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Broadcast History: March 23, 1950 to c. 1958, CBS Prime Time; September 16, 1957 to September 12, 1958, 2:00 P.M. - 2:30 P.M., CBS Daytime; October 13, 1958 to January 27, 1961, 2:00 P.M. - 2:30 P.M., ABC Daytime; September 8, 1969 to September 6, 1974, Five-a-week Syndication; September 17, 1979 to February 1, 1980, 10:00 A.M. - 10:30 A.M., CBS Daytime; September 2 to September 5, 2002, 11:00 P.M. - 11:30 P.M., PAX TV; September 9, 2002 to c.2003, 6:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M., PAX TV
Vidcaps from the September 23, 1960 ABC episode (Oldest known videotaped episode on the trading circuit.)
Vidcaps courtesy of rerunmedia
1950-1961 VERSION
Main Game: One couple competes against the clock to win a prize. The first stunt is worth $100 and requires either the husband or wife, or both. The stunt is described and the time limit is set. (There are very few times when a stunt required the full 60 seconds.) Should the couple beat the $100 clock, they move on to the $200 clock and the same rules are applied. If they fail to beat the $100 clock, they receive a consolation prize at less than $100. If they fail to beat the $200 clock, they get the $100 prize.
Jackpot Clock: Should the couple beat the $200 clock, the wife will play the Jackpot Clock in which a saying or phrase is scrambled up and that phrase has to be unscrambled in 20 seconds or less. If successful, then the couple wins the Jackpot Prize. If not, they get the $200 prize.
Bonus Stunt: A special signal would sound sometime during the show indicating that the couple that hears that noise will play for a bonus stunt that starts at $500 in cash and goes up by $100 each week that it is not won. (Bonus stunts have been able to reach four figures, even at $2,000 and $3,000.) These stunts are harder than the usual $100 and $200 stunts.
Super Bonus Stunt: Starting on February 25, 1956, after the last regular bonus stunt had been won, a super bonus was added where a couple could attempt to perform a bonus stunt that starts at $10,000 and goes up by $1,000 each time it is not won. This bonus went all the way up to $64,000 and was finally won on September 15, 1956.
Big Cash Bonus Stunt: Starting on September 22, 1956 (the same day Beat the Clock's new sponsor became "Hazel Bishop"), a special signal would again sound sometime during the show indicating that the couple that hears that noise will play for a bonus stunt that starts at $5000 in cash and goes up by $1000 each week that it is not won. This concept was identical to the original bonus stunt concept but previously had lower stakes. If they are successful, they are retired from the game. If not, they continue onward.
Bonus Cash and Prize Stunt: (This information is based on the ABC version, so bare with me.) A lucky couple has a chance to win a bundle of cash and a special prize like a car or a boat. To win, they must successfully complete their bonus stunt.
Vidcaps courtesy of Adam Nedeff
1969-1974 VERSION (Version A)
Information courtesy of Dave Sherman. Any corrections are welcome.
Main Game: Two couples vied for a "pot of prizes"; each time they beat the clock, they earned 25 points. Failure to do so defaulted the points to the other couple. 100 points won the prizes. This format was changed quickly; like the CBS/ABC daytime versions, beating the clock won a prize. A celebrity guest would assist the couples when called for; the celeberity would also play a "solo stunt" where the couples could win $50 if they correctly bet on the star or the clock, as to who would beat whom. Another amendment to the format had winning couples playing off a game board that spelled "BEAT THE CLOCK." They picked a letter from one of the words, which revealed a dollar ammount ranging from $50 to $200. Towards the end of Narz's run as host, the second half of the show would abandon the stunts in favor of the celebrity playing a sort of "game of intuition" with the couples, earning them cash awards.
1969-1974 VERSION (Version B)
Main Game: When Gene Wood took over, the format vaguely resembled the Bud Collyer version; whereas the couples were introduced seperately, and played two stunts apiece, (win or lose).
End Game: The final stunt for the day's show involved both couples playing a relay-type stunt, both against each other, and the clock for a prize. The celebrity guest would also referee the proceedings.
Vidcaps courtesy of Adam Nedeff
1979-1980 VERSION (Celebrity Version)
Main Game: Two celebrity teams competed against each other while winning money for their rooting section. In the opening stunt, both teams are involved. The team that wins the stunt wins $250 for their section and gets to play the next stunt. The next stunt involves that team and if successful, they win $250 for their section. These situations repeat themselves in round 2.
Bonus Shuffle: The team that is leading gets three "pucks" while the other team gets two. The object is for one team to get more money than the other. The dollar values on the shuffleboard range from $300 to $1000. If a "puck" touches any amount of money when stopped, the other team has to beat that amount. If the "puck" does not touch a money amount or if it goes over the edge, it is no good. The team with the most money at the end of this game wins the money for their rooting section and the chance to play the bonus stunt worth ten times the winning amount, up to a maximum of $10,000.
Bonus Stunt: The winning team plays the bonus stunt. They have to successfully complete the stunt in order to win the money for their section. Upon winning, $1000 goes to the rooting section and the rest is donated to charity.
INTERESTING FACTS AND TRIVIA
Bud Collyer also hosted two other Goodson/Todman games after Beat the Clock, one of them was short-lived. They were Number Please (1961) and To Tell the Truth (1956-1968). Before Beat the Clock, he hosted Winner Take All for CBS from 1948 to 1950. He was even a mystery guest on What's My Line? in 1968. He died in 1969.
When the show moved to ABC on October 13, 1958, it retained its 2:00 P.M. time slot on the weekday schedule. In 1961, it was replaced by another Goodson/Todman show: Number Please, also hosted by Bud Collyer.
Monty Hall is best known as TV's Big Dealer on Let's Make a Deal, now seen on Game Show Network. He also hosted Video Village, Split Second, and It's Anybody's Guess.
Gene Wood also announced ALMOST every Goodson/Todman show from 1974 to 1995.
Jack Narz spent over 30 years in television as a host and/or announcer in almost every TV show he did. His last TV duties were on Card Sharks as a substitute announcer while Gene Wood was absent from television for most of 1981.
Home Games: Several. Go to the Game Show Home Game Home Page for details. Not mentioned on that page yet is the Beat the Clock Magnetic Blackboard which was introduced in 1957.
Episode Existence: The vast majority of episodes exist. However, there are some episodes that have gone missing or are lost. It is also believed that a majority of episodes from 1950 to 1952 do not exist as Goodson/Todman Productions did not preserve their episodes until a few weeks after I've Got a Secret débuted. Currently, this show is running on GSN every night at 3:00 A.M. ET/PT during Black and White Overnight.
If anyone has more information on Beat the Clock, e-mail me here.
Beat the Clock is ©1950-1961, 1969-1974, 1979-1980, 2002-2003 Mark Goodson/Bill Todman Productions/Fremantle Media Television. No challenge to ownership is implied.
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