You Bet Your Life

You Bet Your Life

1950
You Bet Your Life
You Bet Your Life

You Bet Your Life

8.5 | TV-G | en | Comedy

You Bet Your Life is an American quiz show that aired on both radio and television. The original and best-known version was hosted by Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers, with announcer and assistant George Fenneman. The show debuted on ABC Radio in October 1947, then moved to CBS Radio in September 1949 before making the transition to NBC-TV in October 1950. Because of its simple format, it was possible to broadcast the show simultaneously on the radio and on television. In 1960, the show was renamed The Groucho Show and ran a further year. Most episodes are in the public domain. The play of the game, however, was secondary to the interplay between Groucho, the contestants, and occasionally Fenneman. The program was rerun into the 1970s, and later in syndication as The Best of Groucho. As such, it was the first game show to have its reruns syndicated.

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Seasons & Episodes

11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
EP39  Episode 39
Jun. 15,1961
Episode 39

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EP38  Episode 38
Jun. 08,1961
Episode 38

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EP37  Episode 37
Jun. 01,1961
Episode 37

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EP36  Episode 36
May. 25,1961
Episode 36

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EP35  Episode 35
May. 18,1961
Episode 35

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EP34  Episode 34
May. 11,1961
Episode 34

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EP33  Episode 33
May. 04,1961
Episode 33

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EP32  Episode 32
Apr. 27,1961
Episode 32

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EP31  Episode 31
Apr. 20,1961
Episode 31

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EP30  Episode 30
Apr. 13,1961
Episode 30

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EP29  Episode 29
Apr. 06,1961
Episode 29

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EP28  Episode 28
Mar. 30,1961
Episode 28

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EP27  Episode 27
Mar. 23,1961
Episode 27

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EP26  Episode 26
Mar. 16,1961
Episode 26

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EP25  Episode 25
Mar. 09,1961
Episode 25

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EP24  Episode 24
Mar. 02,1961
Episode 24

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EP23  Episode 23
Feb. 23,1961
Episode 23

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EP22  Episode 22
Feb. 16,1961
Episode 22

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EP21  Episode 21
Feb. 09,1961
Episode 21

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EP20  Episode 20
Feb. 02,1961
Episode 20

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EP19  Episode 19
Jan. 26,1961
Episode 19

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EP18  Episode 18
Jan. 19,1961
Episode 18

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EP17  Episode 17
Jan. 12,1961
Episode 17

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EP16  Episode 16
Jan. 05,1961
Episode 16

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EP15  Episode 15
Dec. 29,1960
Episode 15

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EP14  Episode 14
Dec. 22,1960
Episode 14

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EP13  Episode 13
Dec. 15,1960
Episode 13

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EP12  Episode 12
Dec. 08,1960
Episode 12

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EP11  Episode 11
Dec. 01,1960
Episode 11

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EP10  Episode 10
Nov. 24,1960
Episode 10

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EP9  Episode 9
Nov. 17,1960
Episode 9

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EP8  Episode 8
Nov. 10,1960
Episode 8

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EP7  Episode 7
Nov. 03,1960
Episode 7

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EP6  Episode 6
Oct. 27,1960
Episode 6

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EP5  Episode 5
Oct. 20,1960
Episode 5

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EP4  Episode 4
Oct. 13,1960
Episode 4

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EP3  Episode 3
Oct. 06,1960
Episode 3

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EP2  Episode 2
Sep. 29,1960
Episode 2

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EP1  Episode 1
Sep. 22,1960
Episode 1

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8.5 | TV-G | en | Comedy | More Info
Released: 1950-10-05 | Released Producted By: FilmCraft Productions , Country: United States of America Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:
Synopsis

You Bet Your Life is an American quiz show that aired on both radio and television. The original and best-known version was hosted by Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers, with announcer and assistant George Fenneman. The show debuted on ABC Radio in October 1947, then moved to CBS Radio in September 1949 before making the transition to NBC-TV in October 1950. Because of its simple format, it was possible to broadcast the show simultaneously on the radio and on television. In 1960, the show was renamed The Groucho Show and ran a further year. Most episodes are in the public domain. The play of the game, however, was secondary to the interplay between Groucho, the contestants, and occasionally Fenneman. The program was rerun into the 1970s, and later in syndication as The Best of Groucho. As such, it was the first game show to have its reruns syndicated.

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Stream Online

The tv show is currently not available onine

Cast

Groucho Marx

Director

Producted By

FilmCraft Productions ,

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Reviews

skiddoo I recently found out that this show was on radio and TV at the same time and there is a video of the radio show (not sponsored by DeSoto) online at http://www.solie.org/ClassicTV/YouBetYourLife_Name.html with the secret word of "name." It's interesting to compare the radio and TV versions with this unedited radio version where we could see what was going on around the action. The more of these I watch, or hear, the more I think Groucho was a very kind man poking gentle, if risqué fun, at the people around him. His support on his show of the couple who adopted multiracial kids (The Family Nobody Wanted) was boldly liberal for his time but then he knew about discrimination based on his being Jewish even when he was rich and famous. Sadly the racism of the time was so vicious that the couple's own family and friends, I read, prevented them from adopting an African American baby. But Groucho wanted them to win the money and leapt on the right answers if he heard them hesitantly spoken, admitting what he was doing. He openly rooted for people who could put the money to charitable use. He was a chiseler but an honest one. :) (I looked up the prize amounts on the inflation calculator to get an idea of what sort of money they could take home. One 1955 dollar equals about eight dollars now.)
schappe1 I watched an episode of this famous show on a DVD it shared with many other classic examples of 50's television, one of which was the game show "21", famous for the quiz show scandals. On "21" everything is dead serious, with the contestants sweating out esoteric questions in isolation booths for $50,000 prizes. Host Jack Barry has no time for humor- this is serious business! "You Bet Your Life" was the exact opposite.It's hard to categorize this show. It's a game show but it's hardly "21". They spend perhaps five of the show's 30 minutes with Groucho asking silly questions, ("What was the profession of that great painter Rembrandt?") and handing out minuscule prizes, ($50 bills). The rest of it is the great comic's banter with his guests, which include show business people, (Sammy Kahn was in this one), and "regular" people, (a couple of beautiful young ladies who worked for NBC- the National Biscuit Company). Sammy even gets to sing a couple of his tunes. The show could easily be called "A Date With Groucho" because that's what it really is.
kattikissa I want to locate copies of the three consecutive shows that my mother, Tuulikki Woods, was on. Groucho found her when she was modeling appliances on the Queen for a Day Show and invited her to be on You Bet Your Life. She was fresh from Finland and he loved her! On the last week, my father joined her and they won over $1000 dollars, a real fortune to them at the time. I have only seen the show where both my parents are and she displays her ignorance of western geography by answering a question about Mexico with "New Mexico". My dad jokes that the suit is paid for when they win $200, but the truth was that he rented it. My mother told me that Groucho was rather lecherous and she had to slap his hand numerous times. She liked George much better. Does anyone know how I can get copies of these shows? I believe they were made in 1960...
Brian Washington This is one of the funniest game shows ever. I remember when this was shown late nights on KTLA 5 on weeknights and whenever I had a chance I would watch it. Groucho Marx was not only one of the funniest hosts on television, he also was one of the brightest. I especially loved the banter he would engaged in with the contestants before he would start the game. This not only provided the show with its sense of humor, but it also put the contestants at ease before the game began. One of these days I hope Game Show Network would bring this back on television. This show is a timeless classic.