Hollywood Squares (1966)
The classic celebrity tic-tac-toe game show where comedy and competition collide across a star-studded 3×3 grid.
Hollywood Squares - Series Information
- Original Title: Hollywood Squares
- First Air Year: 1966
- Last Air Year: 1967
- Created by: Bob Quigley, Merrill Heatter
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Comedy, Reality, Family
- Content Rating (US): TV-G
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode (30 minutes)
- Number of Seasons: 1
- Number of Episodes: 68
- Status: Ended
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- First Air Date: October 17, 1966 (United States - TV-PG)
- Networks: NBC, Syndication
- Production Companies: Orion Television, Filmways Television, Merrill Heatter-Bob Quigley Productions, Rhodes Productions, Four Star Television, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, NBC
- Production Countries: United States of America
Hollywood Squares - Plot
Hollywood Squares is an American panel game show, in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants. The stars are asked questions by the host, or "Square-Master", and the contestants judge the veracity of their answers in order to win the game.
Although Hollywood Squares was a legitimate game show, the game largely acted as the background for the show's comedy in the form of joke answers, often given by the stars prior to their "real" answer. The show's writers usually supplied the jokes. In addition, the stars were given question subjects and plausible incorrect answers prior to the show. The show was scripted in this sense, but the gameplay was not. In any case, as host Peter Marshall, the best-known "Square-Master" and the man in whose honor the show's first announcer, Kenny Williams, actually "coined" the term, would explain at the beginning of the Secret Square game, the celebrities were briefed prior to show to help them with bluff answers, but they otherwise heard the actual questions for the first time as they were asked on air.
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Hollywood Squares - Cast & Crew
Creator(s)
- Bob Quigley
- Merrill Heatter
Main Cast
- Peter Marshall
- Rose Marie
- Abby Dalton
- Cliff Arquette
- Wally Cox
- Kenny Williams
- Nick Adams
- Sally Field
- Morey Amsterdam
- Ernest Borgnine
Writers
- Les Roberts
Executive Producers
- Bob Quigley
- Merrill Heatter
Hollywood Squares - FAQs
Was Hollywood Squares scripted or a real game show?
It was genuinely both. The gameplay itself was completely unscripted, but the celebrity stars were briefed beforehand with question subjects and plausible wrong answers to help craft their comedy bluffs. The jokes were written by the show's writers, while the actual game outcomes remained entirely authentic and unplanned.
Who hosted the original Hollywood Squares in 1966?
Peter Marshall served as the host — known on the show as the "Square-Master" — a title coined by announcer Kenny Williams in his honor. Marshall's warm, quick-witted style became inseparable from the show's identity, and he remained the most celebrated face of the franchise across its long run.
Where can you stream Hollywood Squares from 1966?
The original 1966 Hollywood Squares is available to stream on fuboTV and the Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, both offering flat-rate subscription access. Availability may vary by region, so checking your local streaming services for the latest options is always a good idea.
How did the Hollywood Squares game actually work?
Two contestants competed in a celebrity-filled tic-tac-toe game on a 3x3 grid of open cubes, each occupied by a star. The host asked each celebrity a question, and contestants had to judge whether the answer was true or a bluff — correct calls earned the square, and the first to get three in a row won.
Who were the celebrity regulars on Hollywood Squares?
The original run featured an impressive roster including Rose Marie, Wally Cox, Morey Amsterdam, Ernest Borgnine, Cliff Arquette as the beloved Charley Weaver, and a then-unknown Sally Field. Agnes Moorehead, Michael Landon, and Eartha Kitt also appeared, giving the show a rich mix of comedy veterans and rising stars.
Who created Hollywood Squares and when did it premiere?
The show was created by Bob Quigley and Merrill Heatter, the producing duo behind Merrill Heatter-Bob Quigley Productions. It premiered on NBC on October 17, 1966, and quickly found an audience thanks to its clever blend of genuine game-show competition and celebrity-driven comedy.
Did Hollywood Squares win any awards or critical recognition?
The original 1966 series earned recognition primarily through its cultural footprint rather than formal awards. Its format proved so enduring that it spawned multiple revivals across decades, a testament to the show's lasting appeal. The franchise is widely regarded as one of the most inventive and beloved game-show concepts in American television history.
What shows are similar to Hollywood Squares?
Fans of Hollywood Squares tend to enjoy other celebrity panel formats like Match Game, What's My Line?, and Celebrity Family Feud for their mix of humor and competition. The British series QI and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown offer a similarly witty, celebrity-driven atmosphere for viewers open to international alternatives.
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