Seven Keys

Seven Keys
Premiere	April 3, 1961
Finale	March 27, 1964
Creator	Carl Jampel
Host	Jack Narz
Network/Provider	ABC
Style	30-minute game show
Company	Wellington Productions
Seasons	3
Episodes	785
Origin	USA

Seven Keys is a game show that aired on ABC from 1961 to 1964. It began in 1960 on Los Angeles station KTLA/channel 5 and ran to 1961. It returned to KTLA for eight months after ABC canceled it.

One player competes in this show. The player must run a board of 70 spaces in fifteen chances to acquire one of seven keys that will open a lock containing valuable prizes.

The contestant controls the board with a three-button device corresponding to three slowly revolving wheels: "Steps," "Bonus" and "Penalty." The category to which the board refers is disclosed and the contestant presses the "Steps" button. The wheel shows how many spaces from 1 to 10 the board progresses, as it shows a visual clue based on the category. Correct answers permit pressing the steps button again. If a player lands on a "Penalty" space, he/she must press the "Penalty" button and go back the number of spaces indicated. If it's a question space already played, then the player merely repeats the answer and presses "Steps" again. Landing on a "Bonus" space permits pressing the "Bonus" button and progressing the number of spaces indicated. A "Safety" space means no chances are lost. An incorrect answer means the player has to go back to the first space on that line of spaces.

If the player completes the board within the 15 chances, he/she selects a key and may stop or play on. Winning all seven keys wins all the prizes automatically. If the player fails to complete the board within 15 chances, the game ends and he/she must forfeit any keys acquired.

A home viewer contest was used. Here, viewers sent in postcards with their selection of a numbered key that will open one of ten doors of prizes, one of which is a big prize. A name is drawn and whatever key that viewer has selected wins the prize that key opens.

The theme song for Seven Keys was the Broadway tune "Everything's Coming Up Roses."

Cast

Person	Role	Duration
Main Cast
Jack Narz	Host	1	2	3
Jack Powers	Announcer	1	2	3
Betty Andrews	Model	1	2	3
Barbara Lyon	Model	1	2	3

In Depth

At a Glance: Additional information about the series

DVD Releases

One episode is available on a compilation DVD from Shokus Video.