Today, reality television is one of the most-watched genres. It’s evolved far beyond quiz shows and trashy early-2000s dating shows. While MTV’s The Real World changed modern reality television for better or for worse, Candid Camera was the blueprint.

CBS’s Big Brother is often credited with reinventing the wheel, filming strangers living in a house and competing in challenges for a cash prize. The first iteration premiered in 1999 in the Netherlands and has continued to evolve since. It’s still a beloved show today with a massive cult following, but this concept appeared decades earlier.

The Forgotten Reality Show That Helped Invent Modern Reality TV

In the late 1940s, Candid Camera began as a radio show called Candid Microphone. However, it wasn’t until it landed on television that it captured everyone’s attention. The concept was simple: unsuspecting, ordinary people were placed in scenarios ranging from a man showering inside an elevator to an ice cream shop that served only vanilla. The cameras captured the reactions of the civilians and patrons, and it became a hit. In the early ’60s, it peaked at No. 2 on the Nielsen ratings.

Hosted by Allen Funt, the show ran until the 1970s. In the 90s, Funt reluctantly agreed to syndication, with new specials airing hosted by Dom DeLuise. It returned in 2014 in a new format on TV Land, but it lasted only one season.

Today, the hidden camera prank show concept is still pretty common. In the early 2000s, Ashton Kutcher hosted Punk’d, a series in which celebrities pranked other celebrities. The Jamie Kennedy Show aired for three seasons in the 2000s, combining the hidden camera concept with sketch comedy. Jackass is perhaps one of the most infamous franchises to adopt the concept, turning their pranks into theatrical films.

While Candid Camera might not be widely recognizable today, its innovation lives on in iconic shows like Big Brother, Impractical Jokers, Cheaters, and Jury Duty.