Editing Hollywood Squares (section)

==1986–1989==
[[File:Hollywood Squares 1986-1989.jpg|thumb|right|Title card for the Davidson run, used from 1986 to 1989]]
Two years after the cancellation of ''The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour'', a new ''Hollywood Squares'' series was put into production.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.melmagazine.com/en-us/story/the-new-hollywood-squares-oral-history|title=An Oral History of 'The New Hollywood Squares'|first=C. Brian|last=Smith|date=September 30, 2020|via=Mel Magazine}}</ref> Referred to throughout its run as ''The New Hollywood Squares'', the program debuted on September 15, 1986, and was produced by Century Towers Productions with [[Rick Rosner]] serving as executive producer, Ernie De Massa as producer, Paul Ruffino as Location Manager for remote productions, and [[Orion Television]] as a distributor (Century Towers was a subdivision of Orion formed to produce game shows, specifically this series and the 1987–88 syndicated revival of ''[[High Rollers]]''; the name was in reference [[The Century Towers|to the street]] that Orion was headquartered at the time).<ref name="graham1988">Graham, Jefferson (August 23, 1988). Now it's hip to watch 'Hollywood Squares'. ''[[USA Today]]''</ref>

[[John Davidson (entertainer)|John Davidson]], who was a semi-regular panelist on the original ''Hollywood Squares'', hosted the series. [[Shadoe Stevens]] was the announcer for the series and, beginning late in the first season, he also became a regular panelist occupying the bottom center square. Starting with episode #100, Stevens temporarily left the show to film the movie ''[[Traxx (film)|Traxx]]'', and his brother Richard took over as announcer; Stevens returned for the final two weeks of the first season and remained until the series' end. After one season of rotating center squares, former ''Hollywood Squares'' panelist [[Joan Rivers]] joined the series as the permanent center square. Comic actor [[Jim J. Bullock]] also became the series' third regular panelist, usually in the upper-left square.<ref name="smith20200930">{{Cite magazine |last=Smith |first=C. Brian |date=September 30, 2020 |title=An Oral History of 'The New Hollywood Squares' |url=https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/the-new-hollywood-squares-oral-history |magazine=MEL |language=en-US |access-date=October 5, 2020}}</ref> All three took turns as guest hosts for Davidson; [[Howard Stern]] replaced Stevens as announcer/panelist during his week as host. All music for the program was composed by Stormy Sacks.

The game used the original version's rule that games could not be won due to an opponent's error. For the first season, each game was worth $500 with a bonus of $100 per square if time ran out in the middle of a game. Beginning in season two, the third and subsequent games were worth $1,000 (or $200 per square). If time had run out with the contestants tied, one more question was asked to one celebrity; if the contestant agreed or disagreed correctly, they won the money for one square and the match. If not, their opponent automatically won. The single-question format was also used on occasions where there was not enough time remaining for a proper third round. The contestant who finished with the most money won the match and went on to the bonus round. Contestants wore name tags on all episodes of this version except for the premiere.

This version lasted three seasons, ending on June 16, 1989. At the end of the final episode, a video clip from the first week of shows was run, introducing the celebrities who had appeared that week. Davidson, the panelists, the audience, and the crew then sang "[[Happy Trails (song)|Happy Trails]]" under the credits, with the crew members sitting in the squares and holding up signs that displayed their names and titles. The song continued under a montage of audio clips from the show's run as everyone faded away and the lights gradually went out, leaving only the squares illuminated, and the credits sequence ended on a freeze frame of balloons being showered onto the stage before the final fade to black.

===Secret Square===
The second game of each show was a Secret Square game. As with the original version, the Secret Square was revealed to the home audience at the start of this game; if a contestant chose that square, a [[school bell]] sounded and if the contestant agreed or disagreed correctly, they won a prize (usually a trip, if it was won, Davidson would tell the contestant to "Pack your bags!"). The prize did not increase in value from one show to the next if it was not collected.

===Bonus round===
The first two seasons of this version of the series employed a bonus round that was similar to the one used on the 1970s game show ''[[Split Second (game show)|Split Second]]''. Five cars, each of the same brand/make, were displayed on the stage for the entire week. The champion chose one of five keys in a bowl held by Davidson and then chose the car they thought the key would start. The contestant also chose at least one celebrity to stand beside the car or sit in it with them for good luck; at times the entire panel congregated near the car, especially on Friday shows or when a champion reached a fifth win and automatically retired with the car.

If the chosen key started the car, the contestant won it and retired; otherwise, the contestant returned the next day with that car eliminated should they return to the bonus game. After a fifth victory, the contestant automatically won the only car still in play at that point and retired. Every broadcast week started with a new set of five cars; if a champion's reign carried over from the preceding week, one car was eliminated for each of their victories to that point, in ascending order of price.

For the final season, the champion first chose a car, then one of the nine celebrities. Each held a key; five of them had the correct keys, while the other four had keys that would not start any car. If the champion failed to win the chosen car, it remained available after subsequent victories instead of being eliminated. The five-day limit was removed, allowing champions to remain on this show until they either won a car or were defeated.