| Host | |
| Bill Cullen | |
| Celebrity Guests | |
| Joyce Bulifant & Fred Grandy | |
| Broadcast | |
 | |
| Packager | |
| Bob Stewart Productions | |
WINDOW PERSON 1: "Good evening, and…" WINDOW PERSON 2: "Welcome to…" WINDOW PERSON 3: "Punch Lines"! WINDOW PERSON 4: "With tonight's special guest stars…" WINDOW PERSON 5: "[insert celebrity name here]!" WINDOW PERSON 6: "And…" WINDOW PERSON 7: "[insert celebrity name here]!" WINDOW PERSON 8: "And starring…" ALL WINDOW PEOPLE: "Bill Cullen!"
Punch Lines is an unsold pilot where (according to Bill Cullen) you must "remember what you heard and where you heard it". This 1979 pilot was a failed attempt to relaunch Eye Guess.
Gameplay[]
Main Game[]
The game was played with two celebrity-civilian pairs, and eight so-called "window people" (one of whom was game show perennial Edie McClurg) seated in a large apartment-like structure on the other side of the stage.
Each of the eight "window people" would read what was known as a "punch line", an answer to an upcoming question. When all the punch lines had been read, the eight window people would quickly change seats to confuse the contestants. Seven questions were then read to the contestants, who had to identify the window where they heard the correct punch line, not who said it. Like Eye Guess, a team would stay in control as long as they continued to give out correct answers. Every correct answer in Round 1 was worth 10 points, and correct answers in Round 2 were worth 20 points with the team that was behind taking control first. The first team to score 100 points won the game.
Endgame[]
The endgame was identical to the first two rounds except with prizes added. Eight more punch lines were read and seven more questions were given by Bill. For every correct answer a contestant gave, he or she won a prize. If all the correct answers were given, the contestant won a new car.
Trivia[]
No announcer was used during the pilot, though the slate was read by Johnny Gilbert.
International Versions[]
A pilot for an Australian version hosted by Jeremy Kewley was made for the Seven Network on August 20, 1986, but also failed to get picked up.
The format made it to series in the United Kingdom (or Britain), airing on ITV from 1981-1984. The host was the late Lennie Bennett, who would later host Lucky Ladders (Chain Reaction).
Links[]
Punch Lines at The Bill Cullen Archive