I've Got a Secret (TV)
"I've Got a Secret" is a classic American television game show that first aired on CBS on June 19, 1952, and was produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Hosted by the affable Garry Moore, the show gained immense popularity, especially in its second season, becoming one of the top-rated programs of the 1950s. The format revolves around contestants sharing a secret, which the celebrity panelists attempt to guess through a series of questions. Each episode typically featured four contestants, one of whom was a celebrity. The panelists, known for their witty banter, included notable figures like Jayne Meadows and Bess Myerson, contributing to the show's charm.
The show's appeal lay not in large prizes but in the engaging interactions and clever ad libs of the celebrity panel, allowing it to navigate the quiz show scandals that rocked television in the late 1950s. After Garry Moore's tenure, Steve Allen hosted from 1964 to 1967, with Bill Cullen leading a summer revival in 1976. "I've Got a Secret" remains a significant part of television history, showcasing a blend of humor, celebrity culture, and audience engagement.
I've Got a Secret (TV)
Identification Television game show
Producers Mark Goodson, Bill Todman, and Allan Sherman
Dates Aired from 1952 to 1967 and in the summer of 1976
A pioneering television game show, I’ve Got a Secret appealed to audiences’ sense of sophistication by featuring the witty and spontaneous banter of an urbane celebrity panel dedicated to guessing contestants’ secrets.
Key Figures
Mark Goodson (1915-1992), producerBill Todman (1916-1979), producerAllan Sherman (1924-1973), producer
I’ve Got a Secret, produced for CBS by game show impresarios Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, was hosted by the genial and popular Garry Moore. Debuting on June 19, 1952, the show took off in its second season to become one of the decade’s most highly rated programs.
The format was simple. With the contestant sitting next to the show’s host, Moore, each of four celebrity panelists took thirty-second turns questioning about and then guessing a contestant’s secret. Each half-hour episode used four contestants, one of whom was a celebrity. In one such episode, horror-film actorBoris Karloff —best known as the monster in Frankenstein (1931)—revealed that he was afraid of mice. Most contestants, however, were ordinary people.
The appeal of I’ve Got a Secret centered on the breezy repartee between Moore, the contestants, and the star panel, whose regulars included actors Jayne Meadows, Faye Emerson, and Betsy Palmer; former Miss America Bess Myerson; and funnymen Henry Morgan and Bill Cullen. Moore presided over the long-running show from 1952 to 1964, Steve Allen from 1964 to 1967, and Bill Cullen for a brief summer revival in 1976.
Impact
I’ve Got a Secret was a consistent top-ten program during the 1950’s. Most significantly, by attracting audiences with the sophisticated ad libs of its celebrity panelists rather than with huge prizes for competitors—as did programs such as The $64,000 Question—the show survived the quiz show scandals of 1958-1959.
Bibliography
Graham, Jefferson. Come on Down! The TV Game Show Book. New York: Abbeville Press, 1988. Explores the history of the genre.
Schwartz, David, et al. The Ultimate TV Game Show Book. New York: Checkmark Books, 1999. Contains trivia and facts about numerous television game shows and includes a summary of each program, rules of the game, air dates, hosts, celebrity guests, network affiliations, production companies, producers, and creators.