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Rigged Game Shows From The 50's?

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gameshow123890:
I'm doing a report on the game show scandals of the 50's.  Does anyone know of some of the lesser-known shows that were involved?  Thanks

uncamark:
[quote name=\'gameshow123890\' date=\'Sep 30 2003, 01:57 PM\']I'm doing a report on the game show scandals of the 50's.  Does anyone know of some of the lesser-known shows that were involved?  Thanks[/quote]
The problem here is that with the exception of the shows we all know about (\"Twenty-One,\" \"Dotto\"), it's never really been stated for sure which shows were rigged and which weren't, only assumed.  All we can do is assume that a great number, if not most, quiz and game shows of both radio and early TV engaged in a certain amount of manipulation--and that wouldn't necessarily be rigging (as I stated elsewhere, \"The $64,000 Question\" and \"$64,000 Challenge\" based the questions on their extensive tests of the contestants' knowledge, so that they could keep on the popular players and knock off the unpopular ones).

Outside of \"Twenty-One\" and \"Dotto,\" the original \"Tic Tac Dough\" was for certain rigged much like B&E rigged \"Twenty-One.\"  It is also believed that the original \"Name That Tune\" also engaged in some rigging--at the least, they scripted and staged games involving celebrities.

Also, Goodson-Todman, who liked to claim that they were pure as the driven snow, engaged in some manipulation--on panel shows, the practice of \"gambiting,\" or giving a comedian a suggested line of questioning designed to get him off course for comedic effect, was manipulation, even if it was misinformation.  Also, when the scandals broke \"TPIR\" was accused of providing contestants with suggested levels to \"FREEZE! FREEZE!\"--when that hit the press, Goodson immediately announced that they were ending the practice.  And something I saw about teenaged Tom Brokaw's appearance on \"Two for the Money\" hinted that there was some sort of manipulation.

As for anything else, it's hard to say--and the people who would know either won't talk or can't talk, since they've died.  See what you can find at the library.

gameshow123890:
Thanks

DjohnsonCB:
The original Treasure Hunt with Jan Murray was believed to be fixed in the form of bribes to get specific people on as contestants.
The sentences handed down by the jury were suspended in that case.

chris319:
Look into a show called \"The Big Surprise\".

Tom Brokaw once said flat out on Letterman that \"Two For the Money\" was rigged from top to bottom. Based on what I know I can neither confirm nor deny this.

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