Product Description

The Ultimate TV Game Show Book is a virtual cornucopia of fun, frivolity and fabulous facts from more than fifty years of games shows.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #355201 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 269 pages

About the Author
Steve Ryan and Fred Wostbrock are both game show experts and the authors of The Encyclopedia of TV Game Shows. Both authors reside in Los Angeles, CA.

Customer Reviews

Do not buy if you want game show details.
If you are looking for a fun, trivia-type book, then this is the book to buy. I was looking for a book that would provide more detail than what this book does. It is laid out like a high school scrapbook....lots of pictures, many trivial pieces of information, etc. Many of the captions on the photos were ok, but the authors didn't elaborate on some of the most interesting ones. I guess I was expecting more than what was delivered.

This Book Is Game Show Heaven
I'm a game show junkie and have been for years My earliest game show memory is lkistening to "Quuen for a Day" on radio. When I first saw "Password" on TV I was hooked and have obsessed on game shows ever since. Ryan and Wostbrock have produced a book that has delighted me more than anything in years. It is informative and sheer fun at the same time. The book consists of a series of lists and some of the best game show photos that I've ever seen in print. Check out those cute, really young photos of Gene Rayburn and Regis Philbin. The authors' other book "The Encyclopedia of TV Game Shows" is the main course, substantial and a great resource for any game show fan. I've used it to settle more than one argument. On the other hand this book is dessert-delicious delightful and begging to be dipped into over and over. How many catchy game show phrases can you quote? What To Tell the Truth imposters later became celebrities in their own right? What popular game show host changed his name from Colin Emm? I could go on and on, but you're just going to have to read the book for yourself to find these answers and so many more. Steve Ryan and Fred Wostbrock have spent many years working in the game show industry. Their knowledge of and love for the format is readily apparent.

This book is Volume 1 and that encourages me to look forward to a volume 2.

Great job guys!

Really Weak Book That's Just Filled with Pictures and Trivial Info
This is a really weak book that will not satisfy game show lovers. Basically a paperback coffee table book with lots of photos, it gives very little information on game shows and instead comes up with silly lists like "Four Landmark Merv Griffin Productions." Wow--that took a lot of research!

The lists are mostly stupid and often very incomplete. They list 8 times more than one person was in a box on The Hollywood Squares--but it happened WAY more than 8 times. So instead of doing true research, the authors just pulled things off the top of their heads. They also have some type of addiction to Bill Cullen--they give him a tribute at the start of the book and then include him often throughout the book in a way that is really odd. Yes, he hosted a number of game shows a very long time ago, but he is mostly irrelevant today.

The only thing that makes the book worthwhile are a few special photos--the one of a young Ryan Seacrest hosting is hilarious. But there are some shots that cut off people's heads and you have to wonder why they were included. And there's lots and lots of white space--a very poorly designed book. Then the font style is huge, so the entire 250 page book could have probably been done in less than 100 normal pages.

Don't buy it. If you feel you must look at the pictures, find one at a library.