American Quiz Show On Air for 50 Years

September 22, 2011

It's a Saturday morning, and the high school TV quiz show

It's Academic

is on the air, as it has been for the past 50 years. Students from schools across the Washington D.C. area are answering questions on history, literature, math, science, religion, politics and sports.

Producer Susan Altman says the show is a lot of fun. "It's a great age group to work with," said Altman. "They're fun, they're enthusiastic, they say funny things without even meaning to half the time."

Altman's mother, Sophie, a TV producer in the 1950s, started

It's Academic

at the request of local school officials to showcase outstanding students.

"At that time, 1961, the United States was going through a lot of upheaval with school integration, and they wanted things to help out to make the schools look good and to show that integration could work and work well. So this is what she came up with," recalled Sophie Altman.

Mac McGarry has hosted

It's Academi

c since it debuted. He's now 84.

"Every time I look up, I see people who are just 17 years old, and somehow I think, 'Well I must not be getting older at all.' Their enthusiasm is contagious, no question about it. You really have to rev yourself up to keep up with them," he said.

McGarry has challenged more than 20,000 contestants, asked more than 200,000 questions and gotten more than a few funny answers.