CBS Television Quiz
Encyclopedia
CBS Television Quiz was the first live television
game show
ever to be broadcast regularly, running from July 2, 1941 to May 25, 1942 on the fledgling CBS Television network. Quiz was an in-house network production and broadcast in black and white. The host was Gil Fates
, with Frances Buss
as scorekeeper.
's Jeopardy!
As Griffin was a teenager in San Francisco at the time Quiz was airing, it is unlikely he was aware of it, although his future wife Julann may have seen it. According to Griffin, she had originally suggested the "answer-and-question" idea to him.
(NBC Radio, July 1, 1941), while a show called Spelling Bee
was broadcast (BBC, 1938). Quiz was the first regularly scheduled quiz program, but not the first to be sponsored, and aired on Wednesdays at 8:30 PM EST.
On October 2 the series moved to Thursdays, and on January 8 the show was reduced to 55 minutes for the network to present a five-minute news summary at 9:25 PM. Quiz moved to Mondays on February 2 and was now preceded by a civilian-defense
program (later an American Red Cross
program), which along with the news summary required the show itself to decrease to 50 minutes. The Red Cross program ended on March 30, allowing Quiz to re-expand to 55 minutes.
The series ended after 47 episodes on May 25, 1942 following a mandate two weeks earlier by the War Production Board
to cease building television stations. Most of the shows then airing on both WCBW
and WNBT
, including Quiz, were removed in favor of war-related programming.
Fates would later produce and/or direct many Goodson-Todman game shows on the network (most notably What's My Line?
), while Buss (later Frances Buss Buch) became CBS' first female director.
s for recording programs and long before videotape
. The show does not have any extant audio recordings or photographs, making it one of the few game shows to be completely lost
.
Live television
Live television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
ever to be broadcast regularly, running from July 2, 1941 to May 25, 1942 on the fledgling CBS Television network. Quiz was an in-house network production and broadcast in black and white. The host was Gil Fates
Gil Fates
Joseph Gilbert Fates was an American television producer.Nicknamed "Gil", Fates was the executive producer of What's My Line?. Fates produced the game show its entire quarter-century span of CBS and syndicated runs...
, with Frances Buss
Frances Buss Buch
Frances Buss Buch was the first female television director in the United States.-Career:Buch grew up in St. Louis and attended Washington University. In the early 1940s she relocated to New York City, where she had taken acting classes and appeared in some off-Broadway productions...
as scorekeeper.
Gameplay
Not much is known about the format of CBS Television Quiz, however it has been noted for giving the contestants the answers and requiring the questions, which would predate the 1964 debut of Merv GriffinMerv Griffin
Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
's Jeopardy!
Jeopardy!
Griffin's first conception of the game used a board comprising ten categories with ten clues each, but after finding that this board could not be shown on camera easily, he reduced it to two rounds of thirty clues each, with five clues in each of six categories...
As Griffin was a teenager in San Francisco at the time Quiz was airing, it is unlikely he was aware of it, although his future wife Julann may have seen it. According to Griffin, she had originally suggested the "answer-and-question" idea to him.
Broadcast history
Televised game shows prior to the debut of CBS Television Quiz were "test episodes" for experimental purposes; one of these was Truth or ConsequencesTruth or Consequences
Truth or Consequences is an American quiz show originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards and later on television by Edwards , Jack Bailey , Bob Barker , Bob Hilton and Larry Anderson . The television show ran on CBS, NBC and also in syndication...
(NBC Radio, July 1, 1941), while a show called Spelling Bee
Spelling Bee (game show)
Spelling Bee was a 15-minute UK radio and live television show that was the first ever television game show, hosted by Freddie Grisewood, and transmitted live from Alexandra Palace at 10pm on 31 May 1938....
was broadcast (BBC, 1938). Quiz was the first regularly scheduled quiz program, but not the first to be sponsored, and aired on Wednesdays at 8:30 PM EST.
On October 2 the series moved to Thursdays, and on January 8 the show was reduced to 55 minutes for the network to present a five-minute news summary at 9:25 PM. Quiz moved to Mondays on February 2 and was now preceded by a civilian-defense
United States civil defense
United States civil defense refers to the use of civil defense in the history of the United States, which is the organized non-military effort to prepare Americans for military attack...
program (later an American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
program), which along with the news summary required the show itself to decrease to 50 minutes. The Red Cross program ended on March 30, allowing Quiz to re-expand to 55 minutes.
The series ended after 47 episodes on May 25, 1942 following a mandate two weeks earlier by the War Production Board
War Production Board
The War Production Board was established as a government agency on January 16, 1942 by executive order of Franklin D. Roosevelt.The purpose of the board was to regulate the production and allocation of materials and fuel during World War II in the United States...
to cease building television stations. Most of the shows then airing on both WCBW
WCBS-TV
WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS television network, located in New York City. The station's studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building, both in Midtown Manhattan....
and WNBT
WNBC
WNBC, virtual channel 4 , is the flagship station of the NBC television network, located in New York City. WNBC's studios are co-located with NBC corporate headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in midtown Manhattan...
, including Quiz, were removed in favor of war-related programming.
Fates would later produce and/or direct many Goodson-Todman game shows on the network (most notably What's My Line?
What's My Line?
What's My Line? is a panel game show which originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, with several international versions and subsequent U.S. revivals. The game tasked celebrity panelists with questioning contestants in order to determine their occupations....
), while Buss (later Frances Buss Buch) became CBS' first female director.
Episode status
CBS Television Quiz was aired live, prior to the adoption of kinescopeKinescope
Kinescope , shortened to kine , also known as telerecording in Britain, is a recording of a television program made by filming the picture from a video monitor...
s for recording programs and long before videotape
Videotape
A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...
. The show does not have any extant audio recordings or photographs, making it one of the few game shows to be completely lost
Wiping
Wiping or junking is a colloquial term for action taken by radio and television production and broadcasting companies, in which old audiotapes, videotapes, and telerecordings , are erased, reused, or destroyed after several uses...
.