Shocking TV Show Trivia You Need to Know
Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of your favorite TV shows? Are the questions in the TV category of your bar’s trivia night getting more difficult?
Here are some fun and interesting television facts from beloved classic shows that will help you win your next TV show trivia night!
M*A*S*H
Probably the most popular piece of TV show trivia is that the series finale of M*A*S*H is the most-watched episode of American television. But do you know that the show also has a connection to baseball?
There were a large number of roles in the show over the years, and the writers were beginning to run out of names, so they looked for inspiration around them. In season 6, four patients in the hospital that are named after members of the California Angels infield. During the following season, many of the patients were named after players on the Los Angeles Dodgers team.
Happy Days
In keeping with the tv trivia and military theme, you can thank the Vietnam War for Richie Cunningham. Turns out, actor Ron Howard had a really low draft number, in the low 40s, and he was trying to avoid being drafted.
Although he had just been accepted to USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, the government wasn’t accepting college deferments anymore. So, needing a work deferment, he accepted the role in the pilot of the new TV show, Happy Days.
The Waltons
A fun piece of television trivia: The Waltons was created to pacify Congress. Congressional hearings in the early 1970s questioned the moral quality of television, so CBS responded with The Waltons.
The show aired over 200 episodes over 9 seasons and made household names of all the cast members. See where they are today and the impact the show had on them.
The Jeffersons
Marla Gibbs had a job with United Airlines Customer Service when she first got the role of Florence on The Jeffersons. For the first two seasons, she simultaneously filmed the show while assisting customers.
As the show became more popular, people started to recognize her voice on the phone! She eventually quit her job at United Airlines and went on to star in over 200 episodes of The Jeffersons.
Gilligan’s Island
This piece of show trivia is a more subtle nod to history. In the first season of Gilligan’s Island is a memorial to President Kennedy. The pilot was filmed in November of 1963 and on the last day of production President Kennedy was assassinated. If you look closely when the Minnow pulls out of the harbor a US flag is flying at half-mast in honor of the President.
Ace Your Next Classic TV Show Trivia Night
With these classic show anecdotes and behind the scenes facts, you’re sure to ace your next TV show trivia night!
Explore our site for more fun film and tv show facts to make your next trivia night a huge success!