Kollege of Musical Knowledge

Kollege of Musical Knowledge (Notice the word "Kollege" is spelled with a "K" and not the "C") was a musical quiz show (originally adapted from radio) in which contestants tried to identify songs played by the band or answer questions about music history.

Broadcast
NBC: December 1, 1949-June 29, 1950; October 5, 1950-December 28, 1950; July 4, 1954-September 12, 1954

Hosts
Kay Kyser (1949-1950)

Tennessee Ernie Ford (1954)

Regular Cast
(1949-1950) Version
 * Ish Kibbible
 * Liza Palmer
 * Sue Bennett
 * Michael Douglas
 * The Honeydreamers
 * Dr. Roy K. Marshall
 * Ben Grauer
 * Diane Sinclair
 * Ken Spaulding

(1954) Version
 * The Cheerleaders Quintet
 * Frank DeVol Orchestra
 * Howard Reilly
 * Perry Lafferty
 * Paul Phillips

Gameplay
Big band leader Kay Kyser was host of this musical-variety quiz show, based on his 1940s radio show. Kyser, garbed in cape and gown and called "The Professor", recruited contestants from the studio audience and asked musical questions that were based on performances by members of the band and special guests. Three bearded judges dressed in tails, and somewhat resembling the Smith Brothers (i.e. Smith Brothers cough drops) sat behind a desk and comically "judged" the answers. Among the writers of the show were Bob Quigley. who would then later team up with Merrill Heatter to produce The Hollywood Squares in the 1960s. The 1954 summer version was hosted by country singer Tennessee Ernie Ford and had two groups of contestants who tried to identify songs for prizes. The winning contestants tried to guess the $100 bonus song, which increases in value each week until it was identified.