60s Trivia — TV Shows
Let’s Revisit a Great Era in Television with Our ‘ 60s Trivia Test
By the 1960s, most American homes had a TV (but let’s not get carried away and say they had more than one TV). In our pop culture game Boom Again, we take a look at all the fun of the Baby Boom era, and that includes the TV shows we watched back then.
How well do you remember your ‘ 60s trivia from television? Let’s find out with a few questions from the game…
Q: She was odd. She wasn’t telegenic. She cooked high-brow food. Still, she had a long running hit TV show. Go figure. Can you remember either her name or the name of her magnifique cooking show?
A: The French Chef, Julia Child
In addition to “the big three” ABC, CBS and NBC, by the 1960s we had public television—and that’s where America discovered the unpretentious and exuberant chef Julia Child. The French Chef ran for 10 seasons, starting in 1962. It is credited with convincing ordinary people to try cooking (and attempt pronouncing) such French classics as Coq a Vin, Vichyssoise and Boeuf Bourguignon.
Q: At the end of Laugh-In, a little character rode by on a tricycle. What was he wearing?
A: Yellow rain slicker
Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In premiered in 1968 and was an oddball and irreverent mix of sketch comedy, jokes and random moments of go-go dancing. It also brought us such great catchphrases as “you bet your sweet bippy,” “sock it to me,” and “here come da judge.”
The fellow on the tricycle was comedian Arte Johnson—who seemed to corner the market on dirty old man characters AND little kids on trikes.
And this next ‘ 60s trivia question might have you singing…
Q: What was the theme song to The Monkees TV show?
A: “Hey, Hey, We’re the Monkees”
The Monkees was TV’s answer to phenomenon of the Beatles and starred a then-unknown Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith. While on the show the guys played instruments, in reality their only contribution to their multiple pop hits was vocals.
Amazingly, in 1967, The Monkees’ music outsold both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones’ albums—combined.
Q: A screeching bird on a perch signaled the end of the work day at the rock quarry. What was Fred’s response?
A: Yabba Dabba Do!
Debuting in 1960, The Flintstones was the first primetime animated show on TV. Fred’s famous catchphrase is said to come from Alan Reed, who voiced Fred. He explained that his mother used to say, “A little dab’ll do ya” (the old Brylcreem slogan), and he did a spin on that when the script called for Fred to say “yahoo.” Can we all agree Yabba Dabba Do is so much better?
Next up in our ‘ 60s trivia test is a question about another TV first…
Q: Julia was the first TV show about an African American woman. Who was the star and what job did her character have?
A: Diahann Carroll, nurse
Diahann Carroll played Julia Baker, a nurse whose husband had been killed in Vietnam. The groundbreaking sitcom aired from 1968 to 1971.
She wasn’t the first Black woman to star in her own TV show. (Ethel Waters played a maid in the 1950s series “Beulah.”) She was, however, the first to star as someone other than a servant.
Q: Who was Hee Haw’s Hillbilly Comedienne who always wore a hat with a dangling price tag?
A: Minnie Pearl
Hee Haw began in 1969 as a summer replacement series for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and put a country twist on comedy sketches, corny jokes and musical guest stars.
Minnie Pearl—a well-known and beloved comic performing frequently at the Grand Ole Opry—was a cast regular with a style all her own. She greeted the audience with a whooping, “How-dee!” wearing her trademark straw hat decorated with plastic flowers and a $1.98 price tag. (Some say she overpaid.)
Q: What happened to George Jetson’s flying car when he got to work?
A: It folded into a briefcase.
Ahead of its time, The Jetsons brought flying cars, moving walkways, smart homes, smart watches, talking robots, video conferencing and other futuristic fun to TVs in 1962.
Many of those things are a reality in 2021—though we’re still waiting on that foldable flying car.
Q: Johnny Carson and Eva Gabor got tangled up on The Tonight Show floor, playing a game that then became a sensation. Name it.
A: Twister
Twister wasn’t a hit when it first appeared on toy shelves, and Milton Bradley nearly pulled it from the market. Then along came Johnny. In May of 1966, he and Eva Gabor played the game on air—Gabor wearing a low-cut gown and sidekick Ed McMahon guffawing throughout.
The next day, stores could hardly keep it in stock.
How did you do on our ‘ 60s trivia test about Booomer’s golden TV memories?
***Follow our BLOG. Be sure to check out Boom Again® on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter***
