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Beat the Clock was a Goodson-Todman Productions game show which originally ran on CBS from 1950 to 1958 and ABC from 1958 to 1961, with later revivals. The show was hosted by Bud Collyer, and was one of the first, and primary forerunners for future stunt shows such as the modern Fear Factor and Dog Eat Dog.

Beat the Clock ran again from 1969 to 1974 with Jack Narz and later Gene Wood (as The New Beat the Clock), from 1979 to 1980 (as The All-New Beat the Clock, and later as All-New All-Star Beat the Clock), with former Let's Make a Deal host Monty Hall as host and Jack Narz as announcer, and most recently, in 2002 with Gary Kroeger and Julielinh Parker as co-hosts. The original show was also the basis for an episode of the Gameshow Marathon in 2006.

After a three month hiatus, the original series began airing again on GSN at 3:00 a.m. ET, on the morning of July 4, 2006.

1950–1961 format

Contestants were required to perform tasks (called stunts) within a certain time frame denoted on a large 60-second clock on the wall that would count down a time limit. If they succeeded, they were said to have “beat the clock.” If they failed, the clock beat them. The prizes were always secondary to the competition itself, until such big-money shows as $100,000 Big Surprise" target="_blank" >* forced Beat the Clock to start offering larger prizes worth several thousand dollars.

The show had various sponsors over its history, but the most longstanding was the electronics company, Sylvania. This is the most famous era of the show, and the most represented in the episodes that are still available for broadcast (see production changes for information on the show's history, and existing records for information on the existing episodes).

On-air personalities

The host of the show was Bud Collyer. He was one of the first stars of TV game shows. He was the main speaking personality on the show. Trademarks of his performance on Beat the Clock included his wearing a bow tie, his cheery attitude, and his personable rapport with contestants and their children. As opposed to being an impartial observer, he was often supportive of the contestants in assisting and egging them on; though he was always the first to enjoy a bit of harmless embarrassment on their parts. Substitute hosts included Bill Hart (1951), John Reed King (1952), Frank Wayne (1953), Bob Kennedy (1954), Win Elliott (1955), and Sonny Fox, who from 1956–1960 became Mr. Collyer's “designated” substitute host (as they were also good friends). While Collyer was referred to in the introductions as "America's number one clockwatcher", the fill-in hosts were simply named "America's number two clockwatcher(s)."

Collyer had a few assistants at any point during the show's run. Normally there was one assistant that was a sort of co-host that would introduce the contestants to Collyer, take photos for messy stunts, pose with the prizes, and bring “gifts” to the contestants and families. Then there were additional assistants that would mainly help with stunts such as putting a shower cap or blindfold on, or bringing the contestants additional balls or dishes or other props.

The most famous of the Beat the Clock assistants was original co-host/assistant Roxanne (nee Delores Evelyn Rosedale), who only used her first name as her professional name. (She is not to be confused with the actress Roxanne Arlen.) Roxanne was replaced by Beverly Bentley in August 1955 (she stayed on until 1956, and became one of the original models on The Price Is Right that year). Beverly's departure coincided with Hazel Bishop's sponsorship and a period of having no main assistant (see production changes below).

The additional assistants from at least 1952 were Betty Calvin (the brunette) and Madeline Tyler (the blonde). Madeline left in the spring of 1956 and was replaced by another blonde, Eileen. Madeline took her role back from Eileen late in the year. In December of 1956, Betty was replaced until the end of March 1957 by Sandra while she had her second child.

The announcer for the show was Bernard (“Bern”) Bennett until 1958. In October 1957, Beat the Clock ran a contest inviting viewers to submit drawings of what Bennett (who was never shown on camera) might look like. Over 20,000 viewers participated, and the winner (Edward Darnell of Columbus, Indiana) was flown in to appear on the show (along with Bennett) on December 2, 1957. After Bern left in 1958 (possibly on the move to ABC, see below), Dirk Fredericks became the announcer. Subsitute Announcers included Lee Vines, Bob Shepard, Hal Simms, and Dick Noel.

Contestants

Contestants were chosen from the studio audience and were usually married couples (but occasionally were just engaged or otherwise). Bud would ask them general questions usually including where they were from, how long they'd been married. He would usually ask if they had children and if they did, their ages and genders. (If the couple had three children, Collyer would often compare their gender breakdown with his own family.) Sometimes the couple would bring some or all of their children with them on the show. Collyer would usually take some time out to talk to the children and ask them questions like what they wanted to be when they grew up. The husbands on the show usually wore a business suit. Collyer would often ask the husband to take off his coat for stunts to make it less cumbersome (there were a few hooks on the contestants’ podium for this purpose, or Collyer would just hold the coat). Occasionally, if there was going to be a messy stunt, the husband would come out dressed in a plastic jumpsuit to keep his own clothes clean. Similarly, wives would sometimes play in their “street clothes,” but sometimes the women would appear in a jumpsuit issued to them by the show due to the fact that their own clothing might be too cumbersome or perhaps fragile. The women's jumpsuits, unlike the men's, which were rather plain, were patterned to look like a pair of overalls with a collared blouse underneath. The women would also often be issued running shoes instead of their own high heels.

Game format

Main game: One couple competed against the clock to win a prize in stunts that could require one or both members of the couple. The first stunt was the called the “$100 clock,”. The stunt was described and the time limit (some multiple of 5 seconds up to a minute; usually at least 30 seconds) was set. If the couple beat the $100 clock, they moved on to the “$200 clock” and the same rules applied. If they failed to beat the $100 clock, they received a consolation prize at less than $100 (usually a radio while Sylvania was the show's sponsor). If they failed to beat the $200 clock, they got a prize worth more than $100.

Jackpot clock: If the couple beat the $200 clock, the wife would play the “jackpot clock” in which the words of a famous saying or quote was scrambled up on a magnetic board and that phrase had to be unscrambled in 20 seconds or less. If successful, then the couple won the jackpot prize. If not, they got a prize worth more than $200 (usually a small TV while Sylvania was the show's sponsor). Occasionally when the wife of the couple did not speak English very well, the husband was allowed to perform the jackpot clock. The jackpot clock and the bonus stunt (see below) would provide the templates for the traditional quiz-show bonus round, which would become a TV staple, starting with the Lightning Round for the Goodson-Todman word game Password, in 1961.

In the show's earliest set design in available episodes, there was a round display near the contestants mirroring the clock. This display had three rings of light like a target. The outer ring would light during the $100 clock, the middle ring for the $200 clock, and the centre circle would light during the jackpot clock. This feature was removed in later set designs.

Bonus stunt: Some time during every episode (between normal stunts), a special signal would sound. The couple playing at the time would attempt the bonus stunt for the bonus prize that started at $100 in cash. If the stunt was not beaten, it would be attempted the next week with $100 added to the prize. When it was beaten, it was retired from the show and a new bonus stunt began the next week at $100. The bonus (as the name suggests) did not affect the regular game, and win or lose, the couple continued the regular clocks wherever they left off. Beginning in August 1954, the starting amount for each bonus stunt was raised to $500, still increasing $100 each week. Bonus stunts were harder than the usual $100 and $200 stunts and sometimes reached $2000 or even $3000 on occasion. In 1956, the bonus stunt was replaced by the super bonus (see below).

There was usually a special technique for performing the stunt that had to be figured out, but even then, the stunt was usually difficult enough to require some skill or luck once the technique was realized. Viewers would usually try to figure it out and after a few weeks on the air viewers would often get it (sometimes Collyer would remark that viewers had been writing in and he would give certain dimensions of the props used so viewers could try to figure it out at home). Usually either contestant themselves would start appearing on the show with the technique in mind, or audience members would shout it out to try to help them. A stunt would usually take a few weeks before the audience realized the technique, and then a few more weeks before someone was able to properly employ it.

Super bonus stunt: In response to the big money prizes which began to appear on other networks' game shows, CBS talked Mark Goodson into increasing the stakes on Beat The Clock. (Ultimately the plan was unsuccessful as the ratings never did improve much, perhaps leading to the end of the super bonus.) Starting on February 25, 1956, after the last regular bonus stunt had been won, it was replaced by the “super bonus” which started at $10,000 and went up by $1,000 for each time it was not won. Unlike with the regular bonus stunt and the “big cash bonus stunt” that followed it (see below), the super bonus was attempted by every couple who qualified by beating the $200 clock. Originally the stunt was played at the end of the show by each couple that qualified, and, "because of the high prize value," a special timing machine made by the Longines company was used, which was touted as the most accurate portable timer available. Probably realizing that seeing the same stunt a few times in a row was a bit boring, they moved the super bonus right after the $200 clock and before the jackpot clock on March 17, and dropped the Longines timer.

The super bonus was won only twice in its existence. The first super bonus stunt involved the husband picking up four small paper cups from a table one at a time and stacking them atop a large helium-filled balloon using only one hand. The first seven contestants had trouble even getting the second cup stacked, but the eighth contestant to try the stunt on March 25, 1956 (the show's sixth “birthday” show) kept the balloon very close to the ground and at points held it on the ground (Collyer warned him several times not to do so) and bounced the balloon as he grabbed the next cup. He was able to stack the four cups quickly and won $18,000, and subsequently also won the jackpot prize (a television). The contestants who qualified later in that program were brought back the following week to try the new super bonus.

The second super bonus stunt again involved the husband who wore a football helmet with wooden salad bowl attached face-down on the forehead. The husband had to balance a wooden cylinder (about the size of a paper towel roll) on its end on the bowl. The cylinder was tied at its midpoint to a fishing line on a shortened fishing pole. It was designed by Frank Wayne who demonstrated the completing of the stunt before the studio audience prior to at least some of the tapings. This stunt proved very difficult, and most contestants who attempted it showed no indication of a technique for getting the rod to the bowl. Only one person even had the pole sitting flat for a brief instant until September 6, where both the first contestant (a holdover who had practiced at home) and the second contestant (for $62,000 and $63,000 respectively) managed to have the dowel sitting on the bowl for a few moments, but lost its balance when the string was slacked. On September 15, 1956, Collyer announced that the next show would gain a new sponsor, and if the super bonus was not won, Fresh and Sylvania would be donating the super bonus pot to charity. However, the first contestant, a holdover from the previous show of near-misses who had practiced at home, won the jackpot of $64,000; they then won the jackpot prize, a washer and dryer. Each of the final three contestants employed a technique of raising the dowel very slowly so it did not swing around. Unlike the original bonus, however, the audience never seemed to catch on to a particular technique for the two super bonus stunts, and advice was not usually shouted out.

Partway through the run of the second Super Bonus, a rolling desk/table with dollar value of the bonus printed on it was used to roll out the props for the stunt. This carried over to the Big cash bonus stunt. It is notable that in the earliest surviving episodes from 1952 that air, the original bonus had a similar desk with the value of the bonus on it. The desk was done away with for several years until the idea was reused in 1956.

Big cash bonus stunt: Starting on September 22, 1956 (the same day Beat the Clock's new sponsor became Hazel Bishop) the bonus reverted back to the original bonus stunt format (attempted once per episode by whatever couple heard the bell ringing). The jackpot started at $5,000, and increased $1,000 every week it was not won. If successful, the couple left the show with the so-called "top prize"; Otherwise, they continued on with the regular game. Perhaps inspired by the lengthly stretch of the very difficult second Super Bonus stunt, the bonus stunts that followed it tended to be less difficult, and several were won within the first month of their appearance (once even being won in its first attempt).

Bonus cash and prize stunt: A lucky couple had a chance to win a bundle of cash and a special prize like a car or a boat. To win, they had to successfully complete their bonus stunt.

The stunts

The stunts performed on the show were mostly created by staff stunt writers Frank Wayne and Bob Howard. In the early days of the show, playwright Neil Simon was also a stunt writer. The stunts were usually aimed towards fun with difficulty being secondary. The stunts would usually be constructed out of common household props such as balloons, record players, dishes/cups, and balls of almost every type. The stunts performed varied widely, but there were some common themes.

Most stunts in some way involved physical speed or dexterity. Contestants often had to balance something with some part of their body, or race back and forth on the stage (for example, releasing a balloon, running across the stage to do some task, and running back in time to catch the balloon before it floated too high). Often the challenge was some form of target practice, in terms of throwing, rolling, bowling, etc.

The setup for the stunt was often designed to look easy but then have a complication or gimmick revealed. (For example, Collyer would say “All you have to do is stack four plates,” check the clock to see how much time they had to do it, and then add “oh, and one more thing—you can't use your hands.”) Common twists included blindfolding one or both contestants, or telling them they couldn't use their hands (or feet or any body part that would be obvious to use for whatever the task was).

The other common element in the stunts was to get one of the contestants messy in some way often involving whipped cream, pancake batter, and such (usually limited to the husband of the couple). While it was not a part of every stunt, and sometimes it didn't even happen in an episode, it was common enough that when a couple brought a child on, Bud would often ask what they thought the parents might have to do and the child would often respond “get whipped cream in their face.” Many times the wife would be shown a task, be blindfolded, and then her husband would be quietly brought out and unknown to her, she would be covering him with some sort of mess. When the mess was not hidden from the wife, Collyer would often jokingly tell the husband (who usually had a short haircut) that they would put a bathing cap on his head “to keep your long hair out of your eyes” before revealing what form of mess he would be involved with. Occasionally Collyer himself would get caught in the mess accidentally. These types of stunts are very reminiscent of and might be considered a prototype for the kinds of stunts performed on future game shows such as Double Dare.

Unlike today, technicality in the rules was not a major issue on the show. The goal was usually to make sure the contestants had fun. Bud would often stop the clock in the middle of a stunt if the contestant(s) was struggling so he could advise them on a better way to do the stunt. Often if a condition of the stunt was “don't use your hands,” Bud would ignore the first use of hands and just warn the contestant. If the time limit was nearly up on a task Bud would often give them a few moments extra, or tell them if they started before the clock ran out and succeeded in that attempt he would count it. And some times if a contestant had come close enough (for example, if they had to stack cups and saucers without the pile falling over, and the contestant knocked the pile over while putting the last cup on top, he would give them the stunt if they did not have time to do it again. If a string broke on a prop or the supply of balloons for a stunt ran out he would simply give the stunt to the couple as it was the show’s fault. Similarly on the messy stunts, since the goal was just to mess up the husband, the time limit was often unimportant and the clock would be stopped when Bud felt the husband was messy enough.

Sometimes there were theme shows such as one episode where all the stunts were circus themed (for the circus being in town), an international show with each stunt having some relation to some other country, a show in which certain props were used in each stunt, a birthday show on the show's anniversary, April Fools shows where there was a trick in every stunt, and an episode at the end of the year redoing favorite stunts of that year.

In order to determine if the stunts could actually be performed, and to set the time limits for them, the producers hired out-of-work actors to try them out. One of those who did this work was James Dean, who was said to be able to perform any task the producers gave him to try. He was so adept that he had to be let go, as he was too fast to set the time limits by. Collyer also noted on the air a number of times that he himself tested many of the stunts while they were being developed (often noting that the contestant performed the stunt with far more ease than he had).

Prizes – Sylvania era

Prizes varied depending on the era of the show and the sponsor at the time. During Sylvania’s tenure as sponsor (which began in March 1951), consolation prizes for losing the $100 clock were usually a Sylvania radio which was brought out. $100 clock prizes included Michael C. Fina silverware sets, a collection of four Knapp-Monarch small kitchen appliances, or a Hoover Upright. $200 clock prizes included refrigerators, air conditioning units (usually in the summer), a Tappan range/oven, a James dishwasher, and small Sylvania TVs (all of which were shown as drawings/photos and not actually brought out on the show).

The jackpot prize during Sylvania's tenure was always a Sylvania Television set anywhere from 21" to 27". Later in the series (around 1955–56) a hi-fi stereo/phonograph (with “famous surround sound”) was included with the television, and it was noted that the jackpot prize was “worth more than $500.” A notable (and often pointed out) feature of Sylvania's TVs at the time was the “halo light,” which was an illuminated “frame” around the image which was supposed to have made watching the image easier on the eyes.

The sets, as was the style at the time, were freestanding pieces of furniture that sat on legs on the floor with a speaker mounted below the screen. Various models were given away over the years — sometimes the same model several times in one episode, sometimes a different model each time the jackpot was won in an episode. Roxanne (later Beverly) would pose with the TV which was revealed from behind a curtain in a small faux living room. The earliest win of a TV in the episodes whose records still air was a Jefferson 20" cabinet. Shortly after, on September 6, 1952, the new 1953, 21" Montclair cabinet (model 177M) was unveiled. Some of the other models over the years included the 24" Penhurst console, the 21" Windermere console (with French provincial stylings), and later the “Cabinet of Light” (as the line was called) models, the 21" Belvedere, and the 24" Kimberly (circa 1956).

There were also various gifts given to the contestants just for appearing on the show. There was a Sylvania Beat the Clock home game produced which was given to contestants starting in the mid-50s. When it was novel, Collyer would open the box and explain that it would be fun for not just children but adults at parties, and he would point out the working clock and the instructions for stunts and all the props. Later in the run it would be brought out, shown and whisked away just as quickly. The boxes were reworked a few times, and there was a new edition released later in the run.

When children were brought on the show, there were special gifts. Starting on September 6, 1952, Girls brought on the show were given a Roxanne doll that was produced at the time. On October 11, 1952, the Buck Rogers Space Ranger Kit was debuted for the male children. In the mid-50s, each child was given a camera kit (the brand of the camera varied often but it always included a supply of Sylvania "Blue Dot for sure shot" flashbulbs). If contestants were involved in a messy stunt, Roxanne (later Beverly) would come out and take a picture of the husband/couple. Initially it wasn't made clear how the couple would get the photo (perhaps mailed to them), but later in the run, the camera would be given to the couple in addition to any their children might already have been given. Collyer would explain that when they developed the film, the first photo would be that of the husband/couple.

Famous quotes

The show had several long-running catch-phrases, as it were. The most notable, which continued into the later revivals of the show, was the announcer’s call after the opening theme: “Now here's America's number-one clock-watcher, Bud Collyer!” (and for the revivals, the appropriate host’s name in place of Collyer’s). A running joke was that Announcer Bern Bennett’s voice would often crack while reading Collyer’s name. Collyer would sometimes jokingly mock Bennett after he had read the name. On occasions where Collyer was absent for vacation (usually during the summer months) or other reasons, Bennett would revise the call with the substitute's name and refer to them “filling in for the vacationing Bud Collyer, here’s America’s number-two clock-watcher...” When Collyer returned from vacation in the fall, Bennett would revise the same call to welcome Collyer back from vacation by saying "let's welcome back from his vacation..." before introducing Collyer.

After his intro in early episodes, Collyer would open the show saying "Welcome once again to Beat the Clock: The show where you can have the time of your life playing against time for big time prizes."

At the end of an episode where a couple hadn’t finished their jackpot clock, Collyer would always ask, “Can you come back next week?” and if affirmative, “Then you'll be our first contestants” (Collyer once referred to it as “the time-honored question”).

At the end of every episode in the Sylvania era (and later with the Sylvania bit omitted), Collyer would close with: “Right now, this is Bud Collyer speaking for Sylvania, hoping that next time may be your time to beat the clock! Goodnight everybody.”

The lyrics to the show's first Sylvania theme song, Lights of Broadway read:

It's time to Beat the Clock!

Lights of Broadway, sights of Broadway
Sounds of Broadway all around
''And there above shines the name "Sylvania"
Pioneering light, sight and sound
''Finer products, better products
Best at quality
''Made for you by Sylvania
Pioneer for half a century

Beat the Clock, brought by Sylvania
Beat the Clock, to entertain ya
It's time to play Beat the Clock

The lyrics to the show's second, more commonly known Sylvania theme song read:

Tick tock, tick tock
Hickory dickory dock
It's time to beat the clock
Time for fun has now begun
Let's all play Beat the Clock

When the bonus bell rang (in the original Sylvania format, and later when it returned to a bell format for the Hazel Bishop era) Collyer would, in (perhaps mock) surprise, call out "The bonus! You get to try the bonus!"

When contestants failed to complete a stunt in time, Collyer would tell them "You didn't beat the clock; the clock beat you."

Production changes

1950: beginning
Beat the Clock began airing Thursday nights on CBS on March 23, 1950, running 45 minutes with no commercials. In April, it was extended to an hour (it is unclear if this was still on Thursday) before moving to Saturdays. The show did not have a sponsor until the Saturday night shows, and this is believed to have happened in September 1950 (Collyer mentions on October 4, 1952 that they've just celebrated two years of sponsorship). Those prior episodes are believed not to be in the available library of episodes (hence some of the reason for the unclarity). The show was telecast from the Maxine Elliott Theater (Studio 51).

1950-1956: The Sylvania era
The most recognizable era of the show was from 1950 (or 1951) when it moved to a more standard half-hour on Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time. This is when the show was sponsored by the Sylvania company, who made various products. Notable on the show were their flashbulbs, radios and television sets. The show was CBS's lead-in to Saturday night programming. One program on their schedule in 1952 was Jackie Gleason's variety show on which he once performed a Honeymooner's sketch on the Beat the Clock set with himself and Art Carney as contestants. The first one to two years of this period are also presumed unavailable. There were very few production changes during this period the show. The first theme song from this period was Lights of Broadway. This later changed to the more familiar Hickory Dickory Dock (lyrics quoted above). The theme from the original unsponsored show is unknown.

1955–56 production changes
In late 1955/early 1956 there were a few production changes to go along with the gameplay changes that began later in 1956. The first notable change was the absence of assistant Roxanne in August 1956. There was never any explanation for her departure. Some rumor persists that Collyer was jealous of her popularity, but other sources cite that she left to get married. Roxanne did give birth to her daughter Anne shortly after her departure from the show.

The show’s sponsor, Sylvania began a contest in 1955 where viewers could visit a local Sylvania dealer and get an entry form to mail in for the contest. The entries were placed in a big rotating drum on the show and one of the contestant couples/families would draw the top three winners for the week (with additional winners being drawn after the show).

It was not that significant, but it may have impacted another production change. Shortly before the contest drawings began, the jackpot board which had been behind the contestants’ podium was moved to the first curtain to the left (viewers’ left) of the podium. This might have been preparation for the contest, as the drum was placed behind the curtain which previously had contained the jackpot board.

The final notable production change in this period involved the opening of the show. The show previously opened with the theme and an animated clip. Added before this was an opening teaser, which affected the show in a number of ways. In the teaser, Collyer would stand with the first couple on the show and explain the stunt they would have to perform; however, he would leave out that crucial detail that would make it difficult. The detail was not usually something easy to guess like blindfolding or whipped cream, but was usually something that would surprise everyone such as changing a factor of the stunt to make it more difficult (for example, Collyer would demonstrate throwing a baseball into a barrel but then replace the baseballs with basketballs that would barely fit into the barrel, or moving the contestant much further away from the barrel, etc.).

There were a few side effects of this change. The end of each program was signified by a buzzer that told Collyer time had run out. Originally this buzzer often came while Collyer was explaining a stunt or during the performance of a stunt. The same stunt would start again the next week (in a form of suspense, perhaps, to bring the audience back). Collyer would often suggest that they practice the stunt at home (sometimes jokingly, if the stunt involved props that would be very unlikely to be found in the home). Collyer would then ask the contestants if they could come back, which they usually could. After the opening teaser was added, contestants who had only the jackpot clock left and said they could come back were suddenly absent the next week, with Collyer explaining that after the show it seemed inconvenient to come back for just the jackpot clock, and that the couple had played the jackpot clock after the show went off the air. This generally avoided the next week starting with a jackpot clock (which would not work with the teaser). After the change Collyer would often rush contestants to perform the Jackpot quickly if they had just barely enough time in order to not have the jackpot clock at the beginning of the next episode. Additionally, when a contestant ended the show in the middle of a stunt or after the stunt was explained, it was not repeated the next week. The teaser started with a brand new stunt. Collyer began telling contestants “You'll start next week with this stunt or another, we're not sure which yet” (which he said every time it happened for months), but rarely was the same stunt held over after the change (until late in the Fresh sponsorship - see below - when they started sometimes holding stunts over to the next week again).

Around the time the super bonus stunt moved from the end of the show to after the $200 clock, the opening teaser was changed from the preview of a stunt to a preview of the super bonus stunt, telling the audience what the prize was up to that week. The effects of the teaser change (the jackpot never starting a show, couples who were in the middle of a stunt getting a new one the next week) continued, however.

These changes seemed aimed at streamlining the show and making each show run faster and less informally. After the changes, children began not being brought out with the couple (kids gradually started reappearing after several months in the middle of 1956 with less frequency than they originally had been), even when the couple said the children were backstage or in the audience. The stunts started getting a little harder and Collyer was a bit less helpful. Stunts tended to be more often aimed towards skill and difficulty than the slapstick and embarrassment that had been at the forefront in the past. (Before this, it was commonplace for every contestant to win the jackpot in an episode.) This in some ways “modernized” the show—one might note that the conversation between Collyer and children of contestants was very much definitive/reminiscent of early game shows of the 1950s. Similarly the addition of the teaser and the super bonus in some ways took the feel of the show away from a very informal free-flowing game that happened to have cameras rolling to a more smooth running, pressure-filled atmosphere with a more 'produced' feeling with more gimmicks than ever before.

1956: Fresh – The end of Sylvania’s tenure
In late spring of 1956, just weeks after Collyer’s announcement of a new Sylvania contest (see the 1955 contest above), Beat the Clock got a new sponsor—Fresh Deodorants. Along with this came a number of production changes. First, the show’s Hickory Dickory Dock theme song was replaced by a jazzy electric guitar piece (with no lyric) in the tune of the song Daisy Bell, over footage of a field of daisies (daisies apparently being a theme of the new sponsor—Fresh as a daisy). After a few episodes, a lyric was added that was an alteration of the lyric of the original song (possibly a slogan of the company at the time). The walls (previously in a type of bubble/marble pattern) and podium were changed to have daisies decorating them, and the famous clock was redressed into a Fresh motif. The contestants even wore small daisy lapel pins. More jazzy guitar music was added to the opening teaser of the super bonus, and while the contestants attempted the bonus (in a sort of Flight of the Bumblebee pace of panic). Collyer also took every opportunity to toss “Fresh” or “daisy” into his dialogue during the show.

There were two other changes of note to the actual implementation of the show; first, the jackpot clock (the magnetic word puzzle) moved back to its original location behind the contestants’ podium. Secondly were the prizes. Naturally the new sponsor brought new prizes. First the gift given to contestants still included the home game (now “courtesy of Fresh” with Fresh graphics on the box, though seemingly still including a photo of Roxanne) but the camera kits with Sylvania flashbulbs were replaced by a gift box of Fresh products (and of course, photos of messy stunts were no longer taken). The jackpot prize was no longer a TV set, but various rotating prizes. On the first episode of Fresh’s sponsorship, jackpot prizes included a Westinghouse Deluxe Laundromat washer and matching dryer, and a pair of York snorkel air conditioners. Betty or Eileen posed with the prizes instead of Beverly. The last Sylvania prize ever awarded on the show was a Windermere console with a hi-fi.

1956: Hazel Bishop takes over
On September 22, 1956, Hazel Bishop cosmetics company became the show's new sponsor. They were the final sponsor of the show on CBS. This coincided with the above-mentioned new big cash bonus which was likely a response to the failure of the super bonus to improve ratings. In perhaps another response, the show also moved to a new time, 7:00–7:30 p.m. Eastern time. This made it the first program ever to open a Saturday night lineup at 7:00. However, some affiliates had other programming commitments and the show lost about 20 stations.

A new theme song was introduced called Subway Polka, and the opening teaser introduced months earlier was eliminated. The set was redressed very similar to the way it had originally appeared, and even the clock itself went back to its original appearance (except for the Hazel Bishop name instead of Sylvania's on the face). Another change that coincided with the new sponsor and timeslot was that Beverly was no longer with the show. Contestants were introduced by the announcer, and prizes and gifts were presented by the other assistants. The gifts included a giftbox of Hazel Bishop cosmetics, and a yet-again rebranded home game. In January 1957, the home game was replaced with a new home version of the magnetic jackpot board. The prizes remained, for the most part, the same or similar prizes as under Fresh's sponsorship. A few weeks into the new big cash bonus, the lighting was dimmed (or at least some camera effect was used) to darken the studio and highlight the contestants and the lights on the clock.

1957: New timeslot
The ratings continued to decline and on Friday, February 8, 1957, the show moved to Fridays at 7:30–8:00 p.m. Eastern time. Corresponding with this change was a redesign of the show’s set(it is suggested that this might be the point where the show moved to the Ritz Theater in New York City, but other sources date that as 1958 and likely refer to the point where the show moved to ABC). Unlike previous set changes, this was not simply a redress of the walls and surfaces. The contestants were now introduced by opening a curtain to the area behind the newly redesigned podium. The jackpot board was moved to the wall to the left (viewers’ left) of the podium/curtain. The curtained wall (with the show’s title above it) between the clock and the podium was removed to reveal a wall further back. There was a small semi-circular curtained area to the (viewers’) left of the jackpot board which rotated more into view when needed, and contained the jackpot prizes. A few weeks later, the show’s title was put on the back wall again, and a curtain (that was sometimes left open) was re-added to the center stage area.

Artistically, the set had a diamond motif. The contestants were once again given the home game instead of the magnetic board. Other gifts were also given to children, such as a radio kit for young boys, or a doll for girls. A few weeks into the new night, they began playing playful music while the contestants attempted their stunts (remeniscent of how music played during the super bonus in the Fresh era of the show).

On June 21, 1957, the show aired unsponsored. Hazel Bishop began sponsoring only every-other week. The show did not change much except for the obvious stoppage of any mention of Hazel Bishop. The clock was rebranded with the title of the show, and the podium was bare. The contestants still received the home game (a new edition that had been introduced several months earlier), but obviously, not the Hazel Bishop gifts. Other recent gifts that were still given included a crystal radio kit for boys brought on the show, and a “Beat The Clock, Rags to Riches” doll (whose clothes changed her into a princess) for girls.

1957 and beyond: daytime
In addition to the Friday night show, on September 16, 1957, CBS began airing the show at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern time), Monday to Friday. It was only the second nighttime show ever to have a daytime version. The nighttime show continued to lose viewers and, shortly after the daytime show began, moved to Sunday nights at 6:00 p.m. without a sponsor. On February 16, 1958, the nighttime show ended after eight years. (Because records after this period are not currently distributed (see below), the dates are difficult to confirm.)

The daytime show was not a failure, but it did not meet CBS's expectations. It was announced that Beat the Clock would be replaced by The Jimmy Dean Show in September. The daytime show aired on CBS for just under a year until September 12, 1958. However, at the time ABC was in the process of developing a daytime lineup which it previously lacked. They began picking up low-budget shows. CBS permitted Collyer to move to ABC with the agreement that ABC would not air a nighttime version. Following a short hiatus, the show began again on October 13, 1958 on ABC, at 3:00 p.m., and ran through the last week of January 30, 1961 (following one last attempted move to 12:30 p.m.).

Existing records

Like many shows of its day, the show was recorded using kinescope recording (i.e., the show was saved on film). There are even some mentions of this on the show, such as, when people once called and wrote in contesting a loss on the second super bonus stunt, Bud mentioned that they checked the kinescope of the episode and confirmed that the contestant never had the string slack.

Like most kinescope recordings that have been put into current use, the films have been transferred to video tape (and in some cases, the videos into digital form). Unfortunately, as is the nature of the media, some kinescopes or video tapes are lost or in too poor quality to broadcast. As such, there are sometimes gaps in the catalogue of available episodes broadcasted.

It is unclear whether the daytime episodes (both CBS and ABC) are lost or damaged, but the episodes are rarely seen. GSN currently holds rights to air the show and has episodes from the original nighttime series with a few exceptions due to the aforementioned issues. Their episodes seem to range from the episode believed to have aired August 2, 1952 (when John Reed King was guest hosting) until the final episode before the CBS daytime began, even though the nighttime series continued normally the next week. The network, at one time dominated by black-and-white game shows, now airs almost none. Their latest run of Beat the Clock (at 3:00 with What's My Line? at 3:30) ended the morning of April 1, 2006. It was replaced by the original run of I've Got A Secret, which was shortly thereafter replaced by an AM rerun of the brand new revival version of that series. Starting the morning of July 4, 2006, GSN, Beat the Clock returned to its former timeslot.

GSN does occasionally air single episodes of classic game shows during tributes or specials, or clips of them during clip shows. Other than such occurrences, the show is not currently airing on American television.

1969 format

In this version, two couples competed with the help of a celebrity guest (who appeared for one whole week). Each couple in round one played two stunts (one by themselves and one with a celebrity). Each time they completed a stunt, they got to choose a letter in the show's title. Each letter had a hidden dollar amount ranging from $25–$200. After each couple played two stunts, the celebrity played a solo stunt in which the couples bet on whether the star would beat the clock or would the clock beat the star. A correct prediction earned the couple(s) $50. During the Gene Wood era, both couples would face-off against each other as well as the clock in one final stunt (the celebrity could referee during the stunt). The first couple to complete the stunt won a prize. After the final stunt if there was still time, host Wood went out to the studio audience & had them play stunts for money. The first season in 1969-1970 was taped in New York City, but in Fall 1970 until the end of the run in 1974 the show was relocated to tape in Montreal, Canada (Becoming the only Goodson-Todman game show to be produced in Canada, not counting French-Canadian versions of Goodson-Todman game shows) for budget reasons.

The Jack Narz era 1969–1972

In early episodes, couples, now aided by a weekly celebrity guest, played for points simply by completing stunts. The first couple to reach 100 points won a prize package. This was subsequently changed to the winning couples facing a “cash board” with “BEAT THE CLOCK” spelled out on three levels. Each letter concealled a money amount ranging from $50, to $200. The couple would agree on a letter, select it, and the winnings would be revealed. At some point during the show, the celebrity would perform a “solo stunt” (which seemed to have supplanted the bonus stunt on the original show). The couples could win $50 if they guessed that the star could beat the clock, or vice versa. Towards the end of Narz’ tenure as host, stunts would be replaced in the second half of the show, with the celebrity playing a game of intuition with the couples, who would play for a cash prize, which was divided among them.

1979 format

In this format, two couples competed again against each other and the clock. This incarnation was the only one of the four Beat the Clock editions to originate in Los Angeles.

Rounds 1 and 2

In rounds one and two, both couples faced-off in a stunt, and the first couple to complete the stunt won $500 and the right to play a solo stunt for another $500.

Bonus shuffle

After the first two rounds both couples played the “Bonus Shuffle” which was played at a special shuffleboard; because on that shuffleboard were dollar values ranging from $300–$1,000. The couple in the lead got three pucks while the other got only two. Each couple got as many turns as there were pucks. When a puck landed on a dollar amount, the other couple had to beat the amount; but if it didn't land on a money amount or if it went over the edge, it was dead. The couple who landed on a higher dollar amount won that money, and the couple with the most money at the end of this round won the game and played a bonus stunt.

Bonus stunt

The winning couple got a chance to play the bonus stunt in which they completed within the time limit in order to win ten times the amount won/landed on in the Bonus Shuffle meaning a possible $10,000 can be won. Win or lose, that couple came back on the next day's show to meet another couple.

Celebrity version

Midway into its short-lived run, the show became an all-celebrity format. This version had these differences:
  • All the money the stars won went to their rooting section (a la Tattletales).
  • All stunts were now worth half price or $250.
  • In the bonus stunt, if the winning celebrity team completed it, $1,000 went to their rooting section while the remaining money went to their favorite charity.
  • The star teams compete for a whole week.

The rest of the format remained the same.

2002 version

Taped at Universal Studios Florida, three couples competed in this version.

Round 1

To start the game, all three couples faced-off in a stunt. The first couple to complete the stunt got 10 points and the advantage of having to play a solo stunt first. Each couple in turn starting with the couple who won the opening stunt played a 30 second stunt. But before that, they first had to answer a two-part question; after the question was asked, the female player got to answer and, if she was correct, the male partner got to answer (sometimes they could both answer). If both correct answers were given, 10 seconds was added to the time for a total of 40 seconds. Either way they would then play the stunt; now if the stunt was completed the couple won 10 points plus 1 for every second left on the clock (Ex: 10 + 3 sec. = 13 points).

Round 2

Again all three couples played a face-off stunt. The couples were positioned according to their score, with the couple in first place getting the advantage, the second place couple in the middle, and third at a disadvantage. This was an elimination stunt in which first two couples to complete the stunt advanced to round three, while the couple coming in last got eliminated but went home with parting gifts.

Round 3

In this round only one stunt was played. Two minutes was the starting time for the stunt, and the two remaining couples bid against each other to see who played the stunt with a lower time limit. Control of who starts the bidding was determined by a question in which the woman of the team that won the elimination stunt decided to either have the partner answer or have the opponents answer. Whoever won the question started the bidding. The bidding round was played until one team told the other to “Beat the Clock”; at which point the opposing team played the stunt in the adjusted time limit. If the couple could perform the stunt within that time limit, they won the game; otherwise the other team won. The winning couple went on to the bonus round.

The bonus round (“The Swirling Whirlwind of Cash and Prizes”)

The winning couple went into a play area called “The Swirling Whirlwind of Cash and Prizes.” Inside was over $25,000 in cash & prizes ($100,000 in the pilot). The winning couple had 60 seconds to grab as many dollar bills and prize vouchers as they can. They could only grab what was in the air, nothing on the ground, although they could kick up what was on the ground. Each time they grabbed the cash and prizes, the female partner had to stick them in the male partner’s little bag strapped around his waist. When time ran out, the team had to put their hands in the air, letting go of any money in their hands, and come out. Everything that was in the bag was theirs to keep.

Note: Later in the run, a gold dollar bill was added. If it was grabbed in the sixty seconds, the money was doubled.

Cultural references

British version

Although Beat the Clock was never a programme in its own right in the United Kingdom, it was hugely popular there as a part of ATV's Sunday Night at the London Palladium on the ITV network, from 1955 to 1967, and is still very well-remembered. It was hosted by the Palladium show's comperes, successively Tommy Trinder, Bruce Forsyth (later the host of many other game shows including The Generation Game, Play Your Cards Right, You Bet! and The Price Is Right), Don Erroll, Norman Vaughan and Jimmy Tarbuck. It was occasionally revived afterwards, notably in a BBC variety show hosted by Mike Smith in 1987.

External links

1950s TV shows in the United States | 1960s TV shows in the United States | 1970s TV shows in the United States | 1980s TV shows in the United States | 2000s TV shows in the United States | ABC network shows | CBS network shows | Cable game shows | Game shows | Gameshow Marathon | Goodson-Todman game shows | Syndicated television series | FremantleMedia TV shows

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Beat the Clock".

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