We’ve got a winner! The best game shows of the 1960s and ’70s

They are the shows that would keep the whole family glued to the telly for hours on end, with everyone screaming out the answers as if those on the other side could hear. While they provided us with quality entertainment, that was often educational, game shows were also a way of bringing the family together over a nice microwaved dinner served up on a classic, floral-patterned TV tray.

With so many game shows coming and going these days, it can be easy to forget the classics that reigned over evening television during the 1960s and ’70s. So here are some of the best of the bunch when it comes to those nostalgic quiz shows we still know and love today!

Blankety Blanks

Hosted by the King of Aussie TV, Graham Kennedy, this hilarious show lasted two seasons and involved a fair bit of naughty humour as is seen in the snippet above. While it was a ratings success, Kennedy decided not to continue the show – essentially quitting while he was ahead after receiving his Gold Logie in 1978.

It Could Be You

This daytime game show was one of the first to hit Australian screens while TV was still fresh, new and exciting back in 1961. The show didn’t follow the stock standard template we know today but rather involved emotional family reunions like when American host Tommy Hanlon Jr was surprised with his own mother in one episode.

Jeopardy

Jeopardy! was originally an American game show, and it has truly stood the test of time as it is still running today. It gave viewers one of the first looks at a properly formulated quiz show that involved revealing the answer as the “clue”, with contestants tasked with responding in the form of a question.

Australia tried its hand at creating its own version that ran from 1970-1978 with hosts like Bob Sanders, Mal Anderson and Graham Webb. However, when it was rebooted again in the ’90s with beloved Sale of the Century host, Tony Barber, it tanked and another Aussie reboot hasn’t been attempted since.

New Faces

While this classic show was more of a talent show than a game show, the contestants still competed against one another in heats and finals before one lucky newbie was handed the coveted Grand Final Winner title. Kicking off originally in 1963 and running all the way through to the ’90s, this show was a hit with absolutely everyone, from nan and grandad to young kids and teenagers.

We also have New Faces to thank for introducing us to some of the best international and local stars we know and love today. Not only did it help fuel Bert Newton’s brand new life on Australian TV, but it also launched the careers of celebrities like Keith Urban, Paul Hogan, Daryl Summers and Julia Morris.

Pick a Box

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr5mXfNHI1o

In this fun ’60s gameshow, two contestants would go head to head answering questions before the one with the most right answers was able to choose between money and ‘the box’ – which included either a great prize or a dud. The show was hosted by beloved TV couple, Bob and Dolly Dyer and lasted a whopping 14 years on air.

Let’s Make a Deal

Let’s Make a Deal was yet another Australian adaptation of a popular American game show where audience members, who were usually dressed in over-the-top outfits, were given a fair prize before being offered to trade in for an undisclosed option. Sometimes the deal was legitimate but other times it was considered a disappointing “zonk” which could come in the form of farm animals, t-shirts or an old washing machine.