Mark Goodson

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Mark Goodson, along with Bill Todman, produced some of the most iconic and long-lasting Game Shows in television history. After Todman's death on July 29, 1979, the "Goodson-Todman" moniker continued until early 1984. Child's Play was the first game show to use the "Mark Goodson Productions" logo in 1982.

After Goodson's death in December 1992, the company was sold to All-American Television. In 1998, All-American was bought out by Pearson Television, which in turn was bought out in 2002 by Fremantle Media. The "Mark Goodson Productions" logo remained in use during this time, but was eventually removed on August 15, 2007 when Drew Carey became host of The Price Is Right. It was last seen on the October 12, 2007 repeat of Bob Barker's last show.

Also played the drums. And disco-danced in a custom-tailored Giorgio suit. No, seriously.

Shows originally produced by Goodson-Todman include:

  • Winner Take All (1946-52; the duo's first game show)
  • Stop the Music (1948-52, 1954-56; produced in association with Louis Cowan Productions)
  • Hit the Jackpot (1948-49, 1950; originally known as Catch Me If You Can, although we're not sure if Goodson-Todman was involved there)
  • Time's a-Wastin' (1948)
  • Beat the Clock (1949; quiz show unrelated to the later stunt series)
  • What's My Line (1950-67, 1968-75)
  • The Web (1950-54, 1957; dramatic anthology series)
  • Beat the Clock (1950-61, 1969-74, 1979-80, 2002-03)
  • By Popular Demand (1950)
  • It's News to Me (1951-53, 1954)
  • The Name's the Same (1951-55)
  • Ive Got a Secret (1952-67, 1972-73, 1976, 2000-03, 2006)
  • Two for the Money (1952-56, 1957)
  • Judge for Yourself (1953-54)
  • What's Going On? (1954)
  • Make the Connection (1955)
  • Choose Up Sides (1956; pilot taped in 1953 for CBS with Bob Kennedy as host)
  • The Price Is Right (1956-65, 1972-present)
  • To Tell the Truth (1956-68, 1969-78, 1980-81, 1990-91, 2000-01)
  • Jefferson Drum (1958; Western starring Jeff Richards and Eugene Martin)
  • Play Your Hunch (1958-63)
  • The Rebel (1959-61; Western starring Nick Adams)
  • Split Personality (1959-60)
  • Say When!! (1961-65)
  • Number Please (1961)
  • Password (1961-67, 1971-75, 1979-82, 1984-89, 2008-09)
  • Match Game (1962-69, 1973-82, 1990-91, 1998-99) and its spinoff, Match Game PM (1975-81)
  • Missing Links (1963-64)
  • The Richard Boone Show (1963-64; anthology series)
  • Get the Message (1964)
  • Call My Bluff (1965)
  • Branded (1965-66; Western starring Chuck Connors). This is the only program Goodson-Todman made that was not a game show.
  • Snap Judgment (1967-69)
  • He Said, She Said (1969-70) and its revival, Tattletales (1974-78, 1982-84)
  • Now You See It (1974-75, 1989; also did a pilot in 1985)
  • Showoffs (1975) and its revival, Body Language (1984-86; taped three pilots in 1983)
  • Family Feud (1976-85, 1988-95, 1999-present) and its spinoff, Celebrity Family Feud (1978-84, 2008)
  • |Double Dare (1976-77)
  • The Better Sex (1977-78)
  • Card Sharks (1978-81, 1986-89, 2001)
  • Mindreaders (1979-80)
  • That's My Line! (1980-81)
  • Blockbusters (1980-82, 1987)
  • |Childs Play (1982-83)
  • The Match Game Hollywood Squares Hour (1983-84)
  • Trivia Trap (1984-85)

Special mention should be made to Concentration, which was licensed to Goodson-Todman by NBC (1973-78, 1987-91; also did a pilot in 1985). Because of NBC's refusal to do anything with the format or episodes, Concentration has never appeared in blooper specials — not even Game Show Moments Gone Bananas, a Fremantle-produced series of specials that dealt mostly with Goodson-Todman games.

Flamingo Fortune originally used the Mark Goodson logo despite debuting in October 1995. It was quickly changed to son Jonathan's logo, but his credit was eventually ousted as well. Jonathan still produces games, but only for lotteries.