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IMDbPro

The Dating Game

  • TV Series
  • 1965–19861965–1986
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 30m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
384
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
22,357
4,142
"Dating Game, The" Paul Lynde C. 1967
Game-ShowRomance
Speculation that the show was a coverup for Chuck Barris' REAL career as an assassin for the CIASpeculation that the show was a coverup for Chuck Barris' REAL career as an assassin for the CIASpeculation that the show was a coverup for Chuck Barris' REAL career as an assassin for the CIA
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
384
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
22,357
4,142
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Stars
      • Jim Lange
      • Johnny Jacobs
      • Anna Marlowe
    Top credits
    • Stars
      • Jim Lange
      • Johnny Jacobs
      • Anna Marlowe
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 3User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Episodes132

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Photos14

    "Dating Game, The" Jim Lange C. 1967
    The Dating Game (1965)
    Armand Cerami, Jed Mills, and Rodney Alcala in The Dating Game (1965)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Dating Game (1965)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Dating Game (1965)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger, Elana Casey, and Melody Williams in The Dating Game (1965)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Dating Game (1965)
    Elana Casey and Melody Williams in The Dating Game (1965)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Dating Game (1965)
    Elana Casey and Melody Williams in The Dating Game (1965)
    Amanda Jones in The Dating Game (1965)
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Dating Game (1965)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jim Lange
    Jim Lange
    • Self - Host
    130 episodes130 eps • 1965–1986
    Johnny Jacobs
    Johnny Jacobs
    • Self - Announcer
    105 episodes105 eps • 1965–1973
    Anna Marlowe
    Anna Marlowe
    • Anna Marlowe
    Lee Majors
    Lee Majors
    • Self…
    2 episodes2 eps • 1966–1967
    Angela Cartwright
    Angela Cartwright
    • Self…
    2 episodes2 eps • 1967–1970
    Kathy Garver
    Kathy Garver
    • Self - Guest star contestant
    2 episodes2 eps • 1966–1970
    Steve Martin
    Steve Martin
    • Self…
    2 episodes2 eps • 1968–1970
    Bill Bixby
    Bill Bixby
    • Self…
    2 episodes2 eps • 1968–1970
    Arnold Schwarzenegger
    Arnold Schwarzenegger
    • Self
    1 episode1 ep • 1973
    Zsa Zsa Gabor
    Zsa Zsa Gabor
    • Self - Guest Contestant
    1 episode1 ep • 1967
    Ted Bessell
    Ted Bessell
    • Self
    1 episode1 ep • 1967
    Rod McKuen
    Rod McKuen
    • Self
    1 episode1 ep • 1967
    Hugh Masekela
    Hugh Masekela
    • Self - Guest star contestant
    1 episode1 ep • 1967
    Susan Strasberg
    Susan Strasberg
    • Self
    1 episode1 ep • 1968
    Joyce Jillson
    Joyce Jillson
    • Self
    1 episode1 ep • 1968
    Henry Morgan
    Henry Morgan
    • Self
    1 episode1 ep • 1968
    Marianna Hill
    Marianna Hill
    • Self
    1 episode1 ep • 1969
    John Forsythe
    John Forsythe
    • Self
    1 episode1 ep • 1969
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Serial murderer, Rodney Alcala was accepted as a contestant on The Dating Game in 1978. By then, he had already murdered at least two women in California and two others in New York. Host Jim Lange introduced him as a "successful photographer who got his start when his father found him in the darkroom at 13, fully developed. Between takes you might find him skydiving or motorcycling". Alcala won the contest, and a date with Cheryl Bradshaw, who subsequently refused to go out with him because she found him "creepy". Alcala killed at least three other woman after his appearance on The Dating Game. Rodney Alcala is currently on death row at San Quentin State Prison for the murders of at least 8, and as many as 120 women over the period of 9 years.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Landlord (1970)
    • Soundtracks
      THE DATING GAME
      (1965-1966)

      Written by Chuck Barris & David Mook

      Performed by The New Regents

    User reviews3

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    The First Reality Dating Show ever
    Can be remembered as one of the longest running reality shows of all time, and the pioneer of its own genre :Reality Dating Shows: The Dating Game has been aired in both prime time(1966-70) and daytime(1965-73), and followed by syndicated versions(1973-74, 1977-80, and 1996-2000). The show also ran in syndication in 1986 under the title "The New Dating Game" which was changed for the remainder of its run(1987-89) to "The All-New Dating Game".

    Unlike "The Bachelor" and other recent dating shows on which a single male or female over the course of several episodes hopes to find a potential life partner; a contestant on The Dating Game would ask three delegates of the opposite sex a series of questions with a view to pick one for accompanying him/her on a chaperoned date. There is a folding screen separating the junior suite of the three delegates and the contestant; that way the contestant cannot see their face but can talk further ahead after each question answered. This show has screened all over the world's most watched TV channels till 2000s. In early 1990s' under the title "Saklambaç", it was also introduced in Turkey, as well; thanks to the unforgettable episodes with the host Nurseli Idiz.

    The Dating Game was surely the inspiration for several other shows and today's most popular reality dating shows which tinkered with its structure to reflect the changes in societal attitudes toward sex. For instance, after choosing their date, contestants on "Love Connection(1983-99)" and "Studs(1991-93)" would return to the program to relay the details of what did happen on their date. More recent shows such as "Best Friend's Date(2004-05" and the most famous "Blind Date(1999-2006)" have taken it one step further by sending a camera crew along to capture the highs and lows - the ins and outs of the couple's date.

    (JPF&T) -- quoted from its origin --

    Later on, the shows became more interactive that the viewers in front of the TV was able to make decisions to eliminate the undesirable contestants and to choose the winner of this contest after all the contestants have stayed together and shared a house for several weeks as long as the show episode lasts.

    Unfortunately, most reality dating show couples did not stay together. Being at the spot of our daily lives of our 80s' X-generation, our lives/choices/relations became like them unwillingly, uncontrollably. Nowadays the sense of a good relationship or a companionship is lost. Deeply looking at the relations of the couples today, there is nothing to see. No one knows each other in deep. Relationships are so shallow and depending on one's own personal satisfaction needs. Promiscuous friendships and promiscuous sexual intercourses captured the meanings of our lives. The meaning of love, the reason to stay together, the reflections on each others' personalities, the explorations on each others' characteristic properties don't make sense any more. We found the joy over someone else's weaknesses, instead of finding it over togethernesses. Love is defeated, families are broken. Eros doesn't have any more of his those two-headed arrows that used to be shot stuck into our hearts inseparable within its front-end & low-end.
    helpful•8
    1
    • CihanVercan
    • Aug 14, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 20, 1965 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The New Dating Game
    • Filming locations
      • ABC Television Center - 4151 Prospect Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
      • Chuck Barris Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      30 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

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    "Dating Game, The" Paul Lynde C. 1967
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