Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
GAME SHOWS Then & Now
“Anybody can be a winner, anybody can be rich, anybody can achieve fame.” That’s how Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek explained game-show popularity to Parade in 2019. Trebek may be gone, but fans’ passion for game shows endures. Here are some favorite oldies and current shows where you can “name that tune,” “buy a vowel” and so much more. —Megan O’Neill Melle
1 Celebrity panelists on the long-running CBS hit What’s My Line? (1950–67) tried to figure out the occupations of everyday people through a series of yes or no Qs. “Mystery guests” included such showbiz greats as Julie Andrews and Alfred Hitchcock. Stream on Amazon Prime
2 Vanna White and Pat Sajak have been inviting contestants to spin the wheel since 1983 an` now welcome stars to solve puzzles to win money for charity on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune. Watch Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC or stream on abc.com or Hulu
3 The original To Tell the Truth began in 1956 on CB- and featured a celeb panel that guessed which of the three contestants were imposters an` which one was the real deal. Most recently, Black-ish star Anthony Anderson and his mother, Mama Doris, host its ABC revival. Watch original episodes on YouTube; watch the reboot Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC or stream on abc.com or Hulu
4 Here’s your clue: It has more Emmys (39) than any other game show. Answer: “What is Jeopardy!?” The show has run from 1964 to 1975 an` 1984 to the present (with host Trebek until his death in 2020). Today’s version with Mayim Bialak as host is going strong, and last month, Yale Ph.D. student Matt Amodio made history with the second-longest Jeopardy! winning streak (38 games) and the third-largest nontournament cash haul: $1,518,601. Watch daily on your local station
5 Comedian an` Supermarket Sweep superfan Leslie Jones is now hosting the show, which first aire` in 1965. Teams today are vying for more `ough ($100,000) but still answering grocery relate` questions that’ll earn them money before a time` shopping spree. Watch Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC
6 On the original ABC matchmaking show, The Dating Game (1965–74), a bachelorette or bachelor chose a date from three eligible contestants she or he couldn’t see. Future stars Tom -elleck, Farrah Fawcett and Jim Carrey all played the game. It’s been reincarnated as The Celebrity Dating Game, hosted by Zooey Deschanel and Michael Bolton. Watch Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC or stream on abc.com or Hulu
7 Inspired by Dax Shepard and Kristin Bell’s competitive antics on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, new NBC competition series Family Game Fight pits the couple against each other when two families “adopt” the celebs and attempt to win $100,000. Watch Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC or stream on nbc.com or Peacock
9 Today’s Don't Forget the Lyrics! and The Singing Bee can thank Name That Tune for their famous formats of offering contestants just a few notes to figure out a song. What began on NBC Radio in 1952 has seen many iterations, including Fox’s most recent revamp of the show with Jane Krakowski and Randy Jackson. Stream on fox.com or Hulu
Abig Parade thank-you to all of the veterans, past and present, who’ve served so bravely. Visit Parade.com/deals for 100+ discounts and freebies for vets on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. And see below and check out Parade.com/vets for some surprising celebs who served.
A member of the U.S. Army, ELVIS PRESLEY was stationed in Germany when he met his future wife, Priscilla, the stepdaughter of a U.S. Air Force officer.
The Golden Girls’ BEA ARTHUR was a truck driver and typist for the U.S. Marine Corps Women’s Reserve.
Walker, Texas Ranger star CHUCK NORRIS served as a member of the Air Force in South Korea, where he was inspired by the locals to practice martial arts.
Before becoming an acclaime` filmmaker, MEL BROOKS defused landmines during World War II as a combat engineer and participated in the Battle of the Bulge.
ALAN ALDA’s time in charge of a mess tent in the Army Reserve may have helped his portrayal of Hawkeye Pierce on TV’s M*A*S*H.