1. Mel Harris
In 1979 futurethirtysomethingstar Mary Ellen Harris ( her real name , as we found out ) competed on the$20,000 Pyramid . She gave her occupation as a “ professional pawl trainer , ” a survey bullet compass point that seems to be missing from all her official biography . Mel was a fierce competitor , but she drop the big money take by that much ( picture my quarter round and indicator fingerbreadth almost conform to ) .
2. Dr. Joyce Brothers
Pop psychologist Joyce Brothers would eventually become a regular on the lecture show circuit , but in 1955 she was a newly minted PhD and a ride out - at - home - mama trying to make oddment meet on the $ 50 per calendar month her hubby received for his aesculapian abidance . Intelligent and attractive , she decide that a game show might be a quick fix to her fellowship ’s financial quandary .
The folks atThe $ 64,000 Questionfound her camera - well-disposed and cordial enough , but she needed to select an appropriately “ out or keeping ” family ( the show ’s “ hook shot ” was strange juxtapositions , as in the Marine drill serjeant who was an expert on opera house ) in which to compete in ordering to secure a one-armed bandit on the show . She chose boxing ( her hubby was a fan ) and then proceeded to cram like a graduate scholarly person on steroids . render six weeks to prepare , she kick the bucket to the publisher ofRingmagazine and find fault up every issue they ’d ever impress . Then her hubby approached the manufacturer of theGreat Fights of the Centuryfilms and was allowed to borrow the reel . Her dogged conclusion pay off , for not only did she win the top plunder , her appearing on the show lead to interest from other TV legion and before long her face was a mend on the small screen .
3. John Ritter
He was just a college student majoring in drama when he appeared as Bachelor Number Three onThe Dating Gameback in 1967 , but watch this cartridge clip and see if “ Jack Tripper ” was n’t already in the fashioning .
4. Naomi Judd
In 1972 Diana Ciminella was a recently divorced single mom wreak at a health intellectual nourishment restaurant on the Sunset Strip trying to support her two daughters , Christina and Ashley . Homesick for her family back in Ashland , Kentucky , she adjudicate to exploit her perky personality and proximity to the major TV studios and try out for several plot shows so as to realise airfare back home . She became a supporter contestant on Hollywood Squares , but was eliminated on her third day of Password contest thanks to fame mate Peter Lawford ’s indulgence of pre - show cocktails . Diana did earn enough chicken feed to get back dwelling , where several class afterward she and daughter Christina would , as Naomi and Wynonna Judd , have a bit of succeeder in the country euphony line of business .
5. Kirstie Alley
When Kirstie Alley appeared on bothMatch GameandPassword Plusin 1979 , she gave her occupation as “ interior decorator . ” That was a spot of a stretch , seeing as the last plan firm she ’d work for was back in her hometown of Wichita , Kansas , and even then she ’d had no credential or experience and often enquire why the owner of Dean ’s designing not only hired her but had kept her on board after many serious shtup - ups .
6. Heather Graham
Sixteen - year - honest-to-goodness Heather delineate herself as an “ aim actress ” when she appear as a objector during a 1986 special Teen Week ofScrabble . The light-haired , gamey - eyed ingénue had already come along in a few TV commercials , but her onscreen bantering with Chuck Woolery caught the attention of casting directors and she landed a part in a two - installment story bow onGrowing Painsthe survey twelvemonth .
7. Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman)
Even though he ’s appearing as part of a duo promise “ Betty and Eddie , ” heed cautiously and you could hear Chuck Barris say “ Thanks , Paul ” as the pair leaves the stage ofThe Gong Show . ( “ Betty ” was Charlotte McGinnis , Reubens ’ Groundlings comedy partner at the time . Sadly , she pass off in 2006 . )
8. Vanna White
Future alphabetic character - turner White ’s first public game show photo come in June 1980 when her name was ring to connect Contestant ’s dustup onThe toll Is proper . Vanna never made it onstage , but her T - shirt caught the care of TPIR staffers nonetheless .
9. Kellie Martin
Despite the deed , Card Sharkswasn’t really about salamander or sap ; the only “ gambling ” involve was guessing whether the next card revealed would be high-pitched or lower than the late one . During a special Youth Week contest futureLife Goes Onstar ( and Lifetime Original Movie basic ) Kellie Martin won $ 2,400 in the Money Cards bonus game . Only 11 years old at the time , her dreaming was to be a theatre director when she grow up .
10. Phyllis Diller
You Bet Your Lifewas a secret plan show in name only ; it was really just an exculpation for innkeeper Groucho Marx to exchange quips with his guests for 30 minutes . As a result , the contestant coordinator tried to get a premix of average Americans who people - next - room access yet not quite run - off - the John Stuart Mill . Thus a housewife from Lima , Ohio , with breathing in for a career in drollery land her first national TV smudge .
