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Quiz about The History of Television
Quiz about The History of Television

The History of Television Trivia Quiz


From a dollar sign on a board to the Martian landscape, television has seen it all. A quiz about the simple box with wires, tubes and circuitry that supplanted the radio as the primary source of news and entertainment.

A multiple-choice quiz by Oddball. Estimated time: 7 mins.
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Author
Oddball
Time
7 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
65,201
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
25
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
13 / 25
Plays
3148
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: imustac (6/25), Guest 31 (7/25), Guest 209 (4/25).
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Question 1 of 25
1. This scientist, creator of the iconoscope and the kinescope, is widely regarded as one of the 'Fathers of Television': Hint


Question 2 of 25
2. This other applicant for 'Father of Television' created the 'image dissector', the first all-electric television transmitter, in 1927 at the age of 21: Hint


Question 3 of 25
3. RCA's first experimental TV transmissions began in 1929 showing pictures of this cartoon character: Hint


Question 4 of 25
4. Television was first introduced to the general public at the 1939 Worlds Fair in: Hint


Question 5 of 25
5. Who was the first U.S. President to appear on television: Hint


Question 6 of 25
6. Television was greatly curtailed during World War II. Which of the following was the only network to continue extensive commercial programming during the war? Hint


Question 7 of 25
7. NBC broadcast the first sportscast of this game in 1939: Hint


Question 8 of 25
8. The first television commercial was aired in 1941 for this product: Hint


Question 9 of 25
9. This news program switched from radio to TV on Nov. 6, 1947 and is still aired weekly on NBC after more than 50 years. What is the program?

Answer: (Three Words)
Question 10 of 25
10. Which of the following TV stars did NOT debut in 1948? Hint


Question 11 of 25
11. The next logical step in television evolution was the advent of color programming. Starting in 1950, there were two color systems, the RCA system and this one: Hint


Question 12 of 25
12. This long-time radio personality hosted two landmark TV shows, 'See It Now' and 'Person To Person' as well as an award winning documentary, 'Harvest Of Shame': Hint


Question 13 of 25
13. Sylvester 'Pat' Weaver was a TV pioneer as program manager of NBC who deserves inclusion in this quiz for all but one of the following: Hint


Question 14 of 25
14. One of the first major contoversies facing TV was the quiz show scandal. Contestant Charles Van Doren was revealed to be receiving his answers in advance on what show? Hint


Question 15 of 25
15. Who, or what, is 'Bamboo Harvester'? Hint


Question 16 of 25
16. Which of the following did not host 'The Tonight Show'? Hint


Question 17 of 25
17. Satellite television began July 10,1962, a day after the launch of this: Hint


Question 18 of 25
18. What was invented in 1948, simultaneously in Oregon and Pennsylvania, by television store owners looking to sell more TV sets? Hint


Question 19 of 25
19. One of the best programs from televisions' early years was 'Your Show of Shows' with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. Which of the following did NOT get their start writing for this series? Hint


Question 20 of 25
20. When presented with the opportunity to air this program in 1970, it was reported that CBS network president Bob Wood turned it down, saying, 'Preempt Doris Day? Are you out of your mind?'. Which show was rejected? Hint


Question 21 of 25
21. One major obstacle that remains relevant in television is censorship. Despite high ratings, what program was cancelled by CBS after a long fight over the content of their show from 1967-70? Hint


Question 22 of 25
22. Which of the following programs was NOT based on a hit show from Great Britain? Hint


Question 23 of 25
23. Alvin Childress and Spencer Williams Jr. were better known as: Hint


Question 24 of 25
24. As an escape from resubmitting existing signals, this became the first to use cable to broadcast original programming as a premium TV network: Hint


Question 25 of 25
25. What do stations WSBK-Boston, WGN-Chicago, WTBS-Atlanta and WWOR-New Jersey all have in common? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Today : imustac: 6/25
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 31: 7/25
Oct 15 2024 : Guest 209: 4/25
Oct 03 2024 : Guest 174: 22/25
Oct 03 2024 : Guest 100: 8/25
Oct 03 2024 : Guest 174: 2/25
Oct 01 2024 : wjc: 8/25
Sep 21 2024 : meandyou2011: 10/25
Sep 15 2024 : Morganw2019: 20/25

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. This scientist, creator of the iconoscope and the kinescope, is widely regarded as one of the 'Fathers of Television':

Answer: Vladimir Zworykin

Russian native Zworykin (1889-1982) studied under Rosing at the Petrograd Institute of Technology. He emigrated to the U.S. and became a citizen in 1924, where he worked with both Westinghouse and RCA (with Sarnoff) in developing the electron microscope.
2. This other applicant for 'Father of Television' created the 'image dissector', the first all-electric television transmitter, in 1927 at the age of 21:

Answer: Philo Farnsworth

Though Zworykin and Farnsworth are acknowledged as the preeminent pioneers, others paved the way. Nipkow was granted a patent for sending moving pictures by wire in 1884, Baird of England and Jenkins of the U.S. both improved on Nipkow's system.
3. RCA's first experimental TV transmissions began in 1929 showing pictures of this cartoon character:

Answer: Felix The Cat

Basically, programming in 1929 consisted of watching a papar-mache statue of Feliz spin on a record player turntable.
4. Television was first introduced to the general public at the 1939 Worlds Fair in:

Answer: New York

The Worlds Fair was visited by over 45 million people. Early TV sets were sold for about {$600,} more than the price of a car in that day.
5. Who was the first U.S. President to appear on television:

Answer: Franklin Roosevelt

President Roosevelt appeared on TV at the Worlds Fair on April 30, 1939.
6. Television was greatly curtailed during World War II. Which of the following was the only network to continue extensive commercial programming during the war?

Answer: DuMont

Named after Dr. Allan B. DuMont, the DuMont network was the second to begin operating TV stations after NBC. Even with such stars as Jackie Gleason, Paul Winchell and Ted Mack (host of the 'Original Amateur Hour'), competition drove DuMont out of the business in 1956.
7. NBC broadcast the first sportscast of this game in 1939:

Answer: Baseball

A collegiate baseball game between Princeton and Columbia from Baker Field in New York City.
8. The first television commercial was aired in 1941 for this product:

Answer: Wristwatches

WNBT in New York aired a commercial for Bulova wristwatches, consisting of the face of a Bulova clock and a voiceover. The ad cost nine dollars.
9. This news program switched from radio to TV on Nov. 6, 1947 and is still aired weekly on NBC after more than 50 years. What is the program?

Answer: Meet The Press

Martha Roundtree was the first TV moderator of this durable program.
10. Which of the following TV stars did NOT debut in 1948?

Answer: Bob Barker

Sullivan began his run on 'Toast Of The Town' (later 'The Ed Sullivan Show') on June 20, Funt traded his 'Candid Microphone' for 'Candid Camera' on August 10 and Berle debuted with 'Texaco Star Theatre' on Sept. 21. Barker, long-time host of 'The Price Is Right', debuted on TV in 1956 replacing Ralph Edwards as host of 'Truth Or Consequences'.
11. The next logical step in television evolution was the advent of color programming. Starting in 1950, there were two color systems, the RCA system and this one:

Answer: CBS

RCA, owner of NBC, fought long and hard with CBS over whose color system was more accepted. However, almost all TV's were made with the RCA system, and the resulting incompatibility kept CBS out of the color picture till well into the mid-1960's when they grudgingly accepted the RCA system.
12. This long-time radio personality hosted two landmark TV shows, 'See It Now' and 'Person To Person' as well as an award winning documentary, 'Harvest Of Shame':

Answer: Edward R. Murrow

A native of Polecat Creek, North Carolina, Murrow is considered the father of modern journalism, from his reports during World War II to his confrontations with Sen. Joseph McCarthy at the height of his power.
13. Sylvester 'Pat' Weaver was a TV pioneer as program manager of NBC who deserves inclusion in this quiz for all but one of the following:

Answer: Fought against 'Spectacular' programming

Weaver, father of actress Sigorney Weaver, was in fact the innovator of the 'Spectacular', which worked to the advantage of NBC's owner, RCA in increasing sale of TV sets. 'Participation advertising' meant multiple sponsors, which gave more control of the shows to the network. Weaver died March 15, 2002.
14. One of the first major contoversies facing TV was the quiz show scandal. Contestant Charles Van Doren was revealed to be receiving his answers in advance on what show?

Answer: Twenty One

'Twenty One', 'Dotto' and '64,000 Dollar Question' were all investigated by the government in the late 1950's for allegations of tampering. Although numerous people were found guilty of perjury and many reputations ruined, no one served jail time. This controversy became the subject of an Academy Award nominated film, 'Quiz Show'.
15. Who, or what, is 'Bamboo Harvester'?

Answer: Real name of 'Mr. Ed'.

The voice of Mr. Ed was supplied by cowboy star Allen 'Rocky' Lane.
16. Which of the following did not host 'The Tonight Show'?

Answer: Dave Garroway

Garroway hosted 'The Today Show' in 1952. Debuting in 1954, 'The Tonight Show' brought a night life to millions of American homes. Nighttime programming actually began in 1950 with 'Broadway Open House' with Morey Amsterdam as host.
17. Satellite television began July 10,1962, a day after the launch of this:

Answer: Telstar

Among the programs sent to Europe in the first broadcast from the U.S. included a concert by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at Mt. Rushmore. American viewers saw the sights of Paris.
18. What was invented in 1948, simultaneously in Oregon and Pennsylvania, by television store owners looking to sell more TV sets?

Answer: Cable

Originally known as CATV (Community Antenna Television), many early cable systems were constructed and managed by owners of local appliance stores in areas that couldn't receive clear television signals. It wasn't till the 1970's that cable began experimenting with childrens networks, all-music channels, 24-hour news and more.
19. One of the best programs from televisions' early years was 'Your Show of Shows' with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. Which of the following did NOT get their start writing for this series?

Answer: Norman Lear

Lear began his career in 1950 writing for 'The Ford Star Review' and 'The Colgate Comedy Hour'. It was 20 years later that he and Bud Yorkin collaborated to bring 'All In The Family' to television.
20. When presented with the opportunity to air this program in 1970, it was reported that CBS network president Bob Wood turned it down, saying, 'Preempt Doris Day? Are you out of your mind?'. Which show was rejected?

Answer: 'Monday Night Football'

'MNF' eventually went to ABC and, backed by the likes of Howard Cosell, Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, Dan Dierdorf, Al Michaels and Dennis Miller, remains a prime-time fall staple to this day.
21. One major obstacle that remains relevant in television is censorship. Despite high ratings, what program was cancelled by CBS after a long fight over the content of their show from 1967-70?

Answer: 'The Smothers Brothers'

Tom and Dick Smothers showcased a number of future stars, icluding perennial Presidential hopeful and satirist Pat Paulsen, Steve Martin, Mason Williams, Bob 'Super Dave' Einstein, Kenny Rogers, Jim Stafford and others. It was the brothers' stance on the Vietnam war, drugs, sex and religion that rubbed the CBS censors wrong.
22. Which of the following programs was NOT based on a hit show from Great Britain?

Answer: 'The Avengers'

'The Avengers', with Patrick MacNee and Diana Rigg, was a British import that hit big on ABC in the 1960's. 'Family' was based on 'Till Death Do Us Part', 'Company' took their cue from 'Man About The House' and the British equivalent of 'Sanford' was 'Steptoe and Son'.
23. Alvin Childress and Spencer Williams Jr. were better known as:

Answer: 'Amos and Andy'

Originally created on radio by two white actors, Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll, the popular and controvercial show came to television in 1951 with Gosden and Correll as producers to an all-black cast. Childress played Amos, the philosophical cabdriver who played narrator to most episodes while he and his friend Andy (Wiliams) were often avoiding being caught up in the schemes of George 'Kingfish' Stevens (Tim Moore).

Other cast members include Johnny Lee, Ernestine Wade, Horace Stewart and Amanda and Lillian Randolph.
24. As an escape from resubmitting existing signals, this became the first to use cable to broadcast original programming as a premium TV network:

Answer: HBO

HBO (Home Box Office) debuted in 1975.
25. What do stations WSBK-Boston, WGN-Chicago, WTBS-Atlanta and WWOR-New Jersey all have in common?

Answer: All are 'superstations'

A superstation is an independent station whose signal is picked up and redistributed by satellite to local cable television systems.
Source: Author Oddball

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor kyleisalive before going online.
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