Top 20 Celebrities Who Were On Game Shows Before They Were Famous

“The Dating Game” (1968)

While still a student at UCLA, Steve Martin appeared on “The Dating Game” show in 1968. He competed with two other contestants for a date with a woman with the same last name as him: Deana Martin. Steve put his charm and humor on full display, ultimately coming out on top. That likable, funny character was just a preview of what would come. Deanna saw something in Steve. Luckily for us— we were later able to see more of Steve, starting with his stand-up comedy performances during the 1970s and then of course in the movies.

“Nick Arcade” (1997)

Just before experiencing a massive rise in fame as a member of NSYNC in the late 1990s, Joey Fatone appeared on Nickelodeon in the game show “Nick Arcade.” The competition consisted of head-to-head video games and trivia questions. Just look at those throwback arcade games! Fatone and his partner didn’t get the job done in the end, but they didn’t leave empty-handed! The game show provided them with consolation prizes that give off nostalgic Nickelodeon commercial vibes. Not bad! Besides Fatone’s fame in the music and acting industries that came after this appearance, he also went on to be an announcer in a game show!

“Blockbusters” [U.K.] (1997)

Choose a letter, get a question, and answer with a word beginning with that letter. That’s the basic premise of the game show “Blockbusters.” While in his 20s, Stephen Merchant appeared on the show. From the get-go, you could tell he meant business. After a good start, though, his opponents soon took the lead and never looked back. About 16 years later, Merchant appeared on “The Graham Norton Show” and talked about his “Blockbusters” experience. That included a funny anecdote about taking on a team of two by himself. At this point, Merchant was famous for his contributions to comedy and television shows such as the U.K.’s “The Office” and “Extras” —and for being a co-host of “The Ricky Gervais Show.”

“The Dating Game” (1978)

He had already been on “SNL,” “Van Dyke and Company,” and “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” by the time he appeared on “The Dating Game” in 1978. But Andy Kaufman would become much more famous in the years that followed, particularly thanks to his role as Latka Gravas on the sitcom “Taxi.” Kaufman went against conventions—as he often did throughout his career—when he brought his “Foreign Man” character to “The Dating Game.” Kaufman won a fair share of laughs from the crowd— but not the game in the end. Still in character, he showed that the loss was a tough pill to swallow.

“The Price Is Right” (1994)

Being able to correctly guess the price of items—or come really close—is an underrated talent. In a 1994 episode of “The Price Is Right,” Linda Cardellini came so close with her guess of a fireplace’s price that she got to take it home! Her 2003 interview on “The Sharon Osbourne Show” revealed what happened to the prize and the heartwarming plan her parents had for it. “The Price Is Right” was Cardellini’s first appearance on television. She then rose to fame on the screen with roles in series such as “ER” and “Freaks and Geeks.” Oh yeah, and you might recognize her as Velma in the live-action “Scooby-Doo” films.

“Deal or No Deal” (2006-07)

Perhaps you know her as the Duchess of Sussex—the woman married to Prince Harry. Or for fans of “Suits,” she’s Rachel Zane—paralegal-turned-attorney. Before all of that—and before becoming a prominent figure in pop culture—Meghan Markle was on “Deal or No Deal.” In 2006, she landed a job as a briefcase model on the NBC game show hosted by Howie Mandel. She certainly made this woman happy after opening the number-11 case. After 34 episodes spanning two seasons, Markle had enough of the game show. Years later—at this point extremely famous— she opened up about the downside of “Deal or No Deal.”

“University Challenge” [U.K.] (1980)

While a student at Cambridge at the time, Stephen Fry put his mind to the test on the British TV quiz program “University Challenge.” Representing Queens’ College alongside three other young gentlemen, Fry was at first flustered in an attempt to answer this question. After this game show appearance, he would soon be on his way to greatness in the fields of broadcasting, acting, comedy, and writing. “Alfresco,” a comedy sketch series aired from 1983 to 1984, was one of many significant stepping stones. Over 30 years after the young Fry appeared on “University Challenge,” he became president of the mental health charity known as “Mind.”

“The Dating Game” (1967)

Tex Ritter was a famous singing cowboy and actor. His son, John, followed in his footsteps in terms of the latter. Prior to making his mark in his father’s footsteps, though, John Ritter appeared on “The Dating Game” at 19 years old. He showed he got game and was selected as the winning bachelor. Although, it wasn’t the smoothest reaction to being announced victorious. He already secured the win, so nothing to worry about, John. This was John Ritter’s first-ever appearance on TV. Among his myriad of TV and film roles that followed, there perhaps wasn’t one more notable than Jack Tripper in the sitcom “Three’s Company” from 1977 to 1984.

“Boiling Points” (2005)

Before countless fans went gaga for Lady Gaga, she appeared on a prank-based reality game show on MTV in 2005. At that point, she wasn’t Lady Gaga yet. She was Stefani Germanotta— a 19-year-old with music dreams. But no paparazzi would have recognized her then. In this episode of “Boiling Points,” she found herself on the wrong end of a restaurant prank. After what was done to her meal, there was no reason to show a poker face and pretend everything was okay. Just a few years later, that young woman became a pop icon after the release of her debut studio album “The Fame.”

“The Dating Game” (1969)

Whether it was the TV series “Charlie’s Angels,” a cosmetic commercial, or a red swimsuit poster, Farrah Fawcett appeared in many capacities starting in the 1970s. She went on to become a household name. Before her career took off, though, she was looking for a date on “The Dating Game” show in a 1969 episode. Fawcett was 22 years old at the time. As the host mentioned when introducing her, she had other ventures going on back then. Over three decades later, her sculpture work with Keith Edmier was exhibited at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh.

“I’m Telling!” (1987)

“I’m Telling!” was a short-lived Saturday morning game show in which brother and sister teams competed for prizes. The object of the game was to match answers with your sibling in response to embarrassing and entertaining questions, with the highest number of matches resulting in a win. Think “The Newlywed Game,” only with siblings instead of spouses. The late “Fast and Furious” star was just 14 years old when he stepped onto the “I’m Telling!” stage, playing with his younger sister Ashlie. The duo did quite well, finishing in second place and each taking home a bike, a board game, and a Slurpee gift card.

“The Price Is Right” (1980)

Vanna White’s game show career had to be pre-destined—it’s the only conclusion we can reach due to her fairytale-like journey. In 1980, White appeared on The Price is Right as one of the initial four contestants. She didn’t make it to the showcase, but her picturesque beauty and bubbly personality made jaws drop. Some of those jaws happened to belong to some very important TV producers. Just two years after her “Price Is Right” appearance, White auditioned for the vacant hostess spot on Wheel of Fortune, beating out hundreds of applicants to be named the regular co-host in December 1982. She is the longest-running game show hostess in history and is THE female icon of the industry.

“Match Game” (1979)

“Match Game” was a super popular show where contestants tried to match their answers with … well let’s say lubricated.... celebrity panelists. In a reversal of roles, Kirstie Alley appeared on the show in 1979 not as a celebrity, but as an unknown contestant. Introduced as an interior designer from Wichita, Kansas, Alley's appearance on “Match Game” came three years before her movie debut in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” and eight years before “Cheers” made her a household name. Paired with Jamie Lee Curtis, Betty White, and others, Kirstie had one of the best game show performances of a pre-fame celebrity, winning both rounds and taking home $6,000.

“The Dating Game” (1965 & 1967)

Over a decade before becoming the title character in “Magnum, P.I.” and well before his role as New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan in “Blue Bloods,” Tom Selleck appeared on TV in a crimeless show: “The Dating Game.” He wasn’t done after his first appearance in 1965 either. He returned to the show in 1967. Selleck was a college student and basketball player at USC then. In a 2024 interview with “Entertainment Tonight,” he discussed the path that “The Dating Game” led him on. His words were quite humble and honest.

“The Gong Show” (1976-77)

Paul Reubens may be best known as Pee-wee Herman, but before Pee-wee hit it big, Reubens was simply a no-name performer. During the 70s, Reubens studied with the renowned Groundlings improv troupe and entertained his way through the lower echelons of show business, playing nightclubs and short spots on TV shows. But the peaks of his early comedy career were his appearances on “The Gong Show,” the wacky variety show that hosted all kinds of bizarre acts. And few were weirder than Reubens’. One of these anti-comedy skits featured a duo called “Suave & Debonair,” which saw Reubens paired with John Paragon in a satirical nightclub setting. Another had Reubens in a dance group called “Les Chats,” which we’ll let you try to decipher.

“Sale of the Century” [U.K.] (1990)

“Sale of the Century” was a long-running hybrid game show: equal parts Price is Right and Jeopardy. In 1990, a young Simon Cowell made his TV debut on the show, and he bore no resemblance to the tyrant judge of today. Polite, well-mannered, and docile in character, Cowell competed with deft skill and sportsmanship, answering questions and winning random prizes like... cooking utensils. He won the game handily, but his integrity won in a much larger way: not one rude remark was uttered by Cowell in what has to be the most subdued television appearance of his life.

“Deal or No Deal” [U.K.] (2007)

Olly Murs first came to public attention in the sixth season of X-Factor... or did he? Two years prior to his “X-Factor” redemption, Olly appeared on the UK version of “Deal or No Deal,” and the show couldn’t have gone worse. Every case he eliminated had larger and larger figures, and eventually, every substantial sum was off the board. Host Noel Edmonds described all our thoughts when he said “This is the most appalling run of luck in the history of the game.” Murs finished the game with only 10 pounds, which is one of the smallest totals in “Deal or No Deal” history. It’s obvious his luck has since changed.

“The Big Date” (1996)

Long before Jon Hamm conjured the charm of Don Draper, he was just an uncomfortable 25-year-old on a game show. With a strange haircut and an even stranger expression, Hamm disconcerted viewers as a contestant on “The Big Date,” a derivation of “The Dating Game” in which players compete for a date with a near-mythical beauty. Hamm’s eye-assault of the bachelorette didn’t earn him any favors—neither did his creepy answers to the predictably trite questions. Whether his actions came as a result of suggestions from the producers or his own personality is tough to say, although it’s clear he was doomed on this show from his less than “fabulous” start.

“The Dating Game” (1973)

“The Dating Game” was the cornerstone of 70s game show culture, and many pre and post-fame celebrities were the objects of desire. Probably the most retrospectively famous person to grace the show was Arnold Schwarzenegger, who made an impressive appearance in 1973. Arnold had just tiptoed into the public consciousness thanks to his bodybuilding exploits, but this was years before his acting career made him a household name. It was on “The Dating Game” that mainstream American audiences got the first taste of his unique foreign charm, as the Governator wooed the three contestants, one of whom was a Playboy bunny. In the end, he bypassed the bunny, electing to choose the least weird of the three spacey girls.

“The Price Is Right” (2000)

Aaron Paul might be the only successful actor to owe his career to meth. Not literally, of course, but we wouldn’t blame you if you thought his energetic demeanor during his pre-fame “Price is Right” appearance gave that impression. Even Paul himself stated in an interview that he looked like he was on “serious crack” during the show, as the producers said they wanted energy. Paul went above and beyond the call of duty. The 20-year-old ingested six cans of Red Bull prior to shooting, and he exploded onto the stage when announced; running around, screaming, and even telling Bob Barker that he’s his idol. He failed to win, but the rest of us did when the video of Jesse Pinkman in a much more colorful light surfaced years later.

Let us know in the comments what game show you would go on!