Candid Camera

Sunday evenings were always hilarious in the 1970s when Candid Camera, starring Allen Funt, would bring us a few staged slices of life which ironically were more real than the "reality" fare we get today. Televised, often juvenile, pranks which preyed on social convention as much as the people forced to play along just in case it wasn't a joke, made for great, low-budget television.

Funt was a man clearly ahead of his time, and no doubt that the millions of YouTubers today were influneced more by Funt's work than anyone else. The concept of the show will always work, but Funt had a way of working it better than the others. His pranks were elaborate, with a touch of realism that made them successful and funny at the same time.

Also a great theme song (the 1970s version).