The Big Payoff is a daytime and primetime game show that premiered on NBC in 1951, and ended its network run on CBS in 1959. It had a brief syndication revival in 1962.[1] NBC used The Big Payoff to replace the 15-minute show Miss Susan starring Susan Peters, which had gone off the air in December 1951.[citation needed]
Over its eight-year run plus syndication, the show had three hosts. The first was Randy Merriman (from 1951-1957), who left after claiming that CBS was in breach of his contract. Bob Paige took his place from 1957-1959. He was followed by a short stint by Bert Parks (1959).[citation needed] In October 1959 CBS removed the show along with all of its other quiz shows out of abundance of caution; it stated it could not ensure the shows were produced honestly in the wake of the quiz show scandals of the late 1950s.[2]
Contestants were selected from men who mailed in letters explaining why the women in their lives deserved prizes. The men were asked four questions (delivered on a silver tray by "Question Girl" Susan Sayers) in order to win prizes like a mink coat or a vacation. Late in the network run, the format changed to three competing couples playing a guessing game. The couple with the highest score answered the Big Payoff question. For the 1962 revival, there were only two couples.[citation needed]
On Tuesdays, the format changed to the "Little Big Payoff" in which children sent in a letter in which they voiced the reason that they should appear. Four questions were asked, and prizes awarded for each correct answer.[citation needed]
Winning contestants (other than the children) had the opportunity to answer one final question. Getting this question correct, the individual was awarded the "big payoff" of a mink coat or a trip to Europe, or both.[citation needed] Bess Myerson modeled the mink coat for several years.[3]
The theme song was "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" by Irving Berlin, and the sponsor was Revlon.[citation needed]
Other cast
- Models - Susan Sayers, Pat Conlon, Phyllis Hunt, Nancy Walters, Marion James, Beverly Bentley, Pat Conway, Fran Miller, Bess Myerson[4]
- Singers - Betty Ann Grove, Denise Lor,[3] Judy Lynn ("The Burt Buhram Trio")
References
- ^ "Big Payoff To Return", Oakland Tribune, Sept. 9, 1962, p. 5-TV
- ^ "Name That Tune Goes Off Air After Tonight". Opelika Daily News. 1959-10-19. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-11-07.
- ^ a b McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. pp. 94–95. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
- ^ Nemy, Enid; et al. (5 January 2015). "Bess Myerson, Miss America and New York Official Tainted by Scandal, Dies at 90". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
External links
| Shows |  | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Producers | |||||
| Contestants | |||||
| Pop culture and advertisers |
| ||||
| Other key figures | |||||
| Officials | |||||
