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{{Short description|American TV game show (1950)}}
{{Infobox Television
{{Infobox television
|show name =Take a Chance
|genre=game show
|genre=Game show
|presenter=[[Don Ameche]]
|presenter=[[Don Ameche]]
|country=[[USA]]
|country=United States
|language=English
|language=English
|runtime=30 minutes
|runtime=30 minutes
|network=[[NBC]]}}
|network=[[NBC]]}}


'''Take a Chance''' is an American [[game show]] that aired live on [[NBC]] on Sunday night from October 1, 1950 to December 24, 1950. The show was hosted by film actor [[Don Ameche]].
'''''Take a Chance''''' is an American [[game show]] that aired live on [[NBC]] on Sunday night from October 1, 1950, to December 24, 1950. The show was hosted by film actor [[Don Ameche]].<ref>{{cite magazine |date=October 1, 1950 |page=1 |title=This Week -- Debuts, Highlights, Changes |url=https://archive.org/details/rossreportstele11ross/mode/1up?view=theater |magazine=Ross Reports |access-date=August 11, 2023 }}</ref>


==Format==
==Format==
Contestants were chosen from the studio audience and given five dollars. The contestant was then asked a series of four questions. If the first question was answered correctly, they kept the five dollars. Other correct answers were worth other winnings. The contestant could quit whenever they no longer wanted to "Take a Chance". If all four question were answered correctly the contestant got a chance at the jackpot question worth a thousand dollars.<ref>{{cite book|title=[[The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present]]|year=2003|publisher=Ballantine Books|isbn=0-345-45542-8|pages=1167}}</ref>
Contestants were chosen from the studio audience and given $5. The contestant was then asked a series of four questions. If the first question was answered correctly, they kept the $5. Other correct answers were worth other winnings. The contestant could quit whenever they no longer wanted to "Take a Chance". If all four questions were answered correctly, the contestant got a chance at the jackpot question worth $1,000<ref>{{cite book|title=[[The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present]]|year=2003|publisher=Ballantine Books|isbn=0-345-45542-8|pages=1167}}</ref> and 1,000 bars of Sweetheart soap.<ref name=":0" />

== Production ==
Richard Lewis was the producer, and Grey Lockwood was the director. Bob Shepherd was the announcer. Nescafé coffee sponsored the program, which was broadcast from New York at 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Sundays.<ref name=":0" />

==Critical response==
Art Cullison wrote in the ''[[Akron Beacon Journal]]'' that ''Take a Chance'' was canceled "due to lack of an audience and heavy costs."<ref name="abj">{{cite news |last1=Cullison |first1=Art |title='Take A Chance', McCune Exit |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-akron-beacon-journal/131180074/ |access-date=September 4, 2023 |work=The Akron Beacon Journal |date=November 29, 1950 |page=9|via = [[Newspapers.com]] }}</ref> He added that the show "got off to a slow start this fall and never was able to regain the lost ground."<ref name="abj" /> He also noted, "Ameche seems to have fallen considerably in popularity."

The trade publication ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' called ''Take a Chance'' "just another in a seemingly unending string of audience participationers breaking into television, and an exceedingly slow-paced one at that."<ref name=":0">{{cite magazine |date=October 4, 1950 |page=28 |title=Take a Chance |magazine=Variety |url=https://archive.org/details/variety180-1950-10/page/n27/mode/1up?q |accessdate=September 5, 2023}}</ref> The review of the premiere episode said that the program's format was similar to the one used on ''[[Break the Bank (1945 game show)|Break the Bank]]'', but the latter had at least five contestants in each 30-minute episode, whereas ''Take a Chance'' had two contestants. Additionally, the review said that Ameche "seemed to lack the quizmaster's requisites of sprightly ad libbing and rapid-fire delivery."<ref name=":0" />


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
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{{Game-show-stub}}
* {{IMDb title|tt0042154}}

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[[Category:1950 American television series debuts]]
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[[Category:1950 American television series endings]]
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[[Category:1950s American game shows]]
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[[Category:NBC game shows]]
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[[Category:American live television series]]



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{{US-game-show-stub}}
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[[Category:1950 television series debuts]]
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[[Category:1950 television series endings]]
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[[Category:1950s American television series]]
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[[Category:American game shows]]
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[[Category:NBC network shows]]
[[Category:Live television programs]]

Latest revision as of 23:00, 10 September 2024

Take a Chance
GenreGame show
Presented byDon Ameche
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkNBC

Take a Chance is an American game show that aired live on NBC on Sunday night from October 1, 1950, to December 24, 1950. The show was hosted by film actor Don Ameche.[1]

Format

[edit]

Contestants were chosen from the studio audience and given $5. The contestant was then asked a series of four questions. If the first question was answered correctly, they kept the $5. Other correct answers were worth other winnings. The contestant could quit whenever they no longer wanted to "Take a Chance". If all four questions were answered correctly, the contestant got a chance at the jackpot question worth $1,000[2] and 1,000 bars of Sweetheart soap.[3]

Production

[edit]

Richard Lewis was the producer, and Grey Lockwood was the director. Bob Shepherd was the announcer. Nescafé coffee sponsored the program, which was broadcast from New York at 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Sundays.[3]

Critical response

[edit]

Art Cullison wrote in the Akron Beacon Journal that Take a Chance was canceled "due to lack of an audience and heavy costs."[4] He added that the show "got off to a slow start this fall and never was able to regain the lost ground."[4] He also noted, "Ameche seems to have fallen considerably in popularity."

The trade publication Variety called Take a Chance "just another in a seemingly unending string of audience participationers breaking into television, and an exceedingly slow-paced one at that."[3] The review of the premiere episode said that the program's format was similar to the one used on Break the Bank, but the latter had at least five contestants in each 30-minute episode, whereas Take a Chance had two contestants. Additionally, the review said that Ameche "seemed to lack the quizmaster's requisites of sprightly ad libbing and rapid-fire delivery."[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "This Week -- Debuts, Highlights, Changes". Ross Reports. October 1, 1950. p. 1. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  2. ^ The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 1167. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  3. ^ a b c d "Take a Chance". Variety. October 4, 1950. p. 28. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Cullison, Art (November 29, 1950). "'Take A Chance', McCune Exit". The Akron Beacon Journal. p. 9. Retrieved September 4, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
[edit]


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