50 Years Ago, ABC Had Another Game Show Hit With Split Second

 Because of the state basketball tournament preview in late March, HSGN is belated to mention that 50 years ago on March 20, the network debuted a new quiz show titled Split Second.  

Hosted by Tom Kennedy and produced by the team of Stefan Hatos and Monty Hall (who were also involved with the Hall hosted Let's Make a Deal), Split Second was a fast paced quiz show that featured three contestants.  The show's announcer was Jack Clark, his first game show since the network's short-lived prime time game show The Reel Game.  

Three answers were displayed on a board or answers to questions read by Kennedy.  The first player to ring in got to pick the first answer.  Whether the answer is right or wrong, the other two players get a chance to answer.  Unlike Jeopardy, it's not how fast you know the answer but how fast you ring in.  Correct answers in the first round paid $25 for only one right answer, $10 for two and if all three are right, $5 apiece.  In the second round, a contestant received $50 for the only right answer, $25 if two are correct and all three right answers won $10 apiece.  

The third round was known as The Countdown Round.  The money amounts on the contestant's readouts were replaced by the number of correct answers needed to win the game.  The first place contestant needed three answers to win, the second place contestant four and the third required five.  What differed from the first two rounds was, the player who rung in, got a chance to get up to all three answers right.  Over the show's three year run, there were few instances that the first contestant could win on the first question.  An incorrect answer allowed the other two to respond.  The first player to reach zero won the game.  Win or lose, each contestant kept the money they won.  

The winning contestant advance to the Bonus Round where five cars were displayed.  The contestant picked a car and if it starred, they won the car and retired as a champion.  If it didn't start, the champion returned for the next game and if they won, the number of cars would be reduced to four, giving a better chance to win a car.  A contestant who won five games, retired undefeated and won a car.  

Split Second enjoyed a three year run, airing following Password, which was moved up a half hour to noon and reruns of Bewitched were moved to 11:30 AM ET.  It solidified a hit game show lineup that included Let's Make a Deal, The Newlywed Game and The Dating Game.  

But in June 1975, Split Second was canceled due to declining ratings from its Password lead in and a revamping of ABC's midday lineup.  The show would return in syndication in December 1986 with Hall hosting and Sandy Hoyt as the announcer.  This version was taped in Hamilton, Ontario and suffered from low clearances as well as low ratings which resulted in its cancellation in 1987.  

Split Second was a success thanks to Kennedy's pacing and the format allowed the home viewer to play along.  It's a show that should be revived someday, given the right host and format execution.  Hopefully if it returns, it won't be gone in a split second.