Candid Camera was a popular and long-running American hidden camera reality television series. Versions of the show appeared on television from 1948 until 2014. Originally created and produced by Allen Funt, it often featured practical jokes, and initially began on radio as The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947.
The show involved concealed cameras filming ordinary people being confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props, such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims were told the show's catchphrase, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera." The catchphrase became a song with music and lyrics by Sid Ramin.
Will people waiting in line at a ticket booth stay in their place or will they follow the crowd to unknown locations and conform to their actions? The Candid Camera crew conducted such an experiment and found that the subjects were only too willing to blindly follow the others in line without questioning their motives or destinations.
This Candid Camera episode took place 63 years ago in 1962.
Enjoy!