The 1970s in America was a decade marked by cultural change and social upheaval, political turbulence, artistic experimentation, technological advancement, and rampant consumerism.
These complex and often conflicting forces shaped the cultural landscape of the era, creating a period of both great excitement and uncertainty, and birthing some of the most iconic and memorable game shows of all time.
From quiz shows to panel games, and from dating games to prize giveaways, these shows captivated audiences with their engaging and often hilarious formats, appealing to a wide range of viewers.
Whether it was the likable hosts, the quirky contestants, or the big-ticket prizes, there were always fun shows to keep viewers tuning in week after week.
In today’s post, we are going to run down the top 10 game shows of the 70s, highlighting their formats, hosts, and why they deserved to be on the air. Whether you’re a game show aficionado or simply curious about the shows that captivated audiences 50 years ago, here are
The 10 Best Game Shows From The 1970s
The Price Is Right
The Price is Right game show’s debut was in 1956 but it wasn’t until the 1970s revamp that it became the cultural phenomenon that we know today.
Hosted by the inimitable Bob Barker, the show’s unique and interactive format relied heavily on audience participation, where contestants compete in several rounds to win prizes making it a standout in the game show landscape.
The diversity of prizes offered, from small household items to luxury cars, added to the excitement of the show and kept viewers engaged.
Overall, The Price is Right remains a beloved game show to this day and has continued to captivate audiences for over six decades.
Match Game
Match Game was a classic NBC television game show hosted by Gene Rayburn which featured contestants trying to match assorted answers given by celebrity panelists to fill in the blank questions.
The show was known for its wild humor and risqué content, which was considered edgy for its time.
Many of the guest celebrity panelists, which included the likes of Betty White and Richard Dawson, would often make suggestive or irreverent jokes, leading to many memorable moments.
The Gong Show
The Gong Show, produced by Chuck Barris (who also hosted the show), was a wacky American television game show that aired from 1976 to 1980.
The premise of the show was simple, to showcase unique and unusual talent acts. Three celebrity judges were tasked with watching and rating the performers, and if an act was deemed particularly bad, a large gong would be hit to signal the end of their performance.
The Gong show would allow musicians, comedians, magicians, and a variety of up-and-coming acts to showcase their talents. But it was the show’s offbeat humor that made it a hit with audiences.
Family Feud
Originally hosted by Richard Dawson, Family Feud is one of the most successful and enduring daytime game shows of all time.
In a game of Family Feud two families compete against each other to guess the most popular answers to a variety of survey questions.
Family Fued’s fast-paced format, combined with its emphasis on family-oriented humor, quickly turned it into a beloved classic that continues to entertain to this day. Its success can be attributed to its accessibility and engaging gameplay, and its ability to bring people from different walks of life together in a fun and lighthearted manner.
Family Feud is a true gem of 70s television
Wheel Of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune premiered as a primetime show in 1975 and has aired continuously since, becoming one of the most successful and enduring game shows of all time.
The show, originally hosted by Chuck Woolery and Susan Stafford, bounced back and forth between NBC, CBS, and ABC several times. It features contestants spinning a large wheel to determine their prizes, and then attempting to solve word puzzles to win said prizes.
Wheel’s genius combination of luck and strategy made it a hit with general audiences, and its colorful set, catchy theme music, and iconic hosts, currently Pat Sajak and Vanna White, have helped to maintain its status as a pop culture phenomenon.
Jeopardy!
Created by Merv Griffin, Jeopardy is an extremely popular quiz game show where contestants are presented with answers instead of questions to win the game. It first aired in 1964 and has been a pop culture staple ever since, becoming a part of television history during the 1970s.
The game’s popularity has resulted in a number of spinoff shows and adaptations in international markets.
Jeopardy deserves to be on any list of the top 10 game shows because of its innovative format, highly challenging gameplay, and enduring appeal.
The Newlywed Game
The Newlywed Game is another classic American game show that first aired in the 60s but gained popularity during the 1970s. Hosted by Bob Eubanks, the show features various newlywed couples answering questions based on their likes, dislikes, etc, to see how well they really knew each other.
The show’s format was highly conducive to spontaneous hilarity and the occasional tense moment due to the couple’s sometimes awkward responses.
The Newlywed Game deserves its spot on this list because of its unique premise, entertaining gameplay, and near cult-classic status.
Let’s Make a Deal
Let’s Make a Deal first aired in 1963, but its most successful run took place throughout the 1970s.
The show is known for its host, Monty Hall, like The Price Is Right they had a live studio audience and a unique gameplay mechanic revolving around dressing up in outlandish costumes and trading items for others in the hopes of winning big prizes.
Let’s Make a Deal became a cultural phenomenon in the 1970s, with fans of all ages and all walks of life religiously tuning in to every show to see which costumes would astound the most and who would have the chance to win the big prize.
Let’s Make A Deal is a top contender for the list of top game shows of the 1970s and has seen much success in syndication.
The Dating Game
The Dating Game was a very popular game show throughout the 1970s. Each episode would feature a bachelorette as she questioned 3 different bachelors to gauge their compatibility.
Whoever the bachelorette picked would get to go on an all-expenses-paid date with her. The twist here, and the feature which made people tune in every week, was the fact that the contestants were hidden from each other’s sight.
The Dating Game was must-see tv during its initial run, with audiences tuning in for quirky humor and even the occasional controversy.
The show would eventually be canceled, but its production helped set the stage for highly influential cultural phenomenons like The Bachelor and Love Connection.
Password
Hosted by the one and only Allen Ludden, Password featured two celebrity contestants attempting to guess a secret password based on a number of one-word clues.
Password the game show was very challenging, which led to plenty of laugh-out-loud moments as the celebrity guests failed to guess what the audience perceived as simple passwords. Especially because the game often featured very popular celebrities, athletes, and even politicians.
Password attained pop culture icon status and paved the way for games such as Password Plus and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.
