The $64,000 Question (UK game show)

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The $64,000 Question
Also known asThe 64,000 Question (1956–7, 57–8)
The 64,000 Challenge (1957)
Genre Game show
Presented by Jerry Desmonde (1956–7, 57–8)
Robin Bailey (1957)
Bob Monkhouse (1990–3)
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 3 (ATV)
4 (Central)
No. of episodes 85 (ATV)
52 (Central)
Production
Running time 30 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production company(s) ATV (1956–8)
Central (1990–3)
Distributor ITV Studios
Release
Original network ITV
Picture format 4:3
Original release 19 May 1956 (1956-05-19) – 4 September 1993 (1993-09-04)
Chronology
Related shows The $64,000 Question

The $64,000 Question is a UK game show based on the US format of the same name that originally ran from 19 May 1956 to 18 January 1958 produced by ATV (always keen to pick up successful US formats) and was originally hosted by Jerry Desmonde, and called simply The 64,000 Question with the top prize initially being 64,000 sixpences (£1,600), later doubling to 64,000 shillings (£3,200).

The $64,000 Question was an American game show broadcast 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.

Jerry Desmonde British actor

Jerry Desmonde was an English stage musical, film, and television actor principally in comedies and drama. He is probably best known as a straight man to Norman Wisdom. He also worked as a comedy foil to Sid Field, notably in their 1946 Golfing sketch. He was sometimes credited as Jerry Desmond.

Sixpence (British coin)

The sixpence, sometimes known as a tanner or sixpenny bit, is a coin that was worth one-fortieth of a pound sterling, or six pence. It was first minted in the reign of Edward VI and circulated until 1980. Following decimalisation in 1971 it had a value of ​2 1⁄2 new pence. The coin was made from silver from its introduction in 1551 to 1947, and thereafter in cupronickel.

Contents

Format

Original

Each contestant answered questions based on their subject of expertise. The first question earned 100 sixpences (£2 and 10 shillings), correctly answering the next question added £10 to the player's winnings. Each of the next two questions featured two parts and answering both parts doubled the player's winnings to 1,000 sixpences (£25) and 2,000 sixpences (£50) respectively. The remaining questions featured three parts, then four parts, five parts, six parts, and the final question required at least seven parts to be answered correctly in order to win the top prize. In late 1956, the values doubled so that the values started at £5 (100 shillings) and increased to £3,200 (64,000 shillings). £3,200 was actually substantially higher, in real terms (i.e. accounting for inflation), than anything on offer on British TV for most of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, after the Independent Television Authority (later the Independent Broadcasting Authority) imposed prize limits on game shows after the general discrediting of the genre following the quiz show scandals in the US and rumors that the British version of Twenty One was also corrupt.

Inflation increase in the general price level of goods and services in an economy over a period of time

In economics, inflation is a sustained increase in the general price level of goods and services in an economy over a period of time. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation reflects a reduction in the purchasing power per unit of money – a loss of real value in the medium of exchange and unit of account within the economy. A chief measure of price inflation is the inflation rate, the annualized percentage change in a general price index, usually the consumer price index, over time. The opposite of inflation is deflation.

Independent Television Authority

The Independent Television Authority (ITA) was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" (ITV), the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom. The ITA that existed from 1954 until 1972. was responsible for determining the location, constructing, building, and operating the transmission stations used by the ITV network, as well as determining the franchise areas and awarding the franchises for each regional commercial broadcaster. The Authority began its operations on 4 August 1954, a mere four days after the Television Act received Royal Assent, under the Chairmanship of Sir Kenneth Clark. The Authority's first Director General, Sir Robert Fraser was appointed by Clark a month later on 14 September.

Independent Broadcasting Authority British television organisation

The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) was the regulatory body in the United Kingdom for commercial television – and commercial and independent radio broadcasts. The IBA came into being when the Sound Broadcasting Act 1972 gave the Independent Television Authority responsibility for organising the new Independent Local Radio (ILR) stations. The Independent Television Commission formally replaced the IBA on 1 January 1991 in regulatory terms; however, the Authority itself was not officially dissolved until 2003.

Revival

The values started at £1, followed by questions valued at £25 and doubled with each subsequent question with £400 and £1,600 each being guaranteed. The £200 and £400 questions each featured two parts. The £800 question required three correct answers and the next question required four correct answers in order to secure £1,600. The contestant must then answer a follow-up question in order to attempt the five-part £3,200 question in a soundproof booth known as the "Isolator". The £6,400 question required six parts to answer correctly. On the £3,200 and £6,400 questions, missing one part required the contestant to answer a "reserve part" correctly. £6,400 was a significant amount of money for a British game show at that time, though still probably worth less than the original had, which was £3,200. The 1991 series replaced the £1-£50 questions with the Basic 64 which started at one pound and doubled up to 64 pounds before the £100 question. In 1993, prize limits were lifted by the Independent Television Commission, paving the way for the eventual arrival of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? which itself featured a question worth £64,000 until the format of the show changed in August 2007.

The Independent Television Commission (ITC) licensed and regulated commercial television services in the United Kingdom between 1 January 1991 and 28 December 2003. In this context, 'independent' indicates freedom from the BBC, rather than the government, as the latter is taken as being read.

<i>Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?</i> (UK game show) British television quiz show

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a British television quiz show, created and produced by David Briggs, and made for the ITV network. The show's format, devised by Briggs, sees contestants taking on multiple-choice questions, based upon general knowledge, winning a cash prize for each question they answer correctly, with the amount offered increasing as they take on more difficult questions. To assist each contestant who takes part, they are given three lifelines to use, may walk away with the money they already have won if they wish not to risk answering a question, and are provided with a safety net that gives them a guaranteed cash prize if they give an incorrect answer, provided they reach a specific milestone in the quiz.

Transmissions

ATV

SeriesStart dateEnd dateEpisodes
119 May 19568 June 195754
215 June 19577 September 195713
314 September 195718 January 195818

None of the ATV episodes survived. [1]

Central

SeriesStart dateEnd dateEpisodes
11 June 1990 [2] 24 August 1990 [3] 13
24 January 1991 [4] 29 March 1991 [5] 13
328 August 1992 [6] 20 November 1992 [7] 13
45 June 1993 [8] 4 September 199313

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References

  1. ↑ http://www.lostshows.com/default.aspx?programme=f8d2da37-1f24-4443-84b7-88c0aa1fdbc0
  2. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2mus-XyGPC0C&dat=19900601&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
  3. ↑ The Times (London, England) Friday 24 August 1990; pg. 19
  4. ↑ The Times (London, England) Friday 4 January 1991; pg. 17
  5. ↑ The Times (London, England) Friday 29 March 1991; pg. 19
  6. ↑ The Times (London, England) Friday 28 August 1992; pg. 17
  7. ↑ The Times (London, England) Friday 20 November 1992; pg. 23
  8. ↑ The Times (London, England) Saturday 5 June 1993; pg. 17
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