Richard Dawson was the original host of the TV game show ‘Family Feud.’ First airing in 1976, it was a huge success. Dawson gained popularity as Corporal Peter Newkirk in the TV sitcom ‘Hogan’s Heroes,’ which ran for six seasons from 1965 to 1971. Dawson then went on as a panelist on ‘Match Game’ beginning in 1973. Due to his popularity on ‘Match Game,’ a spin-off game show was developed, which Dawson was allowed to host. ‘Family Feud’ was an immediate success and soon surpassed ‘Match Game’ in popularity. Dawson retired from Family Feud in 1985 but returned for another year in the mid-90s because of declining ratings. The show was revived in 1999 with several different hosts, and Steve Harvey took over hosting duties in September 2010. The show has earned continued popularity since.