It’s 1974, and local station WRGB just added a syndicated game show to its evening lineup. The game show, filmed in Las Vegas and featuring casino-style games, was called Dealer’s Choice. First hosted by Bob Hastings, and then by Jack Clark, survived for three seasons, and offered contestants the chance for big money and prizes (as do all TV game shows), albeit with a Las Vegas-style gambling motif.
Very few episodes have survived to this day, but I do have an episode with Jack Clark here …
And here’s a fragment of an earlier episode, featuring Bob Hastings as host.
I mean, for enthusiasm, Bob Hastings looked like he was totally enjoying himself as the host and game manager. Jack Clark was a good game show host, but a bit reserved. And I should note that the card dealer, Jane Nelson, would go on from dealing cards on this game show to dealing cards on another gambling-based game show, Gambit.
I mean, if nothing else, these game shows certainly introduced me to blackjack and roulette and craps. I don’t think it introduced me to how to WIN blackjack or roulette or craps …
Maybe it’s because Jane Nelson wasn’t the croupier at the casinos I frequent. 😀
Chuck The Writer 
You goofed, Chuck. Jane Nelson was Bob Eubanks’ assistant on Diamond Head, from the same producers as Dealer’s Choice. Elaine Stewart (Mrs. Merrill Heatter) was Wink Martindale’s aide on Gambit. I know this because I watched both shows.
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If such game shows had winners they must have been rigged as actual gambling games have the odds heavily stacked against the players. How much fun would it be to watch people losing 60% of the time?
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