Classic TV Trivia Questions and Answers

Back when there were three networks and a set of rabbit ears, the whole family crowded around one screen on a school night. You knew Monday was Lucy, you knew the whistle that opened a show about a sheriff and his boy, and you knew exactly how long a three-hour tour was supposed to last.

Here are more than 55 questions covering the sitcoms, westerns, variety hours, and dramas that shaped television from the 1950s into the 1980s. Grab a cup of coffee and see how many you still remember.

Classic Sitcoms

1. What year did I Love Lucy first air on CBS?

October 15, 1951. It ran through May 1957.

2. Who played Lucy's husband, Ricky Ricardo?

Desi Arnaz, who was also Lucille Ball's real-life husband.

3. In the famous commercial episode, what health tonic does Lucy pitch until she's tipsy?

Vitameatavegamin. The "medicine" was 23 percent alcohol.

4. Who played the Ricardos' landlords and best friends, the Mertzes?

Vivian Vance as Ethel and William Frawley as Fred.

5. On The Honeymooners, what was Ralph Kramden's job?

He drove a New York City bus.

6. Which comedian created and starred as Ralph Kramden?

Jackie Gleason.

7. What threat did Ralph bellow at his wife when his temper boiled over?

"One of these days, Alice. Pow! To the moon!"

8. What fictional North Carolina town was the setting for The Andy Griffith Show?

Mayberry.

9. Who played Andy's young son, Opie?

Ron Howard, who later became an Oscar-winning director.

10. In what Minnesota city did Mary Richards work at TV station WJM?

Minneapolis, on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-1977).

11. What does Mary famously do at the end of the show's opening credits?

She tosses her tam-o'-shanter hat into the air on a downtown street corner.

12. Who played the lovable loudmouth Archie Bunker on All in the Family?

Carroll O'Connor.

13. Who produced All in the Family and built a sitcom empire in the 1970s?

Norman Lear.

14. How many straight seasons did All in the Family top the Nielsen ratings?

Five, from 1971 through 1976.

Westerns

15. What is the longest-running primetime Western in American television history?

Gunsmoke, which ran on CBS from 1955 to 1975.

16. How many seasons did Gunsmoke last?

Twenty seasons, totaling 635 episodes.

17. Who played Marshal Matt Dillon in every one of those years?

James Arness.

18. In what Kansas town did Matt Dillon keep the peace?

Dodge City.

19. What was the first Western broadcast in color?

Bonanza, which premiered on NBC in 1959.

20. What was the name of the Cartwright family ranch?

The Ponderosa, near Virginia City, Nevada.

21. Who played Ben Cartwright, the widowed patriarch?

Lorne Greene.

22. Which future Little House on the Prairie star played youngest son Little Joe?

Michael Landon.

23. What hefty, good-natured Cartwright son did Dan Blocker play?

Hoss.

24. How many seasons did Bonanza run?

Fourteen, ending in January 1973.

25. Which network aired Gunsmoke?

CBS.

Variety Shows

26. What was the original name of The Ed Sullivan Show when it debuted in 1948?

Toast of the Town.

27. What musical act made its U.S. television debut on Ed Sullivan on February 9, 1964?

The Beatles.

28. Roughly how many Americans watched that first Beatles appearance?

About 73 million.

29. Which network carried The Ed Sullivan Show for its entire run?

CBS, from 1948 to 1971.

30. Who was the first woman to host her own hour-long variety sketch show?

Carol Burnett.

31. How long did The Carol Burnett Show run on CBS?

From 1967 to 1978.

32. What loud trademark did Carol Burnett perform, often by audience request?

Her Tarzan yell.

33. What gesture did Burnett make at the close of each episode?

She tugged her left ear, a private hello to the grandmother who raised her.

34. On which earlier series did Burnett first become a star before her own show?

The Garry Moore Show, in the early 1960s.

Drama and Action

35. What army unit was the setting for M*A*S*H?

The 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, during the Korean War.

36. Who directed the M*A*S*H finale and starred as Hawkeye Pierce?

Alan Alda.

37. What was the title of the M*A*S*H series finale in 1983?

"Goodbye, Farewell and Amen."

38. Who created and narrated The Twilight Zone?

Rod Serling.

39. What network aired The Twilight Zone from 1959 to 1964?

CBS.

40. How many of the original Twilight Zone episodes did Serling write himself?

More than 90 of the 156 episodes.

41. On Dragnet, what was Sergeant Joe Friday's badge number?

714.

42. Which actor created and played the no-nonsense Joe Friday?

Jack Webb.

43. What line is most often misremembered as Friday's catchphrase?

"Just the facts, ma'am." He actually said, "All we want are the facts, ma'am."

44. The number 714 is often said to be a nod to which baseball legend's career home run total?

Babe Ruth, who finished with 714 home runs.

Theme Songs and Catchphrases

45. What is the real title of the whistled theme to The Andy Griffith Show?

"The Fishin' Hole."

46. Who composed that theme and performed the famous whistling?

Earle Hagen.

47. What is the title of the Gilligan's Island theme song?

"The Ballad of Gilligan's Isle."

48. How long was the boat trip that stranded the castaways?

A three-hour tour.

49. What was the name of the charter boat in Gilligan's Island?

The S.S. Minnow.

50. Who created Gilligan's Island and co-wrote its theme song?

Sherwood Schwartz.

51. What phrase did Rod Serling use to invite you into a strange tale?

"Submitted for your approval."

52. What did Archie Bunker tell his son-in-law when he wanted him to be quiet?

"Stifle yourself."

53. Which network broadcast The Mary Tyler Moore Show?

CBS.

54. The Mary Tyler Moore Show was a major Emmy winner during its run. True or false?

True. It collected more than two dozen Emmy Awards over seven seasons.

55. What everyday item did Mary Richards toss to end her opening credits?

Her winter hat.

56. On Bonanza, near what Nevada lake did the Cartwrights live?

Lake Tahoe.

Frequently asked questions

What was the longest-running TV western?

Gunsmoke holds the record. It ran for 20 seasons on CBS, from 1955 to 1975, with 635 episodes and James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon throughout.

What is the most-watched TV episode in American history?

The M*A*S*H finale, "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen," which aired February 28, 1983. It drew an average of about 106 million viewers and peaked even higher in its final minutes, a record for a scripted broadcast.

What was the first TV western filmed in color?

Bonanza, which premiered on NBC in 1959. NBC pushed color programming to help sell color television sets, and the Ponderosa's scenery made it a natural showcase.

Which classic shows did kids watch on weekend mornings?

Weekday evenings belonged to the whole family, but the kids had their own block of Saturday morning cartoons packed with animated heroes and sugary cereal commercials.

Sources

• Gunsmoke (TV series) — Wikipedia
• List of most-watched television broadcasts in the United States — Wikipedia
• The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series) — Wikipedia

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