I was friends with these dudes in high school and was always so blown away with their music at that age. The garage band I was in at the time could only hope to aspire to that level of badassery. At 38 I still play guitar and am inspired by this album.
This is supposed to be the pilot...but Groucho thanks the sponsor for their 3 years at the end of the show. I guess the company had been sponsoring radio version of You Bet Your Life...since the total US TV sets in 1946 was, believe it...6,000
Times sure have changed: That $228 won by "the car-hop & the married man" sounds like such a pittance for a game show prize...but, in looking it up, I see that the dollar has lost 92% of its value since 1949. Hence, today's value of those winnings is just under $3,000. And the $1,000 question would be worth about $12,500 today. Not too shabby when the median family (not individual) wage was $3,100. Can you believe that?! And, based on today's figures, 4 times the median family wage would be over $350,000...so, I guess the 1949 prize money was "nothing to sneeze at" after all.
My Father had a Wit just like Groucho!! Ironically this pilot was done the year my Brother was born. There was So Many Hysterical Shows of You Bet Your Life!! Can you imagine 300,000 plus views of a show that done 74 years ago?? Shows the Greatness of this Show!! I Love It!!
Well, I'm going to comment... against my better judgement. I'm a big Groucho fan. I read his book, _Groucho and Me_ , a good read for any Groucho fan. I have seen a number of these Bet Your Life episodes and I'm always a little disappointed. To be honest, I think many of them are a bit lame, comedicly speaking. I think of Pat Sajek of Wheel Of Fortune. I think his ad-libs would give Groucho's more than a run for the money. Same is true with Steve Harvey on Family Feud. On the other hand, neither Sajek, nor Harvey, could hold a candle to Groucho's Captain Spaulding.
If I had the money to do so I would buy a complete set and Johnny Carson But right now., I'm working too trying to get fast the effects of covid-19 Including but not limited to walk talk feed myself. And a whole list of other necessary items that one must be able to do to basically function in this world. I am not complaining just listing the things that I am currently struggling to get past... And I will!
Just like Groucho Marx. Just like Groucho Marx was one-of-a-kind.. Irreplaceable... So too was Johnny Carson They tried to replace Johnny which is BS As with Groucho Marx, Johnny Carson is irreplaceable!
I wanted to find the episode in which word shows said to someone who said they had a lot of kids because they like kids... I like my cigar too but I take it out sometimes
Yes Groucho was a great ad-libber but contrary to what everyone here seems to think, the contestants were pre interviewed and there were gag writers who gave Groucho suggested questions and jokes.
Early television was sort of like a radio show that happened to be telecast. The fact that a camera was present was just happenstance. Things kind of went downhill when concerns of the visual took precedence over everything else.
I wonder what happened to all those contestants and the lives they went on to live. Amazing TV, so lucky to be able to watch and enjoy this 74 years later!!
Groucho was that good on the pilot, huh. Everything was going nuts around him, sweaty producers everywhere, and he was never rattled. Amazing performance, amazing format, they really got it right.
Love is war Feel this broken heart. Left me nearly dead Left to scorch in the aftermath In my search for better ways. I'll stand my ground On the trodden path, the earth is burning Feel the pain Creeping up so vile. I will be just fine Bleeding hearts must test the times The earth is burning
