Give and Take
First episode: March 20, 1952
Last episode: June 12, 1952
Seen Thursday afternoons 3:30-4:00 on CBS
The Show:
Contestants were called to the stage one at a time and given a question to answer, or a stunt to complete. Two correct answers earned two prizes. All successful contestants returned to the stage at the end of the show for a Q&A round conducted spelling bee style, with contestants alternating answering questions until only one player remained. That contestant earned one prize for every round of questions it took to eliminate the others.
Notes:
John Reed King was the host of this early Q&A game. Bill was the announcer for the series, and also appeared on-camera as King's assistant. Some sources even refer to him as co-host. The series was based on a radio program that premiered in 1945. John Reed King was the host of that series as well, also with Bill's assistance.
For most of its brief run, Bill was working this early series at the same time he was doing Winner Take All on NBC. This pattern of being involved with more than one series at the same time became a constant in his career. Some sources refer to this program as Bill's first appearance on network TV, but most indicate that he debuted on Winner Take All a month earlier.
For decades, standard operating procedure for game shows has been to audition potential contestants for their ability to play the game and for likeable personalities. In the days of radio and early TV, many game shows simply pulled contestants right out of the audience without any advance preparation. Bill, talking about this show with a reporter, recalled a contestant who griped that she had no use for any of the prizes she won because "I already have a house full of servants! What do I need any of this for?"
Video:
No episodes are known to exist.
