BTC 1960

Here's an interesting rarity-- a clip from one of the oldest known surviving game show videotapes-- an ABC daytime episode of "Beat the Clock", from September 23, 1960. As always, the host is Bud Collyer, and the show's announcer is Dirk Fredericks. Incredibly enough, it's mentioned during the show that the current bonus stunt has not been won through **51 weeks** of daily attempts. (Stunt coordinator Frank Wayne must have been very proud of himself!)

This clip features Mr. & Mrs. Bill Hunt, of Tolleson, Arizona as contestants; as the piece begins, they're about to start their **ninth** stunt round.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Collyer
• ABC
• clock

[banjochris]

does this episode come from VT? it doesn't look like a kinescope, although watching on the computer it's hard to tell.

[philofarnsworth]

This is from the only BTC episode known to survive on videotape.

[teersanbar]

Thank you for posting this. This is the only image I have of my grandfather and grandmother.

[rajjahrw]

thanks for posting this, my mother was on btc in 1960 before I was born. I have a old picture of her and the host Bud Collyer together. I wish I could find her on the show but, it mostly likely gone and she passed away in 1997.

[epaddon]

The model on the left wheeling the table in is Nancy Kovack who later went on to a brief film and TV career (including "Jason And The Argonauts" and the Star Trek episode "A Private Little War") before marrying conductor Zubin Mehta.

[broadhurst04]

Geez.....$20,100 was more than enough to get them a brand new house back then, with no mortgage!

[kevinvanmeter]

The sign "5 Days To a Fortune" was a promotion stunt which involved the stage being filled with over $40,000 of silver dollars. The lucky person had five minutes to shovel as many coins in a container. It would be the last big promotion BTC would have because the show itself was starting to lose steam.

[tbear4pa]

One thing that I have notice is the station wagon pictured in the background was actually from the 1960 model year, and probably was the last of it's kind(late September) as the `61's were ushered in October of that year.

[WarioBarker88]

My goodness, that was exciting. These videos are really helping to fill in some gaps on Wikipedia, Philo. Where do you find this stuff?

Anyway, I think Collyer said this was their *third* attempt at the stunt, not their *ninth*.

And if the amount started at $100 and increased by that amount each day, then it took about 201 shows for it to finally be won - which spans 41 weeks, not 51.

Not trying to nitpick, but the description doesn't seem to match with the video.

[2005dave]

The announcer is Dirk Fredericks, one of the several ABC staff announcers who did BTC at this time.

[banjochris]

Thanks!