The 1970s: When TV Got Real - Prove What You Know About This Groundbreaking Decade in TV History!

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Later, Lassie

The 1970s were a time of massive cultural change — and nowhere was that reflected more than on television. At the dawn of the decade, cowboys and goofy hillbillies still ruled the airwaves; by the end of the 1970-71 season, they had all but vanished. In what came to be known as the "rural purge", the networks abruptly canceled virtually all rural-themed shows, including The Beverly Hillbillies, Lassie, Green Acres, and Mayberry R.F.D. "Move over, Grandma," said the new, socially conscious generation. It was time to get real. 

Seemingly overnight, shows began popping up that dealt with topics long considered utterly taboo. It's hard to believe now, but when The Mary Tyler Moore Show debuted in 1970, it was the first series in television history to depict a single, working woman. Another groundbreaking debut was M*A*S*H (1972-83), which offered an unflinching portrayal of the atrocities and injustice of war that resonated deeply with a generation that had grown increasingly cynical about the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Four years earlier, the #2 show was Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C., a military-themed series set in the 1960s that never mentioned the Vietnam War. 

And then there was Norman Lear's All in the Family (1971-9). More than anyone else in television at the time, Lear broke down cultural barriers by taking on off-limits issues like bigotry, race, and homosexuality. In All in the Family, as well as its spinoffs Maude (1972-78), Sanford and Son (1972-77) and The Jeffersons (1975-85) Lear artfully wove social commentary in with good old sitcom yucks — and changed the face of television forever.

Da Plane! Da Plane!

By mid-decade, dismaying events like Watergate and the U.S. defeat in Vietnam had led to a distinct shift in mood; TV producers and networks thought it might do for a little escapism once again. Enter Garry Marshall's Happy Days, which debuted in 1974; in 1976, the retro high school comedy knocked All in the Family off the #1 show spot it had held for five years. Multiple feel-good spinoffs such as 1960s-era Laverne and Shirley (1976-83) followed. The late 70s also saw the birth of "jiggle TV", a genre defined by scantily clad young women that included shows like The Love Boat (1977-86) and Charlie's Angels (1977-81). As the decade wound down, one more massive trend emerged: the catchphrase. Nanu Nanu, Sit on it!, Dy-no-mite, Kiss my grits!, What'chu talkin' 'bout, Willis? and the list goes on and on (and on).

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This quiz is about: 1970s Television TV TV show Television Show

: 1970s TV Quiz Questions

20 Questions · 734 Plays · 1 Comment

Question 1

What were the names of Jack, Janet, and Chrissy's bickering landlords on Three's Company (1977-84)?

  • A
    Mr. and Mrs. Hooper
  • B
    Mr. and Mrs. Roper
  • C
    Mr. and Mrs. Ripper
  • D
    Mr. and Mrs. Hopper

Question 2

What was the name of the gang of underachieving teenage wiseguys in Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-79)?

  • A
    Wartdogs
  • B
    Wethogs
  • C
    Sweathogs
  • D
    Stewpigs

Question 3

What did Carol Burnett do as a way of signing off at the end of each episode of The Carol Burnett Show (1967-78)?

  • A
    Cross her eyes
  • B
    Wiggle her nose
  • C
    Tug her ear
  • D
    Stick out her tongue

Question 4

During which war did the fictional series M*A*S*H (1972-83) take place?

  • A
    World War II
  • B
    Vietnam War
  • C
    Korean War
  • D
    World War I

Question 5

What is the name of the brewery where Laverne and Shirley worked as bottle cappers?

  • A
    Shotz Brewery
  • B
    Schnotz Brewery
  • C
    Slotz Brewery
  • D
    Schnitz Brewery

Question 6

Which U.S. college town was the setting for Mork & Mindy (1978-82)?

  • A
    Gainesville, Florida
  • B
    Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • C
    Boulder, Colorado
  • D
    Missoula, Montana

Question 7

How many celebrity guest stars appeared on The Muppet Show (1976-81) during its 120-episode run?

  • A
    100
  • B
    120
  • C
    80
  • D
    60

Question 8

Which of these was NOT a spinoff of All in the Family (1971-79)?

  • A
    The Jeffersons
  • B
    Sanford and Son
  • C
    Gloria
  • D
    Maude

Question 9

Happy Days (1974-84) generated an unprecedented seven spin-off shows. Which of these was NOT one of them?

  • A
    Laverne and Shirley
  • B
    Mork & Mindy
  • C
    Charles in Charge
  • D
    Joanie Loves Chachi

Question 10

Which star of What's Happening (1976-79) legally changed their name to their character's name after the series ended?

  • A
    Dwayne
  • B
    Dee
  • C
    Rerun
  • D
    Raj

Question 11

What could Mary "do with her smile" in the theme song of The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-77)?

  • A
    "light up the world"
  • B
    "light up the sky"
  • C
    "turn the world on"
  • D
    "turn it upside down"

Question 12

Who was the only one of Charlie's Angels to last the entire series?

  • A
    Farrah Fawcett-Majors
  • B
    Jaclyn Smith
  • C
    Kate Jackson
  • D
    Cheryl Ladd

Question 13

One of the wisecracking regulars from the game show Hollywood Squares (1966-81) was "Charlie Weaver" (far left). The actor who portrayed him is part of which Hollywood dynasty?

  • A
    Arquette
  • B
    Coppola
  • C
    Barrymore
  • D
    Fonda

Question 14

What is the name of Felix's estranged wife on The Odd Couple (1970-75)?

  • A
    Blanche
  • B
    Myrna
  • C
    Gloria
  • D
    Edna

Question 15

If you were born anytime before 1975, chances are good you remember Flo's catchphrase "Kiss my Grits" from the sitcom Alice (1976-85). How was the line originally written?

  • A
    Kiss my beans!
  • B
    Kiss my coleslaw!
  • C
    Kiss my honeydew!
  • D
    Kiss my catfish!

Question 16

Mission Impossible (1966-73) was first produced by which well-known Hollywood figure's production company?

  • A
    Garry Marshall
  • B
    Danny Thomas
  • C
    Bruce Paltrow
  • D
    Lucille Ball

Question 17

How many seasons of The Brady Bunch were there?

  • A
    10
  • B
    5
  • C
    7
  • D
    6

Question 18

Which artist inspired the distinctive paint job on the Partridge Family's iconic school bus?

  • A
    Picasso
  • B
    Mondrian
  • C
    Michelangelo
  • D
    Monet

Question 19

Who was the only cast member on One Day at a Time (1975-84) to win an Emmy?

  • A
    Valerie Bertinelli
  • B
    Mackenzie Phillips
  • C
    Bonnie Franklin
  • D
    Pat Harrington, Jr.

Question 20

Who is the only member of the Little House on the Prairie cast that received an Emmy nomination?

  • A
    Melissa Gilbert (Laura)
  • B
    Melissa Sue Anderson (Mary)
  • C
    Alison Arngrim (Nellie)
  • D
    Michael Landon (Pa)

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