Trivia Trap
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Trivia Trap was a short-lived U.S. game show that originally ran from October 8, 1984 to April 5, 1985 on ABC. Hosted by Bob Eubanks, two teams of three players played. One team was the "Juniors", who wore the red sweaters, and all the players were under 30 years of age. The other team was the "Seniors", who wore the blue sweaters, and who were over age 30. These two teams each played games of trivia which formats changed drastically as the run went on.
Although short lived, Trivia Trap holds a footnote in American game show history; it was the last Mark Goodson-produced game show that wasn't a revival of a previous format. It was also the first of two game shows Eubanks would host for Mark Goodson Productions (Card Sharks was the other).
The announcers were Bob Hilton, Charlie O'Donnell and Gene Wood.
The theme song was written and composed by Edd Kalehoff, one of Mark Goodson Productions's most valuable assets. The piece of music was also one of Kalehoff's many theme songs NOT used as a prize cue on The Price is Right.
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Original format
Round One
Originally in the first round, teams were shown two rows of monitors, each with four answers each. The team up to play picked whether they wanted to play the question with the answers on the top or bottom rows. After the host read the question, the object for the team was to take out all the wrong answers. $50 were given for each correct wrong answer given, and if they eliminated all the wrong answers, they won $300. If the team chose the correct answer (the "Trivia Trap"), their question ended. After one team played their question, a new row replaced the one used, and that team chose which question to play. Each team played 2 questions.
Eubanks would play the unused question with the TV audience before and after the commercial break.
Trivia Race
In round 2, also known as the "$1,000 Trivia Race", The team in the lead started the "Race." Three categories were shown and the team in control of the board chose which category they wanted. After a category was used once, a new one replaced it. Bob would read the question, and one at a time, the players would answer. If one answered correctly, they kept control and would choose another category. $100 was awarded for each correct answers, and after the tenth question was asked, each correct answer was worth $200 (that rule started in the second week of shows). If none of the players answered correctly, the other team would get control. Teams would play until they missed, or reached the $1,000 goal. First team to get $1,000 or more wins.
Second format
Round One ("Fact or Fiction?")
Later in the run, the front game was changed. The first round was called "Fact or Fiction?". The champions were given the choice of two colored envelopes (Red or Black). Then one player at a time, Eubanks would ask a True/False question, each worth $25 a piece. The other team would then play the other envelope. For the second part, the challengers had the choice of envelopes. Each team played 2 envelopes.
Round Two (The Trivia Trap Round)
In the second round, the team in the lead played first and had a choice of two categories. After the category was chosen, four answers were shown. One player would answer, then the other two had a choice to agree with that answer or disagree. Whether the players agreed or disagreed determined the value of a correct answer. If all of them agreed and the answer was right, they'd win $200. If one agreed and it was correct, they'd win $100. If everybody disagreed it would be worth $50. But, if they disagreed correctly, they would then be able to choose the correct answer, in the same way explained above. Like before, the other player could disagree to try to save the team. After the question, the other team played the other category. Two questions each were played, before the "$1000 Trivia Race" which was played in the same way.
$10,000 Trivia Ladder
The winning team played the "$10,000 Trivia Ladder" bonus round. This time, the players on the winning team played for themselves. The three players played in order by their success in the Trivia Race. Four answers were shown to the best player. They could then play that question or pass it to the next player. That player could then pass to the worst player. If a player answered correctly, they won $1,000. If they missed, they lost and were out. After the first question, the answers were then shown on the second "level" of the ladder. The best player left could answer or pass. On the third question, the player left had to answer. The players who answered their questions correctly then played for the $10,000. Four answers were shown as before, and were asked a question. If more than one player was left, they would have to lock in their answer. If only one was left, they could just say their answer. If answered correctly, the players (depending on how many was left) would split $10,000 (if only one answered correctly they won the whole $10,000 prize).
Sound Effects
The show also premiered & reuse sound effects past & future Goodson-Todman shows.
- The Answer Reveal Sound - This sounded when the answers are revealed. Starting with the Ray Combs version, it's now used as the answer reveal sound in the Fast Money round on Family Feud. This is also used on a short-lived Wink Martindale-hosted show called The Last Word.
- The Trivia Trap Sound - This sounded when somebody sprung the Trivia Trap & when the third player missed a question in the Trivia Race. It's now used in The Price is Right pricing game Pathfinder.
- The Safe Answer Sound - This sounded each time a contestant in the first format pick an incorrect answer which in this case is a safe answer & used to light up a light around the correct answer in the home viewer question. It was later used as the door opener sound on Classic Concentration, and also to reveal the game board on Now You See It '89.
- Lock-In Sound - This effect is played when everybody locked in their answers at the top of the Trivia Ladder. It has been the lock-in sound for the faceoff for every version of Family Feud.
- Fanfare - This fanfare is the end of the theme for the Richard Dawson and Ray Combs versions of Family Feud. It was used when the team cut out all the wrong answers/chosen the right answer, when somebody chosen the right answer in the bonus game on the first three levels, and when the team wins the game. It's also used to reveal the Price is Right's Grand Game.