Nostalgia USA March 2016 Nostalgia USA MARCH ISSUE | Page 18

Trut h Or Consequences Premiered March 23,1940
Ralph Livingstone Edwards (June 13, 1913[? November 16, 2005) was an American radio and
television host, radio producer, and television producer, Truth or Consequences started out as a
radio game show that premiered on NBC Radio in March 1940, and aired for 38 years on radio and
television. After a ridiculously difficult trivia question was asked, and Beulah the Buzzer went off
when they inevitably failed to answer, contestants were asked to perform often ridiculous stunts
for prizes of cash or merchandise. From the start contestants preferred to miss the question, with
Edwards commenting ?Most of the American people are darned good sports.?
After years of experimental broadcasts, the Federal Communications Commission approved
commercial broadcasts starting on July 1, 1941, and NBC?s New York station WNBT (later WNBC)
was the first to make the changeover, with Edwards hosting a one-time episode of the show.
Commercials were $9 for 10 minutes.
The show was originally based in New York, with Allen as announcer, but later moved to Los
Angeles. After the U.S. entered World War II in late 1941, causing TV programming to be
suspended, its radio run started on CBS, Edwards?and Allen?s home network, then moved to NBC.
Occasionally the show played for sentiment, as contestants were surprised on stage by a
sweetheart in the military, a family member, or a long-lost friend. Truth or Consequences, New
Mexico was named after the show following Edwards? promise to broadcast the show from the
first city that renamed itself. The city in southern New Mexico features several public parks and
facilities that bear his name. Beginning in 1950 and continuing for the next 50 years, Edwards
traveled to that city during the first weekend of May every year.
By mid-March Mrs. Hush?s jackpot - a new car, private plane, home appliances, a mink coat,
diamond ring and other assorted goodies - totaled $23,000 in value when Mrs. Hush was correctly
identified as silent screen star Clara Bow. But the real winner was the March of Dimes as the
contest had amassed 700,000 mailed entries and over half a million dollars in contributions for
the charity.
Edwards topped this effort with Miss Hush in the fall of 1947, an two-month contest that ended in
early December when dancer Martha Graham was correctly identified by a Texas housewife for
$21,500 in prizes. Once again the March of Dimes was on the receiving end of listeners?
donations, reported to be over $800,000 while Truth Or Consequences ratings shot into the
mid-twenties. The contest also set a one-day record for mail, 119,000 pieces received on
December 6th.
The simple stunt show had evolved into America?s biggest giveaway program, yet Edwards
managed to balance Truth Or Consequences?excesses with its parlor game roots and added new
dimensions of human warmth that eventually led to his television hit, This Is Your Life. Prime
examples can be found on the audio post below in the broadcast of December 20, 1947.
Truth Or Consequences left radio in 1956, but the party continued because when Hot Springs,
New Mexico, changed its name to Truth Or Consequences in 1950, Edwards promised the town
that he?d take part in an annual civic celebration every year - which he did for the next half
century.

Listen to a Episode of this Fun Show