Hosting "Super Password" (what if...)

[groundchuck]

Bert Convy did a terrific job hosting "Super Password" for nearly 5 seasons on NBC from 1984 to 1989. I've always had this one question: If "Body Language" had not come about for CBS, would Tom Kennedy been offered the job as the host of "Super Password" instead of Bert Convy. ( I guess we'll never really know.) Under the circumstances, with Allen very sick and then eventually passing, I thought Tom did a great job as host of "Password Plus" for the last 2 years. I wondered if Tom was offered the job, and if he was, did he decline it or did the producers decline it. With all that being said, I think Betty White would have given her complete support to either Tom Kennedy or Bert Convy. I guess Betty may have thought: "If anybody other than Allen was going to host "Super Password." it would have been one of those two. Anyway Bert turned out to be a great host.

[Lingofan97]

Hopefully some day we'll see Kennedy's episodes on Password Plus after Allen's health problems/death if GSN keeps leasing the seasons in order. Now, Tom Kennedy hosting Super Password? I'm not sure. Personally I could care less about Body Language as a show. But I still would have liked Convy better on Super Password in the years the show lasted.

[BillCullen1]

IIRC, Tom Kennedy was picked by Allen to host PP and he did it with the understanding that when Allen got better, he would return to host it. Sadly, that didn't happen. I think Tom did as good a job as anyone could have done, given the circumstances. Tom was already doing Body Language when SP came on. I'm guessing that Bert Convy was the first host available on GT's files at the time, so he got the gig. I always thought Jack Narz would've done a good job as host of SP. He did okay the one impromptu time he switched places with his little bro Tom Kennedy on PP.

[Lingofan97]

IIRC, Tom Kennedy was picked by Allen to host PP and he did it with the understanding that when Allen got better, he would return to host it. Sadly, that didn't happen. I think Tom did as good a job as anyone could have done, given the circumstances. Tom was already doing Body Language when SP came on. I'm guessing that Bert Convy was the first host available on GT's files at the time, so he got the gig. I always thought Jack Narz would've done a good job as host of SP. He did okay the one impromptu time he switched places with his little bro Tom Kennedy on PP.

Even though Kennedy did a good job at the end of Password Plus, I still don't think he would have been picked up for Super Password even if Body Language never happened. Bert was a better candidate to host the show.

[SpeedAndStrategy]

Although I enjoy watching Super Password, I don't think Bert Convy was the best host for it. He was too chatty, perhaps a bit too mellow, and made a lot of mistakes. Kennedy wasn't immune to slip-ups either, but overall I think he had a better grip on how to host the game than Convy. Actually, he was my favorite out of all the Password hosts, because he had a good balance between keeping command of the game and adding a little fun. (Ludden was good, but sometimes could take things a little too seriously.) I'm sure he would have been seriously considered for SP if he was available. I also agree that Jack Narz would have done well.

As a side note, I do think Convy was a better fit for other shows he hosted, like Tattletales and Win, Lose or Draw. His ability to schmooze worked to his advantage on those shows. I'm sure he would have been a good fit for Match Game '90 if his health didn't take a turn for the worse.

[thunderbird6]

I think Bert Convy was the best host for Super Password. To me, he fit perfectly, and the show was fun to watch with him.

[Lingofan97]

Although I enjoy watching Super Password, I don't think Bert Convy was the best host for it. He was too chatty, perhaps a bit too mellow, and made a lot of mistakes. Kennedy wasn't immune to slip-ups either, but overall I think he had a better grip on how to host the game than Convy. Actually, he was my favorite out of all the Password hosts, because he had a good balance between keeping command of the game and adding a little fun. (Ludden was good, but sometimes could take things a little too seriously.) I'm sure he would have been seriously considered for SP if he was available. I also agree that Jack Narz would have done well.

Convy had his share of miss ups on Super Password by shouting clues out by mistake, and the wrong beginning letters in "Alphabetics", and Kennedy never did that. Kennedy was also just a fill in and had no history with the show like Allen had, but Kennedy still did a pretty good job.

Can we please forget the idea of Jack Narz hosting Super Password

[BillCullen1]

Can we please forget the idea of Jack Narz hosting Super Password

Why?

[Lingofan97]

Why?

I don't really like Jack Narz, and it would be a worse idea of him hosting Super Password over Kennedy or Convy

[matchgame74fan]

IIRC, Tom Kennedy was picked by Allen to host PP and he did it with the understanding that when Allen got better, he would return to host it. Sadly, that didn't happen. I think Tom did as good a job as anyone could have done, given the circumstances. Tom was already doing Body Language when SP came on. I'm guessing that Bert Convy was the first host available on GT's files at the time, so he got the gig. I always thought Jack Narz would've done a good job as host of SP. He did okay the one impromptu time he switched places with his little bro Tom Kennedy on PP.

I agree. I always thought Jack was an underrated host and as much as I loved Bert, I can see why people think he'd be a good fit for the show. If only his hosting career lasted longer...

[Lingofan97]

I agree. I always thought Jack was an underrated host and as much as I loved Bert, I can see why people think he'd be a good fit for the show. If only his hosting career lasted longer...

Like with Match Game.

And underrated? I don't think any game show hosts in the 80's were really overrated like we've seen today

[brooklyn6times]

Though Bert Convy was a bit chatty at times, I still feel that he did a great job as host of "Super Password"! The show lasted exactly four and a half years in the NBC daytime lineup!




brooklyn6times aka The Brooklyn Six Project™

[Lingofan97]

Though Bert Convy was a bit chatty at times, I still feel that he did a great job as host of "Super Password"! The show lasted exactly four and a half years in the NBC daytime lineup!

I didn't think he was to chatty, just about as chatty as Allen Ludden. Some Family Feud hosts have been worse when it comes to chatter *cough*Harvey*cough*

[thunderbird6]

I didn't think he was to chatty, just about as chatty as Allen Ludden. Some Family Feud hosts have been worse when it comes to chatter *cough*Harvey*cough*

And Karn, and Dawson. Yes, even Dawson.

[Lingofan97]

And Karn, and Dawson. Yes, even Dawson.

Looking at the way they have Harvey's episodes, there's no introduction in Harvey Feud compared to Karn and O'Hurley Feud where the hosts went over and talked to the families before the first survey. Then, before 2003 they said everyone's name and Richard introduced/talked to all the families again.

So I get why Harvey has permission to be more chatty, because you actually have time in the episode.