This September marks the 50th anniversary of the first game show to run five days a week in syndication, Truth or Consequences. Here's a look back at how the classic stunt show ended up in syndication.
Truth or Consequences was a part of NBC 's daytime lineup from December 31, 1956 until September 24, 1965. On that day, the network not only cancelled Truth or Consequences but three other game shows. They were Say When! the first game show hosted by Art James, What's This Song, Wink (aka Win) Martindale's debut game and I'll Bet that was hosted by Jack Narz and be revived four years later in syndication under the title It's Your Bet.
Created, produced and originally hosted by Ralph Edwards and based on the parlor game Forfeits, the show featured contestants who were asked a joke question that was impossible to answer correctly and if they didn't answer they had to pay the consequences. Contestants had to perform wacky and wild stunts in order to win a prize but there were touching moments when long lost relatives were reunited with loved ones.
The show was also known as the first to star a young host who would also go on to greater fame in the early 70s as host of The Price is Right, Bob Barker. Edwards heard him on his car radio one day and called Barker to audition for the hosting job and as the saying goes, the rest is history.
After the daytime version was cancelled, Edwards struck a deal with Metromedia to air the show in syndication. Other than reruns of You Bet Your Life under the title The Best of Groucho, no other game show would air in first run syndication until Truth or Consequences debuted in September. In New York, the show aired at 7:30 on then Metromedia owned WNEW-TV (now Fox 5). In the Twin Cities, KMSP-TV aired the show as counter programming to the local news at 6 PM.
The syndicated Truth or Consequences became a hit and ran until 1975. The show's success also paved the way for other game shows to run in daily syndication. Among the shows were revivals of What's My Line? To Tell the Truth and Beat the Clock and original shows such as The Movie Game, He Said, She Said and another Edwards produced show that would air after Truth or Consequences ended titled The Cross Wits.
But 50 years ago, Truth or Consequences set the trend for game shows to run in daily syndication. Barker closed each program with a line that will close this post . "May all your consequences be happy ones."
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