1. What was like life before you made your appearance on Scrabble?
I was on Scrabble in 1987. I had hair and Michael Tiller wasn’t born. I had just moved to LA the year before to pursue my acting career. I had never been west of the Mississippi River before I loaded up my pathetic car that I had once left burning on the freeway (it somehow still worked, so I kept on driving it) and moved to LA. I got a job at a hotel downtown working as a room service waiter for breakfasts and spent the rest of my day trying to get auditions. I was in an improv comedy show that entire year with a cast that included Matthew Perry (before he was famous). I was learning to be fearless in front of an audience. That turned out to be a big help when I was filming Scrabble. After scrabble, I won a total of $14,000. I had never been so rich. I spent college starving and then the 3 years after I got out I worked at little regional theatres making on average of $60 to $70 a week plus a bed to sleep in. After Scrabble I immediately quit my room service job and was able to devote myself full time to my acting. It was exactly the break I needed. I wasn’t in the Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG) and you couldn’t get an audition for a TV show or decent film unless you were in SAG. At that time the only way you could get in SAG was if you had a line on a SAG show (but remember—you couldn’t audition for one without the card). It was a total catch 22. The only way I knew how to get near a set thru extra work, but it paid so badly back then that I couldn’t afford to do it. Winning the money gave me that chance, and it worked. I never saw an extra get a line until I got one. I got my SAG card, I got an agent and I began to have a real career. It all started with Scrabble.
2. What all did you have to do in the contestant tryouts for Scrabble?
I didn’t try to be a contestant. I was the poorest person all of my friends knew. One friend, Chris, was an actress in my improv sho. She has been on Pyramid and won like $20,000. Another guy I knew was on Scrabble and won a ton of money too. Chris made an appointment for me at Scrabble and called me up. She said you’re going to this audition at this time and place—no excuses, be there. So I treated it like an audition. I remember chatting with the folks there and feeling relaxed. Then they gave us a written word test. After that they cut a bunch of people. I think they used the test to get rid of the people that sucked on the test but also the boring people from the interview as well. After that, those of us that were left played the game in the office. I think I made them laugh and won too.
3. How long did you wait until you got the notification that you'd be on? And, what was your reaction?
Can’t remember how long I waited to find out but I was definitely excited. I was so desperately poor—the thought of winning even $500 was HUGE! We had to bring 5 changes of nice clothes. I didn’t have that many and had to borrow from friends. You can tell when you see the clips that some of the clothes didn’t fit me.
4. What was the staff of Scrabble like?
I remember everyone being super duper nice to me at all times. I can tie my arms up in a knot and someone on the staff saw me do that and asked me to do it on the show. So I do it when I first introduce myself which was the first clue for Chuck that something odd has just shown up on his set.
5. For those that don't know, scrabble was taped at NBC Studios in Burbank, CA. What was the studio like?
It was exciting. Johnny Carson was still taping the Tonight Show right across the hall so sometimes you’d catch a glimpse of one of his guests. I spent several days there. Scrabble taped 5 shows a day which I think is still common. The show wasn’t allowed to say which 2 people played each other because of an agency (what’s it called—Fair Game & Practices?---something like that) that oversees these shows to make sure they are fair. So they put 3 names of people in a pot and drew out 2 and those 2 played each other. The left-over name was put in the pot for the next drawing with 2 new names. You’re there for a little (maybe a day) watching until your name starts getting thrown in the pot. This is unbelievable, but true, 20 times in a row my name was the 3rd not drawn. Isn’t that insane! Every time they go to draw I’d be all nervous thinking this is it—and I wouldn’t get picked and have to wait some more. The staff couldn’t believe I wasn’t picked and I started to make pals. I remember one day I organized a “How Many People Can We Fit in Johnny Carson’s Parking Space Party” (his car wasn’t there). We had catered lunches every day and got to mingle with all the contestants and staff during those. By the time my name was finally picked, I was so used to being there I truly wasn’t nervous, so that was a very helpful gift.
6. Did you get to speak to announcer Charlie Tuna or host Chuck Woolery off-camera? In any case, what was it like talking to Chuck on camera?
No—the Fair Game people were very much sticklers about the rule that you are not allowed to speak to the host off-camera for fear of it looking like they were helping you in any way. Actually, one of those Fair Game people (wish I could remember the correct term) would come and stand next to you to make sure you didn’t talk to each other. We were told very clearly by the staff to not try to talk to Chuck or Charlie—I think you could have gotten thrown off the show for it. On camera Chuck and I had a lot of fun. I think at first he didn’t know what to make of me, but he very soon warmed up and played with me and I think really enjoyed himself. He teased, sang a little song to me, he let me take over and do the commercial to send in puzzles and win a T-Shirt. He was great.
After I was off the show, the production company asked me to come back and work with them. I was hired to play a contestant during rehearsals for new game show ideas they were working on—that was very fun and I did it several times. One of the first times a guy from the Scrabble staff came up to me and told me that Chuck Woolery wanted me to know I was one of his favorite contestants he ever had—so that was very nice.
7. As all contestants do on game shows, they want to win a lot of money and stuff. Did you have any strategies on the show?
No, I didn’t really have any strategy other than to have fun. That was my main concentration. I thought if I just had a good time I’d do okay because I was pretty good at word games. Right off the bat I won $500. I was so excited about that—and it helped me relax even more. I knew that no matter what I was coming home with money in my pocket. Everything else was GRAVY!
8. Did you get to speak to any of the opponents you faced?
Because I had been around for so long waiting to go on I actually played against two girls I had become pals with. They were both fun and we were supportive of each other.
9. In the 4 shows you were on, what was it like until you left?
The first two episodes I was in were the last 2 of the shooting day. That turned out to be my downfall because I went home that day $11,000 richer. When I went to bed I never slept for a second. My brain was going a thousand miles an hour reliving the day and thinking about the next. It felt like 15 minutes had passed before it was morning. For the 3rd show my brain was still firing full blast, but by the 4th I could feel my mind just melting from burnout. I won my first round but then had a big problem with a word that shouldn’t have been a problem during the Bonus round and I wound up losing that by 8 tenths of a second. I think if I had been able to sleep or if we had shoot all my episodes the same day I would have made it through to the 5th day.
10. In the clip that you have when you said you were calling Chuck's name out, Chuck must've looked embarrassed when you said you called his name out. Did any embarrassment run through your mind as well?
I couldn’t believe what was coming out of my mouth. I was just going for the joke and panicked later that I just outted myself on National Television. I am gay, but at the time I wasn’t open about it. I was thinking when my family saw the show they would know—so I was afraid about that, but it all went over their heads and no one gave it a thought. It was actually amazing the reaction I got from the show. I was recognized for over a year from it. The studio forwarded me a sack full of actual fan mail—who knew! One fun story is after the show aired I decided to splurge and buy a stereo. I’d never had one and was ready to treat myself. Back then a stereo was a big honking piece of equipment and came in a ton of boxes. I was just at my car with a cart full of boxes and when I see what looks like a gang of Mexican street guys making a beeline for me. There’s no way I can get the boxes in my car before they arrive and I’m thinking---this is it. I’m going to get mugged and my brand new stereo is going to be stolen. They came right up to me and one of them pointed and said …”Terry from Scrabble!” and shook my hand. These were like the last guys you’d think would watch Scrabble. They helped me load my car and I was on my way.
11. Have you tried out for any other game shows since or before Scrabble?
I haven’t but I was actually on another game show. During the time I was being a contestant for the game show rehearsals I got a desperate phone call to come to a studio right then. They were filming a show called Boggle with Wink Martindale and one of the contestants was clueless and they had to stop taping. I had never worked on that game show so I was allowed to be a real contestant. I raced to the studio. They explained a bunch of confusing rules and I was in front of the camera a few seconds later. I wound up winning the grand prize! It was a trip to the Caribbean plus some watches. I took a friend to the Caribbean that ended up winning a trip to Australia on the game show Concentration. Since I had given him a trip I got to go to Australia! Thanks Concentration!
12. In your own words, what would you suggest to anyone who wishes to try out for a game show?
My best advice is to be yourself and have fun. Show your personality. That’s what they want to see. They want people who know how to play the game, but just as importantly, they want people that are going to be fun to watch too.
Ever since his appearance on Scrabble, Terry has gotten into the acting industry and appeared with Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell in their movie, Two Heads Are Better Than None. He would futurely appear in Gaydar and today uses the infamous Gaydar Gun on pictures of celebrities for fun and entertainment purposes only. You can see that page here. Terry's YouTube page where I originally found him can be found here. Also in the e-mail I received from Terry, he says he was in connection with former Match Game panelist, the late Charles Nelson Reilly. Reilly had acted in a little film that Terry had created and produced, which in this case was Reilly's last screen film role. Also according to Terry, Reilly was his acting teacher.