PITFALL (1981 - 1982)

‘Pitfall’ remembered as a ‘notorious disaster’ (and the show that didn’t pay Alex Trebek)

“Pitfall” was one of the most elaborate game shows in Canadian history. It was also one of the biggest disasters and the one that will be forever known as the show that ‘stiffed’ Alex Trebek.

“Pitfall is kind of a notorious disaster in the history of game shows,” says Adam Nedeff, author of “Game Show FAQ.”

“This is a show that happened 40 years ago. People still wonder what happened and why it went horribly wrong,” says “Pitfall” writer Rick Drew. 

The show aired from 1981 – 1982 and was produced by a company called Catalena Productions in Vancouver. The independent production company was also at the helm of the Canadian revival of “Let’s Make a Deal” with Monty Hall.

With a flashy big-budget set, “Pitfall” held great promise.

It also featured a promising host who would go on to become one of the most beloved game show hosts in history – Alex Trebek.

The elaborate set featured moving elevators where contestants would move up and down levels dependent on their answers to trivia questions.

The problems began when a celebrity guest got his fingers crushed in an elevator and threatened legal action. But the real downfall of the show came with its high production value.

“Their appetite was far too big for the realities of the money they had,” says famed game producer Blair Murdoch, who was the Vice-President of Sales & Marketing for Catalena Productions at the time.

The company was also sued by “Let’s Make a Deal” host Monty Hall and producer Stefan Hatos for a $200,000 outstanding payment.

It forced the company into bankruptcy, which sealed the fate of “Pitfall.” 

The contestants never got the prizes they were awarded on the show and the crew as well as beloved host Trebek never got paid.

“That’s the only time in my life someone has stiffed me for hosting or doing work on a program,” Trebek said in a 2007 interview. “Not a pleasant memory.” 

Catalena Productions founder Ian MacLennan says there’s nothing they could’ve done differently. 

“There’s no guarantee. There are things that happen that you have no control over in life. You have no control over the economy,” he said in an interview with “The Search For Canada’s Game Shows.”

Even with its disastrous end, there are still fans that would jump at the chance to see it back on the air.

“I would be the first one to set my DVR for it,” says Nedeff.