1970s TV Trivia You’ll Love

This Quiz dives into the unforgettable era of 1970s television when classic shows and quirky sitcoms took center stage. From detective dramas to family comedies, the 70s brought us characters and storylines that remain iconic even today. Whether you remember watching these shows live or caught them in reruns, there’s something about this era of TV that just feels timeless. This quiz will put your knowledge to the test, challenging you on the characters, plotlines, and memorable moments that made 70s TV so unique.

As you go through these questions, think back to Saturday night sitcoms, weeknight dramas, and those moments when everyone gathered around the tube. Are you ready to test your 70s TV smarts? Get ready to journey back in time and see just how much you remember about the shows that defined a generation!

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Answer Explanations

Question: Which show had a character named John Boy and was set in Virginia during the Great Depression?
Explanation: The Waltons, based on a rural Virginia family during the Depression, ran from 1972 to 1981, emphasizing family values and resilience.

Question: Which legal drama starred Raymond Burr as a defense attorney who rarely lost a case?
Explanation: Perry Mason, though originally a 1950s show, returned in the 1970s with Raymond Burr reprising his role as the titular attorney.

Question: Which animated show featured Fred Flintstone and his family in the town of Bedrock?
Explanation: The Flintstones, while debuting in 1960, remained a staple in reruns during the 70s, representing the first prime-time animated sitcom.

Question: What game show featured contestants guessing letters to solve a word puzzle hosted by Chuck Woolery?
Explanation: Wheel of Fortune debuted in 1975, hosted by Chuck Woolery, and became a hugely successful game show focusing on solving word puzzles.

Question: Which cop show was known for its gritty realism and focused on the lives of New York detectives in the 12th Precinct?
Explanation: Barney Miller portrayed detectives’ lives in the NYPD’s 12th precinct, offering a realistic, humor-infused look at police work.

Question: What variety show featured a puppet named Madame and the talents of ventriloquist Wayland Flowers?
Explanation: The Wayland Flowers Show featured ventriloquist Wayland Flowers and his puppet, Madame, bringing edgy humor to television.

Question: Which show centered on the misadventures of a struggling musician named Richie Cunningham?
Explanation: Happy Days centered around Richie Cunningham, portrayed by Ron Howard, and became famous for depicting 1950s Americana.

Question: In what series did Lee Majors star as a bionic man with superhuman strength?
Explanation: The Six Million Dollar Man starred Lee Majors as Colonel Steve Austin, rebuilt with bionic implants after a crash. It showcased action and sci-fi elements.

Question: Which sitcom followed the daily lives of a young family living in Queens, New York?
Explanation: All in the Family, which ran from 1971, offered a window into the lives of Archie Bunker’s family in Queens, challenging social norms.

Question: What show followed a family with a farm in the fictional town of Hooterville?
Explanation: Green Acres, set in the fictional town of Hooterville, followed the humorous struggles of a New York couple adjusting to farm life.

Question: Which cop show was known for its theme music and starred Jack Lord as Detective Steve McGarrett?
Explanation: Hawaii Five-O featured Jack Lord as Detective Steve McGarrett, known for his line ‘Book ’em, Danno,’ and its famous theme song.

Question: Which sketch comedy show was launched in 1975 and became famous for its live format and celebrity guest hosts?
Explanation: Saturday Night Live debuted in 1975, breaking new ground with its live format and celebrity hosts, influencing comedy for generations.

Question: What show featured the adventures of a young orphaned girl living with her grandparents in a Victorian mansion?
Explanation: Family Affair was an American sitcom featuring Brian Keith. It told the story of three orphans raised by their wealthy uncle.

Question: Which show featured the tagline ‘Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale…’?
Explanation: Gilligan’s Island, while starting in the 60s, continued in reruns and featured a stranded group on a tropical island, with its catchy theme song.

Question: Which sitcom followed the life of a young woman who moved to the big city and made it on her own?
Explanation: The Mary Tyler Moore Show, known for its feminist themes, highlighted Mary Richards’ life as an independent woman making it in Minneapolis.

Question: What show centered around the lives of the doctors and nurses in a mobile army surgical hospital during the Korean War?
Explanation: MASH* blended humor and pathos, becoming a significant TV show for its portrayal of the Korean War, ending with one of the most-watched finales in TV history.

Question: What variety show featured Carol Burnett and a cast known for comedic skits and parodies?
Explanation: The Carol Burnett Show ran from 1967 to 1978, with Carol and her cast delivering memorable sketches that have become classics of American television.

Question: Which sci-fi show followed the adventures of the crew of the Battlestar Galactica as they searched for Earth?
Explanation: Battlestar Galactica premiered in 1978. It featured a crew on a quest to find Earth while escaping a robotic race called the Cylons.

Question: Which show featured Mary Tyler Moore as a single woman working in a Minneapolis news station?
Explanation: The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which aired from 1970 to 1977, broke new ground by featuring a single career woman as the lead and won numerous Emmys.

Question: What show starred a cab driver named Tony Banta and other unique characters in a New York City taxi company?
Explanation: Taxi, which aired from 1978 to 1983, focused on the lives of New York City taxi drivers and featured a memorable ensemble cast, including Tony Danza and Danny DeVito.

Question: Which show focused on a family living in the ‘Projects’ and was one of the first to portray African American life on TV?
Explanation: Good Times, which ran from 1974 to 1979, depicted the lives of an African American family in Chicago. It was known for its humor and portrayal of real social issues.

Question: Which sitcom featured Laverne and Shirley, two single roommates working at a brewery?
Explanation: Laverne & Shirley was a popular spin-off of Happy Days, following two friends navigating life in Milwaukee with comedic adventures.

Question: In which show would you find the bumbling detective named Inspector Clouseau?
Explanation: The Pink Panther Show featured the animated Pink Panther, created in the 1960s but still popular in the 70s with Inspector Clouseau as a classic character.

Question: Which crime drama featured a police detective named Kojak, who was famous for saying ‘Who loves ya, baby?’
Explanation: Kojak, starring Telly Savalas, was known for its gritty portrayal of New York crime and Kojak’s catchphrase, ‘Who loves ya, baby?’

Question: What show starred Bob Newhart as a Chicago psychologist with quirky patients?
Explanation: The Bob Newhart Show, airing from 1972 to 1978, focused on Newhart’s deadpan humor as a psychologist dealing with eccentric patients.

Question: Which 1970s TV show featured a character named Fonzie, known for his leather jacket and catchphrase ‘Ayy!’?
Explanation: Happy Days became an iconic American sitcom, premiering in 1974 and running through the early 1980s. The character Arthur ‘Fonzie’ Fonzarelli, played by Henry Winkler, became a cultural icon.

Question: What show starred Alan Alda as the wisecracking surgeon Hawkeye Pierce?
Explanation: MASH, premiering in 1972, was both comedic and dramatic, following the lives of doctors and nurses during the Korean War. Alan Alda’s portrayal of Hawkeye is still celebrated.

Question: In which show would you find the character Edith Bunker?
Explanation: All in the Family was a groundbreaking show that addressed controversial social issues through the lives of the Bunkers, with Edith providing a contrasting perspective to her husband Archie.

Question: Which police drama was known for its two detectives with contrasting styles, Starsky and Hutch?
Explanation: Starsky and Hutch ran from 1975 to 1979, featuring Paul Michael Glaser and David Soul as streetwise detectives with a distinctive Ford Gran Torino.

Question: Which show featured a family with three sons and three daughters brought together by marriage?
Explanation: The Brady Bunch, which aired from 1969 to 1974, showed the challenges and humor of a blended family with six children, setting a new sitcom family dynamic.