Writer of Pop Culture

1963: ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ Debuts

The goofy game show, Let’s Make a Deal has been on and off the air with multiple versions since 1963. The show’s first host, Monty Hall, already had a history of hosting games shows on the radio as well as TV. He developed, produced and starred in his own creation which premiered on NBC in 1963.

The concept of the show involved contestants pulled from the audience to serve as “traders” who would make deals with the host. They were usually given something of some value and then given the chance to trade it in for something hidden under a box or behind a huge door. Some of the trade-in items were worth much more than the first one or they could be considered a “zonk” that had little to no value at all.

After the game show moved to ABC in 1968 and a syndicated version debuted in 1971, the show ended its run in 1977. It was revived twice in 1980 and 1986 before NBC welcomed the show back in 1990. This time, the show was hosted by Bob Hilton who was fired due to low ratings. Monty Hall was called in to serve as a guest host but stuck around until it was cancelled in 1991.

In 2003, Billy Bush briefly served as host of a prime-time version of the show, but it ended after just three episodes. Then in 2009, CBS took a stab of reviving the show where it continues today with host Wayne Brady. (Image: Wikimedia)