Sentry Squares
A Game Show Knockoff for Sentry Insurance
What a cast!!!! Mr. T, Liberace, The Blues Brothers, Columbo, Joan Rivers, The “Where’s the Beef?” Lady, Boy George and MICHAEL JACKSON. When we put on a show, WE PUT ON A SHOW! (OK. OK. They were all celebrity impersonators, but still….)
The year was 1985, the client was Sentry Insurance and the project was a sales training video for their agents. What could have been a mind-numbing lesson in insurance sales techniques turned into an entertaining half-hour for the cast, the crew and – we hope – the audience.
We took the old Uptown Theatre on 49th Street between Lisbon and North and built a replica of the Hollywood Squares set. As that was underway, so was our search for nine celebrity impersonators. You’d be amazed at the auditions – both good and bad –that we sorted through before finding our dream team.
Here’s a cast photo: (L-R) Columbo, Joan Rivers, Michael Jackson, Boy George, Clara Peller (“Where’s the Beef?”), Elwood Blues, Mr. T, Liberace, Jake Blues, Milwaukee actor Michael Skewes as the Contestant, Producer Betty Hertz and Slim Pickens.
The crew including George Liberatore and Betty Hertz (standing).
Mr. T assaults Liberace played by Milwaukee actor, Wally Flaherty.
The “host” and “contestants.”
Video clip of the finished show.