Fun House (American game show) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fun House |
|
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Created by | Bob Synes |
| Presented by | J. D. Roth |
| Narrated by | John "Tiny" Hurley (Syndication) Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers (FOX) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 375 |
| Production | |
| Production location(s) | Hollywood Center Studios Hollywood, California |
| Running time | approx. 22 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Stone Television (1988–1990) Stone Stanley Productions (1990–1991) Lorimar Television (1989–1990) Telepictures Productions (1990–1991) |
| Distributor | Lorimar-Telepictures (1988–1989) Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | Syndication (1988–1990) Fox (1990–1991) |
| Picture format | 4:3 |
| Original release | September 5, 1988 – April 13, 1991 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | Fun House |
Fun House was an exciting American children's game show. It aired from September 5, 1988, to April 13, 1991. For its first two seasons, it was shown daily across many TV channels. The Fox network then picked it up for its third and final season. During this time, it was called Fox's Fun House.
The show was a lot like Double Dare, another popular game show. Two teams competed against each other. They answered questions and played messy games. The winning team got to run through an awesome obstacle course. This course was designed to look like a real funhouse at a carnival. That's where the show got its name!
J. D. Roth was the host for the entire show. John "Tiny" Hurley was the first announcer. He was on the first two seasons. Michael "Boogaloo Shrimp" Chambers, a famous breakdancer, took over for the Fox season. He was known as “MC Mike.” The show also had twin cheerleaders, Jackie and Sammi Forrest.
Bob Synes, a skilled game show producer, created Fun House. He had worked on other shows like Let’s Make a Deal.
Contents
How the Game Was Played
In Fun House, two teams competed in each episode. Each team had one boy and one girl. One team wore red uniforms, and the other wore gold. Each team had its own cheerleader. Jackie always cheered for the red team. Sammi always cheered for the gold team.
Stunt Challenges
Every episode featured three fun and messy stunts or games. One stunt was for the boys, one for the girls. The third stunt involved all four contestants. Some games, like "Pinhead" and "Dump-O," were races. Teams had to answer questions quickly. The losing contestant often got covered in slime or other messy stuff! If a stunt ended in a tie, both teams earned points. After each stunt, a quick question was asked for 25 points.
The Grand Prix Race
The Grand Prix race was the final and most exciting round. Both teams raced two laps around a track in the studio. They switched lanes after the first lap.
Sometimes, teams used vehicles for the race. One teammate would push or pull the vehicle. The other teammate would ride inside. They would switch roles for the second lap. Other times, the race was run on foot. It was like a traditional relay race. One teammate ran a lap, then switched with the other.
Small challenges were set up along the track. Teams had to complete them during the race. This might include gathering items or running through tires. The host, J.D. Roth, used green and checkered flags to start and finish the race. The first team to cross the finish line won 25 points.
Teams could also collect special tokens during the race. These tokens added to their score. There were four stations around the track. Each station had a white token and a blue token. Teams carried a small bag around their necks for the tokens. If tokens fell out, they didn't count.
Teams didn't have to take the tokens. Taking them would slow them down. But J.D. Roth always encouraged teams to grab them. The tokens often decided who won the game! White tokens were worth 10 points. Blue tokens were worth 25 points. In the second season, a "Token Bank" was added. It had pre-packaged handfuls of tokens worth up to 200 points!
After the race, scores were tallied. The team with the lower score had their tokens counted first. Then, the leading team's tokens were counted. The team with the highest score won the game! They earned the right to enter the famous Fun House. If scores were tied, a final question decided the winner.
Exploring the Fun House
The Fun House was a huge play area. It had many rooms and obstacles. It was just like a real funhouse at an amusement park!
The goal was to find special price tags inside. There were sixteen tags in total. Six red tags represented prizes. Each red tag was hidden in a different room. A sign showed what prize was in each room. Ten green tags represented money. These were hung in plain sight. They were worth between $50 and $300.
One team member would run into the Fun House first. They could grab up to three tags at a time. Once they reached the limit, they returned to the start. Then the other teammate went in to grab more. They did this for two minutes. They tried to collect as many tags as possible. When time ran out, no more tags could be collected.
In the third season, a big alarm clock called the Glop Clock was hidden. If a team found it, they got an extra fifteen seconds!
After their run, their prizes were revealed. Both teammates got to keep everything they collected. This included any prizes they had when time ran out.
One prize in each run was the "Power Prize." If a team found this tag, both teammates won a bonus vacation trip! The audience knew where it was hidden. But the team didn't know they found it until their run was over.
Fun House offered much bigger prizes than other kids' game shows. Shows like Double Dare usually gave out $2,000–$3,000 in prizes. But Fun House prizes could be worth over $10,000! It was common for teams to win over $3,000 or $4,000.
College Mad House
College Mad House was a spin-off show from Fun House. It featured teams of college students. The games and content were made for an older audience. It aired on weekends and was hosted by Greg Kinnear.
Instead of two team members, there were four. Like Fun House, there was an equal number of guys and girls.
Fun House Merchandise
Board Game
| Players | 2 to 3 |
|---|---|
| Setup time | < 3 minutes |
| Playing time | < 60 minutes |
| Random chance | Mild (mostly skill) |
| Skill(s) required | Reading/Counting/Answering questions |
A Fun House board game was released in 1988. It was based on the TV show. The game used dice, markers, and a board that looked like a fun house. Sometimes, this game was given as a prize on the show.
Travel Game
Tiger Electronics released a Klix Pocket Travel Game in 1989.
Video and Computer Games
Hi Tech Expressions released Fun House games. Versions for the Commodore 64 and MS-DOS came out in 1989. A version for the NES was released in 1991.
Exercise Videos
In 1990, two exercise videos were released. They were part of the Fun House Fitness collection. Jane Fonda and J. D. Roth hosted them. The Swamp Stomp was for kids aged 3–7. The Fun House Funk was for kids aged 7 and up.
