Buzz
To Tell the Truth has undergone multiple revivals since its original airing from 1956 to 1968.Quiz shows, which gained popularity during the radio era, evolved with the advent of television, becoming an integral part of American pop culture. Since the debut of the first TV game show, Truth or Consequences, in 1950, hundreds of game shows have come and gone, but a few, like the ones on our list, managed to capture the magic formula and ran for decades.
1. The Price Is Right
"Come on down!" What keeps this classic show from the 1970s attracting massive daytime audiences more than 35 years after it first aired? With a likable host, audience-selected contestants, a variety of games like Plinko and Hi-Lo, and generous prizes (from motor homes to trips), it offers something for everyone. Originally debuting in 1972 and turning Bob Barker into a TV icon during his 35-year hosting tenure, the show actually revived an earlier version that aired between 1956 and 1965.
2. Wheel of Fortune
Since 1975, contestants have been spinning the iconic wheel and gambling with bankruptcy as they try to guess letters to complete the puzzle. Contestants can purchase vowels and compete to solve the puzzle first. In the bonus round, winners can add cars, vacations, and up to $100,000 in cash to their earnings. Before Pat Sajak and Vanna White became household names in the 1980s, Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford were the hosts. Known as "America's game," Wheel often tours across the country and features special celebrity and charity editions of the show.
3. Jeopardy!
Answer: This game show reigned supreme in the Nielsen ratings for quiz shows for over 1,000 weeks. Question: What is Jeopardy!? With 27 Daytime Emmy Awards
4. Truth or Consequences
This show began as a radio quiz program in 1940 and made its television debut in 1950. Contestants were challenged with obscure, often tricky questions, and if they failed to answer, they faced "consequences"—usually embarrassing or amusing tasks. Bob Barker hosted from 1956 to 1975, but the show struggled to regain its former popularity after his departure. Airing intermittently over a span of 20 seasons from 1950 to 1978, the show had a brief revival in the late '80s.
5. What's My Line?
On What's My Line?, a panel of four celebrities tried to figure out the occupation of a fifth contestant by asking only yes-or-no questions. In the third round, they wore blindfolds and attempted to identify a "Mystery Guest." The original show, which aired from 1950 to 1967 and paid players only for appearances (prize money never exceeding $50), has seen multiple revivals. Famous celebrity guests included author Gore Vidal, actress Jane Fonda, and singer Bobby Darin.
6. I've Got a Secret
Inspired by the old parlor game "Secret, Secret, Who's Got the Secret?", this iconic quiz show aired from 1952 to 1967. The host would introduce a contestant and ask them to whisper their "secret" into his ear. The secret was displayed for viewers at home, but the celebrity panelists had to guess the secret by asking questions. Each incorrect guess earned the contestant $20, up to a maximum of $80. In more recent years, the Game Show Network revived the show, featuring racier secrets than in the 1950s.
7. Hollywood Squares
This game show offered everyday contestants the chance to play alongside Hollywood celebrities in a fun twist on tic-tac-toe. Nine stars occupied individual open-faced cubes that formed the board. The celebrities were asked questions by the host, and contestants had to decide if their answers were true or false to place an X or O in the square. Over time, prize winnings soared, with one jackpot reaching a massive $100,000. However, the real appeal of the show was the comedic back-and-forth between the host and the celebrities.
Spanning from the original version that aired from 1966 to 1981 and several subsequent revivals, Squares saw celebrity participants like Vincent Price, Joan Rivers, Whoopi Goldberg, Paul Lynde, Martin Mull, and Alf.
8. Concentration
The 1950s quiz show scandal tarnished the reputation of many game shows when it was revealed that several programs were rigged and contestants were tipped off in advance. Despite being embroiled in these controversies, producers Jack Barry and Dan Enright managed to create a beloved show with Concentration. Running from 1958 to 1973, the game combined two elements: a children's memory game and a word puzzle, where matching cards revealed parts of a puzzle. The show survived its scandalous beginnings and later found success in syndication before enjoying a revival in 1987 that lasted five years.
9. Let's Make a Deal
Monty Hall became the quintessential game show host in this enduring classic, where contestants relied on a mix of intuition and fortune. The format revolved around contestants striking a "deal" with Hall, picking prizes that could either be valuable or a letdown. What set this show apart was the outrageous costumes worn by participants. Initially, contestants appeared in everyday attire, but the trend took a turn when one contestant dressed in a wild costume to catch the producers' eye, setting off a tradition. From then on, costumes were key to getting noticed and selected to participate. While several revivals have been attempted, viewers still hold a soft spot for reruns of the original series, which aired from 1963 to 1977.
10. To Tell the Truth
On To Tell the Truth, a panel of celebrity contestants would listen to a story and attempt to determine which of three individuals was linked to it. The stakes were modest compared to modern game shows: Contestants earned $250 for each incorrect guess, with the potential to collect up to $1,000. However, if the panel managed to guess correctly, the challengers would only receive a shared payout of $150. The show first aired from 1956 to 1968, and its iconic challenge of asking, "Will the real John Doe please stand up?" has led to several revivals over the years.
11. You Bet Your Life
This distinctive show was inspired by Groucho Marx's radio program of the same name, where contestants responded to questions for cash prizes. The audience was in on the "secret word," but the contestant remained unaware. If the contestant could successfully answer the questions and guess the secret word, a duck (a playful reference to Groucho's film *Duck Soup*) would descend from above, delivering a prize of $100. Groucho Marx hosted the original version of the show from 1950 to 1961. Though later revivals led by Buddy Hackett and Bill Cosby were attempted, they never achieved the same level of success as the original broadcast.
Helen Davies, Marjorie Dorfman, Mary Fons, Deborah Hawkins, Martin Hintz, Linnea Lundgren, David Priess, Julia Clark Robinson, Paul Seaburn, Heidi Stevens, and Steve Theunissen
