Bob Stewart (television producer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Stewart
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Stewart in 1998
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| Born |
Isidore L. Steinberg
August 27, 1920 Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
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| Died | May 4, 2012 (aged 91) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Television producer |
| Years active | 1956–1991 |
| Television | To Tell the Truth Password The Price Is Right Pyramid |
| Board member of | Stewart Television |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Daytime Emmy Award |
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Bob Stewart (born Isidore L. Steinberg; August 27, 1920 – May 4, 2012) was an American television producer. He was famous for creating many popular game shows. He worked in TV from 1956 until he retired in 1991.
Stewart is known for making some of the most loved game shows. These include To Tell the Truth, Password, and The Price Is Right. His biggest hit was the Pyramid series, which started in 1973.
The Price Is Right and To Tell the Truth are special. They are the only game shows created by Stewart that have been on TV in the US every decade since the 1950s. As of 2023, three of his shows are still airing: The Price Is Right, Pyramid, and Password.
Contents
Early Life of Bob Stewart
Bob Stewart was born Isidore Steinberg in Brooklyn, New York City. His parents were immigrants from Russia. He later changed his name to Bob Stewart. He did this because he believed it would help him get more chances in television.
During World War II, Stewart served in the Air Force. After the war, in 1946, he took a course on writing for radio. Soon after, his teacher hired him to work at a radio station in New York City.
Working with Goodson-Todman
Stewart started his TV career at stations like WNEW and NBC in New York. He got the idea for The Price Is Right after seeing an auction. He called his idea The Auctionaire at first.
In 1956, Stewart joined Goodson-Todman Productions. This was a big company that made game shows. He met a broadcaster named Monty Hall who helped him get the job.
Creating Famous Game Shows
The Price Is Right first aired on November 26, 1956. Bill Cullen was the host. The show was very popular. Later, in 1972, the show was updated and became The New Price Is Right. This version is still on TV today.
To Tell the Truth started in December 1956. On this show, a panel of celebrities had to guess which person was telling the truth. Stewart came up with the idea by having people guess who was a real soldier.
In 1961, Stewart created Password. This was a word-guessing game. It was the first game show to have both celebrities and regular people playing together. It also made the "Lightning Round" famous, where contestants could win more money.
Stewart was one of the talented producers at Goodson-Todman. He and others came up with many ideas for new game shows.
Why Stewart Left Goodson-Todman
By 1964, Stewart wanted to leave Goodson-Todman. He had an idea for a new word game, but the company didn't want it. He decided to start his own company. Even though he left, Goodson-Todman kept the rights to the shows he created for them.
The idea that was rejected became The $10,000 Pyramid in 1973.
Bob Stewart Productions
After leaving Goodson-Todman, Bob Stewart started his own company, Bob Stewart Productions. His first show was Eye Guess, a memory game. It aired on NBC from 1966 to 1969. His friend Bill Cullen hosted it.
Other early shows included The Face Is Familiar and Personality. He also created Three on a Match, which was another moderate success.
The Success of Pyramid
Stewart's biggest hit with his own company was Pyramid. This show was originally hosted by Dick Clark. Like Password, it was a word-association game. It first aired on March 26, 1973.
Pyramid was a huge success. It ran for 15 years on and off. The prize money in the title changed over time, like The $10,000 Pyramid or The $100,000 Pyramid. It has won nine Emmy awards for best game show. Many different versions of Pyramid have aired over the years, with various hosts. Today, The $100,000 Pyramid is still on ABC.
Stewart's company, Bob Stewart Productions, later moved from New York to Los Angeles. Most of his shows were then made in Hollywood.
Other Shows by Bob Stewart
Stewart also created other game shows. These often involved words or puzzles. Some of them were Winning Streak (1974–75), Blankety Blanks (1975), Shoot for the Stars (1977), Pass the Buck (1978), Go (1983–84), and Double Talk (1986).
Some of his shows, like Jackpot! and Chain Reaction, were even filmed in Canada. These shows were popular on the USA Network in the 1980s.
Retirement and Legacy
In the mid-1980s, Bob Stewart started to slow down his work. His son, Sande Stewart, began to take over the company. After 1987, their shows were known as Bob Stewart & Sande Stewart Productions. In 1990, the company became Stewart Television.
Bob Stewart fully retired in 1991. His son Sande continued to produce game shows. In 1994, Stewart Television was sold to Sony Pictures Entertainment. Many of Bob Stewart's shows are still shown on the GSN.
Even after retiring, Stewart stayed involved. He was a creative consultant for his son's company. He also attended events about game shows. For a long time, he held the record for the most Daytime Emmy Awards in game show production.
In 2010, Bob Stewart was honored. He was put into the Television Academy Hall of Fame for his important work in television.
Death
Bob Stewart passed away on May 4, 2012, in Los Angeles, California. He was 91 years old. In 2013, he received a special Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daytime Emmy Awards. His son Sande accepted the award for him.
Bob Stewart Shows
- Eye Guess (1966–1969, NBC)
- The Face Is Familiar (1966, CBS prime time)
- Personality (1967–1969, NBC)
- You're Putting Me On (1969, NBC)
- Three on a Match (1971–1974, NBC)
- Pyramid
- The $10,000 Pyramid (1973–1974, CBS; 1974–1976, ABC)
- The $20,000 Pyramid (1976–1980, ABC)
- The $25,000 Pyramid (1974–1979, weekly syndication)
- The $50,000 Pyramid (1981, daily syndication)
- The (New) $25,000 Pyramid (1982–1988, CBS)
- The $100,000 Pyramid (1985–1988, daily syndication)
- The $100,000 Pyramid (1991, daily syndication)
- Jackpot!
- 1974–1975, NBC
- 1985–1988, USA Network
- 1989–1990, daily syndication
- Winning Streak (1974–1975, NBC)
- Blankety Blanks (1975, ABC)
- Shoot for the Stars (1977, NBC)
- Pass the Buck (1978, CBS daytime)
- The Love Experts (1978–1979, daily syndication)
- Chain Reaction (1980, NBC daytime, 1986–1991 USA Network)
- Go (1983–1984, NBC)
- Double Talk (1986, ABC; revival of Shoot for the Stars)
Images for kids
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Bob Stewart's signature
