Classic U.S. Game Show Hosts Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bill Cullen

As a child, Bill Cullen survived a harrowing experience with polio that left him with a permanent limp. If you notice most of his introductions, he is either already at his post or moved in on a stage turntable. Viewers rarely saw him walk anywhere onscreen.

Besides his record 23 game show hosting duties, Cullen also was a panelist on such shows as 'I've Got A Secret' and 'To Tell The Truth'. Cullen died July 7, 1990.

Answer: Bud Collyer

Bud Collyer was well known for his ability to drop his voice an octave when changing from the mild-mannered Clark Kent into the Man of Steel, which he later did for the 1966 animated series (Reeves made Superman famous with the advent of television). When 'Beat the Clock' was at its zenith, Collyer played himself on a special episode of 'The Honeymooners' playing along with the antics of stars Jackie Gleason and Art Carney.

By the time Collyer died in 1969, 'To Tell The Truth' was revived in syndication, along with its new host, Gary Moore.

Answer: Bert Convy

Convy's lone hit with the Cheers, 'Black Denim Trousers (and Motorcycle Boots)' placed in the U.S. Top 10 in 1955. Convy also claimed he could correctly guess the gender of any babies not yet born (he claims to have done so with all the children of friend and actor John Ritter). Sadly, Convy was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1990 and died over a year later. For the record, Hubbard, Gimble and Fern were all fictional characters. Barth and Jerry were Martin Mull and Fred Willard, respectively, in the late night spoof 'Fernwood 2Night' (a spinoff from 'Mary Harman, Mary Hartman'), while Fern was the brainchild of late night king Johnny Carson.

Answer: Jack Barry

It was mainly due to the success of Winky Dink (voiced by 'Betty Boop' star Mae Questal) that landed Barry the hosting duties for 'Twenty-One'. It was on this show that it was revealed contestant Charles Van Doren had inside help to defeat Herb Stemple. For his part, it's widely believed Barry had little or nothing to do with the initial decision to rig the game. That decision apparently came from 'Twenty-One' producer (and Barry's partner) Enright. Barry later hosted early versions of 'The Joker's Wild' and 'Concentration' before his death in 1984.

Answer: Chuck Barris

Barris became a sort of 'wunderkind' for the hit shows 'The Dating Game' in 1965, 'The Newlywed Game' a year later and 'The New Treasure Hunt' in 1973. He finally stepped into the spotlight hosting 'The Gong Show' in 1977 (veteran announcer Gary Owen hosted the first season). The cast of celebrity judges included singer Jaye P. Morgan, comedian Rip Taylor (who would later host Barris' '$1.98 Beauty Show'), actor Jamie Farr and a host of others. The winner would get $516.32 U.S. (allegedly the minimum amount one would make in the Screen Actors Guild for a day's work).

Answer: John Daly

During World War II, Daly reported the news for CBS from London, North Africa and Italy (he was one of those who covered the infamous 'slapping incident' with General George Patton). He later became president of the ABC network in the 1950's. Through his second wife, Daly was also the son-in-law of U.S. Chief Justice Earl Warren.

He was also seen on the big and small screen with an uncredited appearence in the movie 'Bye Bye Birdie' and narrated the pilot episode of the sitcom 'Green Acres' with Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor. Daly died in February, 1991. Trout and Godfrey were also esteemed reporters in their own right, but only Godfrey stepped into the spotlight with his 'Talent Scouts' show in the 1950s. Morgan was a veteran disc jockey and inductee in the U.S. Radio Hall of Fame.

Answer: Wink Martindale

For the record, his birth name is Winston Conrad Martindale. He was given the nickname 'Wink' by a neighborhood friend.

Answer: Allen Ludden

Real name Allen Packard Ellsworth, he chose his step-father's surname Ludden for his career. After he married Betty, the two were seen in a number of places from a guest spot on the TV sitcom 'The Odd Couple' to appearences on other game shows, particularly 'Match Game'. Following his death from stomach cancer, Ludden was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame next to his wife, and a walkway at the Los Angeles Zoo was named in his memory (Betty, a lifelong animal rights activist, was a board member at the zoo).

Answer: Art Fleming

Fleming was able to take advantage of his role as 'Jeopardy' host with guest appearences as himself in the movie 'Airplane II: The Sequel' and the Weird Al Yankovic music video 'I Lost On Jeopardy' (a spoof of Greg Kihn's hit song). Fleming's off-stage announcer during his run was the legendary Don Pardo ('Saturday Night Live'). Fleming died on April 25, 1995.

Answer: Gene Rayburn

The son of Croation immigrants, Eugene Rubessa changed his name to Gene Rayburn by picking out a random name from a phone book. The 'Rayburn and Finch' show on WNEW-New York, which he hosted with Dee Finch, was one of the top shows for many years. From 1973 to '77, 'Match Game' was one of the top shows in the daytime market, mostly due to Rayburn's banter with celebrities like Richard Dawson, Charles Nelson Reilly and Brett Sommers (a young Kirstie Alley was among the early contestants). Rayburn died in November 1999, one month after receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Television Arts and Science.

Answer: Monty Hall

The 'Monty Hall Problem' stemmed from Hall's ability to sway contestants from selecting one of three choices if he reveals a gag prize (like a goat or mule) behind a door, box or curtain the contestant didn't previously choose. This revelation played into whether the contestant stayed with his choice or switched to the other available option (one of those contestants, incidentally, was Melvin Dumar, the subject of the 1980 film 'Melvin and Howard'). Whether bantering with announcer Jay Stewart or ogling the lovely Carol Merrill, Canadian Maurice Halperin (Hall's real name) endeared his way into American homes throughout the run of the show from its start in 1963. Hall had a bachelor's degree in Science, earned a Doctor of Laws from the University of Manitoba, and received the Order of Canada in 1988.

He was also the father of actress Joanna Gleason.

Answer: Bob Barker

In 2006, Barker celebrated his 50th straight year in television without a break(that's including his stint on 'Truth Or Consequences' and 'The Price Is Right'). Barker served as a fighter pilot in World War II, then finished his college education at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri.

He accepted the role of himself in the comedy film 'Happy Gilmore' (1996) when he learned he would get to fight Adam Sandler. That fight made him the winner of an MTV Movie Award at the age of 73.

Answer: Bob Eubanks

Since 1978, Robert Leland Eubanks has co-hosted the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, first with long-time partner Stephanie Edwards, then with Michaela Pereira, and has stood in for Casey Kasem during the latter's run on the popular radio program 'American Top 40'.

He also has a celebrity profile up on the World Poker Tour website (he says he learned the game from country singer Charley Pride).

Answer: Jim Lange

'The Dating Game', created by Chuck Barris, served as a catalyst for a number of young and rising stars in its heyday in the 1960s and 70s. Among the prospective bachelors included Steve Martin, Andy Kaufman, Tom Selleck (who appeared, and lost, twice), Arnold Swarteznegger and U.S. Ninth Circuit Appeals Judge Alex Kozinski (legendary comic Groucho Marx appeared once to trick his daughter, Melinda, who was a contestant). Among the famous bachelorettes include Suzanne Sommers, Farrah Fawcett, Sally Field and Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm.

Answer: Peter Marshall

Real name Ralph Pierre LaCock, he chose his stage name from the college in his hometown of Huntington, West Virginia (Marshall University). After moving to New York, he had some trouble finding steady work, until his friend Morey Amsterdam recommended him to Bert Parks, who was looking for a host for a new game show in 1966. Marshall has since become a legend in the game show world through his banter with stars like Paul Lynde, Charlie Weaver, Amsterdam and Rose Marie.

In 2002, Marshall returned to 'Hollywood Squares', this time as a contestant with host Tom Bergeron. Marshall is also the younger brother of actress Joanne Dru and the father of former Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs first baseman Pete LaCock.