Now Performing in the Red Skelton Tribute Theater 167 East Wears Valley Road Suite #17 (Shops of Pigeon Forge) Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Candid Camera Television Show
Candid Camera is a hidden camera/practical joke reality television series created and produced by Allen Funt. The show initially began on radio as Candid Microphone June 28, 1947. After a series of theatrical film shorts, also titled Candid Microphone, Funt's concept came to television on August 10, 1948. Its last original broadcast was on May 5, 2004
The whole idea behind the program was quite simple, the show would hide cameras and film ordinary people being confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props, such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims would be told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera."
Candid Microphone was first heard on Saturday, June 28, 1947, at 7:30 p.m. on ABC radio. That series came to an end on September 23, 1948. Beginning June 6, 1950, Candid Microphone was broadcast by CBS on Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m., and that summer series, sponsored by Philip Morris, continued for three months until August 29. The announcer for the radio program was Dorian St. George.
Funt brought his program to ABC television in 1948 and then switched to NBC in the fall of 1949, with Ken Roberts as his announcer. The show moved to syndication in 1951 and continued for three years before returning to NBC in 1958 as a segment on Jack Paar's The Tonight Show. The segment reappeared in 1959 on CBS as a feature on The Garry Moore Show, then it became a stand-alone show in 1960.
The network TV version celebrated its 35th anniversary with an NBC special in 1983. Four years later, a series of occasional Candid Camera specials aired on CBS with Peter Funt, Allen's son, as co-host. The show also aired a season in daily syndication (1991–92) with Dom DeLuise as host and Eva LaRue as co-host.
A British version of Candid Camera began in 1960 and ran for seven years. It was initially presented by Bob Monkhouse and featured Jonathan Routh and Arthur Atkins as pranksters. An Australian version of Candid Camera, with the same name, began in the late 1990s and ran until the end of the 20th century. It was successful until the show was canceled for unknown reasons.
