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But his most recognizable career was still ahead.
Then Chuck Barris Called
In 1966, producer Chuck Barris was preparing a new television program.
The idea was straightforward.
Bring recently married couples onto a game show and determine how well they actually knew their spouses.
Answers would be compared.
Matches would earn points.
Mismatches could create problems.
The program was called The Newlywed Game.
Eubanks was selected as its host.
He was still in his 20s.
And the format suited him almost perfectly.
The Questions Were Only Half the Entertainment
The Newlywed Game premiered on ABC in 1966.
Its basic structure was simple, but simplicity was part of its strength.
Contestants were asked questions about their spouses.
Then their answers were compared.
Sometimes they matched perfectly.
Sometimes they did not come close.
And sometimes a contestant said something so unexpected that the reaction became more entertaining than the game itself.
Eubanks learned how to stay in the middle of those moments without overwhelming them.
He could tease contestants.
He could react quickly.
And he could keep the conversation moving after an awkward answer.
His playful delivery became one of the show’s defining characteristics.
So did a particular euphemism.
“Whoopee.”
It became closely associated with Eubanks and the program’s joking references to married life.
The show was successful enough to become one of the defining game shows of its period.
And Eubanks would keep returning to it across different eras.