'Celebrity Billiards' and more of TV's strangest game shows

Game shows have enjoyed a resurgence on TV in recent years, especially in prime time with such oddities as Fox's "The Floor," hosted by Rob Lowe, and numerous reboots, including "Press Your Luck."

But when it comes to really out-there concepts, the 1970s ruled with game shows featuring massive mazes, celebrities bowling and shooting pool, and even a pinball machine that seemed built for King Kong. Don't expect a reboot of these strange shows anytime soon.

Celebrity Billiards (Syndicated, 1968)

Celebrities such as Groucho Marx and Milton Berle were behind the eight ball as they took on billiards champ Minnesota Fats (aka Rudolf Wanderone) on this show that only ran for 28 episodes. The celebs racked up $500 for their favorite charity and another $500 if they won (a slim chance against Fats). Most of the fun came from the banter between Fats and his guests, such as pool novice Zsa Zsa Gabor, who remarked that she could have used a cue stick to hit the heads of her many husbands.

Celebrity Bowling (Syndicated, 1971-77)

Two teams of celebrities competed against each other to win prizes ranging from watches to trips for home viewers. Stars from Bob Newhart to William Shatner donned bowling shoes (along with some bad '70s fashions), though a favorite matchup was when "Brady Bunch" siblings Maureen McCormick and Barry Williams were pitted against Eve Plumb and Christopher Knight. Seeing McCormick's balls continually miss the pins, all one could say was "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia." See for yourself: "Celebrity Bowling" is now streaming on Tubi.

Bowling for Dollars (WWOR/9, 1973-79)

Mets announcer Bob Murphy was the original host of “New York’s big money and big prize game show where everyone is a winner.” At least that's how the announcer described it in the cheesy animated opening. Players earned $1 for each pin they knocked down after throwing two balls. A spare or a strike was worth $20, and two consecutive strikes nabbed the jackpot, which started at $200 and increased by $20 each time until it was won. In 1976, Murphy was replaced by actor Larry Kenney, the voice of Count Chocula and Cocoa Puffs’ Sonny the cuckoo in commercials.

The Money Maze (ABC, 1974-75)

Nick Clooney, George's dad, hosted this enigma in which a couple of couples answered questions hoping to score enough points to take a trip through a gigantic maze in the bonus round and take home $10,000. One spouse had 60 seconds to make it through the maze as their teammate guided them to find the digits 1, zero, zero, zero and zero marked on various towers. Depending on how many digits they found, that's the amount they won. And yes, if they only found the four zeros, they got nothing. A-maze-ing.

The Magnificent Marble Machine (NBC, 1975-76)

Merrill Heatter and Bob Quigley, the duo behind “Hollywood Squares,” may have lost their marbles when they came up with this show hosted by Art James and featuring a pre-“Jeopardy!” Johnny Gilbert as announcer. A team consisting of a contestant and a celebrity (among them, Florence Henderson, Betty White and Joan Rivers) had to figure out word puzzles. The winning team then headed to the bonus round played on a 20-foot-tall and 12-foot-long pinball machine. Each time a player hit a bumper, they racked up points and prizes, ranging from a Maureen McGovern album to a Guppy 13 sailboat. Scoring 10,000 points earned contestants a gold marble, which was used in an all-cash pinball game. The theme song was “There Is a Tavern in the Town,” perhaps a nod to where the idea for this show was conceived.