Two families compete by trying to outguess the opponents about survey results.Two families compete by trying to outguess the opponents about survey results.Two families compete by trying to outguess the opponents about survey results.
- Awards
- 4 wins & 22 nominations total
Featured reviews
In addition to the nine year ABC run, there was a syndicated version that began as a once a week show, expanded to twice a week and eventually Monday through Friday. Also, there were celebrity prime time specials.
As for the Ray Combs version, it went very well until the producers added the Bullseye round, tampering with a great format. Also, the death of creator Mark Goodson and his son Jonathan hiring a consultant to improve the show's ratings by bringing back Dawson didn't do any good. Ray Combs was an outstanding host and he shouldn't have been let go.
The current version fortunately stuck to the basic game but Louie Anderson was terrible as a host, despite his sign off "Be good to your family!" Richard Karn was an improvement over Anderson, despite his inexperience and John O'Hurley is a much better host, keeping the game moving and bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Through all the hosting changes, there has been one constant, the show's announcer, who is one of the best, Burton Richardson.
Hopefully the O'Hurley version will keep the classic game on the air for more years to come.
Take 2 families, give them each a chance to score points by guessing how people answered a survey about something. Sometimes, sex would get thrown into the question mix to keep things hopping. The most points by the winning family, the losing family get consolation prizes. The winners go into the bonus round with a chance to win $5,000 dollars (inflation really started later than this show in prize money).
It would add up to a lot of fun. It's the Hatfields versus the McCoys & to quote my favorite phrase used by Richard Dawson so often "And the survey says..." a winner.
Richard Dawson (who I actually thought was from the Southern U.S. as a kid instead of England) is one of the greatest game show hosts ever. The man had tons 'o charm, that great wit, that history of wooing the ladies, and deep respect for all the participants on the show. He was a very easy-going individual who didn't have an ego trip while hosting the show (unlike Bob Barker). It's hard to believe that behind the scenes he was rude to management and the crew.
Dawson's version of the program ran from 1976-85. In 1988, CBS revived it and brought in the equally amazing Ray Combs. Combs, a stand-up comic was perfect for the 1988-94 run. A very positive, happy, and funny host, he brought great flamboyancy to the show. Who couldn't forget the little jig he'd do when he was introduced. Sadly, Ray's private life was pretty brutal and led to his untimely suicide.
The families they brought were always in their Sunday best, but they also brought in some wacky families during the two show's run. Also, you never knew what way-out hilarious responses they'd give out when trying to come up with successful answers to a survey. There was this family called the Picketts who won the right to try and uncover the final survey answer of "Name a famous Rudolf." Rudolph the Reindeer and Rudolf Valentino were uncovered. Their three attempts yielded: Rudolf Jackson, Rudolf Smith, and Rudolf Hitler. The other family got a chance to steal for the win and chose Rudolf Hess. They struck out and the Picketts won despite their hilariously stupid answers. How Richard Dawson kept a straight face was miraculous...
Don't bother with Louie Anderson or Richard Karn's version of FF. Watch the original on The Game Show Network.
In short, Dawson had the common touch despite his celebrity status, and I just know he was really rooting for the contestants, just as Groucho ribbed his contestants but was always happy to see them win the big money in the quiz on "You Bet Your Life" (BTW, Dawson hosted a pilot for "YBYL" in 1988; it didn't get on the air but he would have been perfect for that show).
Gene Wood proved he was a better announcer than host; I remember that on "Beat the Clock" he would get as silly as the contestants. That, to me, is the ultimate sin of the game-show host.
Steve Harvey has done extremely well with the show and I wish him many more years, but Dawson is "Family Feud" to me.
This is a great show, better than Louie Anderson's Revival. TV REVIEW 4 STARS.
Did you know
- TriviaOn Monday, April 6th, 1981, Richard Dawson met a contestant and after the taping, he invited her to his house for a home cooked meal. Shortly after this event, began their long term romance.
- Quotes
[Richard Dawson's farewell speech on the June 14, 1985 finale]
Richard Dawson: So, the Mackins were our final winning family, and they've won $5,504, and I'm proud of 'em. I've had the most incredible luck in my career. I've done lots and lots of jobs, and I've never, ever had a job like "Family Feud." I've never DREAMED I would ever have a job where so many people could touch me and I could touch them. And it was... there was a great magic about this show that I've never seen on any other show. I want to publicly acknowledge Howard Felsher, who is our Executive Producer. He was a producer in the beginning of the show, and he helped steer and guide the way that we went. And he and I fall a lot of times, but I tell you that he is important and I should acknowledge him, because he was the one, with me, that, we said, "Let ANYBODY come on this show, anyone that can play this game, no matter what color or creed, no matter if they're in a wheelchair or they have no sight." And we've HAD everybody on this show, and he was very, very important in that and I acknowledge and thank him for it. I thank my crew, and I thanked my director already. I have the best staff you've ever dreamed of. You can't... but you don't have to dream of them, 'cause I'm gonna take them with me. Even if I never work again, they'll just be near me. They are so special and wonderful. ABC - Jackie Smith, Wally Weltman, Joe C. Albott - they kept us on the air probably a year more than they should have, 'cause we weren't really helping them. You know, our ratings weren't that good. They were *so* great. They buried themselves carrying us, and I love them for that, not that I wanted to hurt 'em, but I... because I love 'em. They were good people. There were people I know that got upset that I kissed people; I kissed them for luck and love, that's all. That's what my mother did to me. There were people upset that I would embrace or hug someone of another color. The first time I ever saw people of any color was when D-Day left from my hometown in England, to go and free Europe from the war. And there was every color you could imagine, and I'd not seen that in England. And I asked my mother about it; I said, "Is there something wrong?" She said, "God... God makes people. You understand that, don't you?" And I said, "Yeah!" She said, "Who makes a rainbow?" I said, "God." She said, "I never presumed to tell anyone who could make a rainbow what color to make children." And she changed my whole life with that statement. All I can tell you is, this has been a very special 9 years of my life! If I never do another thing, I've met the good, sweet people of the world. So I leave you, with love, and for the little girl that, nine years ago, I first signed to - I guess she's 13, now - I'll think of you every day. God bless all the little children in the world. Thank you.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Going Ape! (1981)
- SoundtracksThe Feud
(theme)
Written by Robert Israel (BMI)
Performed by the Score Productions Band
Published by TattleTales Music (BMI)
- How many seasons does Family Feud have?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime
- 30m
- Color