1970s and 80s TV Game Shows

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Got into this discussion with a buddy last night and thought I'd bring it up here...

Who here is old enough to have watched lots of TV game shows back in the 70s and 80s? My memories are of the sexual innuendo and general insanity of the Match Game (Actress Kirstie Alley and former NFL coach Brian Billick were contestants before they were famous), not to mention Gene Rayburn's REALLY long skinny microphone. Or how about Jack Barry on The Jokers Wild, Wink Martindale on Tic Tac Dough, Jim Perry on Card Sharks, Dick Clark on The $10,000 Pyramid, Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford on Wheel of Fortune (yep, Pat and Vanna weren't first), or a young Alex Trebek on High Rollers?

Remember when that military guy in uniform, with the blonde mustache, was the Tic Tac Dough champion for weeks on end? I always wondered if he was being fed he answers.

I'm sure there are lots of shows I'm leaving out. What do you remember?

[OldRightHander]

The Tic Tac Dough champion was named Doc. I can still remember when he finally lost and my mom yelled to my dad who was in the other room, "Doc got beat!" You would think the Reds had won the World Series the way she reacted.

[George Anderson]

I have memories of my grandmother watching "Hollywood Squares" and thinking Paul Lynde was a real goof ball. The host of the show Peter Marshall actually had a son play MLB ( Pete LaCock). I also have memories of watching "To Tell the Truth" when very young.

[RBA]

Marco, you about hit every game show I watched back then. I liked the game shows.

How about Crosswits?
And the Liar's Club.

Concentration?

[Kingspoint]

Concentration?

That was my favorite as a kid hosted by the "King" of all game show hosts (according to all of the other game show hosts) Bill Cullen. He had the perfect blend of wit, humor, getting the most out of each contestant's personality, while making the game itself fun, too.

[Chip R]

That was my favorite as a kid hosted by the "King" of all game show hosts (according to all of the other game show hosts) Bill Cullen. He had the perfect blend of wit, humor, getting the most out of each contestant's personality, while making the game itself fun, too.

I thought Hugh Downs hosted that show. Or at least did for a while.

[Kingspoint]

I thought Hugh Downs hosted that show. Or at least did for a while.

He did.

[RichRed]

How about Crosswits?

I remember Crosswits! Pretty obscure one but I remember liking it as a kid.

[Rojo]

How about Make Me Laugh?

I always though Jack Barry was drunk.

[Kingspoint]

If you want some non-stop rolling on the floor laughter, go to youtube and check out the game show guffaws. It's the funniest stuff I've ever seen.

[Kingspoint]

Mitch Miller just passed away. He didn't have a game show, but he had the 1961 TV hit, "Sing Along with Mitch". For those of you who've seen "The Flintstones" re-runs, you might remember the mock of that show that Wilma and Betty liked to watch.

[Roy Tucker]

Password with Allan Ludden (who was married to Betty White)
Let's Make a Deal with Monty Hall
Name That Tune with Tom Kennedy

I read somewhere that with the Match Game, they taped a whole week in one sitting and they'd drink in-between shows. It showed.

[redsmetz]

Password with Allan Ludden (who was married to Betty White)
Let's Make a Deal with Monty Hall
Name That Tune with Tom Kennedy

I read somewhere that with the Match Game, they taped a whole week in one sitting and they'd drink in-between shows. It showed.

There are some clips on Youtube of Betty White as a contestant (very young, just gorgeous) with some double entendres between her and Ludden.

While not from the 70's or 80's, I'd encourage folks to have a look old clips of What's My Line, particularly the celebrity segments. There are several baseball ones, including the Reds dropping in after a game in New York sometime in the late 50's. Fun show up until John Daly left.

I couldn't find any clips, but Nick Clooney had a game show in the 80's called The Money Maze that lasted about six months. He did it while he was still doing The Nick Clooney variety show on WCPO. My uncle's former brother-in-law was Clooney's band leader.

[moewan]

ahh the match game one of my favorites, had maybe the funniest moment in game show history with this question.

the pillsbury dough boy got so drunk last night (audience, how drunk was he!) well he got so drunk that he tried to blank a bagel.

[cumberlandreds]

Bob Barker hosted Truth or Consequences before the Price is Right. I can remember watching that one when I was very young. It was so popular a town in New Mexico renamed their city to Truth or Consequences.

Does the Game Show channel show the old Hollywood Squares? I really liked the old version with Peter Marshall. Paul Lynde was great as the center square.
Match Game was great too. I'm sure most of those sexual jokes flew right over my head back when it was originally on.

Also Joe Garigiola hosted a show called Sale of the Century. Anyone remember that one?