Winner Take All

Time to bring in your bell & your buzzer, because it's time to learn about Winner Take All.

Broadcast
CBS Radio - 1946 CBS - (Primetime) July 1, 1948-October 3, 1950, (Daytime) February 12, 1951-April 20, 1951 NBC - February 25, 1952-April 25, 1952

Packager
Mark Goodson/Bill Todman Productions

Hosts
Bud Collyer 1948-1950 Barry Gray 1951 Bill Cullen 1952

Co-Hosts
Roxanne Arlen

Betty Jane Watson

Jerry Austen (Gerald Austensen)

Howard Malone

Sheila Connolly

Marion James

Frank Wayne

Announcers
Bern Bennett 1948-1950 Harry Kramer 1951 Don Pardo 1952

Gameplay
Two contestants (one of them being a returning champion) competed in this game full of firsts (explanation later). It was a question & answer game show in which contestants signaled to answer each question. Each contestant had a different signal sound. One contestant's signal sound was a bell, and the other had a buzzer signal sound. The first player to signal had a chance to answer. A correct answer scored one point, but an incorrect answer from the player who signaled in first gave his/her opponent a chance to answer. The first player to score three points wins the game, became "Winner Take All" champion, won a prize and faced another player.

Skits & Challenges
When the show became a TV series, it adapted new challenges into the game. For example, contestants watched live skits performed by other cast members, and the contestants were asked about what they saw. Another example saw contestants blindfolded so they wouldn't see an item in front of their podium; they had feel it out in order to guess what it is.

Music
Bernard Leighton 1948-1951 Arlo 1952

Firsts
As mentioned earlier, this was the show full of firsts; because it premiered many, many things; things that would become available on many more game shows.


 * It was the very first game show hosted by Bill Cullen, who started out as the radio version's announcer.
 * It was the very first game show to ever air on the CBS television network.
 * It was the very first game show produced & created by Goodson/Todman enterprises.
 * It was the first game show to have two or more contestants compete against each other.
 * It was the first game show of it's kind to have contestants buzz/ring in/signal to answer a question.
 * It was the first game show of it's kind to have returning champions.

Other Trivia
When the show cancelled in 1952, it moved to another show called Matinee in New York.

Links
Winner Take All @ Bill Cullen's World Winner Take All @ The Bill Cullen Homepage