Truth or Consequences


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

Truth or Consequences, an American quiz show, was originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards (1940-57) and later on television by Edwards (1950-54), Jack Bailey (1954-55), Bob Barker (1956-75), Bob Hilton (1975-78) and Larry Anderson (1987-88). The television show ran on CBS, NBC and also in syndication. The premise of the show was to mix the original quiz element of game shows with wacky stunts.

The daily syndicated show was produced by Ralph Edwards Productions (later Ralph Edwards/Stu Billett Productions), in associated with and distributed by Metromedia Television (1966-78) and Lorimar-Telepictures (1987-88).

The syndicated Truth or Consequences became the first successful first-run daily game show (as opposed to reruns) to not air on a network, having ended its NBC run in 1965.

Truth or Consequences was the first game show to air on commercially-licensed television, airing on the first day of WNBT's program schedule in 1941. This was a one-time experiment; Truth or Consequences did not appear on TV again until 1950, when the medium had caught on commercially.

On Truth or Consequences, Barker's signoff ended with the phrase, "Hoping all your consequences are happy ones."

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Highlights
Ralph Edwards on the longest-lasting stunt on Truth or Consequences - renaming the town Hot Springs, New Mexico "Truth or Consequences"
02:37
Bob Barker on hosting the gameshow Truth or Consequences
Irving Fein on the contest done on Truth or Consequences to identify the "walking man," which became a national obsession (the "walking man" turned out to be Jack Benny)
02:16
Stanley Frazen on editing Truth or Consequences on CBS
Jack Shea on working on Truth or Consequences, one of the first shows he directed
03:16
Who talked about this show

Berle Adams

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Berle Adams on negotiating deals for Ralph Edwards for his shows Truth or Consequences and This Is Your Life
02:59

Bob Barker

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Bob Barker on hosting the gameshow Truth or Consequences
Bob Barker on getting the job hosting Truth or Consequences and how the show was structured
Bob Barker on Truth or Consequences being the first show produced for syndication
00:47
Bob Barker in an early publicity photo taken for Truth or Consequences
00:22
Bob Barker in a photo taken for Truth or Consequences
00:29

Allan Burns

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Allan Burns on his first writing job on Truth or Consequences
00:41
Allan Burns on writing for Truth or Consequences for a month
00:39

Ralph Edwards

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Ralph Edwards on the longest-lasting stunt on Truth or Consequences - renaming the town Hot Springs, New Mexico "Truth or Consequences"
02:37
Ralph Edwards on Jack Benny's "Walking Man" appearance on Truth or Consequences
01:43
Ralph Edwards on the pilot, idea, and initial response to the radio version of Truth or Consequences
01:49
Ralph Edwards on the acts on Truth or Consequences (including the beetle derby)
02:59
Ralph Edwards on a typical Truth or Consequences show
02:27
Ralph Edwards on the Truth or Consequences radio show staff and memorable stunts
02:42
Ralph Edwards on his bond, paper, and copper drives with Truth or Consequences during World War II
02:34
Ralph Edwards on not classifying Truth or Consequences as a quiz show and defending that the show didn't stimulate greed and give people prizes for no reason; on the show raising money for charity
04:32
Ralph Edwards on Truth or Consequences' move to television and how the new medium affected the program
05:14
Ralph Edwards on producing Truth or Consequences on film using new techniques of live television (a technique credited to Al Simon)
06:18
Ralph Edwards on being M.C. for only one season of Truth or Consequences and winning the first Emmy for an audience participation show
00:36
Ralph Edwards on the many hosts of Truth or Consequences
03:53
Ralph Edwards on the effect of the Quiz Show scandals on Truth or Consequences
02:17
Ralph Edwards on the longest-lasting stunt on Truth or Consequences - renaming the town Hot Springs, New Mexico "Truth or Consequences"
02:37

Irving Fein

View Interview
Irving Fein on the contest done on Truth or Consequences to identify the "walking man," which became a national obsession (the "walking man" turned out to be Jack Benny)
02:16

Stanley Frazen

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Stanley Frazen on editing Truth or Consequences on CBS

Mort Lachman

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Mort Lachman on doing warmup on Truth or Consequences hosted by Ralph Edwards
01:53

Jack Shea

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Jack Shea on working on Truth or Consequences, one of the first shows he directed
03:16

Herbert F. Solow

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Herbert F. Solow on working on Truth or Consequences
00:24

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