Family Feud is an American television game show that pits two families against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey-type question posed to 100 people. The format, which originated in the United States, airs in numerous local formats worldwide.
The current version's eleventh season began on September 7, 2009.
Broadcast history
1976–1985
Family Feud was created in the wake of the massive success of the CBS hit game show, Match Game , which set daytime ratings records in 1976. Geoff Edwards, then hosting The New Treasure Hunt in syndication, was originally offered the show's pilot. However, he turned it down after seeing The Neighbors tank and also having a deal pending with Bob Stewart for what became Shoot For the Stars .
Richard Dawson, one of Match Game' s most popular panelists, was the immediate next choice as host of the spin-off, which incorporated the team format and form of questioning (e.g. "Name a type of fruit".) from the original 1960s Match Game , as well as the 1970s Match Game "Audience Match".
Family Feud premiered on ABC's daytime lineup on July 12, 1976 at 1:30 PM Eastern, with Richard Dawson as host and Gene Wood as announcer. Although it was not an immediate hit, ABC moved the series to 11:30 AM on April 25, 1977, where the series became a ratings winner.
A nighttime syndicated version of Family Feud was added on September 19, 1977. At first, the show aired once weekly, then twice per week in January 1979 and finally, every weeknight in September 1980, making it the first American game show to air ten episodes per week. When The $20,000 Pyramid was canceled in June 1980, Family Feud took the 12:00 Noon slot, while reruns of The Love Boat filled the 11:00 AM hour.
With its ratings dropping, it was moved back to 11:30 AM in October 1984, in a game show hour paired with Trivia Trap preceding it at 11:00 AM. ABC canceled the daytime version on June 14, 1985, after nine seasons. The syndicated version ended on September 13, after eight seasons.
1988–1994
Three years after its ABC cancellation, a new daytime version of Family Feud premiered on CBS on July 4, 1988 at 10:00 AM EST with comedian Ray Combs as host. An accompanying nightly syndicated version debuted two and a half months later on September 19. When Wheel of Fortune was canceled by CBS in 1991, Family Feud moved to 10:30 AM to make room for Barbara DeAngelis' daytime talk show. This version was taped at CBS Television City's Studio 33.
On June 29, 1992, the CBS daytime version became Family Feud Challenge , added the Bullseye Round and expanded to a full hour. Some affiliates, however, showed only the second half hour. New episodes of the daytime version aired until March 26, 1993 and reruns continued through its cancellation on September 10.
On September 14, 1992, the syndicated version also added the Bullseye Round and retitled itself The New Family Feud . Unlike the daytime version, this version continued as a half-hour show. Combs continued to serve as host until May 27, 1994, when declining ratings led to his replacement by Richard Dawson at the request of Jonathan Goodson, who was named President and CEO of Mark Goodson Productions in February 1993, two months following his father's death on December 18, 1992.
1994–1995
On September 12, 1994, a noticeably older and gray-haired Richard Dawson returned to the syndicated version as host after a nine-year absence. Dawson's return also included some format changes to the show. On this version, four members competed on each team, instead of the traditional five. The "Bullseye" Round was retitled the "Bankroll" Round and it only included three questions. Other aesthetic changes, such as a smaller version of the original set with no moving parts or flashing lights, were made in an effort to modernize the game. Production remained at Studio 33 at CBS Television City.
The syndicated version expanded to one hour for this season, although some markets chose to air only the second half of each episode as a stand-alone program. Despite various efforts to revive interest and an initial ratings increase, Dawson's return only lasted one season, partly due to the competition from the O.J. Simpson murder trial that was dominating many of the syndication markets.
The show's official second run ended on May 26, 1995, after seven seasons. However, reruns continued to air until September 8.
1999–2002
After a four-year hiatus, Family Feud returned in syndication on September 20, 1999. Dawson was offered the choice of returning to the hosting position, but he declined and has since decided to have no further involvement with the show. With Dawson's retirement, producers chose Louie Anderson to host the new incarnation of the show.
The format was changed so that the family with the most points after four rounds (the fourth round being a "Triple" Round with only one strike allowed) played Fast Money, regardless if their score reached 300 points.
Production was at CBS Television City's Studio 36 during the 1999-2000 season. Beginning with the 2000-2001 season, production was moved to NBC Studios in Burbank, California.
Anderson was fired from the show on May 8, 2002, partly due to becoming bored with his role starting in late 2001. Repeats continued to air until September 13 and Anderson was replaced by Richard Karn the following Monday.
2002–2006
Richard Karn, who received somewhat better reviews, began hosting on September 16, 2002. For his first season, the overall fourth season of the show, the same gameplay format was used, but it reinstated returning champions for up to five days and a new set was featured. Beginning with the 2003-2004 season, production moved to Tribune Studios in Hollywood, California and the goal of 300 points was reinstated.
Another new set was built for Karn's final season, which ran from September 12, 2005 to June 16, 2006. Repeats of the season aired until September 8.
2006–present
On March 28, 2006, it was announced that John O'Hurley would take over hosting duties from Richard Karn. With O'Hurley's first episode, which aired on September 11, the set was overhauled into an updated version of the classic set and a new logo was introduced. The first week of shows began the same as the ABC/CBS runs, with announcer Burton Richardson reading the classic opening spiel.
Beginning with the 2007-2008 season, a new logo that continued the updated version of the classic look replaced the "block" logo. Beginning with the 2008-2009 season, the show began using the 1988-1994 theme from the Ray Combs version, along with the set changes introduced on Celebrity Family Feud the previous Summer.
In the 2008-2009 season, the video screen with the game board was overhauled. The number of correct possible answers on the survey board was not unveiled until O'Hurley announced it when asking the question and additional sound effects were added during the survey board opening and after the answer was uncovered.
Production
Other production staff
Gabrielle Johnston, a Goodson-Todman staffer since the 1970s, is currently the show's executive producer, years after she was the show's associate producer of the 1980s version. Kristin Bjorklund is the current producer and was also an associate producer of the 1980s version. Lauri Chryss is the associate director.
Previous staff members include Howard Felsher, the show's original producer before being an executive producer in the 1980s version, who was also a Goodson-Todman staffer since the 1960s, Cathy Hughart Dawson, the show's original associate producer, who then became producer. Georgia Purcell assumed the associate producer role later in the series. Chester Feldman, who was a creative consultant for Goodson-Todman in the 1970s, was the show's executive producer in the 1980s version.
During the Dawson and Combs versions, Gene Wood was the program announcer, with periodic fill-ins from Johnny Gilbert, Art James and Rod Roddy. Burton Richardson has been the announcer for all episodes of the current syndicated version since 1999, except for the Gameshow Marathon finale episode, which was announced by Rich Fields in 2006.
Production company and distribution
Originally, Family Feud was billed as "A Mark Goodson/Bill Todman Production", but after Bill Todman's death in 1979, the unit was simply known as "Mark Goodson Productions" and was announced as such on Family Feud until 1995. During the first three seasons of the 1999 revival, the show used the Mark Goodson Productions name and logo at the end of each episode, but not the announcement, even though the original production company no longer existed. However, when Richard Karn began hosting in 2002, the traditional practice was abandoned entirely.
The show's copyright holder was called "The Family Company" from 1976–1985, "The New Family Company" from 1988–1994 and "Mark Goodson Productions, L.P." from 1994-1995. Currently, as of 1999, Family
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