The second of my two television program reviews is a game show which goes by the name You Bet Your Life. This game show was hosted by Groucho Marx, one of the five members of the then-famous comedy Marx family. The show first aired on ABC radio in October of 1947, and transitioned to NBC TV in 1950. It actually aired both of NBC radio and television for the first ten years of its run, due to the simplicity of the show. The last broadcast aired in summer of 1960, while the show continued its run on television for another year, while also changing the program name to The Groucho Show.
The set up of the game was pretty simple and common, as most game shows do share. There was never a set number of contestants, but there were always one male and one female on the same team. In the beginning years of the show, each “couple” would begin their round of questions with $20, which they would wager on each question. These “couples” would usually be randomly selected from the live audience, however sometimes the participants would be chosen for specific reasons. An example of this is a former Korean War veteran and prisoner-of-war, who was chose to compete on this show.
The opening to this show begins with a little intro video with some charming, game show music that is quite similar to most other scores and songs for game shows. The intro video contains a cartoon duck with a mustache and a cigar, an interesting and funny image if I do say so myself. Following this image and the cheesy song, the game show begins with the intro to the host himself. Every episode begins with this video and song, then moves to the host introduction. “Here’s Groucho!” is the famous tagline that the audience all yell at the same time as the show begins, with Groucho appearing at the same time. He then chooses a specific word which the questions are somewhat loosely based around. In this specific episode, the word is water. An example of one of these questions is what the word water is in French. When the female contestant cannot answer this question, she is then asked another very similar question, “what is the word water in Hungarian”. She clearly does not know the answer to the question, which is what gets the crowd going.
This show is written, shot, and performed much like most other typical game shows. In the episode I selected, there were no commercials or real transitions that I was able to observe. The sound is somewhat “blurry”, I can’t really find a great adjective to describe it. But yes, the sound good could be a little bit more polished over, but that just might be the microphones and technology of the time.
From what I am able to see, the show doesn’t have any obvious sponsors. It must have some, but in the episode they do not run any ads or sponsor-based questions, which is kind of surprising for the time this episode is in. I would have assumed I would have seen some advertisement, at the very least a Marlboro or cigarette commercial.
In the end, this show is very much life every other comedic game show during the 50s and 60s. The humor is quite dry, and a bit sexist towards women in times, as most game shows at the time were. Groucho is a very stereotypical host with the basic humor that most game show hosts possess. In my eyes this show is not that special, but apparently it was a hit back in the day.

Citation
“You Bet Your Life”. IMDB. 2007

Air Date: Jan.6, 1955
Guests: Sgt. & Mrs. Sylvester Nelson, Jim Ferrier & a dog trainer, a sewing teacher & Floyd Humiston
('Air Date' provided by Library of Congress records - LC control No.: 97520167)

This was apparently from June 1954, according to Wiki on the golfer's appearance. I wonder if that is the first time someone said the word pregnant on tv.

The show is very heavily edited. Apparently they taped a long time then spliced together the best bits.

Very good quiz show of the 50s.

Those beautiful RCA 77DX and Groucho's RCA 44BX microphones along with the program's sponsor DeSoto bring back memories of America's quality of goods, and leadership in the world. Later in 1960 Nikita Khrushchev pounded his shoe on the podium at the Communist inspired UN Headquarters while screaming; "We Will Bury You"!
After 50 years, his proclamation appears to be coming true.

If this program were any hotter it'd torch your ass.

I'll upload more if I get the chance.

I love these....I think there are way better than anyting on TV today. Most of the contestants are funny without trying. A real snapshot of early America and it's values. I miss the good old days