The Hollywood Squares (1965–1982)

Contestants guess the correctness of celebrities' answers in order to win spaces in a tic-tac-toe game.

Stars:

Kenny Williams, Peter Marshall, Cliff Arquette

Nominated for 8 Primetime Emmys. Another 12 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Kenny Williams	...	Announcer (1203 episodes, 1965-1980)
Peter Marshall	...	Himself - Host (1202 episodes, 1966-1980)
Cliff Arquette	...	Regular (828 episodes, 1965-1974)
Wally Cox	...	Himself (772 episodes, 1965-1973)
Paul Lynde	...	Himself - Center Square (707 episodes, 1966-1979)
Rose Marie	...	Herself (564 episodes, 1965-1980)

Storyline

Nine celebrities, seated in a three-by-three tier as in a tic-tac-toe board, joined two contestants one of them a champion in a game known best for the celebrities' witty answers to questions. The object was to win an otherwise standard game of tic-tac-toe by determining whether a celebrity was giving a correct answer to a general knowledge question or bluffing ("agree" or "disagree"). Contestants selected a celebrity, for which host Marshall read a question; a correct decision to agree or disagree by the player allowed him/her to place their mark in that box, while the opponent's mark was placed there if said decision was incorrect (unless it led to tic-tac-toe, in which case the contestant had to earn the box). During the first complete game of a show, a "Secret Square" game offered the contestants a bonus prize package for a correct answer. The contestant winning the best-of-three match was champion and returned to face a new challenger. Five-time champions retired un-defeated with...

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Plot Keywords:

celebrity | tic tac toe | non fiction

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Genres:

Comedy | Family | Game-Show

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Official Sites:

King World Studios West

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Filmways Television, Merrill Heatter-Bob Quigley Productions, National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min (3536 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (1966-1980) Black and White (surviving kinescope prints from mid-1960s)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Retired, reclusive actress Greta Garbo was such a big fan of the show she actually wrote a fan letter to Paul Lynde in care of the show's taping location at NBC Burbank.

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Quotes

[Tony Randall has just been asked a question]
Tony Randall: [staring dramatically into the camera] I don't *know*.
[wild audience laughter]
Peter Marshall: This is a bluffing game! You're supposed to come up with a bluff if you don't know the answer, you silly twerp!
Tony Randall: Well, *I'm* sorry...

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Castle of Fu-Manchu (1992)

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Soundtracks

"The Silly Song"
Performed by the Jimmie Haskell Orchestra from 1966 to 1969
(We're THE HOLLYWOOD SQUARES No.1)

User Reviews

The Rules of the Game

The 2 contestants are stationed at "X" & "O" to play tic-tac-toe. 3 Squares Across, Up & Down or Diagonally or 5 Squares were possible. One Contestant picks a square by determined the correct answer or making one up will Agreed or Disagreed the answer. The 1st contestant get 3-5 squares with either "X" or "O" wins $200 and completes the 2 out of 3 match wins $400. The Champion completes 10 games (5 matches) wins $2000 plus a new car. In the 1st or 2nd game was "The Secret Square" and the contestant choose that square can win merchandise prizes from $2000 to $5000 and later it raised up greater than $10,000. Contestants will compete before losing the game. In 1976-1977, The Program presents "The Bonus Prize Squares" and all 9 stars has an envelop that anything such as an car or $5000 cash.