Runaround (game show) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Runaround |
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| Created by | Heatter-Quigley Productions |
| Presented by | Paul Winchell |
| Narrated by | Kenny Williams |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Picture format | NTSC |
| Original release | September 9, 1972 – September 1, 1973 |
Runaround was a fun children's game show that aired on TV! It was made by Heatter-Quigley Productions and hosted by Paul Winchell. He was a famous ventriloquist and voice actor. The show was on NBC every Saturday morning from September 1972 to September 1973.
Paul Winchell often brought his puppet friends, Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff, onto the show. Even though it was a cool show, it only lasted for one season.
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How the Game Worked
The game show had nine children as contestants. They would answer multiple-choice questions with three possible answers. Each answer had a special spot on the floor, marked 1, 2, or 3.
When a question was asked, the kids would run to the spot they thought was the correct answer. But there was a twist! Just before the host, Paul Winchell, showed the right answer, he would shout, "Runaround... now!"
This meant the kids had a tiny moment to quickly jump to a different answer spot if they wanted to. The idea was to "runaround" their opponents, in case someone was just copying what another player did.
Getting the Right Answer
Paul Winchell had a special saying before he revealed the correct answer: "When you hear the click, stick!" Then, he would make a clicking sound. If any player was still moving or not standing on one of the three answer spots when they heard the click, they were out of that round.
Next, Paul would say, "Let's see who's right with the light!" The lights on the stage would dim, and the area for the correct answer would light up brightly.
Players who were standing on the correct answer spot got a pink ball. They dropped these balls into a clear tube, which helped keep score. Players who were on the wrong spot were out of that round. The child with the most pink balls at the end of the show won the game!
Runaround Around the World
Runaround was so popular that other countries made their own versions of the show!
Dutch Version: Ren je Rot
The show's idea was sold to the Netherlands. Their version was called Ren je Rot, which means "Run Till You Drop" in Dutch. It started on October 5, 1973.
The show was hosted by Martin Brozius, and his catchphrase was "Rrrren je rrrot". Ren je Rot was on TV for many years, with 123 episodes. The last show aired on June 1, 1983.
German Version: Eins, Zwei oder Drei
Germany also created its own version called Eins, Zwei oder Drei, meaning "One, Two or Three". It began on December 10, 1977. This was one of the first American TV shows to be made in Germany!
In this show, three teams compete: one from Germany, one from Austria, and one from another country. Each team has three children, usually around nine to eleven years old. Many different hosts have presented the show over the years, including Michael Schanze, Birgit Lechtermann, Gregor Steinbrenner, Daniel Fischer, and the current host, Elton.
