2 families by each of their family's last name. 1 a returning champion "The Winning Famliy" & 1 Challenging Family compete to match answers to a survey question (e.g.: "Name a famous George") in which 100 people were surveyed. The "Family Feud" Survey Board consists of positions from 3 to 12 and features the number of people said of the answer to a survey question from 2 to 80 people that'll (never be) adds up to $100. Dollar figures that adds to the bank. Double Survey Question ($200) in 1976 & Triple Survey Question ($300) added on March 5, 1979 (1st introduced in the syndicated portion in 1977). The families tried to name the most popular answers (No. 1 survey answer) given in that survey before getting three "strikes" (answers not given on the survey) they're out of the question and doing so allowed the family to steal the bank by naming just 1 answer not yet revealed. The game was played until one family collected $200 in 1976 , $300 in 1979 & $400 in 1984 wins the game and with all "The Winning Family" playing "Fast Money" for $5000. In "Fast Money", 2 family members separately tried to name the most popular answers (No. 1's) to 5 questions with 200 points required to win $5000; anything less than 200 points earned a consolation bonus of $5 for every point (e.g., 150 points meant $750). In the syndicated portion which began in 1977, 2 new families competed per show with the Fast Money round being worth $10,000 with the game being otherwise identical to the ABC daytime show.

The original "Feud" theme music was based on a piece often played on _"Price Is Right, The" (1972)_ for new cars; it was re-recorded as a banjo-picking, hillbilly-type theme song.

[On the set of the first show: July 12, 1976]


Richard Dawson:
I haven't been this excited since I got the oil drilling rights to Jack Lord's hair!

Written by Robert Israel (BMI)
Published by TattleTales Music (BMI)