes'', and the original 1987 version of ' ...

and aired on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

from March 31, 1969 to July 31, 1970 at 10:00 AM Eastern. A second version, produced by Mark Phillips Philms & Telephision, aired on The Family Channel (now Freeform) in 1997.

Vin Scully Vincent Edward Scully (November 29, 1927 – August 2, 2022) was an American sportscaster. He was best known for his 67 seasons calling games for Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers, beginning in 1950 (when the franchise was located ...

hosted the NBC version with John Harlan as announcer and on-camera assistant. The 1997 version was hosted by

Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American radio and television personality, television producer and film actor, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting '' American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 19 ...

Gameplay

NBC

Three celebrity couples competed in this version. For each question, both spouses of each celebrity couple gave individual numerical answers which were averaged into their combined answer. After the celebrity couples gave their answers, a studio audience member guessed which couple was the closest. A correct answer won $100 for the audience member. By the fall of 1969, each win awarded a prize instead of cash. In 1970, audience members who won four prizes in a row also won a new car.

1997

Gameplay remained similar in this version with three teams each with two civilian contestants competing. Once again, both players on each team gave individual numerical answers to make one averaged answer. However, each question was worth money for the team who was the closest, and the second-closest team won a smaller amount of money. The second-place prize for question one was originally $50. If a two-way tie occurred, both teams received the first or second place money. If a three-way tie occurred, all three teams received the first-place money. If at any point a team member gave an exact answer they also won a prize in addition to the first place money. The team with the most money won the game, bonus prizes and played one last question called the "Brainteaser". All teams keep their money. In case if two or all three players tied for the lead, they automatically go to the "Brainteaser".

Bonus round (Brainteaser)

A question based upon an act or demonstration that was already used during the show was presented to the team and each member gave a verbal response. If the correct answer was within a predetermined range based upon the team's response, the team won a grand prize (usually a trip). The winning range varied between episodes. At times the correct answer had to be within twenty high or low of their averaged guess. At other times the winning range had to be within the two individual guesses or within a different varied range. If the game ended in a tie, the tied teams both competed in the Brainteaser with the winners of that question receiving the grand prize.

Guests

Many episodes featured a guest celebrity that came on to either perform a task related to a question or for a question related to their work. *

Vicki Lawrence Vicki Ann Lawrence ( Axelrad; born March 26, 1949), sometimes credited as Vicki Lawrence Schultz, is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She is best known for her character Mama (Thelma Harper). Lawrence originated multitudes of charact ...

appeared on the premiere for a question on ironing. *

Christina Ferrare Cynthia Cristina Ferrare (born 1950) is an American former fashion model, actress, author and talk-show host. She had lead roles in several films in the late-1960s and early-1970s, including the comedy '' The Impossible Years'' and the Western f ...

and

Michael Burger Michael Burger (born June 10, 1957) is an American actor, comedian, game show host and television presenter. Game shows Burger was hired by Reg Grundy Productions to host a pilot for a show called ''Matchmates'' in 1985. The show, which was ...

of ''Home & Family'' appeared on the second episode for a question about Ferrare's modeling career. *

Rod Roddy Robert Ray Roddy (September 28, 1937 – October 27, 2003) was an American radio and television announcer An announcer is a voice artist who relays information to the audience of a broadcast media programme or live event. Television and ...

and

Janice Pennington Janice Maurine Pennington (born July 8, 1942) is an American former model and was one of the original " Barker's Beauties" models on ''The Price Is Right.'' As its longest-running model, Pennington was with ''The Price Is Right'' from the show's ...

of ''

The Price Is Right ''The Price Is Right'' is a television game show franchise created by Bob Stewart, originally produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman; currently it is produced and owned by Fremantle. The franchise centers on television game shows, but also inc ...

'' appeared on the fifth episode for one of the questions as well as the "Brainteaser". *

Betty White Betty Marion White (January 17, 1922December 31, 2021) was an American actress and comedian. A pioneer of Golden Age of Television, early television, with a television career spanning almost seven decades, White was noted for her vast work i ...

appeared for a question in the second week of the series. *

Ruta Lee Ruta Lee (born Ruta Mary Kilmonis; May 30, 1935) is an American actress and dancer who appeared as one of the brides in the musical '' Seven Brides for Seven Brothers''. She had roles in films including Billy Wilder's crime drama '' Witness for ...

of '' High Rollers'' fame stopped by to roll dice for one question based on the number of times she would be able to roll sevens or elevens during the remainder of the episode. *

Ed McMahon Edward Leo Peter McMahon Jr. (March 6, 1923 – June 23, 2009) was an American announcer, game show host, comedian, actor, singer, and combat aviator. McMahon and Johnny Carson began their association in their first TV series, the ABC game sh ...

, Dick's co-host on ''

TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes ''TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes'' is an American television series. Debuting as a weekly series, new episodes have been broadcast as infrequent specials during most of its run. It premiered on NBC in 1984, moved to ABC in 1998, and was revived i ...

'' came by for two questions: one was related to his role as Johnny Carson's sidekick, and the other was for his American Family Publishers sweepstakes. *

Ron Pearson Ron is a shortening of the name Ronald. Ron or RON may also refer to: Arts and media * Big Ron (''EastEnders''), a TV character * Ron (''King of Fighters''), a video game character *Ron Douglas, the protagonist in ''Lucky Stiff'' played by Joe ...

from ''

Shopping Spree ''Shopping Spree'' is a game show that aired on the Family Channel (now Freeform) for two seasons from September 30, 1996, to December 26, 1997, with reruns airing until August 14, 1998. Two teams of two unacquainted players went on a shopping ...

'' appeared on an episode to juggle for one of the questions. *

Bowzer Jon "Bowzer" Bauman (born September 14, 1947) is an American singer, best known as a member of the band Sha Na Na, and game show host. Bauman's Sha Na Na character, "Bowzer", was a greaser in a muscle shirt. Biography and career Bauman wa ...

from

Sha Na Na Sha Na Na was an American rock and roll doo-wop group. Formed in 1969, but performing a song-and-dance repertoire based on 1950s hit songs, it simultaneously revived and parodied the music and the New York street culture of the 1950s. After ga ...

appeared on an episode to play piano for two questions

Broadcast history

NBC

The original series replaced the

game show '' Snap Judgment'' and ran against sitcom reruns on

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

. Numerous NBC affiliates tape-delayed or preempted the show in favor of local homemaker's shows or syndicated programming, although the series ran over a full year due to its popularity. On Monday, August 3, 1970, the show was replaced by ''Dinah's Place'', a women's talk/variety/homemaker's half-hour hosted by entertainer

Dinah Shore Dinah Shore (born Frances Rose Shore; February 29, 1916 – February 24, 1994) was an American singer, actress, and television personality, and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1940s. She rose to prominence as a recording artist during ...

1997

The revival ran on The Family Channel from March 10 to May 30, 1997 and was hosted by

(who appeared on the NBC series with his wife) with

Burton Richardson Burton Merrele Richardson (born September 29, 1949, in Portland, Oregon) is an American television announcer. Career He announced ''The Arsenio Hall Show'' from 1989 to 1994, where he became known for his long-drawn-out introduction of the show's ...

announcing. The series was produced by Mark Phillips Philms & Telephision with Phillips serving as Executive Producer. Rich de Michele was producer while Gary Jonke was the writer.

Episode status

The status of the NBC version is unknown and largely believed to have been destroyed due to network practices of the era, with the videotapes wiped and re-used. However, two episodes are held by private collectors. The October 27, 1968 pilot is held by the

UCLA Film and Television Archive The UCLA Film & Television Archive is a visual arts organization focused on the preservation, study, and appreciation of film and television, based at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Also a nonprofit exhibition venue, the a ...

.UCLA Archive: The "It Takes Two" Pilot
/ref> An episode is available to view on YOUTUBE.

References

External links

''It Takes Two (1969)'' on IMDb''It Takes Two (1997)'' on IMDb
{{MTM Enterprises NBC original programming American game shows 1960s American game shows 1969 American television series debuts 1970 American television series endings 1970s American game shows 1990s American game shows 1997 American television series debuts 1997 American television series endings Television series by Ralph Andrews Productions The Family Channel (American TV network, founded 1990) original programming English-language television shows American television series revived after cancellation Television series by MTM Enterprises