The B.S. Thread
04-03-2007 | 04:18 PM
#664
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From: LAKE CONROE, TX
American Gladiators was a TV show that ran between 1989 and 1996. It was a physical game show, in which the contestants (two male and two female) matched themselves against the program's stable of athletes in a variety of feats of strength and agility. The champions at the end of each season won a prize package, which varied from items that included a new car, a trip, and money (usually over $100,000 total). The contests were often quite extravagant and elaborate, with challenges featuring things such as highwires, steel cages, swinging ropes, and other obstacle course fare.
Most of the first two seasons were taped at Universal Studios Hollywood. In 1991, they decided to move to CBS/MTM Studios (with the studio the show taped in referred to as Gladiator Arena). International episodes were taped in Birmingham, England, home of the British version.
The show was produced by Trans World International (until 1992) with Four Point Entertainment and was distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Television (now by MGM Television). Theme music was composed by Bill Conti.
The show spawned a spinoff for children, Gladiators 2000.
While the show was still airing in 1992, reruns began airing on USA, who had the rights to the first four seasons of the show. In 2003, Spike TV (then TNN) began airing reruns from the show's entire run, save for the first, fifth, and sixth seasons (except for a few specials from seasons five and six). ESPN Classic now owns the rights to American Gladiators, and the show will join the regular weeknight lineup on April 2, 2007 with daily airings of the show at 7 PM Eastern Monday-Friday and weekend airings Saturday and Sunday mornings at 9AM Eastern. The series premiered on ESPN Classic with a seven hour marathon from 1PM-8PM Eastern on Saturday, March 31st, 2007. The marathon was hosted by Danny Lee Clark, who starred as Nitro, one of the American Gladiators, from 1989 to 1992 and from 1994 to 1995, and then was a co-host from 1995 through 1996.
Contents [hide]
1 Events
1.1 Assault
1.2 Breakthrough & Conquer
1.3 Human Cannonball
1.4 Joust
1.5 Powerball
1.6 The Wall
1.7 Atlasphere
1.8 Hang Tough
1.9 Swingshot
1.10 The Maze
1.11 Sky Track
1.12 Super Powerball
1.13 Gauntlet
1.14 Pyramid
1.15 Tug-O-War
1.16 Whiplash
1.17 Snapback
1.18 The Eliminator
1.18.1 First season
1.18.2 Second season
1.18.3 Third season
1.18.4 Fourth season
1.18.5 Fifth season and afterwards
1.18.6 International tournament shows
2 Visual makeovers
3 Hosts
4 List of Gladiators
5 Champions
6 Trivia
7 Popular Culture
8 International versions
9 See also
10 External links
[edit] Events
Most of the events tested the contenders' physical abilities against the superior size and strength of the Gladiators. Rarely did an event call for the contenders to actually match up against each other. Rather, in events where both contenders did compete simultaneously, success was determined by who fared better against the gladiators rather than overmatching the contender directly. All events prior to The Eliminator were played for points, the value of which often varied from season to season.
Starting with the 1992 season, a "Crunch Time" game was played for bigger points before the Eliminator.
In the first half of the first season, a referee dressed as a grim reaper would disqualify a contender or gladiator by putting a thumbs down over their heads. For the second half of the first season, NFL official Bob McElwee, who was dressed in a show outfit, served as head official, and would explain fouls and penalties on-camera as they happened. California schoolteacher Larry Thompson, a former Pac-10 football referee, was head official for the rest of the show's duration, and similarly would explain fouls, penalties, and replay reviews, dressed in traditional striped shirt and black trousers.
Only five events were used throughout the program's run on American television. Other events were added and some discontinued for various reasons.
Most of the first two seasons were taped at Universal Studios Hollywood. In 1991, they decided to move to CBS/MTM Studios (with the studio the show taped in referred to as Gladiator Arena). International episodes were taped in Birmingham, England, home of the British version.
The show was produced by Trans World International (until 1992) with Four Point Entertainment and was distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Television (now by MGM Television). Theme music was composed by Bill Conti.
The show spawned a spinoff for children, Gladiators 2000.
While the show was still airing in 1992, reruns began airing on USA, who had the rights to the first four seasons of the show. In 2003, Spike TV (then TNN) began airing reruns from the show's entire run, save for the first, fifth, and sixth seasons (except for a few specials from seasons five and six). ESPN Classic now owns the rights to American Gladiators, and the show will join the regular weeknight lineup on April 2, 2007 with daily airings of the show at 7 PM Eastern Monday-Friday and weekend airings Saturday and Sunday mornings at 9AM Eastern. The series premiered on ESPN Classic with a seven hour marathon from 1PM-8PM Eastern on Saturday, March 31st, 2007. The marathon was hosted by Danny Lee Clark, who starred as Nitro, one of the American Gladiators, from 1989 to 1992 and from 1994 to 1995, and then was a co-host from 1995 through 1996.
Contents [hide]
1 Events
1.1 Assault
1.2 Breakthrough & Conquer
1.3 Human Cannonball
1.4 Joust
1.5 Powerball
1.6 The Wall
1.7 Atlasphere
1.8 Hang Tough
1.9 Swingshot
1.10 The Maze
1.11 Sky Track
1.12 Super Powerball
1.13 Gauntlet
1.14 Pyramid
1.15 Tug-O-War
1.16 Whiplash
1.17 Snapback
1.18 The Eliminator
1.18.1 First season
1.18.2 Second season
1.18.3 Third season
1.18.4 Fourth season
1.18.5 Fifth season and afterwards
1.18.6 International tournament shows
2 Visual makeovers
3 Hosts
4 List of Gladiators
5 Champions
6 Trivia
7 Popular Culture
8 International versions
9 See also
10 External links
[edit] Events
Most of the events tested the contenders' physical abilities against the superior size and strength of the Gladiators. Rarely did an event call for the contenders to actually match up against each other. Rather, in events where both contenders did compete simultaneously, success was determined by who fared better against the gladiators rather than overmatching the contender directly. All events prior to The Eliminator were played for points, the value of which often varied from season to season.
Starting with the 1992 season, a "Crunch Time" game was played for bigger points before the Eliminator.
In the first half of the first season, a referee dressed as a grim reaper would disqualify a contender or gladiator by putting a thumbs down over their heads. For the second half of the first season, NFL official Bob McElwee, who was dressed in a show outfit, served as head official, and would explain fouls and penalties on-camera as they happened. California schoolteacher Larry Thompson, a former Pac-10 football referee, was head official for the rest of the show's duration, and similarly would explain fouls, penalties, and replay reviews, dressed in traditional striped shirt and black trousers.
Only five events were used throughout the program's run on American television. Other events were added and some discontinued for various reasons.
