When Hollywood Stars Took Over Daytime Television
Remember staying home sick from school, wrapped in a blanket, watching celebrities crack jokes on daytime television? During the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, familiar Hollywood faces regularly appeared on game shows. Some were past their movie-star peak, while others simply enjoyed television's growing popularity.
Vincent Price
Before becoming a familiar face on Hollywood Squares, Vincent Price terrified audiences in movies like House of Wax and The Fly. The horror legend appeared on hundreds of episodes of the game show, proving he could be just as entertaining without frightening anyone.
Screenshot from The Hollywood Squares, CBS (1966-1981), Enhanced
Glenn Ford
Glenn Ford was once a major Hollywood leading man, starring in classics like Gilda and Blackboard Jungle. By the late 1960s, viewers could also catch him on Hollywood Squares. Seeing such a serious movie star joking around on television was a pleasant surprise.
Screenshot from The Hollywood Squares, CBS (1966-1981), Enhanced
Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine won an Academy Award for Marty in 1956 and later starred in The Wild Bunch. He also became a familiar Hollywood Squares guest, appearing regularly during the 1970s. His cheerful personality made him surprisingly well-suited to the show's playful atmosphere.
Screenshot from The Hollywood Squares, CBS (1966-1981), Enhanced
Agnes Moorehead
Fans remembered Agnes Moorehead from Citizen Kane and her unforgettable role as Endora on Bewitched. She was also among the earliest celebrity guests on Hollywood Squares. Her sharp delivery and commanding presence made her a natural fit for a show built around clever answers.
ABC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Mickey Rooney
Mickey Rooney had been one of Hollywood's biggest child stars, appearing in the Andy Hardy movies and musicals alongside Judy Garland. Decades later, he made repeated appearances on Hollywood Squares. For younger viewers, the game show offered another way to discover his enormous personality.
Studio publicity still, Wikimedia Commons
Burt Reynolds
Before becoming one of America's biggest box-office attractions with Smokey and the Bandit, Burt Reynolds appeared repeatedly on Hollywood Squares. His visits came while his movie career was gathering momentum, showing that even rising stars recognized the appeal of daytime television.
Screenshot from The Hollywood Squares, CBS (1966-1981), Enhanced
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Zsa Zsa Gabor appeared in films including Moulin Rouge and Touch of Evil, but her larger-than-life personality eventually became her biggest attraction. On Hollywood Squares, she brought glamour, playful humor, and her unmistakable accent to viewers who might never have seen her movies.
Screenshot from The Hollywood Squares, CBS (1966-1981), Enhanced
Ruta Lee
Ruta Lee appeared in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Witness for the Prosecution before becoming a familiar television personality. She made frequent Hollywood Squares appearances during the late 1960s. Her lively personality helped make her a recognizable face beyond the movie theater.
Suzanne Pleshette
Long before many viewers knew her from The Bob Newhart Show, Suzanne Pleshette had appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. She also became a recurring Hollywood Squares guest during the early 1970s, bringing her unmistakable voice and dry humor to the celebrity panel.
Screenshot from The Hollywood Squares, CBS (1966-1981), Enhanced
Diahann Carroll
Diahann Carroll made film history with Carmen Jones and later earned an Academy Award nomination for Claudine. She also appeared repeatedly on Hollywood Squares in 1978. Her elegance and quick thinking showed audiences another side of a performer already celebrated for her dramatic talent.
Screenshot from The Hollywood Squares, CBS (1966-1981), Enhanced
Earl Holliman
Earl Holliman appeared in Forbidden Planet and won a Golden Globe for The Rainmaker. He later became a recurring Hollywood Squares guest during the 1970s. Movie fans recognized his face, while television viewers enjoyed watching the veteran actor participate in the show's unpredictable exchanges.
Screenshot from The Hollywood Squares, CBS (1966-1981), Enhanced
Jim Backus
Jim Backus appeared in Rebel Without a Cause and provided the voice of Mr. Magoo. He also became a frequent Hollywood Squares participant during the late 1960s. His comic timing made him especially valuable on a show where delivering a funny answer mattered almost as much as knowing it.
NBC Television, Wikimedia Commons
Paul Lynde
Paul Lynde appeared in the film adaptation of Bye Bye Birdie before becoming practically inseparable from Hollywood Squares. As the show's famous center square, his sarcastic answers became legendary. For many television viewers, his game-show performances overshadowed almost everything else he had done.
Screenshot from The Hollywood Squares, CBS (1966-1981), Enhanced
Rose Marie
Rose Marie had been performing since childhood and appeared in films before becoming famous on The Dick Van Dyke Show. She later became a Hollywood Squares regular. Her razor-sharp wit made her a favorite, especially when she traded jokes with the show's other comedians.
Screenshot from The Hollywood Squares, CBS (1966-1981), Enhanced
Wally Cox
Wally Cox appeared in movies such as The Bedford Incident, but many television fans remembered him for his gentle, understated humor. He became a regular fixture on Hollywood Squares, where his quiet delivery often produced some of the funniest moments on the program.
Screenshot from The Hollywood Squares, CBS (1966-1981), Enhanced
George Gobel
George Gobel appeared in films including I Married a Woman, although his biggest successes came through comedy and television. He became a familiar Hollywood Squares personality during the 1970s. His relaxed, deadpan humor stood out against the show's louder celebrity guests.
Morey Amsterdam
Morey Amsterdam appeared in several Hollywood movies, including the musical Beach Party, before becoming widely recognized for The Dick Van Dyke Show. He was also among Hollywood Squares' earliest celebrity participants. His seemingly endless supply of jokes made him ideal for the format.
Screenshot from The Dick Van Dyke Show, Paramount (1961-1966)
Florence Henderson
Florence Henderson appeared in the film Song of Norway, but television made her unforgettable as Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch. She also appeared frequently on Hollywood Squares during the 1970s. Fans enjoyed seeing America's favorite television mom abandon her wholesome sitcom surroundings.
Screenshot from The Hollywood Squares, CBS (1966-1981), Enhanced
Kitty Carlisle
Kitty Carlisle starred opposite the Marx Brothers in A Night at the Opera in 1935. Years later, she became a fixture on To Tell the Truth. Her elegant outfits and careful questioning made her one of America's most recognizable game-show personalities.
Screenshot from To Tell the Truth, Fremantle (1956-), Enhanced
Peggy Cass
Peggy Cass appeared in films including Auntie Mame, earning an Academy Award nomination for her performance. However, generations of viewers came to know her through To Tell the Truth. Her unmistakable voice, glasses, and clever questions helped make her a daytime television institution.
Screenshot from To Tell the Truth, Fremantle (1956-), Enhanced
Polly Bergen
Polly Bergen earned acclaim for her performance in Cape Fear and appeared in several other notable films. She also served as a panelist on To Tell the Truth. Her television appearances revealed a relaxed, personable side of an actress often associated with dramatic roles.
Screenshot from To Tell the Truth, Fremantle (1956-), Enhanced
Ralph Bellamy
Ralph Bellamy appeared in Hollywood classics including The Awful Truth and His Girl Friday. He also served as a panelist on To Tell the Truth during its early years. His distinguished movie career brought an extra touch of old-fashioned Hollywood respectability to the program.
Screenshot from To Tell the Truth, Fremantle (1956-), Enhanced
Betty White
Before becoming one of television's most beloved personalities, Betty White appeared in films and built a successful acting career. She also became a familiar presence on Match Game, Password, and other game shows. Her quick humor made her one of the medium's most entertaining celebrity contestants.
Screenshot from Match Game, Fremantle (1962-), Enhanced
Richard Dawson
Richard Dawson appeared in films including The Devil's Brigade and played Corporal Newkirk on Hogan's Heroes. But his game-show career became even more famous. After joining Match Game as a regular panelist, he became the original host of Family Feud in 1976.
Screenshot from Match Game, Fremantle (1962-)
Patty Duke
Patty Duke won an Academy Award for The Miracle Worker while still a teenager. Years later, she appeared on Match Game and other celebrity game shows. Her television appearances reminded audiences that the former child star had grown into a versatile, confident performer.
Screenshot from Match Game, Fremantle (1962-), Enhanced
The Hollywood Stars Who Never Really Disappeared
For many of these performers, game shows offered a completely different kind of fame. Some continued making movies, while others became better known for their television appearances. Either way, they helped make staying home sick from school a little more entertaining. Which familiar face do you remember most?
Screenshot from Match Game, Fremantle (1962-), Enhanced
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