The ABC Television Network Programming Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Beginning in 1957, which dance show began airing on the ABC network?

Answer: American Bandstand

The television show "American Bandstand" aired on the ABC network from August 5, 1957 through September 5, 1987. The show was hosted by Dick Clark. Teenagers on the show danced to current Top 40 songs. Bands would also perform on the show.

2. Between 1949 and 1957, either Clayton Moore or John Hart played the masked title character in which television western on the ABC network?

Answer: The Lone Ranger

The television western "The Lone Ranger" aired on the ABC network from 1949 to 1957. The title character was a former member of Texas Rangers who survived a massacre. He wore a black mask and traveled around the American west helping people from the lawlessness. Clayton Moore played the title character for 169 episodes. During a contract dispute Clayton Moore and the network, John Hart played the title character for 52 episodes.

3. Which long-running ABC network soap opera cast the star musicians Rick Springfield and Jack Wagner?

Answer: General Hospital

The soap opera "General Hospital" debuted on the ABC network on on April 1, 1963. On February 24, 2014, the show broadcast its thirteen thousandth episode.

Two musicians were cast members on the show. Rick Springfield played Dr. Noah Drake on the show and had seventeen top forty hits on the United States Hot 100 between 1971 and 1988. Jack Wagner played Frisco Jones on the show and hit number two on the Billboard Hot 100 with the 1985 song "All I Need".

4. Which ABC network show became the first primetime cartoon series?

Answer: The Flintstones

The cartoon "The Flintstones" aired from September 30, 1960 through April 1, 1966 on the ABC network. The show was the first animated cartoon series aired during primetime. The show was about the lives of a working-class Stone Age man, his next-door neighbor and best friends well as their families.

5. Which ABC network game show pitted three married couples against each other. The object of this game show was to answer a series of revealing questions about the partner. What game show was this?

Answer: The Newlywed Game

The game show "The Newlywed Game" aired on the ABC network from 1966 through 1974 and again in 1984. The show was originally hosted by Bob Eubanks. The show used euphemisms such as "making whoopee" to avoid network censorship. The show led to many arguments between the newlywed contestants and an occasional divorce between the newlyweds.

6. Which married couple hosted a comedy show from 1952 through 1966 on the ABC network?

Answer: Ozzie and Harriet Nelson

"The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" was a sitcom airing from October 3, 1952, through April 23, 1966. The show featured the married couple Ozzie and Harriet Nelson along with their children.

7. In 1977, the ABC network ran miniseries featuring such characters as Kunta Kinte, Fiddler and Chicken George. What was the name of this miniseries?

Answer: Roots

The miniseries "Roots" was based on Alex Haley's 1976 novel titles "Roots: The Saga of an American Family". The highly-rated miniseries followed the family of Haley's ancestor named Kunta Kinte.

8. The television show "Happy Days" aired from January 15, 1974 through September 24, 1984 on the ABC network. Several spin-offs were based off of the show "Happy Days". Which of the following shows was not a spin-off of "Happy Days"?

Answer: The Jeffersons

The television show "The Jeffersons" aired on the CBS network from January 18, 1975 through July 2, 1985. "The Jeffersons" was a spin-off of the show "All in the Family". The main characters of each show were neighbors of each other.

The shows "Joanie Loves Chachi", "Mork and Mindy" and "Laverne & Shirley" were spin-offs of the show "Happy Days". The main characters in the spin-offs appeared on "Happy Days" at some point.

9. On September 21, 1970, a weekly sports show hosted by Howard Cosell, Keith Jackson and Don Meredith debuted. This show would run weekly episodes on the ABC network during the fall between 1970 and 2005. What was the name of this show?

Answer: Monday Night Football

"Monday Night Football" was a weekly NFL football game airing on Monday nights on the ABC network from 1970 through 2005. In the first game on "Monday Night Football", the Cleveland Browns defeated the New York Jets.

10. Hugh Downs and Barbara Walters were the longtime anchors on which ABC network news magazine television show?

Answer: 20/20

The news magazine television show "20/20" debuted on the ABC network on June 6, 1978. The show featured in-depth story packages focusing on human interest stories. Hugh Downs and Barbara Walters served as co-anchors of the show from 1978 until Downs' retirement in 1999.

11. The ABC network aired a weekly late-night live sketch comedy show which launched the careers of Larry David, Michael Richards, Bruce Mahler and Rich Hall. This show had a memorable incident with Andy Kaufman on one episode. What was the name of the show?

Answer: Fridays

The television live sketch comedy show "Fridays" aired on the ABC network on Friday nights from April 11, 1980 to April 23, 1982. The show was seen as an alternative to the NBC network show "Saturday Night Live".

Andy Kaufman was the host of the February 20, 1981 episode of "Fridays". During one sketch, Andy Kaufman broke character. Cast member Michael Richards retrieved the cue cards and gave them to Kaufman. Kaufman then threw a cup of water at Richards. Kaufman gave a taped apology for the incident at the next episode of "Fridays".

12. Which ABC network show was about a sixteen year old prodigy who tried balancing a job and teenage life?

Answer: Doogie Howser, M.D.

The television show "Doogie Howser, M.D." aired on the ABC network from September 19, 1989, to March 24, 1993. Teenager Dr. Douglas "Doogie". Howser participated in a longitudinal study of child prodigies until his eighteenth birthday. He became a medical doctor at age fourteen. He tried to balance his life as a doctor with a normal life as a teenager.

13. Which highly-rated ABC network television show was about a fictional working class family from Illinois named the Conners?

Answer: Roseanne

The show "Roseanne", based on the Conner family, ran on the ABC network from October 18, 1988, to May 20, 1997. The series reached number one in the United States Nielsen ratings during the 1989-1990 television season.

14. Beginning in 1989, the ABC network ran sitcoms during the Friday primetime hours. This block of programming was called "TGIF". Which show featured on "TGIF" was about a young gentleman named Steve Urkel?

Answer: Family Matters

The television show "Family Matters" aired on the ABC network on Friday nights from September 15, 1989 to May 9, 1997. The show revolved around the Winslow family and their neighbor Steve Urkel. Urkel was a nerdy and accident-prone kid.

15. Which reality competition show debuted in 2005 on the ABC network?

Answer: Dancing with the Stars

The dance competition television series "Dancing with the Stars" premiered on June 1, 2005 on ABC. On this show, a celebrities are paired with professional dancers. A panel of judges determine the best pair of dancers each season.

Source: Author workisboring

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ladymacb29 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

The American Broadcasting Company or the ABC Television Network was founded in 1948. This quiz is about the programming which appeared on the ABC network.

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