3rd Degree (game show)

3rd Degree was a syndicated game show similar to Goodson-Todman game shows "What's My Line" & "Make the Connection".

Production & Broadcast History

The show was produced by Burt & Bert Productions, Kline & Friends, and distributed by Warner Bros. Television.

It lasted for one season from September 11, 1989 - September 7, 1990.

Cast

"3rd Degree" was hosted by Bert Convy, who also created & produced the show with Burt Reynolds; and it was announced by Bob Hilton.

Premise

A panel of four celebrities who were split into two teams (two men & two women) faced a team of two contestants who have a special relationship between them. Two rounds were played for each civilian team; in each round, each team of celebrities had a limited time to question the contestants (giving them the third degree (hence the name of the show)). In the first round, each team of celebrities had one minute to question the contestants, and in the second round, the time was cut to 30 seconds. When the time is up, the celebrity team in control then got to guess the relationship, or when Bert Convy asks the question, "What's the relationship?" when they are getting close to the correct relationship. An incorrect guess won $250 to the contestants, and stumping the panel completely won $1,000 plus a $1,000 bonus, for a maximum total of $2,000.

Notes

*Peter Marshall of "Hollywood Squares" fame, hosted the pilot for "3rd Degree". But when the show become a series, he was forced to be let go, after host Convy left his other show "Win, Lose or Draw" to make room for new host Robb Weller. This angered Marshall, so he sued Convy for the actions; but when Convy died, the suit was dropped.
*Michael Burger then-of "Straight to the Heart" & David Ruprecht of "Supermarket Sweep", appeared on the show as contestants.
*Don Messick and Lucille Bliss appeared as contestants on the show and the panel knew after the first minute that they are voice stars from the Smurfs. Don & Lucille had to settle for parting gifts on the show, but did the voices of Papa Smurf and Smurfette when heading off to a commerical break.
*Thurl Ravenscroft, who did Tony the Tiger for Frosted Flakes cereal, was a contestant on the show and he and his teammate stumped the panel and won $2,000.
*A team of four men, who all played the character Jason in the Friday the 13th movies, were contestants and stumped the panel to win $2,000.
*One team's relationship gotten to perform a magic trick by sawing Bert Convy in half.
*Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin were contestants on the show which had footage of Bigfoot that they have spotted.

External links

*imdb title|id=0362334|title=3rd Degree
* [http://web.archive.org/web/20040608064754/bertconvy.net/degree.html The Third Degree page from bertconvy.net (from archive.org)]