The Dating Game
| The Dating Game | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Also known as | The New 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) |
| Narrated by |
Johnny Jacobs (1965-1980) Bob Hilton (1986-1987) Charlie O'Donnell (1987-1989) Virginia Watson (1996-1997) John Cramer (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) Sony Pictures Television (current) |
| Release | |
| Original network |
ABC (1965–1973) Syndicated (1973–1974; 1978–1980; 1986–1989; 1996–2000) |
| Original release |
First Run December 20, 1965 – July 6, 1973 (ABC Daytime) October 6, 1966 – January 17, 1970 (ABC primetime) September 10, 1973 – September 1974 (Syndication) Second Run September 4, 1978 – September 1980 (Syndication) Third Run September 15, 1986 – September 8, 1989 (Syndication) Fourth Run September 9, 1996 – September 1999 (Syndication) |
The Dating Game is an ABC television show. It 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 continued in syndication for another year (1973–1974) as The New Dating Game. The program was revived three additional times in syndication afterwards. The first revival premiered in 1978 and ran until 1980, the second ran from 1986 until 1989, and the last ran from 1996 until 1999 with a season of reruns following.
Jim Lange hosted The Dating Game for its entire ABC network run and the 1973 and 1978 syndicated editions. The 1986 revival was hosted by Elaine Joyce for its first season and Jeff MacGregor for its remaining two seasons. When the show was revived with a different format in 1996, Brad Sherwood was named as its host. Chuck Woolery took over in 1997 when the original format was reinstated and hosted for the last two seasons.
Beginning in 1966, The Dating Game was often paired with The Newlywed Game. This was especially true when the two shows entered syndication; in fact, in 1996 the revivals of both The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game were sold as a package called "The Dating-Newlywed Hour".
The program was originally broadcast in black-and-white, but when a prime-time version began in October 1966, both it and the daytime version were broadcast in color; the daytime version thus became the first ABC daytime series to be broadcast in color on a regular basis.
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 or for a co-worker or a relative of theirs.
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