"Candid Camera
" is credited as he longest-running reality-based program in television history. The show specialized in playing practical jokes on unknowing people and catching them on film. Known mostly for its run hosted by its creator, Allen Funt, the show aired for 38 years in different stints on all three major networks.
Time Frame
The show debuted on ABC radio under the title "Candid Microphone" in 1947 before moving to TV the next year and then to NBC in 1949. It mostly ran on CBS or in syndication after that, though its last run from 2001-04 was on PAX TV.
Function
The show involved putting unsuspecting people in strange situations involving things like moving inanimate objects, insane vendors and other practical jokes. It was most famous for revealing the joke at the end with the words, "Smile, you're on 'Candid Camera.' "
Hosts
Allen Funt is the most well-known host of the show, but other hosts and co-hosts included Allen's son Peter, Dorothy Collins, Dom DeLuise, Eva LaRue, Suzanne Somers and Dina Eastwood, wife of Clint Eastwood, and Jo Ann Pflug.
Adult-Oriented Shows
In the 1970s, Funt created a spinoff series for HBO called "Candid Candid Camera." These episodes were restricted to premium and adult-oriented stations because most of the practical jokes involved nudity.
Copying the Legacy
Many other TV shows have used "Candid Camera's" format, especially in the reality TV boom of the 21st century. Examples include "Punk'd," "Scare Tactics," "Totally Hidden Video" and "The Jamie Kennedy Experiment."
Tags: Candid Camera, practical jokes, Allen Funt
