Starcade Contestant Elaine Samson

Elaine's Page

Contestant: Elaine Samson

Elaine was on one of the first STARCADE! shows...the second one we taped with Host Mark Richards in December 1982. Elaine's show aired as show #5.

Elaine played against Duru Ahanotu, a teen, who won, but not by much. When she checked in Elaine said of Duru, "I played against a teenager named Duru who is probably a rocket scientist by now." Actually Duru is not a rocket scientist but he does have a PhD in Engineering ... pretty good guess, Elaine.

During Tryouts, Elaine told us, "I haven't won big at the horse races, haven't won Reader's Digest or Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes ... I'm giving STARCADE! a chance!"

Elaine didn't win big on STARCADE! but she did OK, taking home a TI99/4 Computer & Monitor for naming 4 games out of 4 right on the Name the Game Quiz.

Elaine's Prizes

Texas Instruments 99/4 Computer & Monitor

Elaine was a Technical Recruiter by profession but her love was comedy, "I'm a serious comedy writer ... I do imitations of Lily Tomlin characters - Edith Ann, Ernestine and Judith Beasley."

During the taping of her STARCADE! show, Elaine did her Ernestine (Telephone Operator) impression. Ironically, Elaine worked for one of the biggest telephone companies in the US later in the '80's.

Maybe her Ernestine impression got her the gig OR her STARCADE! impression of Ernestine.

Elaine had (and we're sure still has) a great sense of humor.

Games on Elaine's show

Q*Bert, Pole Position, Pengo, Holey Moley, and Rescue. Grand Prize: BurgerTime.

Elaine's STARCADE! Show #5
Game: Pengo Time Limit: 40 seconds Elaine: 730 Duru Ahanotu: 1,570	Game: Pole Position Time Limit: 40 seconds Elaine: 7,320 Duru Ahanotu: 8,420	Game: Holey Moley Time Limit: 30 seconds Elaine: 290 Duru Ahanotu: 260


Taping Show December 1982 - Elaine did her Lily Tomlin 'Ernestine Telephone Operator' impression