Tom Bergeron is a household name these days as the host of so many TV shows over his career, including Hollywood Squares, Dancing With the Stars, and America's Funniest Home Videos.

It may come as a surprise to you that Tom is from New England, born in Haverhill, Massachusetts. He got his start in entertainment at his hometown radio station and became a big hit on a radio station in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He later went on to national television, and his career snowballed from there.

But before he was on nationwide television, he had his local television debut in 1984 at the age of 29 on a TV game show on New Hampshire Public Television called Granite State Challenge, where high schools across the state compete to win grant money for their schools. Maine has a similar show called High School Quiz Show, but Granite State Challenge has been in continuous production for 40 years. Tom Bergeron was the host of the very first season.

There's no denying that's Tom, even with that perfectly '80s haircut. You can even see a bit of his well-known wit and humor, but it's more reserved here than it was on Hollywood Squares. These kids mean business and they're out to win, so the game is taken a lot more seriously than Squares. 

Watch how Tom handles this crazy moment on Hollywood Squares with only one square left to pick for the two contestants. Gilbert Godfrey keeps giving them wrong answers, and they continue to always say they agree. It got way out of hand, but Tom handled it all like a pro.

Grab a Bite to Eat at These 20 Hidden Gem New Hampshire Restaurants

These 13 Maine Cities Have the Best Downtowns

 

More From Q97.9