Other celebrities, already famous, occasionally teamed with their relatives to win money for themselves or for charities. 1956–1959 – Two couples (reduced from three) answered questions until they either gave two consecutive incorrect responses or answered four consecutive questions correctly for a prize of $1,000. Despite not being involved with the quiz show scandals, the show's popularity waned and You Bet Your Life fell out of the top 25. View wiki Although the series was canceled at the end of the season, Cosby won a Kid's Choice Award for his hosting. Complete with DeSoto commercials. Incorrect answers now cut their bankroll to that point in half. Directed by Robert Dwan, Bernie Smith. Professional wrestler Wild Red Berry admitted that the outcomes of matches were determined in advance, but that the injuries were real; he revealed a long list of injuries he had sustained. Hi, I'm Yugi Moto, and I enjoyed this TV footage. A Bugs Bunny cartoon entitled Wideo Wabbit had a scene where Bugs Bunny impersonated Groucho to Elmer Fudd for the game show You Beat Your Wife, a takeoff on the name You Bet Your Life. After the contestants' introduction and interview, the actual game began. Really funny show as all the Groucho You Bet Your Life shows were. ", and "What color is an orange?" The radio program was sponsored by Allen Gellman, president of Elgin American, maker of watch cases and compacts, during its first two and a half seasons. The program was rerun into the 1970s and later in syndication as The Best of Groucho, making it the first game show to have repeat episodes enter the syndication market. [6][7] Later, seasons of the television show (as well as the radio show, after January 1950) were sponsored by Chrysler, with advertisements for DeSoto automobiles incorporated into the opening credits and the show itself. Directed by Robert Dwan, Bernie Smith. Arthur Godfrey's mother and Olympic gold medalist swimmer Murray Rose are among the guests. The show's best-remembered remark supposedly occurred as Groucho was interviewing Charlotte Story, who had borne 20 children (the exact number varies in tellings of the urban legend). Winning at least $500 qualified the team to go for the jackpot question. Melinda often performed on her father’s television show, “You Bet Your Life,” and famously inspired a Groucho quip when he was told that she was forbidden from swimming in a … You Bet Your Life was parodied on a live April 1955 episode of The Jack Benny Program, in which Benny pretended to be someone else to get on the quiz show (competing with a female contestant played by Irene Tedrow), and continually blabbed in an effort to say the secret word. 6), John Guedel is interviewed about producing 'You Bet Your Life.' Complete with DeSoto commercials. 1947–1956 – The highest-scoring couple was given one final question for the jackpot, which began at $1,000 and increased by $500 each week until won. She replied "my daddy loves children," and Groucho responded "Well, I like pancakes, but I haven't got a closet full of them!"[14]. The show's sponsor, the DeSoto-Plymouth Dealers of America, demanded that Marx fire Fielding, and he complied. Unlike "Twenty One", this show was NOT rigged. He would later go on to write The Exorcist in 1971. An episode of In Living Color had a skit called You Bet Your Career where Jamie Foxx plays as Bill Cosby featuring washed up celebrities competing for a walk-on role in sitcoms. The third contestant, Albert Hall, is worth watching just for himself. Very good TV series from the 1950's, very popular at the time. And of course, for learning about Groucho and You Bet Your Life, you can go to the source itself, that is, the episodes You Bet Your Life which are still available. When NBC sold its library to NTA and went out of the syndication business, NTA had no interest in Groucho. Two of the envelopes displayed the goose's face and would double the couple's money, while the third awarded an additional $10,000. This show is simply one of the very best and most entertaining in television history, and this particular episode is immensely enjoyable. With Groucho Marx, George Fenneman, Emma Gatewood, Max Shulman. The remark was judged too risqué to be aired, according to the anecdote, and was edited out before broadcast. [11] Arthur Godfrey's mother Kathryn was a contestant on another episode and held her own with Marx. Carsey-Werner syndicated the series, the first show they distributed themselves. [citation needed], In September 2020, it was announced that Fox Television Stations would reboot the show in syndication, which is set to premiere in fall of 2021 with Jay Leno as host. After Marx's death, this film appeared in the Unknown Marx Brothers documentary on DVD. [12], Marion and Charlotte Story were indeed parents of 20 children and had appeared as contestants on the radio version of the show in 1950. So folks, you come in, please, and meet Groucho Marx. Some examples include the following: "Who is buried in Grant's Tomb? . Classic TV - You Bet Your Life (Groucho Marx) - "The Secret Word Is - Chair" (1957) BoomerFlix - Classic Television. on March 1, 2008. If one of the contestants said the word, a toy duck resembling Groucho—with eyeglasses and a mustache—descended from the ceiling to bring a $100 prize, which would then be divided equally between that segment's two-person team. 1, No. In all formats, one of the two players on the team could keep their half of the winnings while the other risked their half. According to co-director Robert Dwan in his book. Before each question, the couple made a wager, which would be added to their winnings if they were correct or subtracted if they were incorrect. 1954–1956 – The format was slightly altered to start each couple with $100. Blatty won $10,000 and used the money, after quitting his job, to support himself while he focused on establishing a career as a writer. "Also 20 Years Dead: Groucho. After the sketch, Groucho asked him why he opted out of the 3,000 dollar prize. He and his partner in the episode went on to win the top prize of $10,000. Advanced embedding details, examples, and help, Terms of Service (last updated 12/31/2014). Julius Henry Marx (October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977), known professionally as Groucho Marx, was an American comedian and film and television star. He made 15 feature films with his siblings, the Marx Brothers as well as a successful solo career, most notably as the host of the radio and television game show, You Bet Your Life. Cajun politician Dudley J. LeBlanc, a Louisiana state senator and medicine showman, demonstrated his winning style at giving campaign speeches in French, also confessing (in a rare moment of candor) the truth about his signature nostrum, Hadacol: when asked what Hadacol was good for, LeBlanc admitted "about five million dollars for me last year. When the interview was done, the game began. 1956–1957 – For a brief period following the format change, couples who won the front game could wager half on another question worth $2,000. Then, a wall-eyed contestant named Albert Hall provides an amazing segment, as he and Marx mug at each other. After Best of Groucho reruns began local broadcasts again in 1974, producer John Guedel explained what led NBC to want to destroy the films which had been in its warehouses: "They were slow and in black-and-white and old fashioned. A "comedic quiz show", much of this program's humor was improvised, although Groucho usually would have a very basic idea on who would appear each episode. At one point in the conversation, he starts talking about Zeppo Marx, Groucho's younger brother and co-star: "You know, we used to have girls come down on a swing for the Secret Word -- pretty girls in bathing suits. Seasonal Nielsen ratings covered the period between October and April of the following year. In the event of a tie, the tied couples wrote their answers on paper and all couples who answered correctly split the jackpot. Cosby was joined on this show by a female announcer and sidekick, Robbi Chong, who was referred to as "Renfield". In the Summer, 1981 edition of The Freedonia Gazette (Vol. ", "When did the War of 1812 start? This is so funny, and I was'tn even born yet. 2 talking about this. Probably the funniest interview Groucho ever did, with Groucho finding a perfect foil in the crazy-eyed Albert Hall. Couples were allowed to choose from a list of 20 available categories before the show; then they tried to answer a series of questions within that category. ", "How long do you cook a three-minute egg? From 1947 to 1956, if a couple ended their quiz with $25 or less, Marx would ask a very easy question so they could receive consolation money of $25 (later $100), which did not count toward the scores. You know that line in You Bet Your Life the guy says he has 17 kids and I say ‘I smoke a cigar, but I take it out every once in a while.’ I never said it.” (Obviously Groucho himself here misrepresents the common story today and the sex of … Some episodes had celebrities, including George Fenneman, Phil Harris, and Greg Evigan, appear as contestants; each played for a member of the studio audience. He should have show of his own. Groucho Marx!" He also reluctantly appeared in two movies with brothers Chico and Harpo Marx, A Night in Casablanca and the lackluster Love Happy. Organist Shirley Scott contributed the jazzy theme music, and the program was taped in Philadelphia at the studios of public television station WHYY-TV (the former taping site of Nickelodeon's Double Dare and Finders Keepers). [8]. Iconic comedian GROUCHO MARX stars as host and emcee of YOU BET YOUR LIFE! From 1947 to 1956, couples were asked four questions. Find the perfect Groucho Marx You Bet Your Life stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Classic TV - You Bet Your Life (Groucho Marx) - "The Secret Word Is - Head" BoomerFlix - Classic Television. The duck was occasionally replaced with various other things, for example a wooden Indian figure, carrying the required $100 prize to the lucky team. Ebert, Roger. Hilarious! . Robin_1990 On February 6, 1958, silent-film star Francis X. Bushman and his wife Iva Millicient Richardson appeared on the show and won $1,000 by successfully answering questions in a geography quiz. 1953–1954 – Each couple now began with $0, but selected values from $10 to $100 (going up in $10 increments). The Only. Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977), was an American comedian and film star. While both shows did indeed allow for greater control in post-production editing, the principal reason why they were filmed was so that they could be produced in Hollywood before the advent of the "coaxial cable" that allowed live coast-to-coast broadcasts. With Groucho Marx, George Fenneman, Kathryn Morton Godfrey, Murray Rose. The contestant with the most money returned at the end of the show to meet "Leonard", the prize duck (If there was a tie, they would be asked a question with a numeric answer, which they wrote down, and whoever was closest without going over won). So sweet to see the 50s again. Groucho Marx in his extremely popular 1950's television series "You Bet Your Life", which aired on the NBC Television Network. . The series was a comedic game show which allowed plenty of room for Groucho's verbal comedy. With Groucho Marx, George Fenneman, Hazel L. Hummel, Jim McKinley. Groucho Marx as Himself. If the couple could not identify any of the three pictures, they were shown one picture and won $100 for a correct guess. He is famed as a master of wit. Occasionally, famous or otherwise interesting figures were invited to play (e.g., a Korean-American contestant who was a veteran and had been a prisoner of war during the Korean War). The question about Grant's Tomb became such a staple of the show that both Marx and Fenneman were shocked when one man got the question "wrong" by answering "No one". His radio show Blue Ribbon Town, sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, had begun in March 1943 and had failed to catch on. With Groucho Marx, George Fenneman, Jim MacGeorge, Phyllis Diller. Comic book storyline writer and future cartoon voice actor Jim MacGeorge, and nightclub performer Phyllis Diller, in her … The contestants were Mrs. Myra Puntridge and Aristotle. This quiz show made Groucho a household name, and features some great comedy. The total number of contestants in each episode varied depending on the length of Groucho's conversations and the time taken for gameplay in each segment. In 1980, Buddy Hackett hosted a new version produced by Hill-Eubanks Productions, and syndicated by MCA. Guedel put the reruns into syndication almost immediately.[23]. I never said that. "You know that line in You Bet Your Life? Groucho next would be introduced to the first two contestants and engage in humorous conversations in which he would improvise his responses or employ prepared lines written by the show's writers using pre-show interviews. In one episode, Groucho's brother Harpo came down instead of the duck, and in another a female model attired in a tight bodice and very short skirt came down in a birdcage with the money. Also existing is the unaired pilot episode (TV version), which was produced for CBS on December 5, 1949. A handful of audio recordings from the radio show also exist dating as far back as 1947, as do a number of one-hour, uncut audio recordings, which were edited to create the radio version, mostly from spring 1949 and fall 1953. A first rate episode and a perfect showcase for Groucho's ad-lib acumen. In this case, all amounts being played for were divided in half. That 55 Desoto was one fine looking car. A correct answer won a choice of three envelopes, which were all attached to the goose. A cartoon of a duck with a cigar was also used in the opening title sequence. Contestant teams usually consisted of one male and one female, most selected from the studio audience. The contestants were interviewed by Hackett and then played a true or false quiz of five questions in a particular category. As the contestant then pointed out, Grant's Tomb is an above-ground mausoleum. Complete episodes of the classic comedy quiz show, "You Bet Your Life", starring "The One. Carsey-Werner's Tom Werner will return as executive producer. Thank you for this show (episode). The show debuted on ABC Radio on October 27, 1947, then moved to CBS Radio debuting October 5, 1949, before making the transition to NBC-TV and NBC Radio on October 4, 1950. Some show tension revolved around whether a contestant would say the "secret word", a common word revealed to the audience at the outset of each episode. It's Groucho! "A Living Legend, Rated R.", Kaltenbach, C. (1997). And when you do, tell 'em Groucho sent you." Nielsen also measured the radio version at tenth among radio shows in 1955.[5]. Groucho Marx hosts a quiz show which features a series of competitive questions and a great deal of humourous conversation. He also had a successful solo career, most notably as the host of the radio and television game show You Bet Your Life. As in You Bet Your Life, the focus of the show was on Marx's interviews with the contestants before they played the game. Still later sponsors included the Toni Company (Prom home permanent, White Rain shampoo) with commercials featuring Harpo and Chico Marx, Lever Brothers (Lux liquid, Wisk detergent), Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Geritol) and Lorillard Tobacco Co. (Old Gold cigarettes). The first correct answer to a question earned $25, and the amount doubled with each subsequent correct answer. [3] The president of Film Craft Productions, Regina Lindenbaum (who did the subsequent filming), cited it as the first television show filmed before a live audience. Since September 2004, NBCUniversal Television Distribution handles syndication rights to the Marx (non-public domain) and Hackett versions. Directed by Robert Dwan, Bernie Smith. In australia this show wasnt shown and it was a thing of legend to me. A second release, You Bet Your Life: The Best Episodes, followed in 2004 and included another assortment of 18 original episodes, as well as three game show pilots featuring Marx among its bonus features. Each couple was staked with $750 and were then asked three questions within a category presented at the start of the game. ", John Guedel in Cecil Smith, "Man Who Said the Secret Word,", John Guedel in Cecil Smith, source cited above, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "You Bet Your Life #49-13 Unaired test film", https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1998/10/13/groucho-chico-harpo-and-karl/9c7ac70b-5076-4804-bd64-4e35ef5dc34f/, Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science, "You Bet Your Life #57-20 Francis X. Bushman ...", "FOX Television Stations Reinventing Legendary Comedy Game, "The day my grandfather Groucho and I saved You Bet Your Life", Illustrated web page depicting the changes in, Snopes.com page about the "I love my cigar..." urban legend, The Day My Grandfather Groucho and I Saved, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=You_Bet_Your_Life&oldid=1022337949, Black-and-white American television shows, First-run syndicated television programs in the United States, Radio programs adapted into television shows, Television series by Universal Television, Television series by Carsey-Werner Productions, Articles needing additional references from September 2007, All articles needing additional references, Pages using infobox television with nonstandard dates, Articles needing additional references from January 2016, Articles with unsourced statements from March 2016, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, John Guedel Productions, in association with. Gameplay on each episode of You Bet Your Life was generally secondary to Groucho's comedic interplay with contestants and often with Fenneman. Good TV not like programming today. During a radio appearance with Bob Hope in March 1947, Marx ad-libbed most of his performance after being forced to stand by in a waiting room for 40 minutes before going live on the air. Three couples competed, with each couple playing the game individually. Because of its simple format, it was possible to broadcast the show on both radio and television but not simultaneously. The contestant then stopped a rotating device, causing a plastic egg to drop out which concealed the name of a bonus prize, one of which was a car. 1959–1961 – For the last two seasons, the format was slightly altered to eliminate the risk and add a second number for $5,000. Includes intro of 1952 DeSoto. Groucho left the program in June 1944, replaced by vocalist Kenny Baker until the show's end two months later. 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