History Series / YouBetYourLife

** ''TheJackBennyProgram'' once had Benny appear on ''You Bet Your Life'', but was confronted with the jackpot question of (paraphrasing) "Jack Benny has always claimed to be 39 years old, but what is his ''real'' age?"

** ''InLivingColor'' did a Cosby-era spoof titled "You Bet Your Career", with has-been stars competing for a walk-on role in current sitcoms.

* StraightMan: Announcer/sidekick George Fenneman, whom George called "the female Margaret Dumont".

** The December 22, 1955 show had a GenreSaavy contestant attempting to win the bonus by rattling off a bunch of words that were commonly used as the "secret word". It didn't work and Groucho replied with a couple of jokes on Hungarians (the contestant was Hungarian).

* StraightMan: Announcer/sidekick George Fenneman.

Syndicated {{revival}}s starred Creator/BuddyHackett (1980-81) and Creator/BillCosby (1992-93). There were also three unsold pilots with Richard Dawson (of ''Series/FamilyFeud'' fame) in 1988 for NBC.

** Notably, the TV pilot was the last episode with original sponsor Elgin-American[[labelnote:*]]whose commercials were read by a certain Myron Wallace, who later changed his first name to Mike[[/labelnote]]; [=DeSoto=] took over on the next episode (the first of 1950) and remained for most of the decade.

The idea for the show came from a guest spot Groucho did on BobHope's radio show. While waiting to come on stage, Groucho got so impatient waiting in the cold room that he furiously upstaged Hope with a stream of adlibbed wisecracks that Hope could barely keep up with. The radio show's producer, John Guedel, later asked Groucho if he could do an improv show like that on command. Groucho confidently confirmed it, but initially balked at the idea of hosting a quiz show until the producer assured him that the real action would be conversations with the contestants. As it happened, Groucho just had a radio show cancelled and was concerned that his career was in trouble, so he agreed to try it out and never regretted that choice.

** ''Do You Trust Your Wife?'' (Creator/{{CBS}}, 1956-57 -- Creator/{{ABC}}, 1957-1963), which was initially hosted by ventriloquist Edgar Bergen. When the show switched networks and moved from prime time to daytime, he was replaced by Johnny Carson; the title changed to ''Who Do You Trust?'' a year later. When Carson was selected to host ''Series/TheTonightShow'' in March 1962, he still had six months left on his contract with producer Don Fedderson; the talk show went through a series of guest hosts while Carson waited out the end of his obligation. When he finally left in September, he was replaced with Woody Woodbury, who lasted barely over a year before the show was canceled.

* {{Expy}}: ''Series/TwoForTheMoney'', a similar 1950s game which was half host Herb Shriner talking to the contestants, half playing the game.

* '''1956-59:''' The goal was now to give four consecutive right answers for $1,000. Two consecutive ''wrong'' answers ended the game. Probably as a result, the show went to using just two couples. A score display was added to Groucho's podium by April 1957. Under this format, the game could theoretically never end if the contestants keep giving wrong and right answers in alternance -- such an incident did happen at least once, on the 24 October 1957 episode.

* SoundToScreenAdaptation: After a test film was produced on December 5, 1949[[labelnote:*]]which was simply a film recording of the usual radio show and was never intended to be aired on TV, although it did air on radio on December 28[[/labelnote]], the screen edition debuted on October 4, 1950 when Groucho jumped ship from CBS to NBC -- the former network produced the test film.

* SoundToScreenAdaptation: Attempted in December 1949, began in October 1950. Notably, the TV pilot was the last episode with original sponsor Elgin-American; [=DeSoto=] took over on the next episode (the first of 1950) and remained for most of the decade.

* '''1956-59:''' The goal was now to give four consecutive right answers for $1,000, as two consecutive ''wrong'' answers ended the game. Probably as a result, the show went to using just two couples. (A score display was added to Groucho's podium by April 1957.)

* {{Mascot}}: The Secret Word Duck, called Julius during the Marx era and Leonard during Hackett's (Leonard was Hackett's real first name and Julius was Marx's).

* [[HarpoDoesSomethingFunny Groucho Says Something Funny]]: There is less of that than is popularly thought. While Groucho was of course free to think up quips as he could, the contestants were interviewed by the writers beforehand and prepared jokes and comments for Groucho to read on a hidden projection when he felt he couldn't improvise a good line. The beauty is how he still made it look so ad lib.

* [[HarpoDoesSomethingFunny Groucho Says Something Funny]]: There is less of that than is popularly thought. While Groucho was of course free to think up quips as he could, the contestants were interviewed by the writers beforehand and prepared jokes and comments for Groucho to read on a hidden projection when he felt he couldn't improvise a good line.

Syndicated {{revival}}s starred BuddyHackett (1980-81) and Creator/BillCosby (1992-93). There were also three unsold pilots with Richard Dawson (of ''Series/FamilyFeud'' fame) in 1988 for NBC.

* {{Expy}}: ''TwoForTheMoney'', a similar 1950s game which was half host Herb Shriner talking to the contestants, half playing the game.

-->'''Contestant:''' Well, if I keep both feet on the ground and stay focused I think I can.

* EditedForSyndication: Syndicated reruns were called "The Best of Groucho", with the NBC logo blurred or burned-out and the picture "blown up" to hide the sponsor logos. (Not to be confused with Summertime repeats [[NamesTheSame of the same name]], which had a new intro and commercials; at least one 1957 repeat had a unique Prom intro and every mention of [=DeSoto=] replaced by Prom.)

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Syndicated {{revival}}s starred BuddyHackett (1980-81) and BillCosby (1992-93). There were also three unsold pilots with Richard Dawson (of ''Series/FamilyFeud'' fame) in 1988 for NBC.

* ''MysteryScienceTheatre3000'': A piece of equipment lowered from above during a scene of the movie "Crash of the Moons" led Crow T. Robot to quip in an imitation of Groucho's voice. "Say the secret word and Bill Cosby rips your show off."

The idea for the show came from a guest spot Groucho did on BobHope's radio show. While waiting to come on stage, Groucho got so impatient waiting in the cold room that he furiously upstaged Hope with a stream of adlibbed wisecracks that Hope could barely keep up with. The radio show's producer, John Guedel, later asked Groucho if he could do an improv show like that on command. Groucho confidently confirmed it, but initially balked at the idea of hosting a quiz show until the producer assured him that the real action would be conversations with the contestants. As it happened, Groucho just had a radio show cancelled and he was concerned that his career was in trouble so he agreed to try it out and he never regretted that choice.

** '''1947-56:''' Played by the highest-scoring couple. Began at $1,000, increasing by $500 each week until won, highest was $6,000.

->''"Welcome, welcome, welcome to your [=DeSoto=]-Plymouth dealer. Say the Secret Word and divide a hundred dollars — it's a common word, something you always have with you."''
-->The most well-known version of '''Groucho Marx'''[='s=] introductory spiel to contestants. [[note]]Alternately, "something you see every day" or "something you can find around the house".[[/note]]

* '''1954-56:''' Around March 1954, the starting point became $100 and wrong answers now halved the bankroll; the maximum payout was now $440. Probably the most recognizable format.

During the first nine seasons, couples who won a very negligible amount were asked an obvious-answer question for $25, such as "Who is buried in Grant's Tomb?". Amusingly, the couple received the money ''even if they got it wrong''!

!!GameShow Tropes in use:

** '''1956-57?:''' Doubled the money to $2,000, although only if a winning couple elected to risk half their $1,000 (from this point onward, it was very possible for half of a couple to leave {in which case all amounts were halved}, and even for the bonus game to not be used at all).

** '''1959-61:''' Same as above, except the other half of the couple chooses a second number for $5,000.

** TheAnnouncer: George Fenneman, who was Groucho's StraightMan but occasionally landed a few jokes of his own.
** GameShowHost: Groucho Marx is the best known, with the show single-handedly giving his career a shot in the arm.

* AudienceParticipation: The audience always introduces Groucho.
* EditedForSyndication: Syndicated reruns were called "The Best Of Groucho", with the NBC logo blurred or burned-out and the picture "blown up" to hide the sponsor logos. (Not to be confused with Summertime repeats [[NamesTheSame of the same name]], which had a new intro and commercials; at least one 1957 repeat had a unique Prom intro and every mention of [=DeSoto=] replaced by Prom.)

* LongRunner: The Marx era lasted ''14 years'', and the television version is one of the few primetime games to last a decade.

* SoundToScreenAdaptation: Attempted in December 1949, began in October 1950.