Bullseye (American game show)

Bullseye, billed as the game in which daring determined the fate of the players, was the title of an American game show that aired in syndication from September 29, 1980 to September 24, 1982. Jim Lange was the host, and the show was produced by Jack Barry and Dan Enright. Jay Stewart was the announcer for the first season, and Charlie O'Donnell announced for the second and final season.

Gameplay

Main Game

Two contestants, one a returning champion, competed. Play began with the champion, who hit his/her plunger to stop a gameboard of three "spinning" windows. The first two windows each contained different categories (four in each window) and dollar amounts ranging from $50 to $200, while the third was a "contract" number from 1-5 (or a Bullseye). When the windows stopped spinning, the player chose either of the displayed categories, and had to fulfill the contract by correctly answering that number of questions from that category. Each correct answer added money to a pot. An incorrect answer gave the opponent a chance to answer, and assume control of the contract.

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If a Bullseye came up in the contract window, the player could choose an unlimited number of questions, with the option to stop after every correct response.

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After the contract had been completed, the player who completed the contract could elect to bank the money in the pot (passing control of the board to the opponent), or keep control of the board for another contract (leaving the money in the pot).

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The first player to bank $1,000 or more won; after a few months, this was increased to $2,000 or more, with questions also increasing to values of $100 to $400. Whatever money that was banked in this game was his/hers to keep, regardless of the game's outcome; one of the few Barry & Enright game shows in which both contestants can keep his/her money win or lose. The maximum amount a player can win in one game is $1,950; later $3,900.

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In the event a champion, who went first, answered all questions correctly and won the game without the challenger given a chance to answer or given control of the board; the challenger would play another game after the bonus round.

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Endgame

In the bonus round (known to fans as "Bonus Island"), the champion again hit a plunger to stop the three spinning windows. This time, the windows contained dollar amounts of $100, $200, or $300, or Bullseyes. One and only one window also contained a lightning bolt.

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If money came up in a window, it was added to a bank. If a Bullseye appeared, the player had the option to "freeze" that window, which was then out of play for the remainder of the game. Lightning, if it came up, bankrupted the player and ended the game. The player had the option to stop after every spin and keep the money banked.

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The object was to either get Bullseyes in all three windows, or to survive ten (later reduced to seven) spins without getting "struck by lightning." Doing either of these won a bonus prize package; getting three Bullseyes also doubled the current value of the bank, while going the maximum amount of spins (or getting three Bullseyes in a single spin) augmented the bank to a flat $5,000.

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Celebrity Bullseye (1982)

In January 1982, the show changed its name to Celebrity Bullseye and featured celebrity contestants playing for their favorite charities. At this point, the game became a two-out-of-three affair, but few if any other rules were changed, other than categories no longer announced by host Jim Lange before the game began. It was as Celebrity Bullseye that this series left the air in September of that year.

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