The Newlywed Game

Broadcast History: July 11, 1966 to December 20, 1974, 2:00 P.M. - 2:30 P.M., February 13 to February 17, 1984, 11:00 A.M. - 11:30 A.M., ABC Daytime; January 7, 1967 to August 30, 1971, 8:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M., ABC Prime Time; September 12, 1977 to September 12, 1980, September 9, 1985 to September 2, 1988, September 1997 to September 1999, Five-a-Week Syndication; Black-and-White/Color

Click here for new information about a long lost episode of The Newlywed Game.

Main Game: In round one, the wives are sent offstage where they cannot hear what is going on. Bob Eubanks asks the husbands three five-point questions in which they have to predict what their wives would say. After the commerical break, the wives are brought on stage and are asked the same questions first posed by the husbands. The wives have to match the husbands' predictions. If there is a match, they get five points. In round two, the roles are reversed and the questions are then worth ten points.

End Game: After the ten-point questions, the wives are asked the 25-point bonus question. When the husbands are on stage and all the questions are asked but the final question, Bob asks the husbands the bonus question. If their answers matched, they got 25 points. Whoever had the highest score at the end of the game won a grand prize chosen for them. If there was a tie, they would show a card with their prediction on how close their final score would be. Whoever came closest won. If their prediction went over, the other couple had a chance to win. If all of the predictions exceeded the final score, the couple coming closest would win.

INTERESTING FACTS AND TRIVIA

There were several Reunion/Alumni days as well as Maternity days on the show.

There have only been at least three cases of a four-way tie at the end of the show.

In the 1987-1988 season, the couples played for money instead of points. Each correct answer was worth $25 and $50 respectively. In the end, they made a bet which would determine if they won more money or lost money. Also, the set changed with two couples on each end of the stage and Bob Eubanks in the middle.

Bob Eubanks hosted several shows after his success on The Newlywed Game including Dream House (NBC, 1983-84), Card Sharks (CBS, 1986-89), and Rhyme and Reason (ABC, 1975-76), and currently hosts Powerball (Syn., First two seasons -- 2000-02). Jim Lange did The Dating Game from 1965 to 1974 and again from 1978 to 1980 as well as Bullseye from 1980 to 1982 plus more shows in the 70s and 80s.

Much of the 1960s and 1970s Chuck Barris staff worked on virtually every game produced by Chuck Barris in the 1960s and 1970s.

Home Games: Several. Go to the Game Show Home Game Home Page for details.

Episode Existence: All episodes are assumed to exist. However, some early ABC episodes are unairable due to color deterioration. One black-and-white episode from 1966 exists on the trading circuit. The 1985-86 season of the 1985-88 version runs at 12:30 P.M. ET/PT on weekday afternoons and on Sunday afternoons at 2:00 P.M. and 2:30 P.M. ET/PT.

If anyone has more information on The Newlywed Game, e-mail me here.

The Newlywed Game is ©1966-1999 Chuck Barris Productions. No challenge to ownership is implied.