Watching the TV Emmy awards each year always gets me thinking about all the shows that have flickered across what used to be “the tube” down through the years. So, I thought I would test your memory and see how sharp you are about television trivia from the past (answers follow):
1. Back in 1956, when westerns were riding high in the TV saddle, two series both had characters who were the marshall of Dodge City. Who were they?
2. On Gunsmoke, who was Chester Goode, which actor played him and what did Chester call the marshall?
3. Who was the master of ceremonies on The $64,000 Question?
4. On television, what did Teddy Nadler do?
5. Remember the old show, The Millionaire? What was the name of the man who gave away those million-dollar cheques and what was the name of his executive secretary?
6. This singer lost out to Rosemary Clooney on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts. But, he was later hired along with Rosemary for Jan Murray’s Songs for Sale. Who was that rags-to-riches singer?
7. What was Vanna White’s favourite vowel on Wheel of Fortune?
8. What TV show has logged more hours than any other?
9. Remember the old days when it was a big deal that a certain program was in colour? And you didn’t even care, because your old set didn’t receive colour, right? Which U.S. network was the first to air all its shows in colour and in what year?
10. When did Monday Night Football begin on ABC and who were the three announcers?
11. What was the title of Wayne and Shuster’s documentary series of 1966?
12. Who is the Jolly Green Giant’s helper?
13. Who were the neighbours that The Jeffersons left behind when they moved uptown?
14. Who worked at the Rock Head & Quarry Cave Construction Company?
15. What were most people watching on the night of February 13, 1983?
16. What famous newscaster once hosted a quiz show called, It’s News to Me?
Answers
1. Wyatt Earp (Hugh O'Brien) and Matt Dillon (James Arness).
2. Chester Goode was the marshall’s deputy. He was played by Dennis Weaver, who later became McLeod. You may recall that Chester walked with a limp, and with a distinct southern twang, he always called the marshall, “Mr. Dillon.”
3. The MC on, The $64,000 Question, the first of the really big TV Quiz shows, was Hal March.
4. Teddy Nadler won over a quarter of $1 million on various TV quiz shows back in the late ’50s.
5. The millionaire was John Beresford Tipton, and Michael Anthony was his executive secretary.
6. Tony Bennett
7. Vanna’s favourite vowel was “e.”
8. NBC’s Today Show, which started on January 14, 1952.
9. NBC went all-colour in 1966, CBS in 1967 and ABC in 1968.
10. Monday Night Football hit the screen in September of 1970 with Don Meredith, Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford behind the mikes.
11. Wayne and Shuster Take an Affectionate Look at ________.
12. The Little Green Sprout.
13. The Bunkers.
14. Fred Flintstone. Who else?
15. They were watching the big budget mini-series, The Winds of War.
16. Walter Cronkite.