We Take Your Word

We Take Your Word is an American radio program that was broadcast on CBS beginning January 29, 1950.[1] It was also adapted into a television version.

Format

Members of a panel provided "definitions, derivations and histories" of words submitted by members of the broadcast audience.[2] Each person who submitted a word that was used on the program received a book; if the panel failed to define the word correctly, the submitter also received $50.[2] Panelists' comments were not classified as right or wrong, but when the panel discussion concluded, a "Voice of Authority" spoke to give the correct information.[3] Words that were discussed on the program included "gardenia", "glamour", "democracy", "republic", "typhoon",[3] "dandelion", "daisly",[4] "ceremony", "cupola", "dome", "fanfare", "parapet", and "salvo".[5]

Radio

Don Hollenbeck was the initial host;[1] John K. M. McCaffrey replaced him beginning on February 19, 1950.[6] in hopes that "McCaffrey's personality would make the program a commercial success."[1] Regular panelists were Lyman Bryson and Abe Burrows. Guest panelists included Vicki Cummings,[7] Cornelia Otis Skinner,[8] Faye Emerson[1] and Eva Le Gallienne.[9] Producers included Werner Michel and Sam Abelow.[10] The show was sustaining.[3]

Use of We Take Your Word extended beyond entertainment. The magazine Educational Screen reported on a high school that used a wire recorder to preserve episodes of it and other programs for use in high-school classes "to stimulate vocabulary building and word study".[11]

Critical response

The trade publication Billboard wrote, after the show's first anniversary, that it "continues to blend education plus entertainment in a manner which should make for many such more anniversaries."[5] The reviewer added, "This program certainly proves that entertainment can be combined with education."[5]

Media critic John Crosby wrote, "At its best it's one of the wittiest programs anywhere on the air."[4] He described the program as "witty, literate, extremely learned, educational in the best sense, and a lot of fun to listen to."[4]

The trade publication Variety called We Take Your Word "an adult show that is erudite, but with an informal air far removed from the stuffiness of a classroom. In fact, it had as many laughs as some comedy stanzas."[3] The review commended the "well-balanced panel" and Hollenbeck's "relaxed quizmastering".[3]

Television

An experimental television version of We Take Your Word debuted on April 1, 1950, with McCaffrey as wordmaster. It ended that month.[2] The program returned on June 9, 1950, with John Daly as wordmaster and ran through January 23, 1951.[12] It resumed in March 1951 with McCaffrey as wordmaster and ended June 1, 1951.[2] Panelists included Bryson, Burrows,[13] and Ilka Chase.[14] Guest panelists nicluded Jan Struther,[4] Nina Foch, and Richard Carlson.[15] Gil Fates was the producer, and Fred Rickey was the director. The program originated from WCBS-TV.[16]

Critical response

A review in Billboard called We Take Your Word "the last word in intelligent video entertainment".[15] It complimented McCaffery's work as moderator and Burrows's and Foch's performances as panelists.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Ghiglione, Loren (2011). CBS's Don Hollenbeck: An Honest Reporter in the Age of McCarthyism. Columbia University Press. pp. 153–154. ISBN 978-0-231-14497-1. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1999). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (7th ed.). New York: The Ballentine Publishing Group. pp. 1098–1099. ISBN 0-345-42923-0.
  3. ^ a b c d e "We Take Your Word". Variety. February 1, 1950. p. 28. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Crosby, John (April 3, 1950). "Wise, Witty New Show Is We Take Your Word". Arizona Republic. p. 15. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c Morse, Leon (February 3, 1951). "We Take Your Word". Billboard. p. 8. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  6. ^ "Radio and Television: Catholic Coordinating Committee to Offer Drama-Documentary Series on WNBC". The New York Times. February 13, 1950. p. 32. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  7. ^ "Word Quiz, 10 P.M.; New Songs At 8". Atlantic City Press. December 8, 1950. p. 32. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Moyes, William (July 16, 1950). "Behind the Mike". The Oregonian. Oregon, Portland. p. 12. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "The Panel for 'We Take Your Word'". The New York Times. February 5, 1950. p. 99. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  10. ^ "Abelow at 'Word' Helm". Billboard. January 27, 1951. p. 38. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  11. ^ Musselman, Dayton L. (May 1951). "Record Radio Programs Automatically!". Educational Screen. p. 178. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  12. ^ Baber, David (June 14, 2015). Television Game Show Hosts: Biographies of 32 Stars. McFarland. p. 60. ISBN 978-1-4766-0480-0. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  13. ^ "Godfrey to Start New Series April 4: Twice-Weekly Program Over C.B.S. Video Will Include Songs and Ukulele Lessons". The New York Times. March 27, 1950. p. 38. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  14. ^ McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 899. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
  15. ^ a b c Bundy, June (March 24, 1951). "We Take Your Word". Billboard. p. 9. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  16. ^ "Panel Quiz Shows (Continued)". Ross Reports. June 18, 1950. p. 26. Retrieved September 27, 2024.