About
"I volunteered to testify in front of the grand jury about the Quiz Show Scandals. I said 'I want to do this because I want to completely clear my name.' And they said, 'You're fine, listen, you're a little tired. Go home and go to sleep, and then go back to work.' And that's what I did."
In his three-hour-and-fifteen-minute interview, Steve Carlin (1919-2003) talks about his early years, including working at WMCA radio and producing children's records. He recalls his first foray into television, creating and producing Rootie Kazootie, a Howdy Doody-inspired live children's television show that featured puppets, kids, and songs. He recalls creating and producing The $64,000 Question, as well as its companion show The $64,000 Challenge. He speaks of the huge success of the show, its host Hal March, and its contestants, including Dr. Joyce Brothers and Patty Duke. He details another game show called The Big Surprise, hosted by Mike Wallace, and describes other quiz shows with which he was involved. Carlin outlines the Quiz Show Scandals of the 1950s, which ensnared Twenty-One and Dotto, and effectively ended all the game shows of the era, including The $64,000 Question. He discusses his role in creating You're in the Picture, the Jackie Gleason-hosted game show that lasted one episode, after which Gleason felt the need to apologize on air. He speaks of his later career, including working in international television and at QVC. Don Carlton conducted the interview on June 23, 1999 in New York, NY.
Highlights
Steve Carlin on creating The $64,000 Question
Steve Carlin on The $64,000 Challenge
Steve Carlin on the start of the Quiz Show scandals
Steve Carlin on the Congressional Investigation into the game show Twenty-One
Steve Carlin on creating the children's television show Rootie Kazootie
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early life and influences; on writing an early magazine article
On attending and then leaving college; on going to work for radio station WMCA; on producing a show for New York radio station WMCA
Chapter 2
On changing his name and dealing with anti-Semitism; on going to work for NBC radio; on creating the comic strip "Happy the Humbug"
On doing a radio version of "Happy the Humbug" and the popularity of the strip; on being fired from NBC
Chapter 3
On heading up the children's record division at RCA; on children's albums he produced
On creating the children's television show Rootie Kazootie; on the cast and characters of Rootie Kazootie; on taking Rootie Kazootie national
Chapter 4
On doing Rootie Kazootie live; on the scripts of Rootie Kazootie; on the end of the show
On getting involved with game shows; on creating The $64,000 Question; on hiring Hal March as the announcer for The $64,000 Question
Chapter 5
On the host and crew of The $64,000 Question; on Louis G. Cowan leaving The $64,000 Question; on creating the game show The Big Surprise
On creating The $64,000 Challeng e; on the Quiz Show scandals
Chapter 6
On Dr. Joyce Brothers' appearance as a contestant on The $64,000 Question ; on the end of The $64,000 Question; on creating the series The Circle
Steve Carlin on creating Jackie Gleason's infamous You're in the Picture game show
Chapter 7
On creating Science All-Stars; on going to work for 20th Century Fox and getting involved in international television and interactive television
On his involvement in QVC; on the key to a successful game show; on career highlights and regrets and how he'd like to be remembered
Shows
$64,000 Question
Steve Carlin on getting involved with game shows
Steve Carlin on creating The $64,000 Question
Steve Carlin on getting Revlon to sponsor The $64,000 Question and developing the show
Steve Carlin on the contestants for The $64,000 Question
Steve Carlin on Hal March as the host of The $64,000 Question
Steve Carlin on convincing Hal March to host The $64,000 Question and the first episodes of the show
Steve Carlin on the crew of The $64,000 Question
Steve Carlin on Louis G. Cowan leaving The $64,000 Question and his role in creating the show
Steve Carlin on Mike Wallace hosting The Big Surprise
Steve Carlin on The $64,000 Challenge
Steve Carlin on the start of the Quiz Show scandals
Steve Carlin on testifying to the Grand Jury investigating quiz shows
Steve Carlin on Dr. Joyce Brothers' appearance as a contestant on The $64,000 Question
Steve Carlin on the end of The $64,000 Question
Big Surprise, The
Steve Carlin on creating the game show The Big Surprise
Dotto
Steve Carlin on the start of the Quiz Show scandals
Rootie Kazootie Club, The
Steve Carlin on creating the children's television show Rootie Kazootie
Steve Carlin on the premise of Rootie Kazootie
Steve Carlin on the cast and characters of Rootie Kazootie
Steve Carlin on taking Rootie Kazootie national
Steve Carlin on doing Rootie Kazootie live
Steve Carlin on submitting the Rootie Kazootie scripts before they went on-air
Steve Carlin on the stories of the Rootie Kazootie show
Steve Carlin on the end of Rootie Kazootie
Steve Carlin on the merchandising for Rootie Kazootie
Twenty One
Steve Carlin on the start of the Quiz Show scandals
Steve Carlin on the Congressional Investigation into the game show Twenty-One
Topics
Advertising and Sponsorship
Steve Carlin on getting Revlon to sponsor The $64,000 Question and developing the show
Creative Influences and Inspiration
Steve Carlin on his early mentors
Steve Carlin on his early mentors
Industry Crossroads
Steve Carlin on the start of the Quiz Show scandals
Steve Carlin on the Congressional Investigation into the game show Twenty-One
Steve Carlin on testifying to the Grand Jury investigating quiz shows
Pivotal Career Moments
Steve Carlin on his early mentors
Quiz Show Scandals
Steve Carlin on the start of the Quiz Show scandals
Steve Carlin on the Congressional Investigation into the game show Twenty-One
Steve Carlin on testifying to the Grand Jury investigating quiz shows
Technological Innovation
Steve Carlin on being involved in an early attempt at interactive television
Television Industry
Steve Carlin on getting Revlon to sponsor The $64,000 Question and developing the show
Steve Carlin on the start of the Quiz Show scandals
Steve Carlin on the Congressional Investigation into the game show Twenty-One
Steve Carlin on testifying to the grand jury investigating quiz shows
Genres
Children's Programming
Steve Carlin on creating and producing Rootie Kazooite
Steve Carlin on creating Rootie Kazootie (Part 2)
Game Shows
Steve Carlin on creating and producing The $64,000 Question (Part 1)
Steve Carlin on creating and producing The $64,000 Question (Part 2)
Steve Carlin on creating and producing The $64,000 Question (Part 3)
Steve Carlin on creating Jackie Gleason's infamous You're in the Picture game show
People
Joyce Brothers
Steve Carlin on Dr. Joyce Brothers' appearance as a contestant on The $64,000 Question
Louis G. Cowan
Steve Carlin on Louis G. Cowan leaving The $64,000 Question and his role in creating the show
Jackie Gleason
Steve Carlin on creating Jackie Gleason's infamous You're in the Picture game show
Hal March
Steve Carlin on Hal March as the host of The $64,000 Question
Steve Carlin on convincing Hal March to host The $64,000 Question and the first episodes of the show
Jimmy Stewart
Steve Carlin on heading up the children;s record division of RCA
Mike Wallace
Steve Carlin on creating the game show The Big Surprise
Steve Carlin on Mike Wallace hosting The Big Surprise