Mark Goodson

Mark Goodson (January 14, 1915 – December 18, 1992) was an American television producer born in Sacramento, California.

Related Topics:
January 14 - 1915 - December 18 - 1992 - American - Television - Sacramento, California

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Goodson and long-time partner Bill Todman produced some of the longest-running game shows in television history. The long list of Goodson-Todman productions includes Beat the Clock, Family Feud, Match Game, Match Game PM, Password, The Price is Right, To Tell the Truth, and What's My Line?.

Related Topics:
Bill Todman - Game shows - Beat the Clock - Family Feud - Match Game - Match Game PM - Password - The Price is Right - To Tell the Truth - What's My Line?

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Many of the actual formats were devised by producers working for Goodson-Todman. For example, Bob Bach co-created What's My Line?, Allan Sherman created I've Got a Secret, and Bob Stewart created Password, The Price is Right and To Tell the Truth. But the shows flourished, many over multiple runs, because of Goodson's sharp eye for production and presentation. While Todman primarily handled the company's business affairs in the early days, Goodson oversaw the creative end of the company. His knowledge of what made a successful game show in terms of both format and presentation was pivotal to the longevity of the shows he produced.

Related Topics:
What's My Line? - Allan Sherman - I've Got a Secret - Password - The Price is Right - To Tell the Truth

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Originally based in New York, most of the company's production moved to Hollywood in the early seventies (as have other major production companies such as Barry & Enright and Merv Griffin). Goodson acquired Todman's share of the company following Todman's death in 1979 and the company was renamed Mark Goodson Productions in 1982. After that, announcers signed off each show as "a Mark Goodson television production" instead of "a Mark Goodson-Bill Todman production." Announcers Johnny Olson and Gene Wood were frequently heard on Goodson-Todman shows.

Related Topics:
New York - Hollywood - 1979 - 1982 - Announcer - Johnny Olson - Gene Wood

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Goodson died in 1992 at age 77 in Los Angeles. Fremantle Media now owns the rights to the Goodson-Todman library of game shows. While The Price is Right and Family Feud continue production to this day, classic Goodson-Todman shows have found a new life and a new audience in reruns on Game Show Network.

Related Topics:
1992 - Los Angeles - Fremantle Media - Game Show Network

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Son Jonathan has continued the new game show concepts, as he joined the firm in 1973 as a legal counsel, but began production work with the company's shows, including producing the 1990 version of Match Game, and stayed through corporate takeovers until 1998, when he left to begin his own procution company, Jonathan Goodson Productions, which produces both state lottery game shows and original game show concepts, with 2003's Dirty Rotten Cheater being the newest Goodson game, and already has been sold internationally.

Related Topics:
Match Game - Dirty Rotten Cheater

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Many of the themes from 1960's-on were either composed by Score Productions or by Edd Kalehoff.

Related Topics:
Score Productions - Edd Kalehoff

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