Who Pays?

Who Pays? is an American television game show that was broadcast on NBC from July 2, 1959, to September 24, 1959.[1]

Format

Three panelists interview a pair of contestants whose employer is a celebrity or a public figure, with the object of identifying the person for whom the contestants work. Each panelist has one minute to ask questions, after which the panelists discuss whether they can identify the employer. If they identify the celebrity correctly, the contestants share a $100 prize. Incorrect identification results in $200 for the pair of contestants. If the panelists conclude that they do not have enough information to name the employer, a second round of interviews occurs, with the contestants splitting $200 with a correct identification or $400 if the identification was incorrect.[2]

TV viewers can see each celebrity employer, as the person is in range of the camera but not visible to the panel. Celebrities whose employees appeared on Who Pays? include Red Buttons, Betty Furness, Hal March, Audrey Meadows, and Cornelia Otis Skinner.[3]

Personnel

Mike Wallace is the host of Who Pays?.[1] Panelists are Gene Klavan, Cedric Hardwicke, and Celeste Holm.[2] Pat Hernon is the announcer.[4]

Production

Who Pays? is a Lester Lewis production.[5] Jerome Schnur was the producer and director. It was broadcast live from New York[6] on Thursdays from 8 to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.[2] Purex Corporation was the sponsor, advertising Old Dutch cleanser, Sweetheart soap, and Trend detergent.[7]

Critical response

Richard F. Shepard, in a review in the The New York Times, described the premiere episode of Who Pays? as "an innocuous half-hour that would leave no one on the edge of his seat, except perhaps those on the verge of going out to enjoy the evening."[8] He added that Wallace and the panelists "All have been seen to better advantage," and summarized by commenting that the program "didn't seem very novel or exciting."[8]

A review by United Press International writer William Ewald said that Who Pays? "is in many ways a remarkable show — remarkably sluggish, remarkably dull, remarkably inane."[9] He added that the panel's successful identification of an employer in the premiere episode "could be labeled a tour de farce."[9]

A review in the trade publication Variety called Who Pays? "a dullish variation of What's My Line?" and "mild summer fare".[7] It went on to point out that suspense was limited, as panelists faced little challenge in making identifications.[7]

References
  1. McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 911. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
  2. Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1999). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (7th ed.). New York: The Ballentine Publishing Group. p. 1114. ISBN 0-345-42923-0.
  3. Freeman, Donald (October 10, 1959). "Hostilities Fly On 'Who Pays?'". Daily News-Post. The Copley News Service. p. 8. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Doudna, Bill (July 2, 1959). "Two Ex-Wisconsinites to Be on TV Tonight". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 35. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Shephard, Richard F. (May 14, 1959). "Wallace signed as TV show host". The New York Times. p. 67. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  6. "New Panel Quiz Show To Make Debut Thursday". Victoria Advocate. June 28, 1959. p. 72. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Who Pays?". Variety. July 8, 1959. p. 61. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  8. Shephard, Richard F. (July 3, 1959). "TV Review: Who Pays?' in Debut With Panel of 3". The New York Times. p. 37. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  9. Ewald, William (July 3, 1959). "Idea of New Show Is to Guess Identity of Mystery Celebrities". The Shreveport Journal. United Press International. p. 5. Retrieved May 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
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