Candid Camera (1953– ) User Reviews

When it's least expected.....The ORIGINAL Reality Show!

[ray-280 · 10/10 · 3 October 2007]

Sunday evenings were always hilarious in the 1970s when Candid Camera, starring Allen Funt, would bring us a few staged slices of life which ironically were more real than the "reality" fare we get today. Televised, often juvenile, pranks which preyed on social convention as much as the people forced to play along just in case it wasn't a joke, made for great, low-budget television.

Funt was a man clearly ahead of his time, and no doubt that the millions of YouTubers today were influneced more by Funt's work than anyone else. The concept of the show will always work, but Funt had a way of working it better than the others. His pranks were elaborate, with a touch of realism that made them successful and funny at the same time.

Also a great theme song (the 1970s version).

Mostly fun to watch unsuspected human behavior.

[TxMike · 2 January 2005]

Alan Funt created this TV show back in 1948, and hosted it for many years. There was an interim period when others hosted it with less success, then after Alan died and his son took over in 1998, it has more or less resumed its same tone.

I remember watching this show as a kid growing up, it was not only entertaining but gave me an introduction to the common people where the episodes were filmed. In each case a somewhat believable situation was set up, but things go terribly (but safely) wrong, and the secret camera records how ordinary people react.

A few of my favorite tricks...

The car that was cut in two down the middle and rigged so the two halves could be driven independently. Then the 'car' approaches an intersection with a traffic cop, and the two halves go separate ways. What a reaction from the traffic cop!

The Volkswagen that had an extra fuel tank put under the back seat, so that it held more fuel than any car could. The fun was seeing the station attendant's reaction first, as he watched how much gasoline he pumped, then his reaction when the 'owner' argued with him that the car can't possibly hold that much.

The temp. worker assigned to man a desk and told the drawers must remain closed. Every time he managed to close one, another or two popped open.

And the list could go on for a long time. Funt also made a movie called "What Do You Say To A Naked Lady", where his camera and microphone capture how people react to unexpected nudity. A very funny and educational film.

'Candid Camera' persists even today, 2005, with new tricks. However, for me nothing will replace the charm and discovery of the original, black and white Alan Funt show.