syndicators: Viacom ('77-'85), LBS (Lexington Broadcast Servies) Communications ('88-'91), All American Communications ('91-'95), Pearson Television ('99-'02), Tribune Entertainment ('02-'07), Debmar-Mercury ('07-)
air dates: ABC daytime 7/12/76-6/14/85, ABC celebrity primetime specials 5/8/78-5/25/84, CBS daytime 7/4/88-9/10/93, syndicated weekly 9/19/77-1/79, twice/week 1/79-9/80, 5/week 9/80-9/85, 9/19/88-9/8/95, 9/20/99-present, NBC primetime 6/24/08 (as Celebrity Family Feud)
hosts: Richard Dawson ('76-'85, '94-'95), Ray Combs ('88-'93), Louie Anderson (9/20/99-5/8/02), Richard Karn (9/02-9/06), John O'Hurley (9/11/06-present), Al Roker (Celebrity Family Feud)
announcers: Gene Wood ('76-'95), Burton Richardson ('99-present)
From '76-'79, the money values doubled starting in round 3 with $200+ winning the game. Later in the run, values doubled and then tripled until one family scored $300+. This scoring structure was also used from '88-'95. From '84-'85, four rounds were played for regular values before doubling and then tripling with $400+ being the magic number. From '92-'95, values were doubled in the second round, and tripled from round 3 on. The goal was still $300+.
On the current run, families play for points instead of money. From '99-'03, the first three rounds were played for regular points. In the fourth round, the points were tripled and only one strike gave the other family a chance to steal. Highest scoring family after four rounds played Fast Money. As of '03, it's regular points in the first two rounds, doubled in round 3, and tripled in round 4. 300 points wins the game. After four rounds, if neither family reaches 300 points, a sudden-death face-off is played between the fifth members of each family. The points are tripled, but only the top answer is on the board. If 300 hasn't been reached yet, the process is repeated.
On the daytime versions (ABC & CBS), 200+ points in Fast Money netted the family $5,000. On the syndicated runs from '77-'92 and '99-'01, the winners played for $10,000. From '92-'95, the winning family played for the amount of their Bullseye/Bankroll jackpot (more on that later). As of September 2001, the winning family plays for $20,000!
On the ABC run, families could stay on the daytime show until defeated or until they won $25,000+ (upped to $30k+ by '84). On the syndicated show from '77-'85 and '99-'02, each show would feature two new families. From '88-'92 and today as of '02, each family would be allowed to play Fast Money a maximum of 5 times. Champions from '92-'95 continued until defeated.
In '92, the daytime version became the hour-long Family Feud Challenge. During the first half, two new families competed. The winners competed against the returning family from the previous show. A new feature was added to be played before the Feud called the Bullseye round. In the first half of the show, each family's Bullseye bank started off at $2,500 ($5,000 during the second half). The first players face off to try to identify the top answer to a question. The first player to identify the top answer added $500 to their family's bank. Each member of each family had a turn. The second family members faced off for $1,000 to their bank, and so on until the last members of each family played for $2,500 to their bank, which meant the family that won the Feud could play for up to $10,000. These amounts were doubled in the second half. The syndicated version remained at a half-hour but was renamed The New Family Feud, which started off with the two families playing Bullseye, worth the same amounts as the second half of the FFC.
When the syndicated version expanded to an hour in '94 and Dawson returned, two new families, FOUR members each, competed in the first half as before. They started off playing the Bankroll round, like the Bullseye round, but with the following changes: three questions were played the top answer to the first one being worth $500. The next question's #1 answer, $1,500, and $2,500 on the last question, so the winner of the first half could play for up to $7k. The winners of the first half competed against a winning family from the original run during the second half with the Bankroll values being doubled so that the winners could play for up to $14k.
Occasional winner-take-all tournaments feature the season's biggest winning families competing. All Fast Money winnings go into the tourney jackpot, which goes to the winning clan. Fast Money is not played on the tourney's last show.
On NBC's Celebrity Family Feud, each of 2 teams would be comprised of a celebrity captain and 4 relatives/friends. The winning team from each of 2 semifinal games would compete in the finals game, the winners of which won $25,000 for their charity and played Fast Money for another $25,000.
OTHER TIDBITS:
British-born Richard Dawson starred as Cpl. Peter Newkirk on the classic CBS sitcom Hogan's Heroes. After its cancellation, he starred on Laugh-In. He also starred as a regular panelist on Match Game from '73-'78 and was most frequently selected for the final stage of the Super Match. He also starred as a barbaric game show host in the '87 flick The Running Man with Arnold Schwarzenegger. In '81, Richard met a young Feud contestant named Gretchen Johnson. They married in '91 and have a daughter named Shannon Nicole. On the mid-'90s version of the Feud, at Shannon's request, he didn't kiss the ladies as he did so much on the original run.
Ohio-born Ray Combs (1956-1996) was a stand-up comic who warmed up audiences for TV sitcoms, and in '86, he became a special guest on The Tonight Show, hosted at the time by his idol, Johnny Carson. Ray was the first comic to be given a standing ovation on his first Tonight Show appearance. During his stint on the Feud, he owned two different comedy clubs in Cincinatti, which were later shut down. After his Feud days, his life was all downhill from there. In October 94, he was seriously injured in a car accident, but managed to recover. He filed for divorce from his wife of 18 years with whom he had 6 kids. He tried to bounce back by becoming a co-host on GSN. In early '96, he hosted Family Challenge on the Family Channel. On 6/1/96, a despondant Ray was placed in a hospital psychiatric ward, where he hanged himself in the closet.
Minneapolis-born comic Louie Anderson also did voices for the Fox Saturday morning cartoon show Life with Louie. During the late '90s, he fell victim to extortion after offering money for a man to allow Louie to make sexual contact with him. The alleged extorter was busted in May 2000.
After 9/11, Louie donated $75k to help the families of the victims, and the LAPD competed against the L. A. Fire/Rescue team to donate more money for charity.
The Feud's previous host, Richard Karn, was best known for his role as Al Borland on ABC's Home Improvement. In October 2006, Karn replaced Patrick Duffy as host of GSN's Bingo America.
The Feud's current host, John O'Hurley, had hosted To Tell The Truth from 2000-02. However, he is best remembered for his role as J. Peterman from the sitcom Seinfeld.
Celebrity Family Feud host Al Roker is beter known as the weatherman for NBC's Today, having replaced Willard Scott in '96.
The Feud was not without its crazy answers! For instance:
Richard: An article of clothing that children are always losing.
contestant: Their pants.
Richard: The cost of a dozen roses.
contestant: $1.75
Richard: Something other than a bird that you find in a bird cage.
contestant: Hamster.
An astounded Richard Dawson told an on-stage staffer to "make a note of this show".
Richard: In what month of a woman's pregnancy does the woman start to show?
contestant: September.
Richard: Name a day of the year when you really want to be with friends.
contestant: December.
Richard: If you could travel to any foreign country, which country would you want to visit?
contestant: Pakistan.
Q: Name an animal with three letters in its name.
A: Alligator.
Q: Name something you squeeze.
A: Peanut butter.
Q: Name a small breed of dog.
A: Kitten
Q: A department in a supermarket.
A: Lingerie.
Q: A yellow fruit.
A: Orange.
Q: Any member of the ape family.
A: Panda bear.
Q: What's the first article of clothing you take off after you get home from work?
A: Underwear.
<lol>
Richard: Next question is "What time do you get home from work?"
Q: Name something you feel before you buy it.
A: Excited.
Q: An occupation in which you disguise your appearance.
A: A doctor.
Q: A specific food with an edible skin.
A: A banana.
Q: Something you find in an operating room.
A: Operator.
Richard Karn: Well, someone's gotta operate.
Q: An article of clothing that wives buy for their husbands.
A: Halter tops.
Q: A slang word for money.
A: Mo-nay.
Q: Name a time when most people wake up.
A: Morning.
Q: Name a time when most people go to bed.
A: At night.
(FYI, "morning" may have scored nothing, but "night" did score 2 points.)