These are the letters which lead to victory on...
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Broadcast History: October 27, 1980-April 23, 1982, NBC daytime Host: Bill Cullen Announcers: Bob Hilton, Johnny Olson, Rich Jeffries Executive Producer/Director: Ira Skutch Producer: Robert Sherman Music: Bob Cobert Packager: Mark Goodson/Bill Todman Productions |
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The object of Blockbusters is to create a path from one side of the game board to the other. The solo player on the red side must go from the top to the bottom, which is possible in 4 moves. The family team must connect the white to the white. This is possible in as few as 5 moves. | 
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To start the game, a randomly chosen letter is selected and a toss-up question is read. All answers of the questions read on Blockbusters correspond with the initial inside the hexagon. For instance, if a contestant chose the 'H', a question like "What 'H' was the 50th state to be admitted in the United States?" would be read. Whichever team buzzes in and answers correctly earns the hexagon and chooses the next letter. The first team to link both of their sides together wins the game. The first team to win 2 games wins the match. Winning a game was originally worth nothing except a chance at the Gold Rush/Run (see below). After a few weeks, each game was worth $500, whether a team won the match or not. Champions were retired after 10 matches. This was later upped to 20 matches.
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I've heard it referred to as both Gold Rush and Gold Run. |
 The object of the Gold Rush/Run is just like the main game, to connect one side of the board to the other. This time, the gold sides (the left and right sides) must be connected within 60 seconds.
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John Hatten took full advantage of his opportunities on Blockbusters despite getting word his house burned to the ground after a Blockbusters taping. Hatten, a psychologist from California, won $60,000 on his first appearance on Blockbusters. He was invited back after the "20 matches before retirement" rule was initiated. On his return visit, he took Blockbusters for an additional $60,000, making him the biggest winner in Blockbusters history. In total, Hatten won all 20 matches he played in and all 20 bonus rounds. | 
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For the lack of a better phrase, Pat and Liz McCarthy were the family pair equivalent of John Hatten. Unlike Hatten, the McCarthys' run was over 20 consecutive matches. Pat and Liz were equally good players, as they alternated playing the Gold Run with each winning it 10 times. As Cullen noted on several occasions, whatever one person didn't know, the other knew. Cullen also mentioned that, in his opinion, Pat McCarthy was the best Blockbusters player he had seen up to that point (approx. 11 months into the show's 18 month run). | 
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Leland Yung ranks as one of the top winners in Blockbusters history with $106,600 in cash. Yung, who won $16,000 on Password Plus in January 1979, won $51,000 in his first set of appearances, which aired in December 1980 and January 1981. Yung, who graduated from UCLA between his Blockbusters runs, returned in March 1982, won another 10 matches and upped his winnings by an additional $55,600. | 
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Originally, the end game was played after every game. The first time a team went to the Gold Rush/Run during a match was worth $2,500. After winning the match, the 2nd victory makes that bonus round worth $5,000. After only a few weeks, one team must win a match before going for a chance at $5,000. If the gold sides are not connected, each correct answer is worth $100.