Two families lined up across a bright, spinning-topped set, a host reading a survey question, and everybody at home shouting a guess at the screen a half-second before the buzzer. “We surveyed 100 people…” In the 80s, Family Feud took the simplest premise imaginable — guess what other people said — and turned it into daytime gold.

Family Feud pits two families against each other to guess the most popular answers to survey questions posed to 100 people. In the 80s it was defined by host Richard Dawson, whose showmanship — and famous habit of kissing contestants — made him a daytime star, before a hit 1988 revival brought on host Ray Combs. It was one of the most quotable game shows of the decade.

“Survey says!” and the perfect format

The beauty of Family Feud is that anyone can play it. There’s no trivia to know — just a feel for what regular people would say. Name a reason you’d call in sick. Name something you find in a purse. Contestants guessed, the board revealed the survey’s top answers with that satisfying ding, and the host’s “Survey says!” turned every reveal into a little drama. Two wrong answers from a stealing family and the round flipped. It was social intuition as a game, and families at home played right along, arguing over every answer.

Richard Dawson, the kissing host

For most of the 80s, Family Feud was Richard Dawson’s show. The British-born host — already famous from Hogan’s Heroes — brought a lounge-singer charm, a quick wit, and one very memorable habit: he kissed nearly every female contestant, often on the lips, as a good-luck greeting. It was his trademark, controversial even then, and utterly inseparable from his era of the show. His warmth with contestants and his command of the studio made him one of the definitive game show hosts of the decade.

Remember when a contestant would blurt out a wild, obviously-wrong answer, the host would repeat it deadpan to the studio, and everyone held their breath waiting for the board — before that big red X and the buzzer dropped and the whole family groaned? Those gloriously bad answers were half the reason to watch.

The reboot and Ray Combs

Dawson’s original run ended in 1985, but the format was too good to stay gone. In 1988, Family Feud came roaring back with a new host, Ray Combs, whose energetic, comedic style won over a fresh audience and kept the show a fixture into the 90s. (Dawson would even return briefly.) The late-80s revival proved the Feud engine could outlive any single host — a lesson the show has demonstrated many times since.

Why Family Feud still surveys

Family Feud turned out to be one of the most resilient formats in television, revived again and again with new hosts for new generations. But the 80s gave it its identity: the survey board, the two-family showdown, “Survey says!”, and Richard Dawson’s charm (and kisses). Every version since is playing the game those years perfected.

FAQ

How does Family Feud work?
Two families compete to guess the most popular answers to questions asked of a 100-person survey, racking up points and stealing rounds from each other.

Who hosted Family Feud in the 80s?
Richard Dawson hosted through 1985, and the show was revived in 1988 with host Ray Combs.

Why was Richard Dawson famous on the show?
For his charm and quick wit — and for his trademark habit of kissing female contestants as a greeting, which became inseparable from his era.

What’s the show’s catchphrase?
“Survey says!” — the host’s cue as the board revealed whether a guess made the survey’s top answers.

When was Family Feud revived?
In 1988, with Ray Combs as host, after Dawson’s original run ended in 1985.

Do you need trivia knowledge to play?
No — the game rewards guessing what ordinary people would say, not knowing facts, which is a big part of its wide appeal.

Family Feud was one of the most quotable great 80s game shows — see the whole lineup there, or come on down to The Price Is Right next.