Treasure Hunt (US series)

Game Show created by Jan Murray that originally ran from 1956 to 1959 on ABC, later NBC. The more famous version was syndicated, produced by Chuck Barris in the 1970s and 1980s.

A contestant from the Studio Audience, who was always a woman, picked one of several brightly decorated and numbered Mystery Boxes. After host Geoff Edwards showed her the cash amount attached to that box, she had to make a choice: Take the money, or go for the unknown contents of the box. The box could contain a desirable prize, a "Klunk" (analogous to the Zonks on Let's Make a Deal), or a grand prize check for $25,000 (later a Progressive Jackpot worth up to $50,000).

The show became infamous in 1974 through a 60 Minutes exposé on the series, which showed Barris' reaction (pride) to Vera's faint upon winning a 1937 Rolls-Royce replica.

Not to be confused with the British game show of the same name.


 * Big Win Sirens: Heard whenever the big check was won. Inverted whenever the check was passed up, as the same sirens were toned down and used as a type of Losing Horns at its reveal.
 * Carried by the Host: It's more about Geoff's reactions and shtick than the actual "game".
 * Confetti Drop: One of the earliest game show examples. Starting with the 1970s, a grand prize check win was accompanied by shrill sirens with confetti and balloons being dropped from the ceiling; in later 1970s episodes, the contestant would be mobbed by models and show staff and given roses.
 * Let's Just See What Would Have Happened: Carried out to its extreme. Geoff and the contestant went through the entire skit anyway to see what she turned down.
 * Mystery Box: The main premise of the game.
 * Personnel:
 * The Announcer: Johnny Jacobs in the Barris-produced versions, with Tony McClay handling the last weeks of the 1980s run after Jacobs' death.
 * Game Show Host: Jan Murray on the original, Geoff Edwards on the revival.
 * Lovely Assistant: Marian Stafford filled this role in the 1950s. Siv Aberg, Naome DeVargas, Jane Nelson, and Pamela Hensley all handled these chores in the 1970s. Jan Speck took over in the 1980s.
 * Studio Audience: Out of which a contestant would be found. Unique, in that the audience was split into two sections, one on each side of the studio, and one game per show was played with each section of the audience.
 * Emile Autouri, the Edwards-era security guard and the man who hid the grand-prize check; hence, was the only one who knew where it was. This was all true, too — he was a legitimate security guard, he did hide the check (after picking a number at random), and he was the only one who knew where it was hidden.
 * Progressive Jackpot: In the 1980s version, the grand prize check started at $20,000 and went up $1,000 every day it was not won until it reached $50,000, at which point it froze. However, for a short time it stayed at $20,000 after someone found the check just four days into its run.
 * Rules Spiel: One for each part of the game, and repeated almost verbatim every episode.
 * Zonk: Klunks.


 * As You Know: Geoff peppered the Rules Spiels with these, even though the viewing audience was probably well aware of said rules after about five episodes.
 * Audience Participation: Contestants were selected out of the audience by opening boxes or popping balloons.
 * And 99 Cents: Frequently added to the "value" of a Klunk.
 * Catch Phrase:
 * "Could be something good, could be a Klunk, could be [top prize] in cash..."
 * "Yes, I did."
 * Fan Service: Natch. Jan Speck's wardrobe, especially.
 * Heartbeat Soundtrack: Heard at the beginning of each show during the announcer's opening spiel: "Ladies and gentlemen, this bonded security agent..."
 * Hollywood Giftwrap: Every surprise package, both in the 70s and the 80s. Also averted in the qualifying round in the 70s, as potential contestants had to actually unwrap their gift boxes to see whether or not they would proceed in the game.
 * A Lady on Each Arm: "President Treasure W. Hunt Sr." was escorted in this manner when he appeared by two models who also threw money around.
 * Luck-Based Mission: The entire premise, except in the 50's version and 70's pilot where a short Q&A round qualified you to go on the Treasure Hunt. Only one man in the studio knew where the big check was, and he barely talked.
 * Real Song Theme Tune: Somewhat; Barris composed all the music for the show, but the closing theme (see below) bore resemblance to an Elmer Bernstein-penned track for John Wayne's True Grit; as such, Bernstein is credited with the theme.
 * Real Life Writes the Plot: In Barris' novel The Big Question, he (now old and long forgotten) relates to a young producer the story of a contestant on Treasure Hunt who both Barris and director John Dorsey thought had died upon learning what she had won, and that the two argued on whether the cameras should pan away (Dorsey) or stay put (Barris). Although the contestant had merely fainted, the incident led to Barris' last great idea (and the focus of the book) — The Death Game. It should be noted that one of the book's characters, an older lady who, is named Vera.
 * Running Gag: Geoff's many attempts to get Emile to smile, or at least say something other than "Yes, I did", none of which ever worked.
 * Soundtrack Dissonance: For such a novelty-based show, the 1970s version really had a mellow, downbeat closing theme. This was changed in the 1980s version to a much more comical theme.
 * The Stoic: Emile Autouri never spoke or even smiled on-camera, except to say "Yes, I did" when Geoff asked him whether he hid the check.
 * Take That: Geoff would at times take a stab at Let's Make a Deal, at one point telling another character in a skit "Go see Monty Hall, he's got the small bills."