History Series / SaleOftheCentury

GameShow that originally ran for 5 years, on Creator/{{NBC}} from 1969 to 1973 for its first four years, and in syndication from 1973 to 1974 for its fifth and final year. Jack Kelly was the first quizmaster, succeeded by Joe Garagiola in 1971. Three solo contestants (or, from April 1973 to September 1974, two husband-wife teams) accumulated small amounts of money by answering general-knowledge questions. At certain points in the game, the player/couple in the lead could spend part of their score on ridiculously discounted prizes.

During the show's run in the United Kingdom (1971-83), ''Sale'' was purchased by Australian producer Reg Grundy, who made some tweaks to the format and debuted a version in his native country on July 14, 1980. [[note]](Grundy had already produced a similar show called ''Temptation'' in Australia from 1970 to 1976. Its host, Tony Barber, returned to helm Grundy's ''Sale'' until 1991.)[[/note]] After this became a major success as well, he took it back to NBC with Jim Perry as host and it too became a major success. The same format also appeared in [[MultiNationalShows other countries]]. Unlike most games, ''Sale'' allowed all contestants to take home whatever money and prizes were credited to them, regardless of the outcome. This era ran for 7 and 1/4 years and 1,578 NBC Daytime episodes from January 3, 1983 to March 24, 1989, as well as roughly 315 First-Run-Syndication episodes from January 7, 1985 to June 20, 1986. The down under version ran for 22 years and roughly 4,610 episodes on the Nine Network from 1980 to 2001, making it Australia's longest-running game show.

** The first was almost identical to the original. The champion could use his or her money to possibly buy one of the progressively fancier prizes available, try for a larger prize by coming back the next day, or reach a specific score target to win the entire set of prizes plus a cash jackpot.
** This was replaced in late 1984 by the Winner's Board, a simple matching game with 20 spaces. Most of the spaces contained matchable prizes, but two of the spaces held "WIN" cards which allowed the instant win of a prize revealed in the next pick. (Two of the prizes, a car and $10,000 cash, could only be won this way.) Once a champion cleared the board, he could risk his bonus round winnings by winning the main game one more time for $50,000.

** In late 1987, this was changed to the Winner's Big Money Game, a speed round with a series of word puzzles played for a jackpot increasing every time it was played by a champion[[note]]($5,000 plus $1,000 per show up to $10,000, then a new car (if a champ lost this particular WBMG, they had to retire), then $50,000)[[/note]].

** Then, after winning the game, they had to find the "WIN" card on the Winner's Board, then find the CAR.[[note]](If the board was cleared, and the car had not been won at that point, that was the major prize offered on the next show, followed by the jackpot.)[[/note]]

GameShow that originally ran on Creator/{{NBC}} for 5 years from 1969 to 1973 for its first four years, and in syndication from 1973 to 1974 for its fifth and final year. Jack Kelly was the first quizmaster, succeeded by Joe Garagiola in 1971. Three solo contestants (or, from April 1973 to September 1974, two husband-wife teams) accumulated small amounts of money by answering general-knowledge questions. At certain points in the game, the player/couple in the lead could spend part of their score on ridiculously discounted prizes.

GameShow that originally ran on Creator/{{NBC}} from 1969 to 1973 and in syndication from 1973 to 1974. Jack Kelly was the first quizmaster, succeeded by Joe Garagiola in 1971. Three solo contestants (or, from April 1973 to September 1974, two husband-wife teams) accumulated small amounts of money by answering general-knowledge questions. At certain points in the game, the player/couple in the lead could spend part of their score on ridiculously discounted prizes.

During the show's run in the United Kingdom (1971-83), ''Sale'' was purchased by Australian producer Reg Grundy, who made some tweaks to the format and debuted a version in his native country on July 14, 1980. [[note]](Grundy had already produced a similar show called ''Temptation'' in Australia from 1970 to 1976. Its host, Tony Barber, returned to helm Grundy's ''Sale'' until 1991.)[[/note]] After this became a major success as well, he took it back to NBC with Jim Perry as host and it too became a major success. The same format also appeared in [[MultiNationalShows other countries]]. Unlike most games, ''Sale'' allowed all contestants to take home whatever money and prizes were credited to them, regardless of the outcome. This era ran for 1,578 NBC Daytime episodes from January 3, 1983 to March 24, 1989, as well as roughly 315 First-Run-Syndication episodes from January 7, 1985 to June 20, 1986. The down under version ran for 22 years and roughly 4,610 episodes on the Nine Network from 1980 to 2001, making it Australia's longest-running game show.

During the show's run in the United Kingdom (1971-83), ''Sale'' was purchased by Australian producer Reg Grundy, who made some tweaks to the format and debuted a version in his native country on July 14, 1980. [[note]](Grundy had already produced a similar show called ''Temptation'' in Australia from 1970 to 1976. Its host, Tony Barber, returned to helm Grundy's ''Sale'' until 1991.)[[/note]] After this became a major success as well, he took it back to NBC with Jim Perry as host and it too became a major success. The same format also appeared in [[MultiNationalShows other countries]]. Unlike most games, ''Sale'' allowed all contestants to take home whatever money and prizes were credited to them, regardless of the outcome. This era ran for 1,578 NBC Daytime episodes from January 3, 1983 to March 24, 1989, as well as roughly 315 First-Run-Syndication episodes from January 7, 1985 to June 20, 1986. The down under version ran for 22 years and roughly 4,610 episodes on the Nine Network from 1980 to 2001.

During the show's run in the United Kingdom (1971-83), ''Sale'' was purchased by Australian producer Reg Grundy, who made some tweaks to the format and debuted a version in his native country on July 14, 1980. [[note]](Grundy had already produced a similar show called ''Temptation'' in Australia from 1970 to 1976. Its host, Tony Barber, returned to helm Grundy's ''Sale'' until 1991.)[[/note]] After this became a major success as well, he took it back to NBC with Jim Perry as host and it too became a major success. The same format also appeared in [[MultiNationalShows other countries]]. Unlike most games, ''Sale'' allowed all contestants to take home whatever money and prizes were credited to them, regardless of the outcome. This era ran for 1,578 NBC Daytime episodes from January 3, 1983 to March 24, 1989, as well as roughly 315 First-Run-Syndication episodes from January 7, 1985 to June 20, 1986. The down under version ran for 22 years and roughly 4,610 episodes from 1980 to 2001.

During the show's run in the United Kingdom (1971-83), ''Sale'' was purchased by Australian producer Reg Grundy, who made some tweaks to the format and debuted a version in his native country on July 14, 1980. [[note]](Grundy had already produced a similar show called ''Temptation'' in Australia from 1970 to 1976. Its host, Tony Barber, returned to helm Grundy's ''Sale'' until 1991.)[[/note]] After this became a major success as well, he took it back to NBC with Jim Perry as host and it too became a major success. The same format also appeared in [[MultiNationalShows other countries]]. Unlike most games, ''Sale'' allowed all contestants to take home whatever money and prizes were credited to them, regardless of the outcome. This era ran for 1,578 NBC Daytime episodes from January 3, 1983 to March 24, 1989, as well as roughly 315 First-Run-Syndication episodes from January 7, 1985 to June 20, 1986. The down under version ran for 22 years from 1980 to 2001.

** LovelyAssistant: Barbara Lyon from 1969 to 1971, then Kit Dougherty. Perry's era had three — Sally Julian, Lee Menning, and Summer Bartholomew; Lou Mulford and announcer Jay Stewart filled-in on occasion. In Australia, the assistants were Victoria Nichols (1980-1982), Delvene Delaney (1982-1985), and Alyce Platt (1986-1991) for Tony Barber, Jo Bailey (1991-1993), Nicky Buckley (1994-1999), and Karina Brown (2000-2001) for Glenn Ridge, and Livinia Nixon (Temptation 2005-2009) for Ed Phillips.

** ADayInTheLimelight: During the Temptation era, Ed Philips and Livinia Nixon once played the game as part of a special "Battle of the [[Creator/NineNetwork Network]] Shows" week. Filling in for them as host and hostess? [[spoiler:Tony Barber and Alyce Platt.]]

* OpeningNarration: On the 1983 American version:

** The original 1969-1973 series logo used the Dollar sign ($) for the S in Sale and the Cent sign (¢) for the C in Century.

* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: In the Reg Grundy versions since its debut in Australia in 1980, the front of the hosts' podium had different colored square-lights, flashing on a black board (Green, Yellow, and Red). They would form a shape to indicate the type of answer given. A Green Checkmark indicated a correct answer, a Yellow Question Mark indicated that more information should be given on a particular answer, and a Red X indicated that the answer was incorrect.

During the show's run in the United Kingdom (1971-83), ''Sale'' was purchased by Australian producer Reg Grundy, who made some tweaks to the format and debuted a version in his native country on July 14, 1980. [[note]](Grundy had already produced a similar show called ''Temptation'' in Australia from 1970 to 1976. Its host, Tony Barber, returned to helm Grundy's ''Sale'' until 1991.)[[/note]] After this became a major success as well, he took it back to NBC with Jim Perry as host and it too became a major success. The same format also appeared in [[MultiNationalShows other countries]]. Unlike most games, ''Sale'' allowed all contestants to take home whatever money and prizes were credited to them, regardless of the outcome. This era ran for 1,578 NBC Daytime episodes from January 3, 1983 to March 24, 1989, as well as roughly 315 First-Run-Syndication episodes from January 1985 to June 1986. The down under version ran for 22 years from 1980 to 2001.

During the show's run in the United Kingdom (1971-83), ''Sale'' was purchased by Australian producer Reg Grundy, who made some tweaks to the format and debuted a version in his native country on July 14, 1980. [[note]](Grundy had already produced a similar show called ''Temptation'' in Australia from 1970 to 1976. Its host, Tony Barber, returned to helm Grundy's ''Sale'' until 1991.)[[/note]] After this became a major success as well, he took it back to NBC with Jim Perry as host and it too became a major success. The same format also appeared in [[MultiNationalShows other countries]]. Unlike most games, ''Sale'' allowed all contestants to take home whatever money and prizes were credited to them, regardless of the outcome. This era ran for 1,578 NBC Daytime episodes from January 3, 1983 to March 24, 1989, as well as roughly 315 First-Run-Syndication episodes from January 1985 to June 1986.

* LuckyCharmsTitle: Everywhere except the United Kingdom, the title was spelled with a dollar sign, at "$ale of the Century"

*** The Australian version's "Instant Cash" was initially known as the "Cash Box", which was the same as the American version, only the jackpot started at $2,000 and increased by $1,000 each day until won. This was replaced with "Cash Card" in 1989 [[hottip:*: (Four actual playing cards, all Aces, each representing one element--a bonus prize, a worthless prize, $15 onto the score, and the "Cash Card".)]], which had the jackpot start at $5,000 and increased by $1,000 each day until won. Unlike "Cash Box", the "Cash Card" cost a flat $15, and for the first few years, the second place player was given a chance to play by selecting one of the three remaining cards if the leader initially refused (with the Jackpot taken out of play). The accumulating Jackpot and the second place option were discontinued in 1993, with the "Cash Card" now worth a flat $5,000 (raised to $10,000 on occasion).

During the show's run in the United Kingdom (1971-83), ''Sale'' was purchased by Australian producer Reg Grundy, who made some tweaks to the format and debuted a version in his native country on July 14, 1980. [[note]](Grundy had already produced a similar show called ''Temptation'' in Australia from 1970 to 1976. Its host, Tony Barber, returned to helm Grundy's ''Sale'' until 1991.)[[/note]] After this became a major success as well, he took it back to NBC with Jim Perry as host and it too became a major success. The same format also appeared in [[MultiNationalShows other countries]]. Unlike most games, ''Sale'' allowed all contestants to take home whatever money and prizes were credited to them, regardless of the outcome.

** ''Everything'' on the UK version, mainly because the broadcasting rules of the time placed a strict limit on prize value. ''Series/TheBennyHillShow''[[note]]on which UK ''Sale'' host Nicholas Parsons was the sometime resident straight man[[/note]] parodied this at least twice, one of which felt eerily like the American ''Temptation''.

** Then, after winning the game, they had to find the "WIN" card on the Winner's Board, then find the CAR.[[note]]If the board was cleared, and the car had not been won at that point, that was the major prize offered on the next show, followed by the jackpot.[[/note]]

** During the Shopping Era, the announcer would say, "Today/Tonight, on America's biggest bargain sale, we're offering (name of luxury car and retail value) for (amount), a cash jackpot of (amount) for (amount). Two of the incredible bargains on 'Sale of the Century'!"[[note]]On the syndicated version's shopping format episodes, the announcers' opening narration was a combination of that, and the daytime editions' episodes with the winner's board. When the daytime edition had the shopping format with the cash jackpot, only its current amount was mentioned.[[/note]]

*** The Australian version's "Instant Cash" was initially known as the "Cash Box", which was the same as the American version, only the jackpot started at $2,000 and increased by $1,000 each day until won. This was replaced with "Cash Card" in 1989 [[hottip:*: Four actual playing cards, all Aces, each representing one element, a bonus prize, a worthless prize, $15 onto the score, and the jackpot]], which had the jackpot start at $5,000 and increased by $1,000 each day until won. Unlike "Cash Box", the "Cash Card" cost a flat $15, and for the first few years, the second place player was given a chance to play by selecting one of the three remaining cards if the leader initially refused (with the Jackpot taken out of play). The accumulating Jackpot and the second place option were discontinued in 1993.

** During the Shopping Era, the announcer would say, "Today/Tonight, on America's biggest bargain sale, we're offering (name of luxury car and retail value) for (amount), a cash jackpot of (amount) for (amount). Two of the incredible bargains on 'Sale of the Century'!"[[note]]On the syndicated version's shopping format episodes, the announcers' opening narration was a combination of that, and the daytime editions' episodes with the winner's board. When the daytime edition had the shopping format with the cash jackpot, it only mentioned its current amount.[[/note]]

** During the Shopping Era, the announcer would say, "Today/Tonight, on America's biggest bargain sale, we're offering (name of luxury car and retail value) for (amount), a cash jackpot of (amount) for (amount). Two of the incredible bargains on 'Sale of the Century'!"

* LuckyCharmsTitle: Everywhere except the United Kingdom, the title was spelled with a dollar sign.

** In late 1987, this was changed to the Winner's Big Money Game, a speed round with a series of word puzzles played for a jackpot increasing every time it was played by a champion[[note]](First day--$5,000, Second day--$6,000, Third day--$7,000, Fourth day--$8,000, Fifth Day--$9,000, Sixth Day--$10,000, Seventh day--a new car (if a champ lost this particular WBMG, they had to retire), Eighth and Final day--$50,000)[[/note]].

* ExtraTurn: In the second 1980s version of the Fame Game, two of the cards were "$400 or pick again" or "Mystery Money or pick again". The syndicated version had "Trip or pick again". The third NBC Perry version had "or try again" when contestants chose a number with their buzzers. If a contestant was trailing in score and needed a "Money Card" to catch up, he'd take that extra turn.

*** The Australian version's "Instant Cash" was initially known as the "Cash Box", which was the same as the American version, only the jackpot started at $2,000 and increased by $1,000 each day until won. This was replaced with "Cash Card" in 1989, which had the jackpot start at $5,000 and increased by $1,000 each day until won. Unlike "Cash Box", the "Cash Card" cost a flat $15, and for the first few years, the second place player was given a chance to play by selecting one of the three remaining cards if the leader initially refused (with the Jackpot taken out of play). The accumulating Jackpot and the second place option were discontinued in 1993.

** During the 1980s NBC/syndicated run, several prominent contestants were known to refuse even the most desirable Instant Bargains, particularly when a large end-game prize was at stake. One of the most well-known examples was Alice Conkwright, who during her seven-day championship run, refused every instant bargain; during the third Instant Bargain on her final show (where she was playing for a cash and prize package worth more than $130,000), host Jim Perry unsuccessfully swayed her to buy by offering her a $2,000 bonus.

** Then, after winning the game, they had to find the "WIN" card on the Winner's Board, then find the CAR.

** During the Shopping Era, the announcer would say, "Today, on America's biggest bargain sale, we're offering (name of luxury car and retail value), on sale today for (amount), and a cash jackpot of (amount), on sale today for (amount). Two of the incredible bargains today on 'Sale of the Century'!"
** During the Winners Board and Winners Big Money Game eras, the second part was changed to having the announcer name (usually) four prizes available, followed by the car (and its value) and the $50,000 cash jackpot. "Over $100,000 available today on ... ''Sale of the Century''!"

GameShow that originally ran on Creator/{{NBC}} from 1969 to 1973 and in syndication from 1973 to 1974. Jack Kelly was the first quizmaster, succeeded by Joe Garagiola in 1971. Three solo contestants (or, from April 1973 to September 1974, two husband-wife teams) accumulated small amounts of money by answering general-knowledge questions. At certain points in the game, the player/couple in the lead could spend part of their score on ridiculously-discounted prizes.

During the show's run in the United Kingdom (1971-83), ''Sale'' was purchased by Australian producer Reg Grundy, who made some tweaks to the format and debuted a version in his native country on July 14, 1980. [[note]](Grundy had already produced a similar show called ''Temptation'' in Australia from 1970-76. Its host, Tony Barber, returned to helm Grundy's ''Sale'' until 1991.)[[/note]] After this became a major success as well, he took it back to NBC with Jim Perry as host and it too became a major success. The same format also appeared in [[MultiNationalShows other countries]]. Unlike most games, ''Sale'' allowed all contestants to take home whatever money and prizes were credited to them, regardless of the outcome.

* AllOrNothing: Semi-subverted. In the Shopping era and the Winners Board era[[note]](the $50,000 Game only in the U.S. version, and the entire run in the Australian version)[[/note]], if a returning champion lost his/her game, then all of the major prizes were lost, but he/she did keep any Instant Bargain/Gift Shop purcahses, Fame Game prizes, and cash (from the host's offers, Sale Surprises, Fame Game, and/or Instant Cash/Cashbox/Cash Card) accumulated during their run.