User:Daniel Benfield/Break the Bank 1945 Video Archive

Mutual Radio: October 20, 1945 - April 13, 1946 (Saturdays)/1954 - 1955 (Daily); ABC Radio: July 5, 1946 - September 23, 1949 (Fridays)/1951 - 1953 (Daily); NBC Radio: October 5, 1949 - September 13, 1950 (Wednesdays)/1950 - 1951 (Daily)/1953 - 1955 (Daily)

ABC Primetime: October 22, 1948 - September 23, 1949/January 31, 1954 - June 20, 1956; NBC Primetime: October 5, 1949 - January 9, 1952/June 23 - September 1, 1953; CBS Primetime: January 13, 1952 - February 1, 1953

NBC Daytime: March 30 - September 18, 1953 (125 episodes)

NBC Primetime: October 9, 1956 - January 15, 1957 (15 episodes)

The first show called Break the Bank was certainly a more staid affair than its successors, sure, but that was a product of its time. From 1945-46, the host varied; sometime that year, probably when the show moved from Mutual to ABC, Bert Parks took the reins for the long haul with Bud Collyer assisting from 1948-53. The 1953 daytime version was hosted by Collyer.

The final three months of the run were Break the $250,000 Bank, an attempt to adapt for the big-money quiz craze at the time with the "specialized knowledge" aspect of The $64,000 Question, a pretty long road to the big money (after answering five $100 questions, the player was then asked $5,000 questions until leaving, losing, or winning the big money), a safety net at each multiple of $25,000, and the presence of the player's family in the "Family Circle" to offer help...and.....encouragement........

...Ed Wolf invented the thing everybody hates from American Deal or No Deal.

Regardless, nobody won the top prize or even got into six-figure territory – the largest winner was Dr. Harry Duncan, a dentist who won $60,000. Due to ending shortly into 1957, $250,000 Bank (to my knowledge, at least) never got scrutinized by the scandals that started brewing just over 18 months later.

LEGAL STUFF SO I DON'T GET SUED: I'm only linking to these videos, none of which were uploaded by me, for the purposes of research and as a public record. Footage ©1945-57 Ed Wolf Productions and associated entities.

AND ANOTHER THING: Because of the show's frankly pretty complicated airing history, the below episodes are listed by year. All episodes except the 1955 one are from their radio broadcasts.

1949-50
 * October 5, 1949 (NBC Premiere: Mr. & Mrs. Alan Blain {Outdoor Harmony}, Ernest J. Unger & Paul Hanshok {The World Series}, Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Myers {last week's Wish Bowl winners; Politics & Petticoats}, David Knot & Grace Corrata? {Dans, Daniels, and Dannys in Real Life & Fiction}; Bank starts at $4,200 {Wish Bowl winner: Gladys Curry}; has commercials)
 * [Payouts are $10-$20-$50-$100-$200-$300-$500 (Gateway to the Bank)-Bank ($1,000 minimum).]


 * February 1, 1950 (Marvel Pervis {Book of the Month, continued from last week at $200 Question with no mistakes}, Ida LeBlanc & Joe McKinney {Romantic Songs}, Mr. & Mrs. Richard Morrison {last week's Wish Bowl winners; The Lou Gehrig Story}, Chief & Mrs. Richard Powers {Gorgeous Gals}, Mr. & Mrs. Melbourne Smith {Bloodthirsty Pirates}; Bank starts at $4,120 {Wish Bowl winner: Judas Bailey}; has commercials, including one for Quick magazine)
 * [Payout ladder is still the same as it was on 10/5/49.]

1953
 * 1953 (Daytime: Mr. & Mrs. Robert Gonyea {Make-Believe People}, Mr. & Mrs Elvin Danielson {Lost Loves}, Vincent O'Letta & Edward Whitbred {X Marks the Spot}, Mr. & Mrs. Tom Burke {Presidents}; Bank starts at $1,350; has commercials)
 * [Payouts are $10-$20-$30-$50-$100-$200-$300 (Gateway to the Bank)-Bank ($500 minimum). At the end, Welcome Travelers and Double or Nothing are plugged.]

1955
 * Fall? 1955 (Harry, Jane, Agatha, and Gary Berstoff? {Neighbors, continued from last week at $500 Question}; Mr. & Mrs. M.W. Webb {Early Times}, Bob Sanderson & Jane Cowell? {Famous Duets}, Staff Sgt. & Mrs. Joseph Simpson {Travel Tunes}; Bank starts at $1,300; has commercials {alternate copy})
 * [Payouts are $25-$50-$100-$200-$300-$500 (Gateway to the Bank)-Bank ($1,000 minimum) by this point. One player wishes a staff member Merry Christmas, a question is about a song from the recent Doris Day film Love Me or Leave Me (released 5/26/55), and Bert references Daylight Saving Time along with plugging the home game.]