STATISTICS
PERSONALITIES
STRUCTURE
PHYSICAL CHALLENGES
OBSTACLE COURSE
MISTAKES
TIDBITS
ACCESSORIES
SOUNDS
INDEX
MARGINAL MISCELLANI
DID YOU KNOW...?
The all-time highest score in the main game is $750.
For Family Double Dare, the record is $1,050.
On some early eps., the credits misspelled Marc's name with a K.
As a practical joke for one show, 5 obstacles were called simply "Harvey." Among the casualties, Lake Double Dare was retitled Lake Harvey.
It takes 15 people 20 minutes to clean up the set after each show.
By 1988, Double Dare used on average 150 balloons and 250 gallons of whipped cream weekly.
It has been estimated that more than 25,000 questions were used in DD's 8 year run.
The Tank is about 150 cubic feet in size.
Source for 5 of the above facts: THE DOUBLE DARE GAME BOOK.
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DO YOU REMEMBER...?
Double Dare's care-free atmosphere allowed Marc and the producers to improvise constantly. Whether planned beforehand or not, you would never know when Marc might be pelted with pies or Harvey would force Marc to demonstrate a physical challenge on the spot. This spontaneity kept the show feeling fresh from day to day, never causing for a dull moment. Do you remember these unexpected moments?
| HARVEY AS... | 
"I'm impersonating an
Elvis impersonator!" |
MARC MISSES HIS MARK
Show begins. Marc is nowhere to be seen. Opening theme plays despite the fact. Camera begins to pan left, then right, in an effort to locate him. The theme suddenly stops. Harvey, in a state of panic, runs in front of the camera shouting, "Has anyone seen Marc Summers?!?" By now everyone realizes this is a set-up, but it's hilariously presented. Cut to a remote camera outside the studio where Marc has just arrived in his car. While muttering how late he is, Marc suddenly parks the car right in the middle of the street. He scampers out of the car forgetting his microphone in the process. After retrieving it, he runs through the side door studio entrance running into all the physical challenge props. Ironically he states that "it's like an obstacle course back here." Marc finally sprints on to the set, only dressed in shorts, a shirt, and sandals. As incredulous as this escapade sounds, it's pulled off because of expert direction and a nice bit of acting from Harvey and Marc. In case you're wondering, Marc dressed while introducing the contestants.
TO PIE OR NOT TO PIE
As if the obstacle course wasn't a spectacle in itself, the producers added a hitch to it during the Nickelodeon Super Sloppy era, making it even more than perfect. Unfortunately from their perspective Marc and Harvey could not say the same thing.
For several shows, immediately after Harvey announced the grand prize, he'd tell the contestants that they'd be able to throw a pie into Marc's face. Not particularly liking this idea, Marc would come back saying that if they did not complete the course, they'd then throw the pie into Harvey's face. Needless to say the pie found Harvey pretty often. This practice stopped after about a month's worth of shows. Inexplicably this idea was rehashed during a '93 ep. of Family Double Dare, causing for an unintentionally nice tribute to the show's classic days.
MARK LEARNS HIS CUES
A source of constant ridicule upon Marc's behalf was that it took him forever to memorize the rules. On one occasion he even remarked that "I still use cue cards, which is the most amazing thing to my producers here..." That was well into the 2nd season amazingly enough.  But one day after having just read the rules, Marc walked off the stage and proceeded with his own celebration which he called "The Burning of the Cards." While joyously tearing up the cards he said, "Let's tear them up; we don't need these cards anymore ladies and gentlemen, I have them down to memory..yaaay!" It seemed as if he had just genuinely became free of a tremendous burden.
 A PILE OF PIES
This truly memorable moment came as the show was reaching its zenith in popularity. When Marc signed off for the first commercial break, he was innundated with pies. Stagehands and other personnel literally came out of nowhere to throw pies. Uncontrollably Marc laughed hysterically as he lifted his arms in disbelief. Later, after discarding his messy-beyond-repair jacket, he contacts his wardrober to find him a new jacket. What she comes up with is undescribable (see above picture). Her excuse for giving this to Marc was that "[it's] all that's left." Upon putting it on a contestant says that he looks like Elvis, bringing an impromptu impersonation. By this point Marc must've felt free from all embarrassments his staff would thrust upon him.
IMPRESSIONABLE
IMPERSONATIONS | 
Marc's most famous
impersonation. His Elvis
became so well known that
the late '80s Nick variety
show, "Don't Just Sit There,"
invited Marc just so he
could do his Elvis imitation.Marc's [bad] imitation list:
-Mary Tyler Moore
-W.C. Fields
-Ed Sullivan
-Desi Arnaz
-Bob Hope
-Katherine Hepburn
-Fantasy Island's Tattoo
-Julia Child
-Ethel Merman
-Shadoe Stevens
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This made it doubly surprising when everyone who pied him the first time came again (right before the subsequent commercial ) with another onslaught of pies. Marc becomes speechless and his total look of bewilderment is truly priceless. This was the Double Dare way to tell Marc that he had done a super job hosting the show. (With friends like these Marc didn't need enemies.)
DOUBLE DARE'S FAMILY
Every once in a while some "acquaintance" of DD drops by and unintentionally disrupts the show. A lot of these characters were truly forgettable (i.e. the pizza delivery boy) but some stood out to provide memorable moments. On one show Marc's "uncle" decided to drop by, presumably for no other reason than to annoy people, especially Marc himself. Their subtle banter was amusing; for instance the "uncle" mentioned that Marc "used to stand in [his] underwear imitating Bill Cullen!" He finally left when he was allowed to chase Robin. Another such character was the DD butler, played by Alan Silverburg. With a tux, fake walrus moustache and fake British accent, he proved to be more than Marc could handle during the physical challenges. The butler eventually saw the end when Marc pushed him into yellow gak during the obstacle course. Some of DD's true family appeared on the show as well. Marc's wife reluctantly came on stage during a very early show to help demonstrate a physical challenge with him. Their stunt involved transporting balloons from one side of the stage to the other by holding them between their backs.
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