The Dating Game

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

The Dating Game
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 companies	Chuck Barris Productions (1965–1974; 1978–1980; 1986–1987) Barris Productions (1986–1989) Barris Industries (1986–1989)
Original release
Network	ABC (1965–1973) Syndicated (1973–1974; 1978–1980; 1986–1989; 1996–2000)
Release	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 (Governor of California from 2003-2011), 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". Infamously, serial killer Rodney Alcala appeared on the show during his murder spree and after he'd been convicted of rape in California. 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, a version of The Dating Game was launched on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites in March 2011. The game was developed by 3G Studios, under license from Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Game play

Original version

Comedian Pat Paulsen makes a guest appearance in 1968.

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.

International Versions

Country	Local Name	Host	Network	Year Aired
Australia			Seven Network
Belgium			vtm
Brazil	Namoro na TV	Silvio Santos	Tupi SBT	1976 1988
Bulgaria			bTV
Croatia			RTL Televizija
Czech Republic			Prima
Denmark			TV3
Estonia			Kanal 2 ETV
Finland	Napakymppi (viihdeohjelma)	Markus Similia(1985) Kari Salmelainen(1985-2002) Joanna Kantola(2001-2002)	MTV Yle TV1 Yle TV2 MTV3	1985-2002
France	Tournez Manège!	Évelyne Leclercq Simone Garnier Fabienne Égal	TF1	1985-1993
		Sébastien Cauet		2009-2010
Germany	Herz ist Trumpf	Stephen Lehmann	Sat.1	1992-1993
Hungary			RTL Klub
Israel			Channel 2 (Keshet)
Italy	Il gioco delle coppie	Marco Predolin Corrado Tedeschi Giorgio Mastrota and Natalia Estrada	Italia 1 Canale 5 Rete 4	1985-1995
Latvia			LTV
Poland	Randka w ciemno	Jacek Kawalec Tomasz Kammel	TVP1	1992-2005
Slovenia			Kanal A
Turkey	Saklambaç	Nurseli Îdiz	Show TV	1992-1996
United States	The Dating Game The New Dating Game	Jim Lange	ABC Syndication	1965-1973 1973-1974 1978-1980
The All-New Dating Game	Elaine Joyce Jeff MacGregory	Syndication	1986-1987 1987-1989
The Dating Game	Brad Sherwood Chuck Woolery		1996-1997 1997-1999

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. The 1990s syndicated version is currently airing on GameTV in Canada.

Celebrities on the show

Some of the celebrities that appeared on The Dating Game appeared as a bachelor or bachelorette before becoming famous or a special guest star include:

• Willie Aames (1978)
• Rodney Alcala, subsequently dubbed "The Dating Game Killer" (1978)
• Famous Amos (1978)
• Judd Apatow (1980s)
• Desi Arnaz Jr. (1967)
• Mary Arnold of Kenny Rogers and The First Edition (1972)
• Bill Bixby (1968)
• Danny Bonaduce (1972)
• Jackson Bostwick (1968)
• Joanna Cameron (Late 1960s)
• Karen and Richard Carpenter (1970)
• David Cassidy (1970)
• Barrie Chase (1966)
• Dick Clark (1973)
• Jeremy Clyde (1966)
• Ronald K.L. Collins (1967)
• Brandon Cruz (1972)
• Ann B. Davis (1970 and 1971)
• Richard Dawson (1968)
• Deep Purple (1968)
• Cass Elliot (1973 or 1974)
• Farrah Fawcett (1969)
• Sally Field (1966)
• Kathy Garver (1966, 1970 and 1971)
• Maurice Gibb (1968)
• Robin Gibb (1968)
• Jennifer Granholm, former Governor of Michigan (1978)
• Phil Hartman (1979)
• Cheryl Hines (1997)
• Ron Howard (1972)
• Iron Butterfly (1969)
• Michael Jackson (1972)
• Sam J. Jones, "Flash Gordon" (1978)
• Andy Kaufman (1978)
• Murray Langston, as The Unknown Comic (1978)
• Donna Loren (1967)
• Paul Lynde (1968 and 1972)
• Steve Martin (1968 and 1970)
• Groucho Marx, as a prank on his daughter Melinda, who was Bachelorette #1 (1967)
• Maureen McCormick (1971 and 1973)
• Kathryn Minner, "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena" (1966)
• Jaye P. Morgan (1980)
• Tom Netherton (1978)
• Charlie O'Donnell (1987)
• Butch Patrick (1972)
• Vincent Price (1972)
• H.R. Pufnstuf (1972)
• Paul Reubens as Pee Wee Herman (1979)
• Michael Richards (1967)
• John Ritter (1967)
• Bob Saget (1979 and 1980)
• Arnold Schwarzenegger (1973)
• Tom Selleck (1965 and 1967)
• Suzanne Somers (1973)
• The Standells (1968)
• McLean Stevenson (1968)
• Strawberry Alarm Clock (1968)
• Rip Taylor (1973 and 1978)
• Robert Vaughn (1966)
• Jimmie Walker (1978)
• Lindsay Wagner (1968)
• Adam West (1966)
• Barry Williams (1972)
• Terry Williams of Kenny Rogers and The First Edition (1972)

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.

The Dating Game Killer

See Rodney Alcala, also known as "The Dating Game Killer".

See also

• Blind Date
• Perfect Match