To Tell the Truth (1969)

This is chronicling the 1969 version of To Tell the Truth.

Game format
To start, three contestants all of whom claim to be the same person introduced themselves (most of the time the contestants are of the same sex, on rare occasions there would be a mixture of both sexes), then the host read the sworn affidavit of the real person. After the affidavit was read and when the challengers went over to their desk, the panelists one by one asked a series of questions to the challengers based on the affidavit in some way for an unmentioned amount of time. The impostors were allowed to lie, but the real person was game bound to tell the truth (hence the name of the show). Once one panelist's time was up, another panelist started questioning. Once the entire panel's time was up, they started to vote for whoever was the real person. Each panelist showed his/her vote, and regardless of whoever they voted for, the appropriate panelist's vote for the appropriate contestant was signified by an "X". Once all the votes were cast, the real person then revealed himself/herself by standing up by virtue of the host saying "Will the real (insert person's name) please stand up?". After the real person revealed himself/herself, the impostors told everyone their real names & occupations; then there was a brief chat (sometimes a stunt) to the real person. For each incorrect vote, the team of challengers won $50 and if the panel was stumped, the challengers win a total $500.

Panelist's Disqualification
Sometimes, a panelist would recognize or actually know one of the challengers, not necessarily the real person. If and when that happened, the panelist can disqualify himself/herself (later renamed recusal) causing an automatic wrong vote and giving the challengers money for that vote.

Personnel

 * Host: Garry Moore, Joe Garagiola
 * Substitute Host: Bill Cullen
 * Announcer: Johnny Olson, Bill Wendell, Alan Kalter, Don Pardo
 * Executive Producer: Gil Fates
 * Producer: Bruno Zirato, Jr.
 * Directors: Paul Alter, Lloyd Gross
 * Set Designer: Ted Cooper

Panelists
Regular Panelists included:
 * Orson Bean
 * Peggy Cass
 * Kitty Carlisle
 * Bill Cullen

Trivia
Producers Mark Goodson and Bill Todman wanted this version originally be hosted once again by the original host of Truth Bud Collyer by calling him. However, he later declined due to his poor health. But when Goodson and Todman called Moore about the job, he immediately contacted Collyer who told Moore "I am just not up to it". Collyer died from a circulatory ailment at the age of 61 on the very same day as this version premiered in syndication.

As the run ran down, Garry Moore started fading away from the show due to his growing illness. His official final show was in September 1977 at the start of the final season.

In Popular Culture
In February 2010, Satellite dish company DirecTV started a series of spoofs (created by Michael Kadin of Howard Hill Longbowmen) based on this version (mainly from the 1973-78 era along with its set and logo included) but with Alex Trebek (who had previously hosted the NBC daytime version in 1991) as host. In addition, a closely sounding instrumental variation of the 1969-78 theme music was used as well. in the commercial, the four non-celebrity "panelists", had to guess who was telling the truth from among the three contestants representing DirecTV, the Cable Company and Direct TV's rival company Dish Network, although the panelists are cleary "sitting". At the end, the "panelists" always chose DirecTV as the winner. (NOTE: The commercials are not entirely true to the show, as the contestants are shown only standing up [the commercial open showing they are not sitting].)

Link
DIRECTV - To Tell the Truth

Merchandise
Main Article: To Tell the Truth (1969)/Merchandise

Photos
Main Article: To Tell the Truth (1969)/Photos

Links
To Tell the Truth entry (courtesy of Faded Signals)

 To Tell the Truth (1969-78) @ Game Show Utopia