People Are Funny

Last updated
People Are Funny
Alinkletter.jpg
Sam Berman's caricature of Art Linkletter for NBC's 1947 promotional book.
Presented by Art Baker (1942–43)
Art Linkletter (1943–60)
Flip Wilson (1984)
Production
Executive producerJohn Guedel
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkNBC
CBS (Radio, 1951–54)
ReleaseApril 10, 1942 (1942-04-10) 
April 13, 1961 (1961-04-13)
ReleaseMarch 24 (1984-03-24) 
July 21, 1984 (1984-07-21)

People Are Funny is an American radio and television game show, created by John Guedel that ran from 1942 to 1960 in which contestants were asked to carry out stunts in order to prove that "People Are Funny." Many stunts lasted weeks, months, or even years; but those who were successful received prizes. People Are Funny rarely had celebrities, focusing instead on everyday people. As a result, few recordings of the show were saved.

Contents

Radio

The series began in 1938 when Guedel made an audition recording, and the following year, his concept of a comedy stunt show aired in Los Angeles as Pull Over, Neighbor, later reworked into All Aboard. Watching a bored, unreceptive audience listening to an after-dinner speaker, Guedel scribbled, "People are funny, aren't they?" on a napkin, and he had his title.

In 1942, learning of a show that was canceled, he pitched People Are Funny to NBC, and it went on the air April 10, 1942, with Art Baker as host. In a popular first-season stunt, a man was assigned to register a trained seal at the Knickerbocker Hotel while explaining that the seal was his girlfriend. [1]

On October 1, 1943, Baker was replaced by Art Linkletter, who continued for the rest of the series. For a memorable stunt of 1945, Linkletter announced that $1,000 would go to the first person to find one of 12 plastic balls floating off California. Two years later, an Ennylageban Island [2] native claimed the prize. [1] [3]

As the popularity of the program escalated, a film musical titled People Are Funny was released in 1946, offering a fictional version of the show's origin in a tale of rival radio producers. Phillip Reed appeared as Guedel, with Linkletter and Frances Langford portraying themselves. Also in the cast were Jack Haley, Helen Walker, Ozzie Nelson and Rudy Vallée. One outstanding moment in the film is a Spanish dance number performed by Lupe Mayorga (aka Lillian Molieri) to the song "I Love My Marimba." The radio series moved to CBS from 1951 to 1954, returning to NBC from 1954 to 1960. [1]

Television

Linkletter continued as host of the show during its run on television from September 19, 1954, to April 1, 1960. In one stunt, a contestant would win a prize if he could sustain a phone conversation with a puzzled stranger (picked at random from the phone directory) for several minutes without the other party hanging up. The series received Emmy nominations in 1955 and 1956. It finished #27 in the Nielsen ratings for the 1955–1956 season, [4] then finished #21 for 1956–1957 [5] and #29 for 1957–1958. [6]

Although the series ended on April 1, 1960, the network aired encores until April 13, 1961, making People Are Funny the first game show to air repeats. On March 24, 1984, a "reconstituted" version of People Are Funny with Flip Wilson as host returned to NBC where it was telecast until July 21.

US television ratings

SeasonEpisodesStart DateEnd DateNielsen RankNielsen Rating [7] Tied With
1983–84March 24, 1984July 24, 19846214.0N/A

Cultural legacy

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Candid Camera</i> American hidden camera reality television series (1948–2014)

Candid Camera is an American hidden camera reality television series, with versions of the show appeared on television from 1948 until 2014. Originally created and produced by Allen Funt, it often featured practical jokes, and initially began on radio as The Candid Microphone on June 28, 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Art Linkletter</span> Canadian-born American TV personality (1912–2010)

Arthur Gordon Linkletter was a Canadian-born American radio and television personality. He was the host of House Party, which ran on CBS radio and television for 25 years, and People Are Funny, which aired on NBC radio and television for 19 years. He became a naturalized United States citizen in 1942.

<i>The $64,000 Question</i> American game show

The $64,000 Question was an American game show broadcast in primetime on CBS-TV from 1955 to 1958, which became embroiled in the 1950s quiz show scandals. Contestants answered general knowledge questions, earning money which doubled as the questions became more difficult. The final question had a top prize of $64,000, hence the "$64,000 Question" in the show's title.

<i>Beat the Clock</i> American television game show

Beat the Clock is an American television game show that involves people trying to complete challenges to win prizes while faced with a time limit. The show was a creation of Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions.

<i>Fear Factor</i> Game show

Fear Factor was an American stunt/dare game show that first aired on NBC from 2001 to 2006 and was initially hosted by comedian and UFC commentator Joe Rogan. The show was adapted by Endemol USA from the original Dutch series titled Now or Neverland.

<i>Truth or Consequences</i> American radio and television game show

Truth or Consequences is an American game show originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards (1940–1957) and later on television by Edwards (1950–1954), Jack Bailey (1954–1956), Bob Barker (1956–1975), Steve Dunne (1957–1958), Bob Hilton (1977–1978) and Larry Anderson (1987–1988). The television show ran on CBS, NBC and also in syndication. The premise of the show was to mix the original quiz element of game shows with wacky stunts.

<i>General Electric Theater</i> Anthology radio and television drama series

General Electric Theater was an American anthology series hosted by Ronald Reagan that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. The series was sponsored by General Electric's Department of Public Relations.

<i>The Original Amateur Hour</i> American radio series that later moved to television

The Original Amateur Hour is an American radio and television program. The show was a continuation of Major Bowes Amateur Hour, which had been a radio staple from 1934 to 1945. Major Edward Bowes, the originator of the program and its master of ceremonies, left the show in 1945 and died the following year. He was ultimately succeeded by Ted Mack, when the show was brought into television in 1948.

<i>Ive Got a Secret</i> American game show

I've Got a Secret is an American panel game show produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS television. Created by comedy writers Allan Sherman and Howard Merrill, it was a derivative of Goodson–Todman's own panel show, What's My Line?. Instead of celebrity panelists trying to determine a contestant's occupation, however, as in What's My Line, the panel tried to determine a contestant's secret: something that is unusual, amazing, embarrassing, or humorous about that person.

<i>You Bet Your Life</i> American radio and television comedy quiz game show (1947-present)

You Bet Your Life is an American comedy quiz series that has aired on both radio and television. The original version was hosted by Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers, with announcer and assistant George Fenneman. The show debuted on ABC Radio on October 27, 1947, moved to CBS Radio debuting October 5, 1949, and went to NBC-TV and NBC Radio on October 4, 1950. Because of its simple format, it was possible to broadcast the show on both radio and television but not simultaneously. Many of the laughs on the television show were evoked by Groucho's facial reactions and other visual gimmicks; the two versions were slightly different. The last episode in a radio format aired on June 10, 1960. The series continued on television for another year, recording a season on September 22, 1960 with a new title, The Groucho Show.

<i>House Party</i> (radio and TV show) American TV series or program

House Party is an American radio daytime variety/talk show that aired on CBS Radio and on ABC Radio from January 15, 1945 to October 13, 1967. The show had an equally long run on CBS Television as Art Linkletter's House Party and, in its final season, The Linkletter Show, airing from September 1, 1952 to September 5, 1969.

<i>The Jackie Gleason Show</i> American TV series or program

The Jackie Gleason Show is the name of a series of American network television shows that starred Jackie Gleason, which ran from 1952 to 1970, in various forms.

<i>Queen for a Day</i> American radio and television reality game show

Queen for a Day was an American radio and television game show that helped to usher in American listeners' and viewers' fascination with big-prize giveaway shows. Queen for a Day originated on the Mutual Radio Network on April 30, 1945, in New York City before moving to Los Angeles a few months later and ran until 1957. The show then ran on NBC Television from 1956 to 1960 and on ABC Television from 1960 to 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Art Baker (actor)</span> American actor (1898–1966)

Art Baker was an American film, television and radio actor.

Two for the Money is an American game show television program which ran from 1952 to 1957. The show ran for one season on NBC, and four seasons on CBS. It was a Mark Goodson-Bill Todman production, and was initially sponsored by Old Gold cigarettes. Humorist Herb Shriner was the host for most of the show's run, with fellow humorist Sam Levenson hosting the last season. The game show was initially directed by Paul Alter.

<i>My Little Margie</i> American TV series or program

My Little Margie is an American television situation comedy starring Gale Storm and Charles Farrell that alternated between CBS and NBC from 1952 to 1955. The series was created by Frank Fox and produced in Los Angeles, California, at Hal Roach Studios by Hal Roach Jr., and Roland D. Reed.

<i>The Price Is Right</i> (1956 American game show) American game show

The Price Is Right is an American game show produced by Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions, wherein contestants placed successive bids on merchandise prizes with the goal of bidding closest to each prize's actual retail price without surpassing it. The show was a precursor to the current and best-known version of the program, which premiered in 1972 on CBS's daytime schedule. It makes The Price Is Right one of only a few game show franchises to have aired in some form across all three of the Big Three television networks.

<i>Strike It Rich</i> (1947 game show) American radio and TV game show

Strike It Rich is a game show that was broadcast on American radio from June 29, 1947 to December 27, 1957, on CBS and NBC. It was broadcast on television as well, starting in 1951. People in need of money appeared and told their tale of woe, then tried to win money by answering four questions. If the contestant did not win any money, the emcee opened the "Heart Line", which was a phone line to viewers who wished to donate to the contestant's family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Linkletter</span> American television personality

Jack Linkletter was an American game show and television host and entertainer. He was the son of Art Linkletter.

John Guedel, was a radio and television producer who co-created and produced Art Linkletter's and Groucho Marx's most important and successful broadcast properties, including You Bet Your Life,House Party and People Are Funny. He also created The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and is sometimes credited with the first singing radio commercial in 1937. He was a producer for The Charlotte Greenwood Show on radio.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Dunning, John (1998). On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press. pp. 536–538. ISBN   978-0-19-507678-3 . Retrieved 1 May 2017.
  2. "People Are Funny" says Eller Island
  3. Linkletter, Art (1960). "Weather Report: "Brainstorms in the West"". People are Funny. Pocket Books. p. 30.
  4. "TV Ratings: 1955–1956". Classic TV Hits.
  5. "TV Ratings: 1956–1957". Classic TV Hits.
  6. "TV Ratings: 1957–1958". Classic TV Hits.
  7. Clawson, J. "1983–84 Ratings History – The Networks Are Awash in a Bubble Bath of Soaps". The TV Ratings Guide. Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2021.