Truth or Consequences

For other uses, see Truth or Consequences (disambiguation).

Truth or Consequences
File:Actioncomics127.jpg Action Comics #127 (December 1948), featuring Superman appearing on the show with Ralph Edwards
Created by	Ralph Edwards
Starring	Ralph Edwards (1940-1957) Jack Bailey (1954-1956) Bob Barker (1956-1975) Bob Hilton (1975-1978) Larry Anderson (1987-1988)
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	undetermined
Production
Running time	30 minutes (per episode)
Original release
Network	CBS (1950-1954), NBC (1954-1965), Syndication (1966-1978, 1987-1988)
Release	1940 – 1988

Truth or Consequences was an American quiz show, originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards from 1940 to 1957, and later on television by Edwards himself from 1950 to 1954, Jack Bailey from 1954 to 1955, Bob Barker from 1956 to 1975, Bob Hilton from 1975 to 1978 and Larry Anderson from 1987 to 1988. The show ran on CBS, NBC and also in syndication.

The syndicated ToC became the first successful 1first-run daily game show (as opposed to reruns) to not air on a network, having ended its NBC run in 1965. Fueled further by the emergence of the Prime Time Access Rule in 1971, ToC achieved such a place in the hearts of viewers that, despite the program ceasing production in 1975, tapes of shows from the last two seasons or so continued to be circulated to local stations throughout the U.S. as late as 1977. This likely prompted Edwards to revive the game during the next season, which, unfortunately, did not maintain the popularity of the Barker-hosted version.

Gameplay

Ralph Edwards would say later that he got the idea for a new radio program after playing a parlor game called "forfeits". The show premiered on NBC radio in March, 1940 and was an instant hit with listeners. The idea of the show was to mix the original quiz element of game shows with wacky stunts.

On the show, people had to answer a trivia question correctly (usually an off-the-wall question that no one would be able to answer correctly, or a bad joke) before "Beulah the Buzzer" was sounded. If the contestant could not complete the "Truth" portion, there would be "Consequences," usually a zany and embarrassing stunt. From the start, most contestants preferred to answer the question wrong in order to perform the stunt. Said Edwards, "Most of the American people are darned good sports." During Barker's run as host, "Barker's Box" was played. Barker's Box was a box with four drawers in it. If a contestant was able to pick the drawers boxes with money it, they won a bonus prize.

In many broadcasts, the stunts on Truth or Consequences included a popular, but emotional, heart-rending surprise for a contestant, that being the reunion with a long-lost relative or with an enlisted son or daughter returning from military duty overseas, particularly Vietnam. Sometimes, if that military person was based in California, his or her spouse or parents were flown in for that reunion.

Theme song

One of the theme songs used on the show was "Stop Gap" by Wilfred Burns.

Truth or Consequences was the first game show to air on commercially-licensed television, airing on the first day of WNBT's program schedule. [1]

Cultural references

• An early 1950s "Looney Tunes" cartoon called "The Ducksters" featured Daffy Duck as the host of a radio game show called Truth or AAAAAHHHH!, with Porky Pig as the contestant.
• In Action Comics #127 (December 1948), Superman was a contestant on Truth or Consequences ([2]).
• The town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico named itself after the game show in 1950 (its former name was Hot Springs). Ralph Edwards announced that he would do the program from the first town that renamed itself after the show. Edwards himself continued to make appearances at the annual fiesta every May until his death.
• On George Carlin's 1969 debut album, Take-Offs and Put-Ons, the character Congolia Breckinridge appears on a similar show called Truth or Penalties (although at one point Carlin goofs and says the original show's name). Because she has too little time to buzz in, when she is invited to pull back the curtain, an empty stage is revealed. The host then announces, "We were going to reunite you with your sister, whom you haven't seen in 27 years, but you blew the question, so we sent your sister back to Maine."
• Donald Duck competes with Huey, Dewey and Louie in a television show that resembles Truth or Consequences in a 50's or 60's comic. He prepares himself by reading tomes of trivia and ends up humiliating himself on air.

External links

• Truth or Consequences at IMDb
• http://www.archive.org/details/TruthorConsequences Radio Programs