Break the Bank

1985
5.3| 0h30m| en
Synopsis

Break the Bank is a game show created by Richard S. Kline. It aired in syndication from September 16, 1985 to May 23, 1986, with repeats airing until September 12. It was not related to two previous shows by the same name. The series debuted with Gene Rayburn as host, with Joe Farago taking over in December 1985. Kandace Kuehl was the co-host for the first three shows and was then replaced afterward with 1983 Miss USA winner Julie Hayek. Voice-over artist Michael Hanks was the announcer. Break the Bank was the first game show produced under the Kline & Friends production company, with former Barry & Enright director Richard S. Kline the executive producer and director of the series. Other former Barry & Enright staffers, including Gary Cox and D.A. Diana, also worked on this show.

Director

Producted By

Kline and Friends Productions

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Reviews

Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable
Brendon Jones It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.
Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.
Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.
hfan77 When Richard Kline left Barry-Enright Productions to form his own company, Kline & Friends, the first show to hit the airwaves was a revival of Break the Bank. This version was a lot different from the 1976 incarnation that had high ratings, but was canceled after 15 weeks due to ABC expanding their soap operas. Instead of nine celebrities, there were two couples who answered questions to earn seconds in the Prize Vault later in the show. Each answer was a clue to a person, place or thing and the first couple to solve two puzzles won the game and used the accumulated seconds to win prizes and computer cards to help them Break the Bank. The front game, to me was the best part of the game. It was similar to Password Plus and it involved the home viewer. As for the bonus round, it was too complicated and a lot like a carnival. Some of the stunts included identifying voices by a female impressionist and solving tongue twisters. It just wasn't exciting. Gene Rayburn was the first host and he wasn't as good as he was on Match Game. He also sounded like he had laryngitis. He was fired after 13 weeks and replaced by Joe Farago, who was a much better host and kept the game moving. Also, the format was changing, eliminating the stunts and concentrating more on the puzzles. Former Miss USA Julie Hayek also added to the festivities and Michael Hanks did a fine job as the show's announcer. It's a shame that he wasn't used on other game shows. As for this version of a show whose title goes back to radio days, it didn't Break the Bank.