Monty Hall is without a doubt one of the greatest talkers of our time. You don’t have to go any farther than to watch a few of the over 4,700 “Let’s Make a Deal” shows that he’s hosted to know that. While some fans of classic TV rightfully point out that the talk show genre has its own inherent challenges (I’ll never forget watching Johnny Carson one late night, as he tried in vain to get complete sentences out of a sulky George Peppard), a game show has to constantly propel itself forward, lest it flounder and lose its audience. With that in mind, you couldn’t ask for a better man to captain your ship than “America’s Top Trader and TV’s Big Dealer”.

I mean, how many other TV hosts have a math problem named after them?

But as undeniably glib as he is, Monty has a story he tells that illustrates how thinking too fast can get anyone in trouble:

One day, near the end of a “Deal” taping, Monty turned to the traders to try some “quickie” deals, a device he often used to pad time in the event that the show ran a little short. Eventually, he happened upon a woman who, as part of her costume, was carrying a baby’s bottle. After trying unsuccessfully to buy other assorted odd items from her, he spied the bottle. And without thinking twice, he blurted out possibly the most interesting offer ever made to a contestant on the trading floor:

“I see this bottle has a nipple on it. Show me **another** nipple, and I’ll give you $100.00.”

Fortunately for Monty, she didn’t. And to show what a different time it was, in spite of the pandemonium that arose from the studio audience, it took Monty almost 30 seconds to realize what he had said. And by that time, Jay Stewart was somehow managing to avoid dissolving completely into laughter as he signed off the show.

A great story– but here’s where probability rears its head… since the year was 1969, what do you suspect the chances are that it was ever shown? Not very good, eh?

Well, never bet against the thriftiness of a network… unbelievably enough, this exchange was indeed left in the show when it aired on ABC! Even more impressively, unlike most LMAD episodes from the 60s and 70s, this one has survived to the present day, preserved as a kinescope in a private collection.

We recently had the pleasure of telling the staff of Hatos-Hall Productions of the discovery of this show… and as you might guess, just like anyone who catches their boss making a big mistake, they were ecstatic at the prospect of sharing it with everyone. To that end, both Monty and his agent (the legendary Fred Wostbrock) are looking for the proper “highlights” or “blooper” show on which to debut it. If you’re associated with a show of this type (or know someone who is) give H-H or Fred a call… or just get in touch with us here at ACTV– we’ll be happy to pass along the word.

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Got any other great classic TV “blooper” stories **you’d** like to share? Well, click on the link to the left, and sign up for the ACTV Forum. We’d love to see you there!

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