January 14: “A Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Production”

A television producer who with his long-time business partner Bill Todman produced some of the longest-running game shows in history, Mark Goodson was born in Sacramento, California on this date in 1915. Goodson was the master creator of television’s successful game show formulae, which included featuring celebrity panelists and stoking the everyday greed of everyday people. His shows included Beat the Clock, Family Feud, Match Game, Password, The Price Is Right, To Tell the Truth, I’ve Got a Secret, and What’s My Line? Goodson and Todman also owned eight daily and 25 weekly newspapers. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1992, the year of his death. To see Lucille Bal on Password, look below. “A good game show invites the viewer to play along. A good game show will have the viewer shouting at the TV.” —Mark Goodson