And it was on WLEX and WDKY in Lexington (which both carried the show every Late Saturday/Early Sunday at 1:00am), WLKY in Louisville (which carried it every Saturday at 11:30pm) and the now-defunct WBKI in Campbellsville, which carried American Gladiators every Saturday Afternoon at 3:00pm as part of a 3-hour Saturday Afternoon block right before WWF Superstars and WCW Worldwide! BTW, does anyone have the promos for American Gladiators, WWF Superstars and WCW Worldwide (a.k.a. the Saturday Afternoon 3-hour Action Block on WGRB Channel 34) on WGRB (which later became WBKI)?
It was composed by Academy Award winner William Conti, best known for composing the 🎼 for the Rocky and 🥋 Kid films and for conducting the Academy Awards orchestra 21 times!
dmace81 You are right I have that as my phone ring on my cell. Sounds funny but when you hear the first theme version it brings kind of a lump in.your throat.
Or GSN, but please put the reruns of AG '89 & '08 in one package! Any network wanting to do it? Or have Netflix make available all 9 seasons total plus 2 internationals! Or we can wait for Shout!, Lionsgate, Mill Creek, TGG Direct, or 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment release COMPLETE seasons!
Its interesting how you can see the rise and decline of the show just from the intros. 0:00 - tiny studio, incredibly low budget 1:18- show is a hit, budget increased big time. New arena, more gladiators, new theme, new events 3:38 to 5:23 - When the show was on the rise, more focus on the Gladiators and this is when the branched out with videogames, toys, etc 5:26 - This is when the show peaked. budget increases again and the show gets a major overhaul. Brand new arena, new logo, theme, Gladiators and events 6:35 - Show is on the decline and they are desperate throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks which is evident by this ridiculous opening that looks like some kind of high school drama 7:08 - The decline continues, budget slashed bigtime with a scaled down presentation. Even the Gladiators look like they are wondering if they will even have jobs soon.
The first season is so cheesy! Between the Gladiators' character intros, them being presented as villains, the masked "ninja", and the cardboard cutout fans, I can't get enough of it! 😂
It's interesting looking at these progression of videos one after the other. The first season intro was like a humble beginning, with its distinct 80s style and character intros. Then starting from the 2nd season onwards, the show started to hit its peak of popularity, and it showed in the more "electric" intros. Then in the later seasons, you can tell the show was on the decline, and the intros were revamped into the distinct 90s style, with its flashy graphics...to make it seem fresh again.
Excellent show! It was one of my favorites! My favorite gladiators were Gemini, Blaze, Laser, Lace, Siren (RIP), Tower, Sabre and Nitro 😍 Also, am I the only one who loves how Sabre went from a competitor to one of the gladiators? 🏅
Storm tried out as a competitor and was instead picked to be a gladiator. Laser was best friends/roommates with Nitro. In fact, both were 'replacement players' with the Rams during the 1987 NFL strike. Sky was first known as Athena, but she didn't like it, so she went with her childhood nickname Sky. She was recruited during their 50-week traveling tour as a 'replacement' to give the other gladiators a break and to rest up while they were injured. Nitro, Zap, and Gemini were all fired for wanting a cut of the merchandising. Nitro was lured back with the promise of being a host for the next season, while Zap was brought back as a contestant. But it was iffy since the other gladiators didn't want to fight against Zap.
This show LITERALLY was my childhood started when I was 1 ended when I was 9 and plenty of reruns! LONG LIVE AMERICAN GLADIATORS!!!! Who's here from Pluto TV? And Malibu is exactly what the late 80s looked like and ironic enough he only lasted that one season lmao
And my oldest son watched it on WDKY, WLKY, WLEX and WBKI, which aired the show at 3:00pm as part of a 3-hour Saturday Afternoon block right before WCW Worldwide and WWF Superstars.
@@danalong1237 YOU MUST BE ON THE WEST COAST AS THIS SHOW CAME ON AT 12 NOON ON WNYW FOX 5 NEW YORK AFTER WWF SUPERSTARS AND THE ONLY FEW TIMES I CAUGHT WCW WORLDWIDE/PRO WAS ON A FEW RANDOM LATE NIGHT SATURDAYS(12:30 AM SUNDAY MORNING TO BE EXACT) I STAYED UP LATE ON WCBS CHANNEL 2
i remember watching this as a kid and i was very impressed by muscles the dudes had and i wanted to have muscles like them and that is why today i lift weights
4:58, the exact moment we crossed into the early mid 90's "93" (lower case script, silly ass graphics all over the screen) then to cheesy, over dramatic melrose place-type intro.
Announcer John Harlan also did other game shows and TV programs like "The Bob Hope Specials" on NBC, "You Don't Say" on both NBC and ABC, the second incarnation of "Password" on ABC, and subbing for Rod Roddy in September 1984 on "Press Your Luck" on CBS, among other jobs.
possibly the only time in history when the UK version of a show is more over the top, more extrovert and more in your face than the US one! The US version is remarkably understated
I first heard of American Gladiators when I was looking through the TV channels at 3 AM (CST) and there it was! American Gladiators on TelExitos (Telemundo's sister channel). It's in Spanish but I still watch it because I know it. I love this show and I can see the importance of it, I wish they brought back this on TV, though.
And hopefully Shout Factory will release the remaining six seasons and the first half of the first season on DVD and Blu-Ray and re-release the second half of the first season on DVD and Blu-Ray someday!
I remember being at a Farmer's Market in Valley Junction (West Des Moines, IA--my wife works at The Theatrical Shop there) where the Army National Guard had a "mini-Wall" set up, and as I watched some kids climbing, I said, "Okay, _why_ am I getting a _serious American Gladiators_ vibe here?" One of the soldiers tapped me on the shoulder and shouted, _"ICE! TURBO! LASER!"_ And I joined in, _"GEMINI! ZAP! THUNDER! DIAMOND!"_ We laughed, and he said, "You watched that show, too, huh?" I told him I never missed it when it ran on television. I said, "Hey, at least these kids don't have a steroid-crazed Gladiator chasing them up that thing! And, it's a lot _smaller,_ too!" He agreed, and we both laughed again.
As a gay guy, I loved this show while growing up...growing up in the 90's ruled! Too bad I started the decade at 6...ah couldn't I have been 15 or something lol so I could have better appreciated the decade!
Now that all the gladiators are old and dying they admit they were all jacked up on steroids. The show encouraged it and sent them to "special" doctors.
Born in the 80s, raised in the 90s. And I'm so proud of it!
Same here! Looking back at it, I wouldn't have it any other way, my parents timed it perfectly.
Same here, the 90's was awesome.
Same here.
Same here, the 90s were filled with creativity and imagination!!
im the same way as u
Every Saturday after WWF superstars...memories.
str8dominican me too. i even tried the video game
It was part of my Saturday Mornings at 11 am on WDCA from the fall of 1990 to 1997. Also, the game was hard to beat. RIP Todd Christiansen
Chris Foster how did he die
Cancer
And it was on WLEX and WDKY in Lexington (which both carried the show every Late Saturday/Early Sunday at 1:00am), WLKY in Louisville (which carried it every Saturday at 11:30pm) and the now-defunct WBKI in Campbellsville, which carried American Gladiators every Saturday Afternoon at 3:00pm as part of a 3-hour Saturday Afternoon block right before WWF Superstars and WCW Worldwide! BTW, does anyone have the promos for American Gladiators, WWF Superstars and WCW Worldwide (a.k.a. the Saturday Afternoon 3-hour Action Block on WGRB Channel 34) on WGRB (which later became WBKI)?
Best part of the show. That theme song is fucking epic.
It was composed by Academy Award winner William Conti, best known for composing the 🎼 for the Rocky and 🥋 Kid films and for conducting the Academy Awards orchestra 21 times!
It is?
dmace81 You are right I have that as my phone ring on my cell. Sounds funny but when you hear the first theme version it brings kind of a lump in.your throat.
You should hear the British version!
Only thing that compares to this theme is the A Team theme
The theme song is KICKASS. I might be a 2000s kid, but I caught reruns on ESPN Classic with my granny! Loved this show!!!
This and the NBA fanfare by John Tesh.
These American Gladiators reruns definetly should be on Antenna TV in the future.
Or GSN, but please put the reruns of AG '89 & '08 in one package! Any network wanting to do it? Or have Netflix make available all 9 seasons total plus 2 internationals! Or we can wait for Shout!, Lionsgate, Mill Creek, TGG Direct, or 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment release COMPLETE seasons!
Charge! is now airing reruns of all 7 seasons of the original American Gladiators TV series, including all 7 Grand Championships in their entirety.
They also showed them on ESPN Classic.
@@danalong1237 i am watching it in SPANISH in TELEXITOS it comes on mon-fri at 11am
I know this is a late reply but to anyone interested they have a channel on Pluto TV that's 24/7 American Gladiators
Happy 30th Anniversary to the American Gladiators this year in 2019.
Happy 35th Anniversary to the American Gladiators this year of 2024.
Its interesting how you can see the rise and decline of the show just from the intros.
0:00 - tiny studio, incredibly low budget
1:18- show is a hit, budget increased big time. New arena, more gladiators, new theme, new events
3:38 to 5:23 - When the show was on the rise, more focus on the Gladiators and this is when the branched out with videogames, toys, etc
5:26 - This is when the show peaked. budget increases again and the show gets a major overhaul. Brand new arena, new logo, theme, Gladiators and events
6:35 - Show is on the decline and they are desperate throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks which is evident by this ridiculous opening that looks like some kind of high school drama
7:08 - The decline continues, budget slashed bigtime with a scaled down presentation. Even the Gladiators look like they are wondering if they will even have jobs soon.
I agree for the most part but for me it went down hill soon as the original intro was changed.
The 7:08 bit is actually still part of the 6:35 intro
it all went down hill when they changed the theme song.
I can’t remember which episode (which is to my surprise - Season 3, Episode 6), but the announcer said “Here comes the Laser beam!”
The first season is so cheesy! Between the Gladiators' character intros, them being presented as villains, the masked "ninja", and the cardboard cutout fans, I can't get enough of it! 😂
It's interesting looking at these progression of videos one after the other. The first season intro was like a humble beginning, with its distinct 80s style and character intros. Then starting from the 2nd season onwards, the show started to hit its peak of popularity, and it showed in the more "electric" intros. Then in the later seasons, you can tell the show was on the decline, and the intros were revamped into the distinct 90s style, with its flashy graphics...to make it seem fresh again.
I love Blaze, Gemini, Storm and Ice...I miss this show so much.
Lace and Diamond were two of my son’s favorite Gladiators when he was a child.
6:45 Jazz is my favorite! She’s a QUEEN!😍😘😘 😋💍🌹 #WifeGoals #TheBae
theme song never gets old
Loved this show! Always loved Zap and Blaze 😍😍 lol
Excellent show! It was one of my favorites! My favorite gladiators were Gemini, Blaze, Laser, Lace, Siren (RIP), Tower, Sabre and Nitro 😍
Also, am I the only one who loves how Sabre went from a competitor to one of the gladiators? 🏅
Really? Sabre was a competitor?!
Storm tried out as a competitor and was instead picked to be a gladiator.
Laser was best friends/roommates with Nitro. In fact, both were 'replacement players' with the Rams during the 1987 NFL strike.
Sky was first known as Athena, but she didn't like it, so she went with her childhood nickname Sky. She was recruited during their 50-week traveling tour as a 'replacement' to give the other gladiators a break and to rest up while they were injured.
Nitro, Zap, and Gemini were all fired for wanting a cut of the merchandising. Nitro was lured back with the promise of being a host for the next season, while Zap was brought back as a contestant. But it was iffy since the other gladiators didn't want to fight against Zap.
@@hbdragon88calm down, we've all seen the netflix docu-series...
Malibu quote: "I've never been on a surf board in my life" lol ! But he loved his character. He says he still gets love letters till this day.
This show LITERALLY was my childhood started when I was 1 ended when I was 9 and plenty of reruns! LONG LIVE AMERICAN GLADIATORS!!!! Who's here from Pluto TV? And Malibu is exactly what the late 80s looked like and ironic enough he only lasted that one season lmao
"Visually interesting" well hot damn, I'm hooked!
Action oriented! Visually interesting!
Laser.
Now that's a haircut you can set your watch to.
I watched this on Saturdays. I always watched to see if anyone survived the Eliminator.
And my oldest son watched it on WDKY, WLKY, WLEX and WBKI, which aired the show at 3:00pm as part of a 3-hour Saturday Afternoon block right before WCW Worldwide and WWF Superstars.
@@danalong1237 YOU MUST BE ON THE WEST COAST AS THIS SHOW CAME ON AT 12 NOON ON WNYW FOX 5 NEW YORK AFTER WWF SUPERSTARS AND THE ONLY FEW TIMES I CAUGHT WCW WORLDWIDE/PRO WAS ON A FEW RANDOM LATE NIGHT SATURDAYS(12:30 AM SUNDAY MORNING TO BE EXACT) I STAYED UP LATE ON WCBS CHANNEL 2
I wish all these season would be out on dvd. They were all awesome.
WHEN GAME SHOWS WERE LIKE 80S ACTION MOVIES!
=)
AND WE LOBED EVERY MOMENT OF IT!!!
@@StarWolf_88 best times.
It's a 90s show, only 13 episodes aired in the 80s
I was a huge fan of Ice. She was awesome.
Nitro was my favorite male gladiator and Ice was my favorite female gladiator!
Malibu was my dad’s favorite when he saw this show
I remember Hawk because he was the host of the G4 Show called ARENA
Yup but may he RIP.
"Visually interesting!" -- Yep, they don't write dialogue like that anymore.
Lmao they don't....FAST PACED EXCITEMENT!!! Dude I was 4 wanting to take on Gemini lmao
Is anything considered "visually interesting" anymore these days?
This perfectly encapsulates TV editing in the 1990s.
Nitro and Turbo were my favorite guys. Diamond was my favorite girl!
Tenille Holmes
Loved that show, never got tired of watching it even though I didn't start watching it until around 1990-91!
I love _American Gladiators._ Favorite Gladiators for me is Zap, Diamond, Ice, Jazz, Siren (RIP) and my #1 favorite, Sky.
Dang, so the UK's Falcon isn't the only deceased Gladiator?
@JASpiring Also no longer with us are Gold (Tonya Knight), Hawk (Lee Reherman), Thunder (Billy Smith) and the aforementioned Siren (Shelley Beattie).
And visually INTERESTING!
I totally miss seeing this series since I was a kid, though.
"This is zap. Strong, Silent, Determinated"
Did he just say determinated?
No, he said "Strong, Silent, the Terminator".
Her nickname was The Terminator.
@@grimreaper7734 Should have been The Termanatrix.
Still remember watching this right after WWF. Good times!
my favorite program as a boy and as a teen
the 90s in a nutshell - in stereo where available
With names like Nitro, Turbo, Laser, Blaze and Lace, this is SO DELICIOUSLY '80s!
It was a 90s show, only 13 episodes aired in the 80s (1989)
i remember watching this as a kid and i was very impressed by muscles the dudes had and i wanted to have muscles like them and that is why today i lift weights
4:58, the exact moment we crossed into the early mid 90's "93" (lower case script, silly ass graphics all over the screen) then to cheesy, over dramatic melrose place-type intro.
You think so?
Wouldn't have it any other way lmao I guess the teens thought it was cool lol Idk I was 5 in 93 lmao it was flashy to me just start the games already!
Loved it in the late 80s in germany 😊 and still today
I miss the 80's
I miss shows like this. They promoted healthy competition and for the most part did not sell false drama. Just competition
So referee Larry thompson , debuted the same time as Larry Cszonka did in 1991
Diamond Rocks! So as the rest of the American Gladiatiors!
Thunder was my favorite! He was so hot!
Sabre and Malibu played Jax and Motaro in Mortal Kombat Annihilation
Hawk hosted a robot fighting show
That's the last I heard of those Gladiators
@Raymond Frand I believe that was the robot fighting show
One of my favorite competition shows of all time.
Gemini, calm one minute and violent the next...
Yeah try saying that on TV now about a black guy!
+Casey C I have no idea why but this made me lmao
I thought the same thing.
Yo I should've never laughed at that lmao
You can’t; it’s too accurate, and we have to pretend it’s not. Same with calling them stupid, lazy, ignorant, criminalistic, etc .
This is great! Thank you!
Announcer John Harlan also did other game shows and TV programs like "The Bob Hope Specials" on NBC, "You Don't Say" on both NBC and ABC, the second incarnation of "Password" on ABC, and subbing for Rod Roddy in September 1984 on "Press Your Luck" on CBS, among other jobs.
But the best game show he ever announced was “Name That Tune!”
I saw this program with my father when I was a child.
My favorite was female Ice Ice baby! Sexiest female though was Diamond!
zorro9992 6:45 Jazz is so sexy! All of the women were hot! But I wanted to marry Jazz! I had such a huge crush on her!😍😘😋💍❤️
Diamond was buff and beautiful! Too bad she didn't stay till the end
@@johndoe-dl6qo Maybe its just me but I thought Diamond looked better in her first two seasons than she did the later ones.
Agreed. Little Gregory LOVED Diamond
Can we stop and appreciate how Sky looked sexy and badass while wearing a white shirt, jeans and a bra at 6:59?
Who's revisiting this after seeing the Netflix documentary?
this was pretty much the 90's.....
From Universal Studios Hollywood! The Samuel Goldwyn Company presents... *AMERICAN GLADIATORS!*
Love this show as a kid
Love it!!
.
I wish we could see wish years go with each intro...
possibly the only time in history when the UK version of a show is more over the top, more extrovert and more in your face than the US one! The US version is remarkably understated
Happy 35th Anniversary of American Gladiators this year of 2024!
2:37 that's the theme I remember as a little girl ^.^
I had the pleasure of meeting tower at a celebrity golf tournament nice guy but one tall f'n dude
Totally 90s and Old school!
The intro with Larry Czonka is my favorite followed by Todd Christensen
I am Star Wolf..cool, calm, collected back home in Middlesex County Jersey....
I first heard of American Gladiators when I was looking through the TV channels at 3 AM (CST) and there it was! American Gladiators on TelExitos (Telemundo's sister channel). It's in Spanish but I still watch it because I know it. I love this show and I can see the importance of it, I wish they brought back this on TV, though.
this show was the shit..i thought blaze was hot lol.
You weren't the only one! 😍
I miss this show! I think it'd be cool if they released the run on DVD. How many other viewers say Gemini was their favorite?
The second half of the first season is indeed on DVD.
And hopefully Shout Factory will release the remaining six seasons and the first half of the first season on DVD and Blu-Ray and re-release the second half of the first season on DVD and Blu-Ray someday!
@@danalong1237 I would SO buy the lot of seasons on DVD if it happened. :)
Get Pluto TV they have a channel of American Gladiators 24/7
Gemini was the best gladiator! Followed closely by Laser and Nitro
Awesome! THX!
Intros are badass.
RIP John Harlan
Love them
Best hair cuts ever!!!
One of my favorite toy lines!
I'm doing the Thunder Shake with my wife next time in bed
What a great show this was.
The mullet game was strong in this episode.
I remember being at a Farmer's Market in Valley Junction (West Des Moines, IA--my wife works at The Theatrical Shop there) where the Army National Guard had a "mini-Wall" set up, and as I watched some kids climbing, I said, "Okay, _why_ am I getting a _serious American Gladiators_ vibe here?"
One of the soldiers tapped me on the shoulder and shouted, _"ICE! TURBO! LASER!"_ And I joined in, _"GEMINI! ZAP! THUNDER! DIAMOND!"_
We laughed, and he said, "You watched that show, too, huh?" I told him I never missed it when it ran on television. I said, "Hey, at least these kids don't have a steroid-crazed Gladiator chasing them up that thing! And, it's a lot _smaller,_ too!" He agreed, and we both laughed again.
Turbo was hot.
It was a lot cool stuff going on in the 90s what happened all you see now is a bunch of selfish people on tv.
6:35 intro is like completly missing the point. They are shown as some fashion models, not top athletes like they used to...
In the late 90s sex sold like hot cakes...
By the end the intro was a Gap ad w/muscly people, lol 😜
The names are awesome! Would never work today but we're the best in the 90s
I'd expect a revival of AG this year or next. The UK version is back and it's a smash hit.
Blade. Laser. Blazer
And my personal trainer Michelle
Such a great show these days!!
Wow. I didn’t know Bill Conti contributed to this show. Epic.
I miss the 90's.
boy i liked that show alot as a kid =)
As a gay guy, I loved this show while growing up...growing up in the 90's ruled! Too bad I started the decade at 6...ah couldn't I have been 15 or something lol so I could have better appreciated the decade!
You're all good there mate (although this is 4 years late)! I was 8 in 1990, therefore I can relate. :)
Gemini was the man on Joust.
These ppl were huge! What were they eating- other ppl?!
That was America!
Power and athetlics!
I miss those time on tv.
Malibu reminds me Between Buffy Lorenzo Lamas and George Michael(R.I.P.)
RIP John Harlan.
The moment saber was jax in mortal kombat annihilation!
Here are your American Gladiators:
LAZER
BLAZE
BLAZER
LABLAZER
BLALAERBLAZE…
From Universal Studios Hollywood this is American Gladiators
Now that all the gladiators are old and dying they admit they were all jacked up on steroids. The show encouraged it and sent them to "special" doctors.
Rip Gold, Siren, Thunder, Hawk
Nitro was always my favorite American Gladiator.
GameShowMike NITRO STILL LOOKS GOOD
Same. He and Sabre were my favourite male gladiators from the show.
WOOA NICE! GREAT!