20 Facts About Family Feud

There are more than 20 facts about Family Feud than many people know, but here are a few that might be interesting. Several have to do with the former host, Richard Dawson.

It first aired in 1976

Family Feud has been around for a while obviously. But it has managed to change and evolve since its inception.

It was taken off and relaunched a couple of times

There have been years in which it aired a final episode, only to come back a year or two later. People love this show and want to see more.

There have been six hosts

Richard Dawson, Louie Anderson, Ray Combs, Richard Karn, John O’Hurley, and Steve Harvey have graced the stage since the show came on the air. At the current moment, Steve Harvey is still the host.

Richard Dawson hosted the show twice

Needless to say, he was a popular host for a while. He had a certain type of energy that people enjoyed.

The first-ever question had to do with George Washington

It was a question about the most popular George, which is interesting to think about. But then again, Washington created several reasons for such a lasting legacy.

Dolly Parton turned down the opportunity to host the show

She was asked to come and host, but she turned it down. It might have been interesting, but Dolly has usually been better on the musical scene.

At one point the show thought about bringing on Joe Namath

This might have been a little lackluster after a while. Joe knew how to entertain, but it’s fair to say that he might not have wanted to stick around.

Richard Dawson had a habit of kissing all the female contestants

Today this would probably be seen as a problem. But Dawson had a habit of kissing the females to calm them down.

A lot of people enjoyed watching Dawson kiss the contestants

Some people expressed a desire to see him stop. But many others thought it was okay and voted to keep the bit in.

Anywhere from four to six episodes were filmed in a day

Imagine doing 5 shows a day for a month or more. That’s a lot of filming, but it’s also good planning.

Richard Dawson actually married a contestant

That kind of thing might be frowned upon today, or not. But Dawson and his wife were together until he passed away.

There’s always been a bit of humor in the questions

It helps to break the tension or keep the mood elevated, doesn’t it? Sometimes it’s a little corny, but it’s still better than letting the show’s energy drop.

Most of the jokes have been unscripted

Steve Harvey just lets the quips rip as he will. Sometimes being spontaneous is better than trying to control every aspect.

Steve Harvey is reportedly a very nice guy

A few people have made this claim and it’s stuck. He does sound like a very genuine person.

Contestants are required to clap even if their family gives a dumb answer

It’s a way to keep from arguing incessantly or bringing down the energy of the show. You can imagine what’s said behind the scenes though.

Winnings from the show aren’t delivered until 90 days after the show airs

Not only that but the winnings are divided into five equal sections. It does feel as though the show is making sure there’s no cheating going on since it’s happened in the past with several game shows.

The people who are polled for the answers aren’t told that their answers will end up on the show

Some might wonder why they’re being asked certain questions. But then again, there are so many people out there who are trying to get information for various reasons that many might not care.

This show has been translated into several different languages

It’s so popular that it has been shown all over the world. That’s when you know a show has become successful.

There used to be Tootsie Roll trees placed next to each family

Apparently, Richard Dawson enjoyed lollipops. Plus, if the lollipop picked by the family had a black stem they received a bonus.

A family can only bring five members to play, and no less than five

Just imagine how long the Family Feud would go if more than five family members were allowed in. Not only that but having too few does feel as though it would be vastly unfair.