Fifty years back, the popular celebrity version of tic-tac-toe called “Hollywood Squares” earned its first Emmy Award for being an exceptional game show.
Back in 1965, the game show Hollywood Squares made its debut on NBC. The concept was that popular personalities sat in a large grid and either assisted or complicated things for contestants by answering a question posed by the host. The contestant would decide whether to concur with the answer given, which would earn them the square, or risk giving it to their opponent if they guessed incorrectly. If a player managed to secure three squares in a row, they’d walk away with some cold hard cash and prizes.
In 1966, the show transitioned into a series, with Peter Marshall stepping in as a temporary host following pilot host Bert Parks’ unavailability. Marshall maintained this position for an impressive 15 years and garnered four Emmy awards for outstanding game show host, including one in 1975. The panel that year consisted of notable personalities such as Sandy Duncan, Vincent Price, Charo, Redd Foxx, and Paul Lynde, who continued to be a regular on the “center square” until 1981.
In 1978 and 1979, Hollywood Squares once again claimed the Emmy award. However, it shared the recognition in 1980 with a fresh game show, The $20,000 Pyramid. Regrettably, it was terminated the same year to pave the way for David Letterman’s daytime talk show, which later became his late-night program, The Late Show. Over the course of seven decades, the show has been revived multiple times and even spawned additional versions. Today, it continues its journey: Drew Barrymore, Nate Burleson (who also serves as host), and Jesse Collins are the executive producers behind the current iteration, airing on CBS.
Originally published in a special June edition of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. You can subscribe to the magazine to get it delivered directly by clicking here.
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2025-06-22 21:24