The History of Television Trivia Quiz

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.

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.

Answer: Felix The Cat

Basically, programming in 1929 consisted of watching a papar-mache statue of Feliz spin on a record player turntable.

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.

Answer: Franklin Roosevelt

President Roosevelt appeared on TV at the Worlds Fair on April 30, 1939.

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.

Answer: Baseball

A collegiate baseball game between Princeton and Columbia from Baker Field in New York City.

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.

Answer: Meet The Press

Martha Roundtree was the first TV moderator of this durable program.

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'.

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.

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.

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.

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'.

Answer: Real name of 'Mr. Ed'.

The voice of Mr. Ed was supplied by cowboy star Allen 'Rocky' Lane.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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'.

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.

Answer: HBO

HBO (Home Box Office) debuted in 1975.

Answer: All are 'superstations'

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