Queen for a Day
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| Queen for a Day | |
| Created by | John Masterson |
|---|---|
| Presented by | Ken Murray (1945-1957 radio) Jack Bailey (1956-1964) Dick Curtis (1969-1970) |
| Narrated by | Gene Baker |
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 Minutes, later 45 |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | Mutual (radio) NBC (1956-1960) ABC (1960-1964) Syndicated (1969-1970) |
| Original run | 1945 – September 18, 1970 |
Queen for a Day is an American radio and television show which helped to usher in American listeners' and viewers' fascination with big-prize giveaway shows when it was born on radio (1945–1957), before moving to television (1956[1]–1964).
The series is generally considered the forerunner of modern-day "reality television".[original research?] The show became popular enough that NBC increased its running time from 30 to 45 minutes to sell more commercial time - which was at a then-premium rate of $4,000 per minute.[1]
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[edit] Format
Somewhat of an inverted Horatio Alger syndrome - instead of boy or girl making good, the lure of Queen for a Day was woman making rock-bottom (or close enough to it, as the tear-jerking factor was always part of the show) in order to have a one-in-four chance (at best) of making good - or at least a little less burdened - for at least one day in her life.
The more harsh the circumstances that led a contestant to want to appear, the likelier the studio audience was to ring the applause meter's highest level. The winner, to the full accompaniment of "Pomp and Circumstance", would be draped in a red velvet robe and a shimmering crown, and given a dozen long-stemmed roses plus trips, a fully-paid night on the town with her husband or escort, and other prizes.
Bailey's trademark signoff was "Make every woman a queen, for every single day!"
[edit] Broadcast history
The very first "Queen for a Day" was a housewife from Arcadia, California.
Jack Bailey hosted both the original radio show and the original daytime television show. NBC aired the television version from January 3, 1956 to September 2, 1960.[1] ABC then aired the series from September 5, 1960 to October 2, 1964.
Using the classic "applause meter" as did many game and hit-parade style shows of the time, Queen for a Day contestants told why they would like the honor - and the twist of it was that the contestant had to talk publicly about the recent hard times she had been through.
On September 8, 1969 a new version debuted in syndication with Dick Curtis as host. The series remained largely the same, however only ran until September 18, 1970. This version apparently ended up being a scam, however - the "winners" on each show were apparently paid actresses chosen to "win" the prizes prior to the start of each taping.
[edit] Imitations
The series inspired two successful imitations, Strike It Rich (1947-1958) and It Could Be You (1956-1961).[1] Some critics accused all three shows of exploiting rather than enhancing the women who competed for the pleasure of the audience (in studio and at home) who watched.
Interestingly, all three "exploitation" programs managed to share a common network throughout 1957 (the only time all three did so) -- NBC.
[edit] Episode status
The series is believed to be destroyed, as per network practices. Eight episodes are held at the UCLA Film and Television Archive, including the August 21, 1953 radio episode (simulcast on a television station in Los Angeles) and the July 4, 1955 episode (with Adolphe Menjou guest-hosting to crown a King instead of a Queen, as was done about once or twice a year).
The latest episode held is from July 13, 1964.[2]
[edit] See also
- Strike It Rich (1950s TV series) - a more controversial game show that also used impoverished contestants.
- On Your Way - A less controversial game show that aired during the 1950's, which also used contestants with unfortunate stories.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d The New York Times Encyclopedia of Television by Les Brown (Times Books, a division of Quadrangle/The New York Times Book Company, Inc., 1977), ISBN 0-8129-0721-3, p. 348
- ^ UCLA Archive: Queen For A Day
