FULL EPISODE: Rare "Definition" Episode from 1985!

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4 жыл бұрын

Check out this rare, FULL episode of “Definition” from 1985, hosted by Jim Perry, and featuring reigning champion Marnie Jutzi who sent us this episode. Thank you Marnie!
Discover more about Canadian game shows: canadasgameshows.com
Definition was a Canadian television game show, which aired on CTV from September 9, 1974 to March 10, 1989, and filmed at its flagship studio of CFTO-TV, Scarborough, Ontario. For most of its run, it was hosted by Jim Perry.
Nick Nicholson and E. Roger Muir, the creators of The Newlywed Game, created Definition, resulting in the show being syndicated for some international audiences as well. The series was produced by Glen-Warren Productions for CTV.
Dave Michaels hosted the pilot for Definition. Michaels had previously announced the Nicholson-Muir game show Matches 'n Mates with Art James and later anchored news for KABC-TV, WXIA-TV, and CNN during the first Gulf War. For its first season, the show was hosted by Bob McLean, with Jim Perry as announcer. Beginning the next season, Perry moved in front of the camera to take over as emcee, with veteran Toronto weatherman Dave Devall filling the vacancy in the announcer's booth, positions they both held for the rest of the show's run.
Definition was one of the longest-running game shows in Canadian television (and the third longest-running daytime game show in North American television, behind Concentration and The Price Is Right), and made host Perry a household name during the 1970s and 1980s.
Beginning in the 1980s Definition encouraged viewers to send in their own puzzles via mail, with at least one chosen per episode. A viewer would have his definition acknowledged on air by Perry if it was chosen.
The show's theme song was taken from "Soul Bossa Nova", an instrumental jazz piece by Quincy Jones. Later seasons of Definition used a new arrangement of the song which was not as readily recognizable.

Пікірлер: 87

@darrengeorge8990 3 жыл бұрын

I swear this guy was the inspiration for Sesame Street's Guy Smiley.

@sweiland75 3 жыл бұрын

You're not the first to realize that. LOL

@NormAppleton 3 жыл бұрын

He is

@lukeheaton5336 Жыл бұрын

And here I thought it was Gene Rayburn!

@MisterApomixis 2 жыл бұрын

Wow, thanks for the time machine. I watched Definition every chance I got, starting at the age of probably 6 or 7, or maybe even younger. Almost everything to do with this show is indelibly stamped somewhere on my soul!

@libertubey2199 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this. At the time of this episode, Jim Perry was pulling triple duty: this game show, and in the U.S., both the NBC Daytime and Syndicated editions of "$ale of the Century." Thus, unless someone can correct me, he was the first person to host three game shows simultaneously. The next person to do it, six years after this, Alex Trebek. Howie Mandel has since joined that club.

@georgemaster689 2 жыл бұрын

And I thought that Richard Dawson had a rough schedule!

@DesmondShannon87 9 ай бұрын

now I could swear Geoff Edwards was in there somewhere

@tazcatsdad 4 жыл бұрын

I was a contestant on Definition - sometime in ‘87, IIRC - ‘‘twas after the format changed to all civilian teams instead of a celebrity and a civilian. From what I understand, my partner and I were the only Americans who ever appeared as contestants on Definition! It’s also from Definition that I got stuck with the habit of calling it “zed” and not “zee”. Anyway, forgive my ramblings ... just wanted to say thank you for posting this, and I wish that I could find a clean copy of this version of the theme music! BTW, RIP Jim Perry.

@5star555555555 4 жыл бұрын

Very interesting! You wouldn't happen to have that on tape, would you?

@gregorykarenko5583 3 жыл бұрын

Zed is correct. You win $5.

@tazcatsdad 3 жыл бұрын

@@5star555555555 Sorry but the only copy that I had disintegrated years ago. Wish I did have it still, though ...

@tazcatsdad 3 жыл бұрын

@@gregorykarenko5583 and what’s really funny is that one of the puzzles in one of the episodes that I was on had a Z in the answer! The opposing team started the puzzle off and, as is usual, they gave a Z away - and almost gave us the solution! I had the Z part ... just took my partner and I a few turns to get the rest. It was, “Tell a Canadian to recite the alphabet: It is no sooner Z (zed) than done!”

@gregorykarenko5583 3 жыл бұрын

@@tazcatsdad Now that is funny but kind of a mean trick to play on you Americans.

@BlueManIan 4 ай бұрын

I was just introduced to this show on a podcast! It's fun!

@brianjohnson7 4 жыл бұрын

THANK YOU for all these wonderful eps. I love them!

@CanadasGameShows 4 жыл бұрын

Really glad you're enjoying, Brian!

@georgemaster689 2 жыл бұрын

@@CanadasGameShows Why did this show not air in the USA?

@GregoryGioia 4 жыл бұрын

So THAT'S why Soul Bossa Nova is their definition of a boombastic jazz style.

@NormAppleton 3 жыл бұрын

Austin Powers too

@TheRealDannAlexander 2 жыл бұрын

Jim was truly one of the greatest.

@ntxrated Жыл бұрын

I completely agree. He was an amazing talent. Shame he's since passed but thanks to Buzzer or G.S.N. he's still with us.

@therealbrentrolland 4 жыл бұрын

Yay! Thank you Marnie and CGS!

@davidlewis7267 4 жыл бұрын

Hugh Graham, a friend from my home church, Wesley United in Welland, Ontario, Canada, and his brother IIRC not only were 5-time champions during Definition's final season, they were Definition's final Tournament of Champions winners (not sure who got the car). Also, I sent in a definition that was used on the show! Hi Hugh!

@NormAppleton 3 жыл бұрын

Was it a 1979 Dodge Omni?

@jvarela965 2 жыл бұрын

I m in the States. I recall a Canadian programmer made a shareware game for this show on the Commodore 64 computer and I loved playing it.

@williambone5678 Жыл бұрын

Finally, we get to see what Canada saw in Jim Perry!

@josemuse4119 4 жыл бұрын

Lynne Gordon mentioned that she is working on a TV show with Louis Del Grande. Louis played the first Scanner in the movie "Scanners" whose head blows up at the start of the movie. He is originally from New Jersey but would create and star in the Canadian TV show "Seeing Things".

@dougghiz8339 4 жыл бұрын

R.I.P. Jim Perry

@crlaw75 Жыл бұрын

Glen-Warren Productions was a Canadian/American company, who also made one of my favourite (past) shows, Bizarre!

@scootermom1791 3 жыл бұрын

I'm surprised at the number of times they asked for Q and Z.

@ianpotter2128 4 жыл бұрын

My teacher, when I was in grade 5 was on the show.

@exexalien 4 жыл бұрын

When I was in grade two, the mother of one of the kids in my class was a contestant on the show. She was also a substitute teacher at our school, and he brought in a tape of the show for us to watch at lunch time - which we all did, because at that age it suddenly felt like we all knew someone famous.

@ianpotter2128 4 жыл бұрын

I agree. It made you feel like you had just met your idol then the next day......math test....lol..

@joadhenry 4 жыл бұрын

game show gold!!!

@rayb602blacktopp2 2 жыл бұрын

Whitey on Night Heat Tony Rosato

@aaronbruceladner1983 3 жыл бұрын

Jim Perry was Also Hosting SALE OF THE CENTURY on NBC

@NMeyer0 4 жыл бұрын

RIP Tony Rosato. Comedic legend.

@NormAppleton 3 жыл бұрын

Sad story there

@RayKlassen 3 жыл бұрын

@@NormAppleton yes TOTALLY A!!!

@drewconway7135 Жыл бұрын

I’m pretty sure everyone who appeared in this episode is dead by now

@Norfolk250 4 жыл бұрын

Wow! I had the same (almost) hairstyle in Jr High as Lynn Gordon in this episode! Golly!

@Norfolk250 4 жыл бұрын

Well, from the one side, anyway.

@Norfolk250 4 жыл бұрын

Now, my do is like guest Peter. Ah... how time flies.

@digiblader1 Жыл бұрын

Since this episode was posted - master tapes of the show were found in 2022 from 1980-89, including the series finale. So this isn't as rare anymore.

@JoeFLash41 Жыл бұрын

I never did like it when they did away with Quincy Jones's Soul Bossa Nova theme in the 80's

@Tymbus 4 жыл бұрын

Hi this isn't about quiz shows but does anyone have a link to an episode of Weird Homes of the World set entirely on Galiano Island, BC. My birth father and his friends were in it. My Dad lived in a kind of beach comber's coral built around two caravans, the other houses were areplica of First Nation's People home and the other was a series of tents!

@AllenJeremy 3 жыл бұрын

There was a British version of Definition that aired on ITV from 1978 until 1986 made by HTV West, it was originally hosted by Don Moss then by the late Jeremy Beadle.

@mbclev 2 жыл бұрын

I remember Don Moss coming to Canada and being on Perry's "Definition" as a celebrity player (I saw at least one show that week in the Cleveland, OH area when CKCO-TV's signal, either from Kitchener or Sarnia/Chatham, Ontario, came in. I think Jim introduced Don as "the English master of 'Definition' ").

@bleepbleep1961 2 жыл бұрын

Yes and Dave Devol is the announcer guy !!

@crlaw75 Жыл бұрын

A good voice to.

@therealbrentrolland 4 жыл бұрын

Oh-and every time I hear the theme song, I think of Quincy Jones' "Soul Bossa Nova" from "Austin Powers." :-)

@CanadasGameShows 4 жыл бұрын

Shagadelic, baby!

@Norfolk250 4 жыл бұрын

But the reference timeline is reversed.

@GLEEDSWORLD 4 жыл бұрын

That’s because the original theme from Definition was “Soul Bossa Nova”. Not sure what this music is.

@gladfan1989 4 жыл бұрын

@@CanadasGameShows Oh behave

@johnkalap9314 2 жыл бұрын

I remember the male celebrity contestant (Tony?) from an episode of 'Highlander-Revenge'.

@Nooki23 4 жыл бұрын

Sad to think all these people are dead...

@NormAppleton 3 жыл бұрын

Watch Gone With The Wind, whole ton of dead there

@fitzgib1 2 жыл бұрын

I was a contestant on Definition and my partner at the time was Dwyane Hickman and he died today.

@nathandebartolo8330 3 жыл бұрын

This episode had some interesting celebrity contestants: Vladimir Lenin in Game One and wrestling legend Gordon Solie in Game Three.

@drewconway7135 Жыл бұрын

Wow, really crummy prizes

@mitchellries256 4 жыл бұрын

I kind of think this show and Headline Hunters would've been good shows to have in America.

@mrtveenstra 4 жыл бұрын

People don't tell Bruno Gerussi anecdotes anymore.

@NormAppleton 3 жыл бұрын

I would kill to see Bob Crane on Bruno Gerussi's Celebrity Cooks. Maybe Relic want's someone dead.

@Wheeloffortunefan999 4 жыл бұрын

she was a good player! i'll be shocked if she didn't retire undefeated on the next show and there fore qualify for the 1986 tournament of champions.) or maybe she did even with her 4 wins, i don't know how the qualification format worked, were ONLY 5 time winners eligible for the tournament of champions? or did some four-time champions qualify as well?

@CanadasGameShows 4 жыл бұрын

Do we need to post the thrilling conclusion of Marnie's championship run? We'll do it!

@Wheeloffortunefan999 4 жыл бұрын

@@CanadasGameShows YES! thanks!

@Wheeloffortunefan999 4 жыл бұрын

when will it be up here? (please don't tell me you haven't already tried to upload it but that it was removed due to copyright.) (and btw, according to wikipedia, (i DO NOT know how true this is, but this show was apparently rerun in the uk on the cable station Living TV. and I happen to know of 1 user who has a you-know-what load of stuff from british tv so there is a relatively slim chance that he may have a few episodes of "Definition" (Somehow i really doubt it, but i'll ask anyway, the guy's name is Adam Beckwith.)

@Wheeloffortunefan999 4 жыл бұрын

he does not. asked him yesterday.

@paullarue2010 4 жыл бұрын

The audience groans.

@friedchickenicedtea 2 жыл бұрын

What does she win if she wins five games in a row? An Amana range! Whoopee...

@kodiakrabbit2050 4 жыл бұрын

Up until the end commercial, I had no idea you could use a Weed Eater on the snow...

@NormAppleton 3 жыл бұрын

Why not?

@jctoad 2 жыл бұрын

I bet it did a pretty poor job. Otherwise we would still see them today.

@DesmondShannon87 9 ай бұрын

@@jctoadi imagine so because snow being wet it messes up the engine and in Canada its so thick you can't cut through it with that if you tried

@pauli6043 3 жыл бұрын

Am I hearing things, or is Jim Perry doing his best attempt at a Canadian accent here? (He was born 10 miles away from where I live in NJ)

@crlaw75 Жыл бұрын

He did live in Canada in the early '70's, but moved back to the States when "Card Sharks" started.

@nathandebartolo8330 3 жыл бұрын

You don't need to buy a vowel?

@Loogaroo1 4 жыл бұрын

Lynn (the female "celebrity") is so obnoxious in this episode. The shtick about asking if the celebrities get the prizes and money too is cute the first time you do it, but not after every match.

@facebookcom-ej7dm 3 жыл бұрын

She was pretty obnoxious from the very start. All that yapping to make sure she got as much on camera time as possible. Tacky.