1958: 'Concentration' Goes Primetime
On this day in 1958, NBC's fledgling daytime game show, Concentration, was added to the network's prime-time lineup as a temporary replacement for Twenty-One, which had been pulled from the schedule in response to television's quiz-show scandal. Although the show's initial prime-time version, hosted by Jack Barry, ran just four weeks, the show itself proved to be a winner for the network.
Based on the children's game of the same name, the game show ran nearly fifteen years on the Peacock network's daytime schedule, with future news anchor Hugh Downs serving as the show's host until 1969. (Downs also hosted a second short-lived prime-time version in 1961.) Downs was replaced by Bob Clayton, who hosted until 1973 (with the exception of a six-month stint by Ed McMahon in 1969).
In 1973, a syndicated version of Concentration was produced, with Jack Narz as host. It ran five years. In 1987, a third version of the show, helmed by Alex Trebek, launched. It ran until 1991.
Concentration remains NBC's longest-running game show, and holds the record as television's fourth longest-running game show, behind The Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy.