The New Treasure Hunt

This is chronicling the original 1970s version of Treasure Hunt.

Contestant Selection
Before taping began, production staff gave 10 female members of the studio audience small gift boxes. Three of these boxes contained cards with the numbers 1, 2, and 3 inside them. As host Edwards instructed them to open their boxes, the three contestants with numbers came down to the table at the center of the stage. These three women then picked one of three jack in the boxes, the contestant with the number 1 getting first choice, and so on. The one who chose the pop-up surprise (e.g., flowers, dolls) earned the right to go on the Treasure Hunt.

The Treasure Hunt
After being shown two or three of some of the prizes hidden among the 30 packages, the contestant was asked to select one of the boxes, which one of the models would then bring down to the table. Once the box was chosen, and after a commercial break, the contestant had the option of taking a cash payoff (ranging from $200 to $2,000 originally; later in the run, from $500 up to $2,500), or keeping the box instead and winning whatever was inside.

Possible prizes included a package of several items, vacations, automobiles, checks for anywhere between $5,000 and $14,000, or worthless booby prizes called "klunks" (a word coined by Geoff Edwards himself, similar in meaning to that of "zonks" on Let's Make a Deal or "chascos" on Trato Hecho).

One box contained a check for the grand prize of $25,000.

Skits
Upon making her selection, the contestant was not shown what she had won immediately; like most of the other Barris-packaged shows, the entire premise of this show was to display (and exploit) the female contestants' emotions. Host Edwards would engage the contestant in a comedic skit, usually using props, to intentionally mislead the contestant as to what she had finally won. Very often, a contestant would be shown a "klunk", only to have this lead to the actual prize, which could be just another "klunk", but was often much bigger.

Producers had to devise nearly 30 skits per episode. Due to the lack of cue cards, the taping would be stopped after a box was chosen so that Edwards could be briefed on what he was supposed to do. (The delay was edited out of the show.) Aside from his hosting and radio work, Edwards was an actor; thus, producers encouraged him to build the tension as he saw fit, even to the point of sheer unbearability. The only time no skit took place was when the contestant won the grand prize. The common method of the reveal would entail Edwards suggesting to the contestant she should have kept the money in the envelope, before revealing that "all you have ... here ... is TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS!!!" Hysterics occurred following the revealing of the check; shrill sirens went off, confetti and balloons dropped from the ceiling (one of the first game shows to do such a thing), and, on a few occasions late in the run, the contestant was swarmed onstage by Barris staff members and humorously given roses. The show sometimes played the sirens so loud the audience couldn't be heard over the noise.

Two games were played per show, each involving one half of the studio audience (the two halves faced each other, similar to seating at a sporting event, and unlike most conventional television studios). If the contestant found the check during the first half of the show, another was hidden for the second half.

Grand Prize Reveal
At the end of each episode, if no one won the top prize, Geoff ritually asked a real-life bonded security guard, Emile Autouri, if he hid the check, to which Emile would always respond, "Yes, I did." Emile would then hand Geoff a slip of paper, and while Emile went to retrieve the box which contained the grand prize, Geoff would show the audience the slip of paper with the correct box number. Finally, Emile would bring the box to Geoff, who would physically reveal, then replace the check within, before leaving the set with the box. In an ongoing gag, occasionally before the reveal, Geoff would attempt to converse with Emile; however, Emile always remained completely silent.

Episode Status
The New Treasure Hunt/Episode List

The syndicated versions remain intact and are held by Sony (as they own the Chuck Barris library).

Controversies
An incident often talked about regarding The New Treasure Hunt concerned a contestant on the 1970s version in 1974 named Vera Hockenbecker (Episode #36), who fainted on-stage upon being told that she had won a reproduction of a 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom convertible. This incident was replayed on the CBS news magazine 60 Minutes as part of an exposé on the series; producer Chuck Barris expressed his pride in the occurrence, given the show's premise.

In addition to playing on the presumed emotionalism of female contestants, the decision of Barris to only allow women in the game was reportedly a safety precaution: he was concerned that a male contestant might become angered by the show's antics (presumably including being led by a five-minute skit into a Klunk) and physically attack Edwards or other staffers.

During the final 1970s season, Barris told Edwards that he wanted to make The New Treasure Hunt even more sadistic for the 1977-1978 season, such as showing the contestant a very expensive car (such as a Rolls-Royce), and after the excitement subsided, revealing that the woman only won a small part of the vehicle (such as the rear-view mirror). Edwards refused and was initially fired, but was brought back soon thereafter; he missed no episodes as a result of his protest. However, after the season finished Edwards left permanently and the series was hence cancelled.

Concealing the Grand Prize Check
Prior to each taping, Emile Autori would randomly draw a number backstage in the presence of a Standards and Practices official and go behind closed curtains onstage and empty the contents of that box and place the grand prize check inside.

1973

 * Main – Chuck Barris
 * Close – "True Grit" by Chuck Barris
 * "Klunk" – Chuck Barris
 * Prize Cue – "Put It Where You Want It" by The Jazz Crusaders
 * Prize Cue – "Pretty Maidens" by Chuck Barris
 * Prize Cue – "Hunk Of Love" by Chuck Barris
 * Audience Gift Box – "Funny Shuffle" by The Jazz Crusaders
 * Surprise Box – "America(n) Sundae" by Mark Wirtz
 * Surprise Box (Season 2) – "Palisades Park" by Freddy Cannon
 * Fee Plug – "Little Russian Song" by Chuck Barris