''I'll Bet'' is an American

game show A game show (or gameshow) is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment where contestants compete in a game for rewards. The shows are typically directed by a game show host, host, who explains the rules of the program as well as commentating a ...

that ran on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...

from March 29 to September 24, 1965. The series was created by

Ralph Andrews Ralph Herrick Andrews (December 17, 1927 – October 16, 2015) was an American television producer best known for producing the 1960s game show ''You Don't Say!'', the 1970s game show ''Celebrity Sweepstakes'', and the original 1987 version of '' ...

, and hosted by Jack Narz. The series was a precursor to ''

It's Your Bet ''It's Your Bet'' is an American game show which aired in Broadcast syndication, syndication (mostly NBC owned-and-operated stations) from 1969 to 1973. The series was a revised version of the NBC game ''I'll Bet,'' which aired for six months in ...

''.

Gameplay

Two celebrity couples played. Before taping, one member of each couple drew a name of whom they were playing for, but only the TV station of where that person watches the show was revealed until the end. A separating wall first divided the couple so they could not see what the other bet. One half of the couple (starting with the wife) was told a question through an earpiece. Afterward, he/she made a bet (from $10–$100) on whether their partner would answer the question right or wrong (a lever was pulled which either lit up the phrase "CAN" or "CAN'T"). Narz then read the question to the other half of the couple. The amount of dollars won or lost depended on the bet and the number of dollars risked. After this, the other couple (again, starting with the wife) went through the same process; the men then took their turns at hearing the question, and so on. A couple won either by scoring $200 themselves, or if their opponents ''lost'' $200 (shown as -200).

Episode status

''I'll Bet'' is presumed to have been wiped, much like all NBC daytime shows of the period. One episode, with guest stars Richard Long, his wife actress Mara Corday and fellow actress Beverly Garland, circulates among collectors as a black-and-white kinescope. A color episode from September 6, featuring Denise Darcel and

Robert Culp Robert Martin Culp (August 16, 1930 – March 24, 2010) was an American actor and screenwriter widely known for his work in television. Culp earned an international reputation for his role as Kelly Robinson on ''I Spy (1965 TV series), I Spy'' ( ...

, was discovered in February 2009.

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0198147
Gameplay from the surviving kinescope episode

Gameplay from the surviving color episode
1965 American television series debuts 1965 American television series endings 1960s American game shows American English-language television shows NBC game shows Television series by Ralph Andrews Productions