Barry & Enright Productions facts for kids

Stafford-Enright Productions

Formerly	Barry & Enright Productions (1947–1991)
Industry	Television production
Founded	1947; 78 years ago (1947)
Founders	Jack Barry Dan Enright
Defunct	1991; 34 years ago (1991)
Headquarters	New York City, New York, United States
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Television series Game show

Barry & Enright Productions was an American company that made television shows. It was started in 1947 by two friends, Jack Barry and Dan Enright. They created many popular shows, especially game shows, that entertained millions of viewers for decades.

How Barry & Enright Started Their TV Journey

Jack Barry and Dan Enright first met at a radio station in New York City. Their first shows were for children. One was Juvenile Jury, where kids shared their ideas on everyday problems. Another was Life Begins at Eighty, which was similar but featured older people. Both of these shows moved to television in 1950.

They also made Winky Dink and You. This show was very interactive for young viewers. Kids could use a special "magic slate" on their TV screen. They would draw along with Mr. Barry as he told stories. This helped kids use their imagination.

In 1953, Barry & Enright created their first game show. It was called Back That Fact.

Challenges and Comebacks for the Company

In 1956, Barry & Enright created two famous game shows: Twenty-One and Tic-Tac-Dough. They also helped create Concentration. However, in 1958, Twenty-One was canceled. It was discovered that the show's outcomes were secretly planned by the producers. This caused a big scandal in television. Laws were then made to stop game shows from being unfair.

Because of this, Tic-Tac-Dough was also canceled in 1959. Barry & Enright had to sell their game shows to NBC. The company then stopped making shows for a while. Jack Barry and Dan Enright could not work in American television for some years.

Returning to Television Production

In the 1960s, Jack Barry and Dan Enright started making game shows again in Canada. This helped them slowly return to American television.

In 1967, Jack Barry created a show called Everybody's Talking. It aired on ABC. Later, in 1971, Dan Enright also returned to TV as a producer. Jack Barry then started his own company, Jack Barry Productions. In 1972, he launched a very successful game show called The Joker's Wild on CBS. This show became a big hit and helped Jack Barry restart his career.

Barry & Enright Productions Reunited

In 1975, Jack Barry asked Dan Enright to join him again. They reformed their original company, Barry & Enright Productions. Their first new show was Break the Bank in 1976.

They then brought back The Joker's Wild in 1977. The next year, they got the rights back to Tic-Tac-Dough from NBC. The syndicated version of Tic-Tac-Dough became very popular and ran until 1986. The company also produced other game shows like Bullseye and Hot Potato.

Besides game shows, Barry & Enright also worked on other projects. They made comedy films like Private Lessons (1981) and Making Mr. Right (1987). They also produced a news show called Jack Anderson Confidential.

Changes After Jack Barry's Passing

In 1984, Jack Barry passed away. Dan Enright then took full control of the company. He made some changes that led to some long-time employees leaving. These included Jack Barry's sons, Jon and Douglas. They started their own company called Kline & Friends.

After The Joker's Wild and Tic-Tac-Dough ended in 1986, Barry & Enright Productions struggled to create another big hit in America. However, Dan Enright did co-produce a successful show in Canada called Bumper Stumpers.

The last show under the Barry & Enright name was a short return of Tic-Tac-Dough in 1990. In 1991, the company changed its name to Stafford-Enright Productions. Dan Enright passed away in 1992.

How Barry & Enright Game Shows Worked

Barry & Enright game shows had some common features. For example, on shows like The Joker's Wild and Tic-Tac-Dough, contestants usually played until they lost. If a contestant won five games in a row, they would often win a new car! One famous contestant, Thom McKee, won eight cars on Tic-Tac-Dough during his 43-game winning streak.

Many of their shows also had special bonus games. In these games, players had to avoid a "hazard" to win. If they succeeded, they would get cash and a package of prizes.

Here are some examples of these bonus games:

• The Joker's Wild: Players had to avoid "The Devil" to win money or special spins.
• Tic-Tac-Dough: Contestants tried to avoid a dragon. They could win by completing a tic-tac-toe, getting a certain amount of money, or finding special words.
• Bullseye: Players had to avoid a bolt of lightning. They could win by getting three bullseyes or surviving a certain number of turns.

People Who Worked at Barry & Enright

Many talented people worked for Barry & Enright Productions. Susan Stafford was the vice president for public relations. Louis M. Heyward was in charge of developing new shows. Jack Barry's children, Jonathan, Douglas, and Barbara, also worked for the company.

Some well-known announcers for their shows included Johnny Jacobs and Jay Stewart. Later, Charlie O'Donnell became the main announcer.

Many famous hosts also worked on Barry & Enright shows:

• Jim Peck: Often filled in for Jack Barry on The Joker's Wild.
• Geoff Edwards: Hosted Hollywood's Talking and Play the Percentages.
• Bill Cullen: Hosted Hot Potato and took over The Joker's Wild after Jack Barry's death.
• Wink Martindale: Hosted Tic-Tac-Dough and later co-produced Bumper Stumpers.
• Hugh Downs: Hosted the original Concentration.
• Tom Kennedy: Hosted Break the Bank.
• Nipsey Russell: Hosted later versions of Juvenile Jury.

Who Owns the Shows Now?

Today, the rights to the shows made by Barry & Enright Productions are owned by different companies. Most of the shows made before the quiz show scandal are owned by NBCUniversal Television Distribution. Most of the shows made after the scandal are owned by Sony Pictures Television.

However, there are some exceptions. For example, Winky Dink and You is owned by its original creators. The Walt Disney Company owns the rights to the TV drama pilot Jake's Way.

Shows Made by Barry & Enright Productions

Here are some of the shows and films produced by Barry & Enright Productions and its related companies:

Owned by NBCUniversal Television

• Juvenile Jury (1947–1955)
• Life Begins at Eighty (1950–1956)
• Back That Fact (1953)
• Tic-Tac-Dough (1956–1959)
• Twenty-One (1956–1958)
• Concentration (1958–1973)
• Dough Re Mi (1958–1960)
• Pictionary (1989)

Owned by Sony Pictures Television

• The Joker's Wild (1972–1975, 1977–1986, 1990–1991)
• Hollywood's Talking (1973)
• Blank Check (1975)
• Break the Bank (1976–1977)
• Tic-Tac-Dough (1978–1986 and 1990–1991)
• Joker, Joker, Joker (1979–1981) (A children's version of The Joker's Wild)
• Play the Percentages (1980)
• Bullseye (1980–1982)
• Hot Potato (1984)
• Bumper Stumpers (1987–1990)
• Chain Letters (1987–1997)
• Juvenile Jury (1983–1984 and 1989–1991)

Other Productions

• Winky Dink and You (1953–1957)
• Private Lessons (1981 film)
• Jack Anderson Confidential (1982-1983) (A news show)
• Making Mr. Right (1987 film)
• Next of Kin (1989 film)
• Caroline? (1990 TV Movie)