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{{Short description|American TV game show (1955)}} |
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{{Infobox television |
{{Infobox television |
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| show_name = Penny to a Million |
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| runtime = 25 minutes |
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| starring = [[Bill Goodwin]] |
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| narrated = [[Johnny Olson]]<br>[[Jay Stewart]] |
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| country = United States |
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| network = [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] |
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| first_aired = {{Start date|1955|05|04}} |
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| last_aired = {{End date|1955|10|19}} |
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| num_episodes = ~20 |
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}} |
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'''''Penny to a Million''''' |
'''''Penny to a Million''''' is an American television [[game show]] that aired on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from May 4 to October 19, 1955. [[Bill Goodwin]] was the host.<ref name=tt>{{cite book|last1=McNeil|first1=Alex|title=Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present |date=1996|publisher=Penguin Books USA, Inc.|location=New York, New York|isbn=0-14-02-4916-8|page= 648|edition=4th}}</ref> It was broadcast from 9:30 to 10 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesdays.<ref name="nyt" /> |
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==Format== |
==Format== |
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Contestants answered questions to build up a jackpot which started at one cent and could rise to a maximum of $10,000 (one million cents).<ref name=brooks>{{cite book |last1=Brooks |first1=Tim |last2=Marsh |first2=Earle F. |title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present |date=June 24, 2009 |publisher=Random House Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-307-48320-1 |page=1065 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&dq=%22Penny+to+a+Million%22&pg=PA1065 |access-date=July 2, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | The game was played in three rounds. During each of the first two, four new contestants were selected from the audience and took turns answering questions. The jackpot began at zero in each round; the first correct answer added one cent, and each subsequent correct answer doubled the total. Any contestant who gave an incorrect answer or failed to respond within five seconds was eliminated from the game, receiving a gift certificate or savings bond ($25 for the first two eliminated, $50 for the third) and a pen or pack of cigarettes, depending on the day's sponsoring company. The round ended when three contestants had been eliminated, leaving one survivor to advance. If 20 or more correct answers were given, the jackpot was frozen at 500,000 cents ($5,000), rounded down from the total of 524,288 that would result from the initial cent being doubled 19 times. |
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Questions were separated into categories. As long as each contestant answered correctly, the next question would be of the same category; lines of questioning began with the easiest questions first, becoming progressively more difficult with each question. After a wrong answer, a new category would be introduced, and the process began again. For musical categories (identifying tunes was a recurring question format), a live [[big band]] was on hand to perform short snippets. |
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At the start of each round and after an incorrect answer, the host would announce a new category and ask questions in it, starting with easy ones and progressing to higher difficulty. Musical categories were frequently used, requiring contestants to identify tunes as performed by a [[big band]] in the studio. |
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The winners of each round competed in the Playoff Round, where the jackpots from each round were added together. The two players took turns answering questions until at least one of them missed a question. If they both missed a question in turn, they both split the pot evenly. If one player correctly answered a question and the other missed, the winner won 3/4 of the pot and the runner-up received the remaining quarter of the pot. |
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The winners of the two rounds faced each other in the third, for which their individual jackpots were combined. They alternated answering questions until one of them gave an incorrect response, after which the host would ask the opponent one final question. If the opponent also missed, the contestants each received half the jackpot; if the opponent answered correctly, they received 75% and the contestant who had first missed a question received the other 25%. |
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The show's name comes from its concept: the smallest prize was 1¢, and the highest prize the show offered was "a million pennies," or $10,000. |
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The show's title came from the range of possible jackpot values, from one to a million pennies (1¢ to $10,000). However, the rules ensured that no one contestant could win more than $7,500, achievable if the first two rounds went to the $5,000 maximum and the third one ended with a 75% victor. |
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==Production== |
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Herb Wolf was the producer<ref name=tt/> for Wolf Associates. Sponsors were [[Brown & Williamson|Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation]] and W. A. Sheaffer Pen Company. ''Penny to a Million'' replaced ''[[Who Said That?]]'', which Sheaffer had co-sponsored.<ref name="nyt">{{cite news |last1=Adams |first1=Val |title=Coward Will Act on C. B. S. Telecasts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1955/04/22/archives/coward-will-act-on-cbs-telecasts-actorauthor-to-star-in-own-plays.html |access-date=July 2, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=April 22, 1955 |page=33|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Admiral, which was a co-sponsor of ''Who Said That?'', chose not to back the new show.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=April 30, 1955 |page=3 |title=ABC, Shuffling Fall Sked, Sees Big Year |magazine=Billboard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CBwEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Penny+to+a+Million%22&pg=PA3 |accessdate=July 2, 2023 }}</ref> |
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[[George Ansbro]] was the announcer for episodes that originated in New York; [[Jay Stewart]] announced those that originated in Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Terrace |first1=Vincent |title=Television Introductions: Narrated TV Program Openings since 1949 |date=November 7, 2013 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-9250-7 |page=287 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EDsYAgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Penny+to+a+Million%22&pg=PA287 |access-date=July 2, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> |
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==Critical response== |
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A review in the trade publication ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' said that ''Penny to a Million'' "follows a familiar pattern" seen in other televised quiz shows.<ref name=v>{{cite magazine |date=May 11, 1955 |page=35 |title=Penny to a Million |magazine=Variety |url=https://archive.org/details/variety198-1955-05/page/n100/mode/1up?q=%22Penny+to+a+Million%22&view=theater |accessdate=July 3, 2023}}</ref> It called the program's premise "a clumsy format that builds no excitement and holds little interest."<ref name=v/> The review described Goodwin as "a smiling, affable host" who did not benefit from hosting the show and whose "quips fall far from the funnybone mark."<ref name=v/> It concluded that the sponsor "didn't make a change for the better" by putting ''Penny to a Million'' in place of ''Who Said That?''.<ref name=v/> |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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* |
*{{IMDb title|tt3539834}} |
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*[http://www.tvparty.com/games2.html ''Penny to a Million'' description, photos, and video clips at tvparty.com] |
*[http://www.tvparty.com/games2.html ''Penny to a Million'' description, photos, and video clips at tvparty.com] |
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*'[https://archive.org/details/PennytoaMillion Episode from October 1955 available for download at the Internet Archive] |
*'[https://archive.org/details/PennytoaMillion Episode from October 1955 available for download at the Internet Archive] |
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[[Category:1950s American television series]] |
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[[Category:1955 American television series debuts]] |
[[Category:1955 American television series debuts]] |
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[[Category:1955 American television series endings]] |
[[Category:1955 American television series endings]] |
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[[Category:American game shows]] |
[[Category:1950s American game shows]] |
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[[Category:American Broadcasting Company |
[[Category:American Broadcasting Company game shows]] |
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{{US-game-show-stub}} |
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Latest revision as of 00:32, 21 December 2024
| Penny to a Million | |
|---|---|
| Starring | Bill Goodwin |
| Narrated by | Johnny Olson Jay Stewart |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | ~20 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | May 4 – October 19, 1955 |
Penny to a Million is an American television game show that aired on ABC from May 4 to October 19, 1955. Bill Goodwin was the host.[1] It was broadcast from 9:30 to 10 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesdays.[2]
Format
[edit]Contestants answered questions to build up a jackpot which started at one cent and could rise to a maximum of $10,000 (one million cents).[3]
The game was played in three rounds. During each of the first two, four new contestants were selected from the audience and took turns answering questions. The jackpot began at zero in each round; the first correct answer added one cent, and each subsequent correct answer doubled the total. Any contestant who gave an incorrect answer or failed to respond within five seconds was eliminated from the game, receiving a gift certificate or savings bond ($25 for the first two eliminated, $50 for the third) and a pen or pack of cigarettes, depending on the day's sponsoring company. The round ended when three contestants had been eliminated, leaving one survivor to advance. If 20 or more correct answers were given, the jackpot was frozen at 500,000 cents ($5,000), rounded down from the total of 524,288 that would result from the initial cent being doubled 19 times.
At the start of each round and after an incorrect answer, the host would announce a new category and ask questions in it, starting with easy ones and progressing to higher difficulty. Musical categories were frequently used, requiring contestants to identify tunes as performed by a big band in the studio.
The winners of the two rounds faced each other in the third, for which their individual jackpots were combined. They alternated answering questions until one of them gave an incorrect response, after which the host would ask the opponent one final question. If the opponent also missed, the contestants each received half the jackpot; if the opponent answered correctly, they received 75% and the contestant who had first missed a question received the other 25%.
The show's title came from the range of possible jackpot values, from one to a million pennies (1¢ to $10,000). However, the rules ensured that no one contestant could win more than $7,500, achievable if the first two rounds went to the $5,000 maximum and the third one ended with a 75% victor.
Production
[edit]Herb Wolf was the producer[1] for Wolf Associates. Sponsors were Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation and W. A. Sheaffer Pen Company. Penny to a Million replaced Who Said That?, which Sheaffer had co-sponsored.[2] Admiral, which was a co-sponsor of Who Said That?, chose not to back the new show.[4]
George Ansbro was the announcer for episodes that originated in New York; Jay Stewart announced those that originated in Los Angeles.[5]
Critical response
[edit]A review in the trade publication Variety said that Penny to a Million "follows a familiar pattern" seen in other televised quiz shows.[6] It called the program's premise "a clumsy format that builds no excitement and holds little interest."[6] The review described Goodwin as "a smiling, affable host" who did not benefit from hosting the show and whose "quips fall far from the funnybone mark."[6] It concluded that the sponsor "didn't make a change for the better" by putting Penny to a Million in place of Who Said That?.[6]
Episode status
[edit]At least five episodes are known to exist, including the pilot.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ a b McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 648. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
- ^ a b Adams, Val (April 22, 1955). "Coward Will Act on C. B. S. Telecasts". The New York Times. p. 33. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (June 24, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 1065. ISBN 978-0-307-48320-1. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ "ABC, Shuffling Fall Sked, Sees Big Year". Billboard. April 30, 1955. p. 3. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ Terrace, Vincent (November 7, 2013). Television Introductions: Narrated TV Program Openings since 1949. Scarecrow Press. p. 287. ISBN 978-0-8108-9250-7. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Penny to a Million". Variety. May 11, 1955. p. 35. Retrieved July 3, 2023.