Thursday, February 27, 2014

Jim Lange Hosted The Dating Game

Folks my age would be more likely to remember the show than Jim Lange, but the former host of The Dating Game is dead at 81.  The Dating Game was a daytime show that ran from the mid 1960s to the early 1970s on ABC , a network that seemed to excel at marketing to America's youth.  Lange, who was also an LA DJ, was animated and telegenic. 
The concept of the show was similar to the to today's The Bachelor, except that it took 15 minutes for the subject to pick a date, rather than a season.  Also, the subject would not see the eligible bachelors or bachelorettes and marriage was not even in the conversation. 
With the chirpy music of Herb Albert And The Tijuana Brass in the background the show was fast moving and hip.  The trademark of the show was at the end when the couples would come out at the end and along with Lange, blow a big kiss to the audience.
TV writer and blogger Ken Levine has this tribute to Jim Lange.

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