The Golden Age of The Game Show

Game shows have been popular ever since they premiered on the radio airways in the late 1930s.  A lot of the televisions games shows that premiered during this time got their start from the radio.  This tradition continued through the fifties as well.  Even some of the game show hosts got their start on the radio. 

All the game shows at this time had a very simple format to follow.  It would be many years for the technology to catch up with the times.  The shows were shown in black and white.  The sets were usually had two or three podiums with only one microphone on each.  This would reduce the feedback.  This made a lot of the earliest games show a simple but effective trivia game format.

Americana

Americana premiered on December 8, 1947.  This Martin Stone Productions/NBC Television aired on NBC primetime from December 8, 1947 until July 4, 1949. 

One of the first televised quiz shows, hosted by John Mason, Deems Taylor, and Ben Grauer.  The trivia questions were mainly from American history and folklore.  The coctions companines, and air times ntestants were called “Board of Experts.”  First the contestants were celebrities and later on the contestants were high school students.

Auction-Aire

Auction-Aire,hosted by Jack Gregson, premiered on September 30, 1949.  This Masterson-Reddy-Nelson Productions aired on ABC primetime from September 30, 1949 until June 23, 1950.

Home viewers and studio audience members participated in this televised auctions where they bid on merchandise prizes.  The contestant with the highest bid won the prize.  Home viewers could have a chance to win a car by correctly guessing numbers in “The Mystery Chant.”  The host would announce a number with a bunch of gibberish or noise behind it. 

Blind Date

Blind Date premiered on May 5, 1949.  This Bernard Schubert Productions game show aired on three different networks during its history.  First this game show aired on ABC primetime from May 5, 1949 until June 8, 1950.  Then it went back on the air on ABC primetime from August 31, 1950 until September 20, 1951.  By June 7, 1952, Blind Date switched networks to NBC primetime until July 19, 1952.  Once again Blind Date switched networks to Dumont primetime from June 9, 1953 until September 15, 1953.

Like other great television game sows, Blind Date originated from the radio.  In May 1953 the name of Blind Date was changed to Your Big Moment hosted by Melvyn Douglas.  After a few weeks it was changed back to Blind Date with host Jan Murray.

Six men, known as the “hunters,” attempted to win a date with one of three women, known as the “hunted.”  The six men sat at one side of a wall and telephoned one of the women seated out of view on the other side of the stage.   The men asked the women specially selected questions and made the ever-important decision to go on a date with her just by the sound of her voice.  The twist to this game is, Unlike the Dating Game, the women chose which of the six contestants they want to go on the date with. 

Break the Bank

Break the Bankpremiered on October 22, 1948.  This Wolf Productions Game show, hosted by Bert Parks and later by Bud Collyer.  Throughout the years this radio classic game show, which first was first heard in 1946.  First this game show aired on ABC primetime from October 22, 1948 until September 23, 1949; after an absence from television it premiered again from October 5, 1949 until January 9, 1952.  Then CBS aired it from January 13, 1952 until February 1, 1953.  Then it jumped networks again this time on NBC daytime from March 30, 1953 until September 18, 1953.  During the same time NBC aired a prime time version from June 23, 1953 until September 1, 1953.  ABC had a good two-year primetime run of this game show from January 31, 1954 until June 20, 1956.  Finally, NBC primetime had it back on the air from October 9, 1956 until January 15,1957.

In the original version of Break the Bank contestants were chosen from the studio audience.  Each correct answer was worth $25 to $500.  The contestant could only miss a question only twice before the game was over and the money earned to this point was put into the bank.  If the contestant answered the $500 question correctly the contestant had a chance to “Break the Bank” by answering one, more question.  The record bank amount was won at $8,870 in the summer of 1950.

In the years to come Break the Bank aired throughout the 1970s and 1980s.  Throughout the years the format of the game show changed.  In the 1970s version it was played more like Hollywood Squares.  In this version there were two celebrities in each square and the contestants had to guess which celebrity was telling the truth and which celebrity was giving a false answer.   In the 1980s version, which aired from 1985 to 1986, was a trivia game and a stunt show where couple competed fro prizes.     

Broadway to Hollywood Headline Clues

Broadway to Hollywood Headline Clues premiered on July 4, 1949.  This Dumont Television Production, which had many different hosts including George F. Putnam, Don Russell, Bill Slater, and Conrad Nagel, aired on Dumont daytime from July 4, 1949 until My 4, 1951.  It also aired on Dumont primetime from July 20, 1949 until July 15, 1954.

A brief description was read of that day’s top news stories.  The contestants, who were home viewers, then were asked questions about the news stories.  By 1951 the quiz portion was cut and then it became a news magazine series.   

Cash and Carry

Cash and Carrypremiered on June 30, 1946.  Carr-Stark Productions game show, hosted by Dennis James, aired in Dumont primetime from June 30, 1946 until July 1, 1947.  This was one of the first television games shows to aired on the two-station Dumont network. 

This game show was shown as a grocery store setting lined with Libby’s food products.  The contestants were asked questions about the products worth from $5 to $15 each.  During the show the contestants also completed stunts.  At the end of each broadcast home viewers had the opportunity to guess what was under the barrel for cash prizes.

The CBS Television Quiz

The CBS Television Quizpremiered on July 2, 1941.  The CBS Television Productions early game show, hosted by Gil Fates, aired on CBS primetime from July 2, 1941 until the fall of 1942. 

The CBS Television Quiz was the first regularly scheduled continuing game show on commercial television since the Federal Communications Commission authorized the beginning of commercial television in the spring of 1941.  This game show featured a variety of trivia games and stunts.

Celebrity Time

Celebrity Timepremiered on April 3, 1949.  This World Video game show, hosted by Conrad Nagel, was aired on two of the television networks.  This game show first aired on ABC primetime for a year from April 3, 1949 until March 26, 1950.  Then Celebrity Time switched networks to CBS primetime from April 2, 1950 until September 21, 1952.

 This was the first game show that was a battle of the sexes trivia game and verity show.  By 1952 the quiz segment was dropped and Celebrity Timebecame a verity show with Conrad Nagel still hosting. 

Charade Quiz

Charade Quizpremiered on December 4, 1947.  This Telamuse Productions/Stanly Catcher Productions, hosted by Bill Statner, aired on Dumont primetime from December 4, 1947 until June 23, 1949.  The three debut celebrity guests were Minnabess Lewis, Herb Polesic, and Bob Shepard. 

This early Dumont quiz show featured charades selected from home viewers for the show’s repertory company to act out.  The panel had ninety seconds to guess each charade.  Each viewer received $10 if his or her suggested charade was used on the show and $15 if the charade stumped the panel. 

College of Musical Knowledge

College of Musical Knowledge premiered on December 1, 1949.  This MCA from 1949 and later NBC Television in 1954 had two different hosts.  The two hosts were Kay Kyser and Tennessee Ernie Ford.  College of Musical Knowledge aired on NBC primetime from December 1, 1949 until September 12, 1954 taking occasional breaks in between broadcasts. 

This musical quiz and variety show was based off the radio show hosted by Kay Kyser.  Kyser dressed in cap and gown was called “the professor” recruited contestants from the studio audience and asked musical questions that were based on performances from the band and special guests.  Three judges dressed in tails sat behind a desk and comically judged the answers.

In 1954 country singer Tennessee Ernie Ford, who sang “Sixteen Tons,” became host.  The game show changed its format and consisted of two groups of contestants who attempted to identify songs for prizes.  The winning contestant attempted to guess the $100 bonus song, which increased by $100 each week the song was not identified.   

Draw a Laugh

Draw a Laughpremiered on January 15, 1949.  This game show, hosted by Walter Hurley and Patricia Bright, aired for a few weeks on ABC primetime from January 15, 1949 until February 5, 1949.    

This game show featured drawings by Mel Casson, who drew the newspaper comic strip Jeff Crockett, sketched cartoons from ideas submitted by home viewers.  At the beginning of the game the gag line, but not the cartoon, was given to the contestant, who within a two-minute time limit drew his or her own sketch.  Then four members of the studio audience then voted on which of the two drawings made them laugh.  

The Eyes Have It

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