The Great Radio Audience Participation Shows

This work contains the histories of Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts, Art Linkletter’s House Party, Break the Bank, The Breakfast Club, Bride and Groom, Can You Top This?, Dr. Christian, Dr. I.Q., Double or Nothing, Information Please, Queen for a Day, Stop the Music!, Strike It Rich, Take It or Leave It, Truth or Consequences, Welcome Travelers, and You Bet Your Life, all from the 1940s and 1950s. Included for each show are the premise it was based upon, the producers, host, announcer, vocalists, orchestra conductor, writers, and sponsors, and the air dates and ratings. Biographical sketches are provided for 177 individuals.

Jim Cox, a leading radio historian, is an award-winning author of numerous books on the subject. A retired college professor, he lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

Jim Cox
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 272
Bibliographic Info: 14 photos, appendix, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2009 [2001]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4046-7
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2855-4
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      v

Preface      1

1. Art Linkletter’s House Party      9

2. Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts      19

3. Break the Bank      33

4. The Breakfast Club      46

5. Bride and Groom      63

6. Can You Top This?      67

7. Dr. Christian      75

8. Dr. I.Q.      85

9. Double or Nothing      92

10. Information Please      101

11. Queen for a Day      122

12. Stop the Music!      131

13. Strike It Rich      150

14. Take It or Leave It      160

15. Truth or Consequences      173

16. Welcome Travelers      192

17. You Bet Your Life      199

Appendix: An Annotated Guide to Network Radio Audience Participation Shows      217

Chapter Notes      237

Bibliography      244

Index      247

“analysis of the programs is informative and deep…entries are interesting to read..fun”—Booklist; “fascinating…a great read. You won’t be disappointed”—Chattanooga Airwaves; “extensive”—Choice; “through lengthy overviews of each series, with credits and sponsors, Cox documents the history of each series with warmth and humor”—Big Reel; “an addictive read…hard-to-find personal data on the people involved with the shows”—Classic Images; “a treasure…well done”—Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters Radio and Television; “wonderful…excellent”—Chattanooga Airwaves; “fully details the complete history, story-line, sponsors, cast and crew of seventeen audience participation programs…entertaining…the author has peppered every page with obscure, but fascinating detail…perfect”—Radio Recall.