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Talking Pictures was a game show pilot produced for NBC in 1963. The show was created by Art Baer and Ben Joelson. In our 2005 interview, Jim did not remember how the game was played. However, in June 2026 a copy of the Talking Pictures pilot surfaced on YouTube courtesy of game show aficionado David Schwartz. From the pilot, we were able to get the rules of the game.
Talking Pictures was a game show pilot produced for NBC in 1963. The show was created by Art Baer and Ben Joelson. In our 2005 interview, Jim did not remember how the game was played. However, in June 2026 a copy of the Talking Pictures pilot surfaced on YouTube courtesy of game show aficionado David Schwartz. From the pilot, we were able to get the rules of the game.
Two teams each consisting of a husband and wife were shown a series of four pictures. The object of the game was for players to take at least two of the pictures and put them together to form words. Players could use two, three, or all four pictures to form a single word. For example, one picture might be a fishing reel while a second picture shows an axe. If you put the two pictures together, you get the word "Relax." All words had to be at least two syllables. As soon as Jim showed the teams the four pictures, all four contestants quickly wrote down a word. When anyone from either team had a word, they hit their buzzer and told Jim which pictures they used to form the word. The pictures were all numbered from 1-4, so the player told Jim which numbers they used to form their word. The pictures were then displayed and the player's spouse tried to guess the word. If they were successful, the team scored one point and the right to play another set of four pictures. Teams kept control of the board as long as they guessed the words. A wrong guess gave the other team control of the game. The first team to score six points won the game, $100, and a chance to play the bonus round.
In the bonus round, the couple were shown a series of three pictures. This time, instead of coming up with their own words based on the pictures, the couple worked together to guess one specific word the pictures represented. A correct guess earned $25 and the team viewed another set of three pictures and guessed the word. The couple had 60 seconds to guess as many words as they could. The team retired from the game and two new teams came onstage to play the next round of the game.
During the show's opening, four pictures were shown to represent the show's title.
During the show's opening, four pictures were shown to represent the show's title.
Here's Jim at 29 years of age in his very first game show outing.
Here's Jim at 29 years of age in his very first game show outing.
Here are our two husband/wife teams.
Here are our two husband/wife teams.
The teams look at the first set of four pictures to see what words they can form.
The teams look at the first set of four pictures to see what words they can form.
Terry from team number two buzzes in first. She has a word in mind based on some of these pictures.
Terry from team number two buzzes in first. She has a word in mind based on some of these pictures.
Terry tells Jim that she used pictures number 3 and number 2 (in that order) to form her word. Pictures 3 and 2 are then shown together. Her husband Bill must now guess what word Terry came up with based on these two pictures.
Terry tells Jim that she used pictures number 3 and number 2 (in that order) to form her word. Pictures 3 and 2 are then shown together. Her husband Bill must now guess what word Terry came up with based on these two pictures.
Bill starts to guess the word "Any," but then he changes his mind and guesses "Enemy." Unfortunately, he should have stuck to his first guess because Terry's word was "Any."
Bill starts to guess the word "Any," but then he changes his mind and guesses "Enemy." Unfortunately, he should have stuck to his first guess because Terry's word was "Any."
Control of the game passes to our first team. They have a chance to take the same four pictures and form a word. David buzzes in first.
Control of the game passes to our first team. They have a chance to take the same four pictures and form a word. David buzzes in first.
David tells Jim that he used pictures 4 and 2 to form his word.
David tells Jim that he used pictures 4 and 2 to form his word.
Susan guesses the word "Sunny." David happily shows the matching word.
Susan guesses the word "Sunny." David happily shows the matching word.
Susan and David later won the game and advanced to the bonus round. Here they are given 60 seconds to identify as many words as possible based on a series of three pictures. Did you correctly guess this first word "Rhapsody"?
Susan and David later won the game and advanced to the bonus round. Here they are given 60 seconds to identify as many words as possible based on a series of three pictures. Did you correctly guess this first word "Rhapsody"?
Susan and David correctly guess 8 words at $25 apiece for a total of $200. Add the $100 they won from the main game and they are leaving the show with a grand total of $300. Not a bad day's work for 1963.
Susan and David correctly guess 8 words at $25 apiece for a total of $200. Add the $100 they won from the main game and they are leaving the show with a grand total of $300. Not a bad day's work for 1963.
Jim shared some background information behind this unsold pilot in a 2005 interview. Not only did Jim shed a little bit of light on this obscure game, but he also explained how he changed his name. At the time he was hired to do Talking Pictures, Jim was still performing with his birth name of Jim Dooley.
Jim shared some background information behind this unsold pilot in a 2005 interview. Not only did Jim shed a little bit of light on this obscure game, but he also explained how he changed his name. At the time he was hired to do Talking Pictures, Jim was still performing with his birth name of Jim Dooley.
"When I first started, the first pilot film I did for NBC was a show created by Art Baer and Ben Joelson called Talking Pictures. Art and Ben created a couple of game shows, then later were also noted as the head writers of The Love Boat [in the 1970s]. Art and Ben went to NBC talking about me to host this show, and at the time there was a Jim Dooley doing commercials for Northeast Airlines. The network executives said they were not...I don't mean to be disparaging to somebody...but that was not what they were looking for [in a host]. Fortunately, Art and Ben said, 'No that's not the Jim Dooley we're talking about.' If that hadn't occurred, I don't know if I would have had a career. So we then took my mother's maiden name of Perry and that was because of my wife June. She said, 'You have to change the last name. You can't change the first name. I don't want to be thinking, 'uh, what's your first name?' So we kept the Jim and changed my last name to Perry.
"When I first started, the first pilot film I did for NBC was a show created by Art Baer and Ben Joelson called Talking Pictures. Art and Ben created a couple of game shows, then later were also noted as the head writers of The Love Boat [in the 1970s]. Art and Ben went to NBC talking about me to host this show, and at the time there was a Jim Dooley doing commercials for Northeast Airlines. The network executives said they were not...I don't mean to be disparaging to somebody...but that was not what they were looking for [in a host]. Fortunately, Art and Ben said, 'No that's not the Jim Dooley we're talking about.' If that hadn't occurred, I don't know if I would have had a career. So we then took my mother's maiden name of Perry and that was because of my wife June. She said, 'You have to change the last name. You can't change the first name. I don't want to be thinking, 'uh, what's your first name?' So we kept the Jim and changed my last name to Perry.
"NBC sat on that Talking Pictures pilot film for almost a year. They were trying to make up their mind which one of two pilot films to put on the air. They finally decided on the other one. I don't know whatever happened to it. It was called Jeopardy! as I recall." (laughs)
"NBC sat on that Talking Pictures pilot film for almost a year. They were trying to make up their mind which one of two pilot films to put on the air. They finally decided on the other one. I don't know whatever happened to it. It was called Jeopardy! as I recall." (laughs)
So Jim Dooley became Jim Perry but only on television. At home among his family and friends, Jim was still called Jim Dooley. We now also know what game show pilot was passed on by NBC to instead launch one of the most successful game shows in history: Jeopardy!
So Jim Dooley became Jim Perry but only on television. At home among his family and friends, Jim was still called Jim Dooley. We now also know what game show pilot was passed on by NBC to instead launch one of the most successful game shows in history: Jeopardy!
Here is part 1 of the Talking Pictures game show pilot courtesy of David Schwartz.
Here is part two of the pilot.
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