History Trivia / ThePeoplesCourt

** Originally, when John Masterson devised the format in 1975, he originally pitched it to Stefan Hatos-Creator/MontyHall Productions (responsible for various shows including ''Series/LetsMakeADeal'' and ''Series/SplitSecond''- ironically, Billett was a producer on that show's ABC run, and E-B would produce an unsold revival pilot in 1990). Hatos and Hall were interested and gave Masterson a one-year option to sell the show. Unfortunately, the networks weren't interested and the option ran out.

** Originally, when John Masterson devised the format in 1975, he originally pitched it to Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions (responsible for various shows including ''Series/LetsMakeADeal'' and ''Series/SplitSecond''- ironically, Billett was a producer on that show's ABC run, and E-B would produce an unsold revival pilot in 1990). Hatos and Hall were interested and gave Masterson a one-year option to sell the show. Unfortunately, the networks weren't interested and the option ran out.

** Wapner (a real, retired judge) almost didn't get the judge's seat. When Ralph Edwards and Stu Billett pitched the show to Creator/{{NBC}}, the network wanted a black comedian like Nipsey Russell or Pigmeat Markham to preside, all the while making jokes during the proceedings (although after a commercial break, he'd be coached by a real judge and would then give his decision). NBC had Edwards and Billett shoot two pilots, one with Wapner and one with Markham, after which the network would determine which would go to air. After taping the Wapner pilot, Edwards and Billett felt they just couldn't do a Markham pilot because it'd be too campy, and instead decided to bypass the networks and go straight to FirstRunSyndication.

** Joseph Wapner (a real, retired judge) almost didn't get the judge's seat. When Ralph Edwards and Stu Billett pitched the show to Creator/{{NBC}}, the network wanted a black comedian like Nipsey Russell or Pigmeat Markham to preside, all the while making jokes during the proceedings (although after a commercial break, he'd be coached by a real judge and would then give his decision). NBC had Edwards and Billett shoot two pilots, one with Wapner and one with Markham, after which the network would determine which would go to air. After taping the Wapner pilot, Edwards and Billett felt they just couldn't do a Markham pilot because it'd be too campy, and instead decided to bypass the networks and go straight to FirstRunSyndication.

** Joseph Wapner almost didn't get the judge's seat. When Ralph Edwards and Stu Billett pitched the show to Creator/{{NBC}}, the network wanted a black comedian like Nipsey Russell or Pigmeat Markham to preside, all the while making jokes during the proceedings (although after a commercial break, he'd be coached by a real judge and would then give his decision). NBC had Edwards and Billett shoot two pilots, one with Wapner and one with Markham, after which the network would determine which would go to air. After taping the Wapner pilot, Edwards and Billett felt they just couldn't do a Markham pilot because it'd be too campy, and instead decided to bypass the networks and go straight to FirstRunSyndication.

** Originally, when John Masterson devised the format in 1975, he originally pitched it to Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions (responsible for various shows including ''Series/LetsMakeADeal'' and ''Series/SplitSecond''- ironically, Billett was a produce on that show's ABC run, and E-B would produce an unsold revival pilot in 1990). Hatos and Hall were interested and gave Masterson a one-year option to sell the show. Unfortunately, the networks weren't interested and the option ran out.

** Originally, when John Masterson devised the format in 1975, he originally pitched it to Stefan Hatos-Monty Hall Productions (responsible for various shows including ''Series/LetsMakeADeal'' and ''Series/SplitSecond''). Hatos and Hall were interested and gave Masterson a one-year option to sell the show. Unfortunately, the networks weren't interested and the option ran out.

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: The Wapner version has not been seen since the late 2000's, when it was reran on [=In2TV=], an internet television service jointly owned by America Online and Warner Bros.

** Joseph Wapner almost didn't get the judge's seat. When Ralph Edwards and Stu Billett pitched the show to Creator/{{NBC}}, the network wanted a black comedian like Nipsey Russell or Pigmeat Markham to preside, all the while making jokes during the proceedings (although after a commercial break, he'd be coached by a real judge and would then give his decision). NBC had Edwards and Billett shoot two pilots, one with Wapner and one with Markham, after which the network would determine which would go to air. After taping the Wapner pilot, Edwards and Billett felt they just couldn't do a Markham pilot because it'd be too campy, and instead decided to bypass the networks and go straight to first-run syndication.

** Originally, when John Masterson devised the format in 1975, the two people he first pitched it to were Monty Hall, the host of ''Series/LetsMakeADeal'' and ''Series/SplitSecond'', and his production partner, Stefan Hatos. Both were interested and gave Masterson a one year option to sell the show. Unfortunately, the networks weren't interested, and the option ran out.
** Joseph Wapner almost didn't get the judge's seat, because when Ralph Edwards and Stu Billett were pitching the show to Creator/{{NBC}}, the network wanted a black comedian like Nipsey Russell or Pigmeat Markham, to preside, all the while making jokes during the proceedings. After a commercial break, he would be coached by a real judge and would then give his decision. NBC then had Edwards and Billett shoot two pilots, one with Wapner and one with Markham, and NBC would then determine which would go to air. However, after shooting the pilot with Wapner, Edwards and Billett felt that they just couldn't shoot the pilot with Markham, feeling it would be too campy, and instead they decided to just bypass the networks altogether and go straight to first-run syndication.
** Similarly, Rusty Burrell was almost passed over for the bailiff's position because Stu Billett originally wanted a "[[LovelyAssistant sexy girl]]" to be the bailiff. It was only at Joseph Wapner's insistence that Rusty got the job.

** Joseph Wapner almost didn't get the judge's seat, because when Ralph Edwards and Stu Billett were pitching the show to {{NBC}}, the network wanted a black comedian like Nipsey Russell or Pigmeat Markham, to preside, all the while making jokes during the proceedings. After a commercial break, he would be coached by a real judge and would then give his decision. NBC then had Edwards and Billett shoot two pilots, one with Wapner and one with Markham, and NBC would then determine which would go to air. However, after shooting the pilot with Wapner, Edwards and Billett felt that they just couldn't shoot the pilot with Markham, feeling it would be too campy, and instead they decided to just bypass the networks altogether and go straight to first-run syndication.

** Originally, when John Masterson devised the format in 1975, the two people he first pitched it to were Monty Hall, the host of ''Series/LetsMakeADeal'' and ''Series/SplitSecond'', and his production partner Stefan Hatos. Both men were interested and gave Masterson a one year option to sell the show. Unfortunately, the networks weren't interested, and the option ran out.
** Joseph Wapner almost didn't get the judge's seat, because when Ralph Edwards and Stu Billett were pitching the show to {{NBC}}, the network wanted a black comedian like Nipsey Russell or Pigmeat Markham, to preside, all the while making jokes during the proceedings. After a commercial break, he would be coached by real judge and would then give his decision.

** Originally, when John Masterson devised the format in 1975, the two people he first pitched it to were Monty Hall, the host of ''LetsMakeADeal'' and ''Series/SplitSecond'', and his production partner Stefan Hatos. Both men were interested and gave Masterson a one year option to sell the show. Unfortunately, the networks weren't interested, and the option ran out.

** Similarly, Rusty Burrell was almost passed over for the bailiff's position because Stu Billett originally wanted a "[[TheVanna sexy girl]]" to be the bailiff. It was only at Joseph Wapner's insistence that Rusty got the job.