In the 1950s, television burst into the mainstream. While at the beginning of the decade only 9% of U.S. households had a television, over half had one by 1954 – and 86% had them by the end of the decade. The medium proved to be a powerful influence on American society.

Tic-Tac-Dough premiered on NBC daytime television on July 30, 1956, hosted Bill Wendell on October 6, 1958. Wendell hosted the show until its demise on October 23, 1959.

Play Your Hunch was a game show first hosted by Merv Griffin from 1958 to 1962, and was then hosted by Robert Q. Lewis until 1963.

Woman sitting among many different items to be won on television game shows.

To Tell The Truth premiered on Tuesday, December 18, 1956, on CBS. Bud Collyer was the show’s host. Panelists Polly Bergen, Dick Clark, Kitty Carlisle and Hy Gardner.

The earliest version of the show Treasure Hunt first appeared in the U.S. from 1956 to 1959, first on ABC, then later on NBC. The original show was created, hosted and produced by comedian Jan Murray. The “Pirate Girl” was Marion Stafford, Playboy Playmate of the Month for March 1956.

(Photos by Peter Stackpole, courtesy of LIFE Magazine, via Viewliner Ltd.)