Hit Man (American game show)

The three challengers watched a short film narrated by Tomarken. Film topics varied widely and included biographies, behind-the-scenes features about specific movies, professions, hobbies, etc. The film was also shown to the returning champion offstage, since the subject matter would also be used for the Triple Crown.

After the film ended, Tomarken asked the challengers a series of toss-up questions about its content. Each correct answer moved the challenger one step up a five-step ladder behind him/her, while a miss put the question out of play and froze him/her out of the next one. The first challenger to give five correct answers won $300 and sat out the rest of the round, and the second to do so won $200. These two challengers advanced to the second round; the third one was eliminated from the game and received parting gifts.

The champion joined the two remaining challengers onstage, and all three contestants were shown a second film and asked a series of toss-up questions about it. The object this time for all three contestants was to defend a series of hit men assigned to them. The champion was given seven hit men, with the first place challenger from the first round receiving four and the second place challenger receiving three.

Each toss-up was played as a head-to-head showdown between the champion and one of the challengers, starting with the winner of the first round. Answering a question correctly caused the opposing contestant to lose a hit man, while answering incorrectly cost the contestant that did so one of his/her own. Each challenger played against the champion until they lost a hit man, and if either challenger lost all of their hit men, they were eliminated from the game and play continued with the champion and the remaining challenger.

Play continued until the champion had eliminated all seven of his/her opponents’ hit men or until he/she had lost all seven of his/hers. The champion retained in the former case; in the latter case, the challenger that was responsible for eliminating the champion’s seventh and last hit man became the champion.

A contestant about to start the Triple Crown bonus round.

The champion faced a board of eight columns that contained varying numbers of circles. Two columns each had two, three, and four circles, while one column had one circle and one had five circles. The champion turned his/her back to the board, and the columns were scrambled.

The champion had 60 seconds to answer questions based on the day's two films, without turning to face the board. He/she chose a column, and Tomarken began to ask questions. Each correct answer placed a money man in one circle, but a pass or miss forced the champion to choose a new one. He/she was never told how many answers were needed to fill a chosen column, only when/whether it had been successfully filled. The champion won $1,000 for each of the first two columns filled, or $10,000 for filling three.

Champions remained on the show until they were defeated in the main game or had played the Triple Crown five times.