|
Bobby Darin & Geoff Edwards
The versatile Geoff Edwards was born in Newark NJ and received a BA degree from Duke University.
He has had a multi-faceted television career. As an actor he appeared on situation comedies such as Petticoat Junction and I Dream of Jeannie, and
won an Emmy as the best talk show host for ABC's Mid-Morning LA and was nominated for an Emmy as best game-show host for NBC's Jackpot.
Edwards has been a successful LA disc jockey and a distinguished news reporter, covering the JFK assassination
and was a witness of the
Jack Ruby slaying. In the summer of 1972, he began appearing on NBC-TV's
The Bobby Darin Amusement Company and from Jan to April of 1973 on The Bobby Darin Show
.
When I asked Geoff Edwards recently how he felt about working with Bobby on the show his response was
"I truly loved and respected Bobby!" Geoff was the "interviewer" on the "Godmother" segments of the show, which had Bobby dressed up in drag as an old italian woman. The sketches highlighted Bobbys ability to improvise, sometimes breaking Edwards up on camera.
In one particular segment, Geoff was reading from cue cards and stumbled through the question
"Are there any telltale signs to indicate a marriage is in trouble?" Bobby shot back with
"Yes, and there are also tell tale signs to indicate that you can't read !" Geoff has been quoted as saying
"Bobby always surprised me, he had an incredible instinct for comedy."
The Godmother and Fettuccine Face (Audio)
 Geoff &"The Godmother" on
The Bobby Darin Show (1973)
Edwards not only did this straight man act on Bobby's show, but displayed his musical talents and flair for comedy as well. Following the untimely cancellation of The Bobby Darin Show in April 1973, Geoff continued to be very busy. He found a successful career working as a Game Show Host. Here is a list, not intended to be comprehensive, of his many works.
Hollywood's Talking(Mar 26 1973 - June 29 1973 CBS)
The New Treasure Hunt(Sep 1973-Sep 1977 )
Jackpot!(Jan 7 1974-Sep 26 1975 NBC)
Shoot for the Stars(Jan 3 1977-Sep 30 1977 NBC)
Love Experts(Sep 1978-Sep 1979,
regular panelist)
Play the Percentages(Jan 7 1980-Sep 12 1980, April 27 1987-June 23 1989)
Chain Reaction(Mar 1980, two week substitute host on NBC)
Treasure Hunt(Sep 14 1981-Sep 1982)
Starcade(September 1983-September 1984)
All New Lets Make A Deal(Apr 29 1985-May 3 1985, guest host)
$50,000 a Minute(ABC pilot in 1985)
Big Spin(California- mid 80s- 1993)
New/$40K Chain Reaction(Sep 29 1986-Dec 91)
Jackpot!(Syndicated Sep 18 1989-Mar 16 1990)
 "Right You are!"
Mr. Edwards also continued to work in radio into the 1990s.
Ken Spaulding
of KESQ-TV,KUNA-TV
Palm Springs, CA shared recently,
"Geoff has had lots of radio experience. I was his "board-op" when he
was doing local talk radio in Palm Springs back in the summer of 1994 and we
would talk briefly about the radio business (also about playing "Doom" which
if you recall was quite the rage back in '94).
Geoff is a smart guy, very well versed in politics and current issues as
well as a natty dresser...(loved the plaid coat on Treasure Hunt!)
Geoff and the infamous plaid coat on Treasure Hunt.
From Oct 1997 to April 1998,the classic Treasure Hunt and Jackpot Game shows reruns were shown on The Game Show Network. Geoff is now popping up on an occasional showing of Jackpot and Play The Percentages on GSN. He is also featured in the GSN commercial spoofing contestants hugging Game Show Hosts, called "Hug That Host".
 "And if he don't weigh much throw him up in the air !!!"
Geoff is an experienced traveler and has sailed on over 20 cruise ships.
He has been cruising since 1969 and has literally cruised around the world.
In the summer of 1998, Geoff maintained a very busy schedule.
Geoff stated then :"I am currently doing a travel radio show in Palm Springs, and along
with that I have morphed into a travel writer. Porthole magazine just
published a short bit on the games people play on Cruise Ships.
I still do some "game" appearances. Bob Eubanks (The Newlywed Game) owns and produces a
show called The $25,000 Game Show. We have been in Branson and
Opryland in the past and this year will be in a brand new theatre in
Pigeon Forge, TN. Bob and I will alternate hosting along with Peter
Tomarkin and Charlie Chase (of Crook and Chase)." Geoffs other contributions
include DIVERSION, HAWAIIAN WESTWAYS, and WESTWAYS
travel
magazines.
In the summer of 2000, Geoff hosted Radio Tonight,
an entertaining radio talk show for
The Cypress Radio Network.
(Geoff did a great interview with Bobby's friend
and manager Steve Blauner on that show in June, 2000.) On Radio Tonight
Geoff would close each program with Bobby's rendition of "The Curtain Falls".
Edwards
continues to host
The Touring Company, an informative weekly radio travel show
with his lovely wife Michael, and travel
journalists Paul Lasley and Elizabeth Harryman Lasley.
Recalling his work on Bobbys show, Geoff said
"I was on a cruise on Holland American in April (1998)
and ran into Don Sherman (a writer on the show)
and we had a great
time reminiscing." (In July 2000,
Geoff interviewed Don Sherman on Radio Tonight.)
Geoff also has recollections of Bobbys ill health during the NBC show, saying
"I'd go into the dressing room to rehearse and he'd be breathing oxygen. He'd have to take the mask off to laugh,then he would put it right back on." Edwards was one of Bobbys visitors during his hospital stay in October 1973 when Darin was having heart filibrations. Geoff said Bobby tried to stay reasonably active by playing chess everyday.
Geoff recently chatted with several of Bobby's fans in the chat room on the site and shared
many interesting insights of his time working with and knowing Bobby Darin.
Although very fullfilled and extremely happy with his life currently, Geoff has been quoted as saying about his work with Bobby as
"the happiest six months of my life."
For more information on the Game Show Treasure Hunt, Visit:Matts Treasure Hunt page
Godmother related links:
"Words of Wisdom From the Godmother"
Happy (God)Mother Day 2000!
Chat with The Godmother!
The Godmother's Minestrone Soup
SOURCE: Thats All:Bobby Darin on Record Stage & Screen
Special Thanks to: Jeff Bleiel,my buddies at the alt.tv.game-shows newsgroup especially Mark, Zach Horan, Dave Mackey,Ken Spaulding
of KESQ-TV,KUNA-TV
Palm Springs, CA. Extra special thanks to the big guy himself, Mr. Geoff Edwards, who is very kind to his many fans.
|
