The costumes,the prizes(both clunky and fancy),the barkerlike style of Monty Hall-if there was ever a game show that created a carnival atmosphere,"Let's Make A Deal" was it. In this game show,no real intelligence was needed,only the ability to attract Monty's attention to play fast-moving guessing games in a shot to win big cash,merchandise,and ultimately a shot at the "Big Deal Of The Day" hidden behind one of the three doors. It was loud and frenetic,but millions loved the show,and it became TV's biggest daytime hits that stayed on the air for the next two decades.
It first premiered on NBC-TV from December 30,1963 until December 27,1968. Then from there moved over to ABC-TV for the next seven years from December 30,1968 until its last hurrah on the network on July 9, 1976. Also to add here,the success of "Let's Make A Deal" prompted a prime-time version for NBC from May through September 1967,and also a prime-time version of the show when it moved to ABC from February,1969 until August,1971,after which the show when into syndication from 1971 until 1976,with Monty Hall as the host. After a mere fifteen year absence from network television,the series returned to NBC Daytime and this time was not done in Hollywood,but taped at the Disney/MGM Studios near Orlando Florida,with Bob Hilton as the host from July 9,1990 until January 11, 1991. However,Hilton held the reins by October of 1990,and the following month Hilton was gone,and Monty Hall returned to his old format.
The show again was absent for the next eighteen years until a new format was introduced in October of 2009,when the show was revived for CBS Daytime,and also had a new host...former talk show host/variety/musical artist Wayne Brady.
