@@jessyleppert2 I wouldn't say that because the copyright year at the end of this "Malcolm" pilot read 1983, the year before Alex (may he RIP) got the "Jeopardy!" job.
How did they manipulate the animations in real time, or did they finish that up in post? Especially the mouth matching up with his voice instantly, pretty impressive for the 1980s.
The technology used to create the Malcolm character had been around since the early 1960s, and was called Aniforms (US Patent 3899848). I would guess that it was done in real time. Something similar could have been done nowadays with technology like Adobe Character Animator.
It was a flat, foam-rubber puppet in a box with a black lining. The puppet was controlled by black rods. Aniforms were promoted as "live animation", and their inventor was so afraid of copycats that his booking contracts stiputated that only his own staff could touch or operate the Aniforms, and that the Aniforms had to be carried in closed cases, and installed and taken down only by Aniforms-trained-and-approved staff, in complete privacy with nobody else around. Puppetteer Jim Boyd was one of those approved staff, and he operated the "Lorelai the Chicken" Aniform in the first season of the original "The Electric Company". In season 2, he began appearing on camera as J.Arthur Crank and other characters.
I thought that chicken puppet looked pretty familiar to this concept. The way the inventor of this process was very strict about this reminded me a lot of Paul Fusco's handling of ALF.
This is something kind of gives me an idea for another game show. Something also to do with "UA-camrs" such as a Connor Franta and his friends on O2L as well as Tyler Oakley
This would have worked better as a syndicated show which if that had been the case, WOR-TV 9 would have had it in NY, and WVIT-TV 30 would have had it in Hartford/New Haven area in CT. Would have been on at 8:30 PM on WOR-TV 9 and 9:00 AM or 9:30 AM on WVIT-TV 30. In Los Angeles, KHJ-TV 9 or KTLA-TV 5 could have had it, Boston (WBZ-TV 4), Chicago (WLS-TV 7), Springfield (WWLP-TV 22), Albany (WRGB-TV 6), Burlington/Plattsburgh (WPTZ-TV 5), Pittsburgh (WPGH-TV 53), Philadelphia (KYW-TV 3), Baltimore (WMAR-TV 2), Washington, DC (WUSA-TV 9), Richmond (WWBT-TV 12), Greensboro/Winston-Salem (WXLV-TV 45), Miami (WFOR-TV 4), Jacksonville (WJXT-TV 4), etc…
The only problem i saw in this would be the "Malcolm's Rule"... why would anyone do what's supposed to be, with no prize for being the "winnin partner"? (Other than the if you want to be back on the next show)
Question: What if Suzie and Ray had both buzzed in for the last question? They both would have gotten up to 50 at the same time. Who would have played the bonus game?
Even if this show sold, Alex could still have done J!, as this looks to be for NBC given NBC Burbank techies are listed in the closing credits. The New Battlestars ended on NBC not long before this taped. Remember ALex was doing J! and Classic COncentration for four years concurrently, and those two and To Tell the Truth concurrently for four months in 1991.
They should make Malcolm the new host of Jeopardy. That's what Alex would've wanted.
I wonder if Ray and Kevin later put this on their acting resumes: "I was on Malcolm...in the middle."
A similar animation was used for the Stretchy McGillicuddy character on America's Funniest Home Videos in the 90s.
"Don't get touchy... I'm just a little...Stretchy!"
Alex Trebek 1940-2020
Thank you for everything Alex Trebek
This game was ahead of its time!! In the early 1990’s,FOX would have bought this!
How unique and magnificent! This show never crossed my radar until tonight.
this could be a saturday morning game show
It certainly worked there if the thought was that it already had a cartoon character as the titular host.
Especially on NBC. Unfortunately, we had to wait 4 years until a game show would air on a Saturday morning.
Better than football
At least Alex went on to a lot more. Malcolm, nothing.
sha11235 Which really sucks. I bet he would've been an equally great co-host on Jeopardy.😄😄😄
@Danny. Panda I do too. Just don't always do it.
Malcolm went over to England and was in BBC 2 Schools and Colleges program Words and Pictures!
If there were a series I will get everywhere
Wow another weird game show I never heard of. Crazy. Thanx for the post.
This was an unsold pilot.
RIP: Alex Trebek
A Game Show Called "Alex?" That's just
Weird!
That clock ticking sounds like the one from Pyramid from 1973-1987, 1988, 1991, and 2012.
Plus Sale of the Century's speed round and one of Chain Reaction's bonus rounds
DG Productions the fact that you know that makes me torn between "thats just sad", and "wow what a memory!"
Plus GO!, Double Talk, and Jackpot (CBS Pilot).
This game was ahead of its time
Press your luck began a year before it. The whammy had a head start.
Maybe Jeff Dunham can revive Malcolm's career.
I'm thinking Josh Gad
He would soon be the man with all the answers
Actually Alex was already Hosting Jeopardy! At the time
@@jessyleppert2 I wouldn't say that because the copyright year at the end of this "Malcolm" pilot read 1983, the year before Alex (may he RIP) got the "Jeopardy!" job.
$10,000 In Cash!!!!!!
Cute!!
At least Alex got paid for this unlike the Pitfall fiasco
Thank goodness Trebek got a better game show in 1984.
Then again in 1987.
Caesar Computer animation at it's best.
Why didn't they have Malcolm host Jeopardy after Alex died?
How did they manipulate the animations in real time, or did they finish that up in post? Especially the mouth matching up with his voice instantly, pretty impressive for the 1980s.
The technology used to create the Malcolm character had been around since the early 1960s, and was called Aniforms (US Patent 3899848). I would guess that it was done in real time.
Something similar could have been done nowadays with technology like Adobe Character Animator.
It was a flat, foam-rubber puppet in a box with a black lining. The puppet was controlled by black rods. Aniforms were promoted as "live animation", and their inventor was so afraid of copycats that his booking contracts stiputated that only his own staff could touch or operate the Aniforms, and that the Aniforms had to be carried in closed cases, and installed and taken down only by Aniforms-trained-and-approved staff, in complete privacy with nobody else around.
Puppetteer Jim Boyd was one of those approved staff, and he operated the "Lorelai the Chicken" Aniform in the first season of the original "The Electric Company". In season 2, he began appearing on camera as J.Arthur Crank and other characters.
I thought that chicken puppet looked pretty familiar to this concept.
The way the inventor of this process was very strict about this reminded me a lot of Paul Fusco's handling of ALF.
very first vtuber, ever
Has _somebody_ brought up "Malcolm" to Alex during a Jeopardy taping, or would he rather forget it (just like Bob Barker and "The Family Game")?
He'd rather forget about this. He's more willing to talk about Pitfall than the Malcolm Pilot.
It was actually a Jeopardy question.
0:00 Duck Hunt sound effect, but this came out a year before the game was released.
Malcolm been into the liquor cabinet again.
I feel like I'm watching Interdimensional TV 😂
This is something kind of gives me an idea for another game show. Something also to do with "UA-camrs" such as a Connor Franta and his friends on O2L as well as Tyler Oakley
Chunky!
Malcolm reminds me of Olaf from Frozen
Malcolm reminds me of Olaf from "Frozen".
This was a simplistic niche game for the time...
I thought there were more episodes
I want more Malcolm episodes!☺
You won't, 'cuz nobody bought this pilot.
Dam..... nobody
said no one ever lol
HYEYBT I'am pretty sure he was being sarcastic.
This would have worked better as a syndicated show which if that had been the case, WOR-TV 9 would have had it in NY, and WVIT-TV 30 would have had it in Hartford/New Haven area in CT. Would have been on at 8:30 PM on WOR-TV 9 and 9:00 AM or 9:30 AM on WVIT-TV 30. In Los Angeles, KHJ-TV 9 or KTLA-TV 5 could have had it, Boston (WBZ-TV 4), Chicago (WLS-TV 7), Springfield (WWLP-TV 22), Albany (WRGB-TV 6), Burlington/Plattsburgh (WPTZ-TV 5), Pittsburgh (WPGH-TV 53), Philadelphia (KYW-TV 3), Baltimore (WMAR-TV 2), Washington, DC (WUSA-TV 9), Richmond (WWBT-TV 12), Greensboro/Winston-Salem (WXLV-TV 45), Miami (WFOR-TV 4), Jacksonville (WJXT-TV 4), etc…
The only problem i saw in this would be the "Malcolm's Rule"... why would anyone do what's supposed to be, with no prize for being the "winnin partner"? (Other than the if you want to be back on the next show)
You come back on the next show and hope to win so you go to the bonus game.
Question: What if Suzie and Ray had both buzzed in for the last question? They both would have gotten up to 50 at the same time. Who would have played the bonus game?
Sudden-death toss-up.
When was this from?
1983
@@ajk no 1985
@@jessyleppert2 No it wasn't. He did this pilot before Jeopardy, 1983 is the given year for it everywhere.
@@ajk that's right
I'll bet Malcolm is pissed because the show didn't make it...too bad
So did Kathy just never get to play the bonus round since this was a pilot episode?
Not sure if there were any more pilots taped, but it did go unsold, which was sad...
Even if this show sold, Alex could still have done J!, as this looks to be for NBC given NBC Burbank techies are listed in the closing credits. The New Battlestars ended on NBC not long before this taped. Remember ALex was doing J! and Classic COncentration for four years concurrently, and those two and To Tell the Truth concurrently for four months in 1991.
was this from bob stwert
No. Malcolm was for Merrill Heatter Productions.
oh creator of the orignal hollywood squares and high rollers
And Gambit and later Catch 21.
That was a DAMN STUPID gameshow!
Anthony Bourne Trust me. I've seen worst. A lot worst.
Wow. This is even worse than Puzzlers!