"World Poker Tour" (2003) TV series 2003-

Creator:

Steve Lipscomb
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | unknown

Release Date:

30 March 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Reality-TV

Cast

Mike Sexton	...	Commentator / ... (71 episodes, 2003-2012)
Vincent Van Patten	...	Commentator / ... (71 episodes, 2003-2012)
Matt Savage	...	Sideline Reporter / ... (33 episodes, 2004-2012)

Series Directed by
Frank Ishizaki		(38 episodes, 2007-2012)
Genji Keen		(12 episodes, 2012)
Steve Lipscomb		(11 episodes, 2003-2004)

Series Writing credits
Steve Lipscomb		(55 episodes, 2003-2012)
Colin Campbell		(unknown episodes, 2003)
Tom Greenhut		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Kristin Cranford	....	line producer (70 episodes, 2003-2012)
George Sylak	....	senior producer / supervising producer / ... (57 episodes, 2005-2012)
Joseph Grimm	....	executive producer / senior producer / ... (55 episodes, 2004-2012)
Steve Heller	....	executive producer (34 episodes, 2012)
Adam Pliska	....	executive producer (34 episodes, 2012)
Adam Strohl	....	segment producer (33 episodes, 2012)
Jonnie Kedj	....	senior producer / producer (32 episodes, 2005-2010)
Steve Lipscomb	....	executive producer (27 episodes, 2003-2009)
Mandy Glogow	....	supervising producer / producer / ... (27 episodes, 2007-2012)
Patrick O'Grady	....	producer (26 episodes, 2011-2012)
Ursula Richter	....	line producer (21 episodes, 2004-2005)
Paul Real	....	line producer (19 episodes, 2009-2012)
Colin Campbell	....	supervising stage producer (18 episodes, 2003-2012)
Paul Real	....	line producer (14 episodes, 2012)
David DiGregorio	....	associate producer / producer (13 episodes, 2004-2007)
Keith Woernle	....	field producer / segment producer (12 episodes, 2012)
Ex Nihilo	....	behind the scenes producer (11 episodes, 2012)
Christopher Palbicki	....	associate producer (7 episodes, 2004)
Tom Greenhut	....	producer (5 episodes, 2004)
Bren Fitzpatrick	....	line producer (4 episodes, 2008-2009)
Gary Basmajian	....	producer (3 episodes, 2004)
Greg Perkins	....	producer (2 episodes, 2004)
Lori Rothschild Ansaldi	....	coordinating producer: Travel Channel / producer: Travel Channel (2 episodes, 2004)
Joe Swift	....	executive producer: Travel Channel (2 episodes, 2004)
Dan Abrams	....	post producer (unknown episodes)
Amy Weinberg	....	senior producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Gary S. Scott		(46 episodes, 2003-2009)
Tom Hedden		(32 episodes, 2012)

Series Cinematography by
Keyan Safyari		(6 episodes, 2012)

Series Film Editing by
Nick Ferrero		(39 episodes, 2009-2012)
Lou Angelo		(20 episodes, 2008-2012)
John Wolfenden		(2 episodes, 2008-2009)
Tenna Guthrie		(unknown episodes)
Hudson Smith		(unknown episodes)
Arthur Springer		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Kevin King		(40 episodes, 2008-2012)

Series Makeup Department
Nalo Jones	....	key makeup artist (7 episodes, 2003-2010)

Series Production Management
Ian Cone	....	post-production supervisor (32 episodes, 2012)
Amanda Timpson	....	production manager / executive in charge of production (19 episodes, 2008-2010)
Rachel L. Wasserman	....	production manager (8 episodes, 2007-2008)
Chris Dixon	....	post-production supervisor (8 episodes, 2008-2009)
Robyn Moder	....	executive in charge of production (5 episodes, 2004-2009)
Jennifer Burkley	....	post-production supervisor (unknown episodes)
Daniel Warner	....	post-production supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Anton Goss	....	set designer (2 episodes, 2008-2009)

Series Sound Department
Leobardo Ledon	....	adr recordist (90 episodes, 2008-2012)
Geoff Coyle	....	audio supervisor (31 episodes, 2012)
Andrew Ing	....	adr recordist (21 episodes, 2004-2007)
Sam C. Lewis	....	adr recordist (6 episodes, 2005-2007)
Blair Halver	....	audio supervisor (6 episodes, 2008-2009)
Jacob Farron Smith	....	sound mixer / sound supervisor (6 episodes, 2012)
Timothy A. Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer (5 episodes, 2004-2005)
Gwen Yvon	....	audio supervisor (5 episodes, 2012)
Jenn Raudman	....	sound supervisor (3 episodes, 2005-2007)
Mike Dellamonica	....	audio assistant (3 episodes, 2012)
Peter Deutscher	....	audio assistant (3 episodes, 2012)
Keenan Jensen	....	audio assistant (3 episodes, 2012)
Brandon Kappert	....	audio assistant (3 episodes, 2012)
Robert Matthew Doyle	....	sound effects editor (2 episodes, 2006-2007)
Jason Abell	....	adr mixer / adr recordist (2 episodes, 2012)
Seth Gilbert	....	sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Harry Haese	....	sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Brian Hilburn	....	sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Kenny Klimak	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
John Sanacore	....	sound recordist (unknown episodes)
Jeremy Settles	....	sound engineer (unknown episodes)
Vince Tennant	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
David Weinstock	....	production sound supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Lundberg	....	camera operator / eng cameraman / ... (80 episodes, 2007-2012)
Leonard Clark	....	camera operator (43 episodes, 2010-2012)
Dawn Fleischman	....	camera operator (37 episodes, 2003-2008)
Tilmon Williams	....	camera operator / camera operator: robotic (33 episodes, 2008-2012)
Rob Hume	....	lighting director (30 episodes, 2008-2012)
Jimmy Dunn	....	camera operator (27 episodes, 2009-2012)
Darrell Cash	....	head camera utility (23 episodes, 2012)
Nick Kober	....	camera operator / camera operator: robotic (23 episodes, 2012)
Jon Gay	....	eng cameraman / camera operator (17 episodes, 2009-2012)
Tom Mares	....	camera operator / handheld camera operator (17 episodes, 2012)
Andy Curtis	....	hole card camera operator / holecard camera operator (12 episodes, 2012)
Joshua Greenrock	....	tape operator (12 episodes, 2012)
Adam J. Kreps	....	camera utility (10 episodes, 2012)
Dave Purdy	....	eng cameraman (10 episodes, 2012)
John Gardner	....	camera operator / handheld camera operator (9 episodes, 2012)
Matthew R. Blute	....	camera operator (8 episodes, 2005-2008)
Patrick Kligel	....	jib operator (6 episodes, 2003-2005)
Thierry Bourdiec	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 2012)
Danny DiCembrino	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 2012)
Michel Lazarciuc	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 2012)
Taihe Miller	....	camera utility / hole card camera operator (6 episodes, 2012)
Mathieu Ravey	....	eng cameraman (6 episodes, 2012)
Bruno Sfreddo	....	camera operator (6 episodes, 2012)
J.R. Reid	....	camera operator: robotic / camera operator (5 episodes, 2008-2012)
Jimmy Dunn	....	camera operator (5 episodes, 2012)
Cesar Crisosto	....	lighting director (4 episodes, 2008-2009)
Samuel Boullier	....	lighting director (4 episodes, 2012)
Jeff Happ	....	tech supervisor (3 episodes, 2009)
Greg Alibellie	....	camera operator (3 episodes, 2012)
Ryan Ammer	....	camera operator (3 episodes, 2012)
Troy Brown	....	camera operator (3 episodes, 2012)
Scott Colgan	....	camera utility (3 episodes, 2012)
Cedric Debaille	....	camera operator (3 episodes, 2012)
Julian Dorsett	....	camera utility (3 episodes, 2012)
Kevin Faust	....	camera operator (3 episodes, 2012)
Chris Gendren	....	camera operator (3 episodes, 2012)
James Huff	....	camera utility (3 episodes, 2012)
Gregory Jouanne	....	eng cameraman (3 episodes, 2012)
Camille Matet	....	eng cameraman (3 episodes, 2012)
Will McPhail	....	electrician (3 episodes, 2012)
Ian Mooney	....	camera utility (3 episodes, 2012)
John Hume	....	electrician (2 episodes, 2008-2009)
Nickolas Murphey	....	gaffer (2 episodes, 2008-2009)
Samuel Boulier	....	lighting director (2 episodes, 2012)
Josh Power	....	camera operator (unknown episodes, 2006)
Eric A. Wilmot	....	camera operator: "b" camera and ENG camera (unknown episodes)
Brian Youmans	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Michael Schiavone	....	casting coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Jason Dickason	....	post-production coordinator / assistant editor / ... (90 episodes, 2008-2012)
A.J. Rosenberger	....	on-line editor / assistant editor / ... (64 episodes, 2007-2012)
Paul Laurel	....	first assistant editor / assistant editor (42 episodes, 2008-2012)
Todd Miller	....	assistant editor (42 episodes, 2008-2012)
Jay Nichols	....	package editor (36 episodes, 2008-2012)
Marshall Mitcham	....	assistant editor (34 episodes, 2012)
Joshua Franco	....	package editor (26 episodes, 2012)
Preston Rapp	....	assistant editor (12 episodes, 2004)
Josh Franco	....	package editor (8 episodes, 2012)
Ian Cone	....	post-production coordinator / post production supervisor (6 episodes, 2008-2012)
Robert Dudek	....	assistant editor (3 episodes, 2007)
Guillermo Bustos	....	package editor (2 episodes, 2008-2009)
Nick Ferrero	....	on-line editor (2 episodes, 2008-2009)
Rob Kraut	....	post-production coordinator (unknown episodes, 2006)
David Dean	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Joel Dubois	....	associate editor (unknown episodes)
Lorin Semone Leifer	....	post-production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Jonathan Montemayor	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)
Mike Wright	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Tom Hedden	....	composer: theme music (1 episode, 2012)

Series Other crew
Benn Wiebe	....	assistant production coordinator / key production office assistant / ... (64 episodes, 2007-2012)
Allison Hushek	....	business and legal affairs (32 episodes, 2012)
Allison Meyer	....	business and legal affairs (32 episodes, 2012)
Jason Been	....	technical supervisor (28 episodes, 2011-2012)
Larry Chong	....	engineer / engineer in charge / ... (27 episodes, 2003-2012)
Robert J. Dietze II	....	video streaming engineer (21 episodes, 2012)
Neil Staff	....	engineer in charge (18 episodes, 2012)
Frank Ishizaki	....	technical director / technical supervisor / ... (17 episodes, 2003-2012)
Shing Hwong	....	production assistant / production coordinator (14 episodes, 2010-2011)
Warren Chong	....	engineer (12 episodes, 2004-2008)
Kristina Kasmin	....	production assistant (10 episodes, 2011-2012)
Jason Dickason	....	production assistant / logger (9 episodes, 2007-2009)
Brian Krow	....	production coordinator (9 episodes, 2007-2008)
Kelsey Dyer	....	production assistant (9 episodes, 2011-2012)
André Van Driessche	....	production assistant (7 episodes, 2007)
Louis Molnar	....	technical director (7 episodes, 2008-2012)
Kirsten Hill	....	field coordinator (6 episodes, 2003-2005)
Jeff Happ	....	tech supervisor / engineer in charge / ... (6 episodes, 2008-2009)
Julien Schneider	....	technical director (6 episodes, 2012)
Russell 'Spud' Murphy	....	engineer in charge (4 episodes, 2009-2012)
Nolan Lynch	....	technical director (4 episodes, 2012)
Brandon Suquet	....	production coordinator (3 episodes, 2008-2009)
Robyn Moder	....	executive in charge of production (3 episodes, 2009)
Julian Dorsett	....	utility (3 episodes, 2012)
Adrien Hillairet	....	engineer in charge (3 episodes, 2012)
Steven Solars	....	production assistant / production assistant: ENG crew (2 episodes, 2007-2009)
Noah Alexander	....	production coordinator (2 episodes, 2008-2009)
Johnson Colby Sheffield	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 2009)
Tate Sonnack	....	production utility (2 episodes, 2009)
Lindsay Rice	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 2010)
Sam Goldenberg	....	production assistant (2 episodes, 2011)
Damien Lemoine	....	engineer in charge (2 episodes, 2012)
Russell Murphey	....	engineer in charge (2 episodes, 2012)
Geoffrey Davey	....	production assistant (unknown episodes, 2004)
Matthew I. Goldberg	....	cast liaison / production assistant (unknown episodes, 2004)
Nathan Shepherd	....	production assistant (unknown episodes, 2004)
Shawn Chou	....	logger (unknown episodes)
Bree Cooley	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Carrie Foster	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Joseph M. Gonzalez	....	audience coordinator (unknown episodes)
Jennifer Haire	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• WPTE

Distributors

• Travel Channel (2003-2008) (USA) (TV)
• Flextech Television Limited (2004-) (UK) (TV)
• Challenge TV (2004-) (UK) (TV)
• Game Show Network (GSN) (2008-) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Aerodrome  main title design and production
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  remote camera systems
• Imagecraft  production services
• Private Island Audio  post-production sound services

Also Known As:

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Aviation Club de France - 104 Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris 8, Paris, France

Company:

WPTE

Trivia:

In one of the most bizarre series of events at the table, at the World Poker Open 2005 in Tunica, Mississippi, Scotty Nguyen moved all in three hands in a row and was called all three times by opponents holding King-Eight of clubs. He was first called by Daniel Negreanu, Scotty held Queen of clubs and Jack of spades. The board read; Jd 10cl 10sp 9d 3sp, giving Scotty two pair, Jacks and tens, and the win. The very next hand he was called by another player at the table, the eventual winner of the event, John Stolzmann. This time Scotty held 9-8 of spades. The board read; 10cl Acl Ksp 4d Jh, giving Stolzmann a pair of Kings and the win. The very next hand Scotty pushed all in once again, this time holding Acl 5sp. Daniel Negreanu who, upon seeing his hole cards and realizing that it was once again K-8 of clubs, looked somewhat surprised and even a little startled, made the call. The board read; 5cl 8sp Kh 9sp 7sp, giving Negreanu two pair Kings and Eights and the win. Thus, knocking out Scotty Nguyen in fourth place.

Quotes:

Mike Sexton:Scotty Nguyen has just busted out of a tournament after K/8 of clubs was played against him in three consecutive hands. "Well right now he is walking out of this arena, saying to himself, 'I can't believe it, I moved all-in on these guys twice, they called me with K/8 3 consecutive times! What is going on here? Where's the bar!'"

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Weeds: Mother Thinks the Birds Are After Her (#4.1)" (2008)

More Than Just a Television Show

The World Poker Tour is more than just a television show. It has become a cultural phenomenon. Not only is it hugely popular for the Travel Channel, it has transformed the game itself. Thanks to the World Poker Tour and some of its internet-cardroom sponsors, poker has gone from a strange pursuit of middle-aged white guys in a smoke-filled corner of a casino that would rather use the space for more slot machines, to a passion for thousands of players of all ages and backgrounds. The show has already spawned other similar shows, including Celebrity Poker Showdown and the World Series of Blackjack. ESPN has been covering the World Series of Poker for years, but they have increased their coverage from a single show to a series, and have been hugely successful with it as well.

But what is the show like? Well, the production standards are high, and you can tell that having a tournament televised is a big deal to the tournament organizers. The producers do a good job in backgrounding the players, which is important since most of these people are not known by the public. And the Hole Card Cam is tremendously beneficial, since it allows viewers to see what the players are doing as they are doing it, instead of waiting until the cards are turned over. I've watched poker coverage without this advantage, and it is about as interesting as C-SPAN in Spanish.

The commentary is mixed. Mike Sexton does a terrific job explaining the players' moves, and isn't afraid to say when he thinks that someone made a bad one. But "Hollywood Home Gamer" Vince Van Patten seems to me more about generating excitement than about anything resembling analysis. Former Coppertone model and host of "Wild On" Shana Hiatt is not exactly a poker pro either. But in her case, it is much more forgivable, since her role has more to do with interviewing players and presenting the casino to viewers than any kind of hard-core analysis. Plus, she's a breath of fresh air in a sport that is still dominated by middle-aged men who, well, let's say they could use some more time in the hotel exercise room.

All in all, the World Poker Tour is imperfect, but still one of the best things on television. It is a must-see for fans of card games, but be careful. Once you watch for the first time, it could very well become a permanent part of your Wednesday nights.