Strike It Rich (1947 game show)

Recordings of the series were destroyed, partly owing to network standards of the era and partly owing to its controversial nature. Four episodes are held at the UCLA Film and Television Archive, and a few are held by the Paley Center for Media. The J. Fred & Leslie W. MacDonald Collection of the Library of Congress has one kinescoped program from November 28, 1956.

While it had a simple format, the show was controversial during the 11 years it aired. Some applauded Strike It Rich for helping out some less fortunate people, as well as showcasing the sincere charity and goodwill of viewers who donated through the Heart Line. Others found it a sickening spectacle that exploited the less fortunate contestants for the vicarious thrills of the viewers and the selfish gain of the sponsors.[7]

Part of the criticism was that it promised more than it could deliver. Though the show received between 3,000 and 5,000 letters per week from needy people wishing to win what would be (to them) life-changing sums of money, only a small fraction of those could be selected. Although this was partly due to the limits of television production (the series, although ambitious in its goals, could not reasonably assist every person needing help at the same time), critics stated that the show picked mostly those thought to have the most interesting tales of woe.[7]

Hull (left) with contestants from Pittsburgh and Atkinson (right).

Despite warnings by the show's producers, a number of people hoping to be contestants exhausted their money to travel to New York, only to be rejected and end up relying on charities such as the Salvation Army to help them return home. This led to a large number of complaints from charities and local government agencies:

• The New York City commissioner of welfare called Strike It Rich "a disgusting spectacle and a national disgrace." The welfare commissioner brought the show to court on charges of unlicensed fund-raising and actually won a conviction.[8]
• The supervisor of the Travelers Aid Society said, "Putting human misery on display can hardly be called right."
• The general director of the Family Service Association of America said flatly, "Victims of poverty, illness, and everyday misfortune should not be made a public spectacle or seemingly to be put in the position of begging for charity."
• The New York legislature looked into the controversy, but later dropped it, claiming it "lacked jurisdiction."
• TV Guide called it "a despicable travesty on the very nature of charity."[7]

CBS and NBC remained unconcerned over the charity controversy, stating: "We don't want to do anything that would antagonize the sponsor." Statements such as this allowed companies such as Geritol and Revlon to continue to control all aspects of the shows they sponsored. Strike It Rich last aired on CBS daytime in its 11:30 am time slot on Friday, January 3, 1958. It was replaced on Monday, January 6 by game show newcomer Dotto. Dotto would go on to become the highest rated daytime show of the 1950s until its cancellation seven months later, the first casualty of the 1950s quiz show scandals.