The Dating Game

This article is about the television show. For the video game genre, see Dating sim.

The Dating Game
Also known as	The New Dating Game
Format	Game show
Created by	Chuck Barris
Presented by	Jim Lange (1965–1980) Elaine Joyce (1986–1987) Jeff MacGregor (1987–1989) Brad Sherwood (1996–1997) Chuck Woolery (1997–1999)
Country of origin	United States
Production
Running time	30 minutes with commercials
Production company(s)	Chuck Barris Productions (1965–1974; 1978–1980; 1986–1987) Barris Productions (1986–1989) Barris Industries (1986–1989)
Distributor	Station Syndication, Inc. (1973–1974) Firestone Program Services (1978–1980) Bel-Air Program Sales (1986–1987) Clarion Communications (1986-1987) (ad-sales) Barris Program Sales (1987–1989) Columbia TriStar Television Distribution (1996–1999)
Broadcast
Original channel	ABC (1965–1973) Syndicated (1973–1974; 1978–1980; 1986–1989; 1996–2000)
Original run	First Run December 20, 1965 – July 6, 1973 (ABC Daytime) Second Run October 6, 1966 – January 17, 1970 (ABC primetime) Third Run September 10, 1973 – September 1974 (Syndication) Fourth Run September 4, 1978 – September 1980 (Syndication) Fifth Run September 15, 1986 – September 8, 1989 (Syndication) Sixth Run September 9, 1996 – September 1999 (Syndication)

The Dating Game is an ABC television show that first aired on December 20, 1965 and was the first of many shows created and packaged by Chuck Barris from the 1960s through the 1980s. ABC dropped the show on July 6, 1973, but it resurfaced in several syndicated versions (1973–1974 as The New Dating Game, 1978–1980, 1986–1989 and 1996–1999; repeats of the last version appeared in the 1999–2000 season.) For years it was almost always aired in tandem with another Barris production, The Newlywed Game, which premiered on ABC the following year. The show was a forerunner of a number of other shows themed in the same style.

Typically, a bachelorette would question three bachelors, who were hidden from her view; at the end of the questioning period, she would choose one to go out with on a date paid for by the show. Occasionally, the roles would be reversed with a man questioning three ladies; other times, a celebrity would question three players for a date for themselves, a co-worker or a relative of theirs. Many celebrities played the game looking for love themselves.

The pre-stardom Farrah Fawcett, Suzanne Somers, Lindsay Wagner, Tom Selleck and Lee Majors appeared as "contestants" on the show in the 1960s and early 1970s. Other contestants who appeared in their unknown or pre-stardom eras included The Carpenters, Jackson Bostwick, Joanna Cameron, Andy Kaufman (who went under the name Baji Kimran), Steve Martin, Burt Reynolds, John Ritter, Phil Hartman, Jennifer Granholm (Governor of Michigan from 2003–2010), Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Tom Selleck (who went on the show twice but was not chosen as a "date" either time). The future Federal Judge Alex Kozinski appeared on it and was selected as a "date". [1]. Some contestants appeared even after they were fairly well known, including a young Michael Jackson, Ron Howard, Maureen McCormick, Barry Williams, Sally Field, Richard Dawson, Jay North, and Paul Lynde. One standard trademark was that at the end of each episode, the host and winning contestants would blow a kiss to the viewers. The late 1970s version of the show was much more sexually explicit (and played for laughs) than other versions.

The Dating Game was hosted by Jim Lange from its debut on ABC until the late 1970s syndicated series went off the air. The 1986 revival was originally hosted by comedian Elaine Joyce, who was replaced by Jeff MacGregor after its first season. The 1996 series was originally hosted by Brad Sherwood, who was replaced by Chuck Woolery following a return to the series' original format.

In his first autobiography, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (1988), Barris claimed that The Dating Game was a cover for his CIA activities, and was promoted by the CIA. However, his second memoir, The Game Show King: A Confession (1993), makes no mention of the CIA—or, for that matter, his previous book; and a CIA spokesman has categorically denied that Barris ever worked for them in any capacity.

The show's popularity in the 1960s was the inspiration for an ice cream flavor by Baskin-Robbins called Dating Game. It was a pink ice cream with diced dates and butter toasted pecans.

Forty-five years after the TV show's inaugural season, The Dating Game for social networks was launched on Facebook, Twitter and others in March 2011. The social-network game was developed by 3G Studios of Reno, Nev. under a license from Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Game play

Original version

Generally the bachelorette would ask questions written in advance on cards to each of the three hidden bachelors. The same question could be asked to multiple bachelors. This continued until time ran out. The bachelorette would make her choice based solely on the answers to her questions. Occasionally, the contestant was a bachelor who would ask questions to three bachelorettes.

Certain kinds of questions were "off-limits", such as name, age, occupation, and income.

1996

For the first season of the 1996 revival, The Dating Game used a different format. A notable change was that the prospective bachelor/bachelorette knew what the first names of his or her potential dates were at all times.

Instead of asking questions of their potential date, the bachelor/bachelorette was presented with two pun-laden statements, each pertaining to one of the potential dates. When chosen, a new statement replaced the old statement and the potential date explained the reason why that fact pertained to them. Play continued until time expired, after which the bachelor/bachelorette gave their choice.

In several weeks of episodes that aired at various times throughout the season, another format was used. This format saw the players choose a potential date based on how good they looked and another based on personality. To determine the "looks" portion, the bachelor/bachelorette observed their potential dates (another change not seen on any Dating Game series beforehand) for several seconds; the three players wore noise-cancelling headphones so they could not hear what the bachelor/bachelorette was saying about them and they identified by numbers. The statement round was used to determine the "personality" portion. After the game ended the bachelor/bachelorette chose one panelist based on looks and one based on personality, then was prompted to choose either of the two. In the case the bachelor/bachelorette chose the same person for both looks and personality, they won a cash prize of $500.

Episode status

The ABC daytime episodes are believed to have been erased after broadcast, as was the standard practice with network daytime programs prior to the late 1970s. However at least 25 daytime episodes survive, including one with John Ritter as the bachelor from 1967. GSN aired 23 daytime shows. The ABC nighttime shows exist, as GSN has aired them in the past, but it is not known exactly whether or not all of those exist.

The remaining versions of the show, which were made for syndication, are assumed to exist in their entirety.

Celebrities on the show

• Adam West (1966)
• Barrie Chase (1966)
• Jeremy Clyde (1966)
• Ronald K.L. Collins (1967)
• Michael Richards (1967)
• Danny Bonaduce (1972)
• Kathryn Minner, "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena" (1966)
• Kathy Garver (1966, 1970 and 1971)
• Sally Field and Robert Vaughn (1966)
• John Ritter (1967)
• Tom Selleck (1965 and 1967)
• Donna Loren (1967)
• Groucho Marx, as a prank on his daughter Melinda, who was Bachelorette #1 (1967)
• Paul Lynde (1968 and 1972)
• Richard Dawson (1968)
• Bill Bixby (1968)
• Deep Purple (1968)
• Steve Martin (1968 and 1970)
• The Standells (1968)
• McLean Stevenson (1968)
• Strawberry Alarm Clock (1968)
• Jackson Bostwick (1968)
• Joanna Cameron (Late 1960s)
• Farrah Fawcett (1969)
• Iron Butterfly (1969)
• Karen and Richard Carpenter (1970)
• David Cassidy (1970)
• Ann B. Davis (1970 and 1971)
• Maureen McCormick (1971 and 1973)
• Brandon Cruz (1972)
• Barry Williams (1972)
• Ron Howard (1972)
• Michael Jackson (1972)
• Butch Patrick (1972)
• Vincent Price (1972)
• Mary Arnold and Terry Williams of Kenny Rogers and The First Edition (1972)
• H.R. Pufnstuf (1972)
• Dick Clark (1973)
• Arnold Schwarzenegger (1973)
• Suzanne Somers (1973)
• Willie Aames (1978)
• Rip Taylor (1978)
• Murray Langston, as The Unknown Comic (1978)
• Famous Amos (1978)
• Tom Netherton (1978)
• Rodney Alcala, the Dating Game Killer (1978)
• Andy Kaufman (1978)
• Jimmie Walker (1978)
• Phil Hartman (1979)
• Paul Reubens as Pee Wee Herman (1979)
• Bob Saget (1979 and 1980)
• Jaye P. Morgan (1980)
• Jennifer Granholm, former Governor of Michigan
• Judd Apatow (1980s)
• Charlie O'Donnell (1987)

Musical cues

For the first few episodes at the beginning of the ABC run, live music was provided by The Regents.

Beginning in 1967, the series started using several Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass songs as music cues:

• "Spanish Flea" (bachelor intro)
• "Whipped Cream" (bachelorette intro)
• "Lollipops and Roses" (meet your date cue)
• "Ladyfingers" and "Lemon Tree" (think cues)

Other music cues used on the show include:

• "Fantail" by Count Basie (turntable cue when Jim Lange says, "and here they are!")
• "Little Rosie" by Chuck Barris (New Dating Game 1973 closing theme)
• "Love Sickness" by The Trumpets Ole (time's up cue)
• "Boston Bust-Out" by Jimmy McGriff (first meeting cue)
• Dating Game 1965, main theme Chet Baker/The Mariachi Brass
• New Dating Game 1973, main theme by David Mook

The 1980s version's music was by Milton DeLugg. Later versions featured a re-recording of the original theme by Steve Kaplan.

See also

• Blind Date
• Perfect Match
• Rodney Alcala

References

Preceded by The Young Set	11:30 a.m.-12:00 noon EST, ABC 12/20/1965 – 3/31/1967	Succeeded by One in a Million
Preceded by Where the Action Is	4:00 p.m.-4:30 p.m. EST, ABC 4/3/1967 – 7/12/68	Succeeded by Dark Shadows
Preceded by Baby Game	2:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. EST, ABC 7/15/1968 – 7/6/1973	Succeeded by The Girl in my Life