Pick a Box was an Australian game shows that first aired on radio in 1948 until the early 1960s; subsequently, the concept transferred to TV and was broadcast from 1957 and 1971. The program was hosted by the husband and wife duo Bob and Dolly Dyer
Beginning initially as a radio program in 1948, it was heard Australia-wide on was then the Macquarie Broadcasting Service (now Nine Entertainment Co.).
It was originally produced in Sydney, New South Wales at studio 2GB. The program successfully made the move to television, debuting at 8:00 pm on Saturday 2 March 1957, less than six months after the new medium had been launched in Australia. Nevertheless, the program continued to be heard on radio for some years.
Television version
The TV version in addition to the radio version was filmed in the studios of Sydney's ATN-7 and was broadcast on ATN-7 and Melbourne's GTV-9, which were initially affiliated.
This changed, however, when Frank Packer, owner of TCN-9, bought a controlling share in GTV-9 and formed the National Television Network, which later became the Nine Network. As a result, in 1963 ATN-7 and HSV-7 came together to form the Australian Television Network, now known as the Seven Network.[2] The affiliation changes meant that Pick a Box became part of the newly formed Seven Network and its Melbourne broadcast moved from GTV-9 to HSV-7.
The program was initially broadcast on Saturday nights and sponsored by the Colgate-Palmolive Company of Australia. Three years later, on 4 July 1960, the show was moved to Monday nights at 7:00 pm and was sponsored by BP.[3]
Presenters
Bob Dyer, who produced and packaged the show for the Seven Network, decided in 1969 that it was time to start thinking about ending the show. After approximately 900 episodes, Pick a Box broadcast its final episode on 28 June 1971.[4] As they owned the program, the Dyers then reviewed most of the archived episodes – kept a few as souvenirs and discarded most of them. The couple then retired to Queensland where Bob pursued his other great love, fishing.[1]
In 1971 the show was still the seventh most popular in the country.[5]
Format
The format for each episode consisted of two contestants participating in a multi-question trivia quiz. The contestant who correctly answered a set number of questions, was invited to choose from one of 30 boxes. Without disclosing the box's contents (which could be either valuable or a booby prize), Dyer would offer the contestant a cash payment in lieu of the prize. Here appears one of the program's catch phrases, "The money or the box?"
To increase the risk/suspense, he would sometimes offer increasing amounts of cash to contestants who chose the box. After receiving the cash or prize, contestants had the option of leaving the show undefeated, or returning to play for more prizes, at the risk of losing those already won.[6]
This format remained largely unchanged throughout its entire run.
Famous contestants
The first contestant to make a name for himself was Ken Eccleston who gained fame over 10 weeks in 1958 when he achieved what was then the longest win on the program. After claiming the official title of "Mr Pick a Box" during a closely fought contest with Melbourne entrant George Morris, Eccleston retired from the game with a total of AU£3873/5/-, or AU$7746.50. ($121,477.99 in 2018 currency, adjusted for inflation)[7]
Two other famous contestants were Frank Partridge, the last Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross in World War II, and George Black, who went on to become a question writer for the show.[8]
However, by far the program's most successful contestant was Barry Jones, who won a total of 208 episodes spanning eight years between 1960 and 1967, winning over A$58,000.
He was known for taking issue with Dyer about certain expected answers, most famously in response to a question about "the first British Governor-General of India", where he pointed out that Warren Hastings was technically only the Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal Presidency. Jones' appearances on Pick a Box lasted from 1960 to 1968.
Pick a Box was added to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia Registry in 2010. An excerpt of Episode 170, featuring Barry Jones, has been published online.
The show's later remake, Ford Superquiz, featured Hutton "Red" Gibson as a contestant. Gibson, who had already won thousands of dollars as a Grand Champion on the game show Jeopardy! in his native United States, had a prolonged run of several weeks as champion on Superquiz.
Episode status
Out of the 900+ episodes made, 73 are stored at the National Film and Sound Archive, including the final episode, according to a search of the archive's website.[9]
Superquiz
Ford Superquiz was a remake of the show hosted by Bert Newton and his wife Patti Newton and produced by the Reg Grundy organisation for the Nine Network. It began in 1981 and ran for two seasons with the number of boxes reduced to 20. It was sponsored by the Ford Motor Company of Australia.
Superquiz was a remake of the show in 1989 hosted by Mike Walsh and Deborah Hutton on Network Ten. The number of boxes was further reduced to 12 in this version.
Super Quiz is a series of games and books as well as a syndicated quiz column and online quiz game created by Ken Fisher.
See also
It Pays to Be Funny, Bob Dyer's other television game show, ran from 26 February 1957 to around November of the same year
pick, australian, game, shows, that, first, aired, radio, 1948, until, early, 1960s, subsequently, concept, transferred, broadcast, from, 1957, 1971, program, hosted, husband, wife, dolly, dyeralso, known, asbp, genregame, showpresented, bybob, dyerdolly, dyer. Pick a Box was an Australian game shows that first aired on radio in 1948 until the early 1960s subsequently the concept transferred to TV and was broadcast from 1957 and 1971 The program was hosted by the husband and wife duo Bob and Dolly DyerPick a BoxAlso known asBP Pick a BoxGenreGame showPresented byBob DyerDolly DyerCountry of originAustraliaOriginal languageEnglishNo of episodes900 approx 1 ProductionProduction locationsATN 7 studios SydneyRunning time25 minutesReleaseOriginal networkMacquarie Broadcasting ServiceSeven NetworkPicture format625 linesAudio formatMonoOriginal release2 March 1957 1957 03 02 28 June 1971 1971 06 28 ChronologyFollowed byFord Superquiz 1981 1982 Contents 1 History 1 1 Radio program 1 2 Television version 2 Presenters 3 Format 4 Famous contestants 5 Episode status 6 Superquiz 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksHistory EditRadio program Edit Beginning initially as a radio program in 1948 it was heard Australia wide on was then the Macquarie Broadcasting Service now Nine Entertainment Co It was originally produced in Sydney New South Wales at studio 2GB The program successfully made the move to television debuting at 8 00 pm on Saturday 2 March 1957 less than six months after the new medium had been launched in Australia Nevertheless the program continued to be heard on radio for some years Television version Edit The TV version in addition to the radio version was filmed in the studios of Sydney s ATN 7 and was broadcast on ATN 7 and Melbourne s GTV 9 which were initially affiliated This changed however when Frank Packer owner of TCN 9 bought a controlling share in GTV 9 and formed the National Television Network which later became the Nine Network As a result in 1963 ATN 7 and HSV 7 came together to form the Australian Television Network now known as the Seven Network 2 The affiliation changes meant that Pick a Box became part of the newly formed Seven Network and its Melbourne broadcast moved from GTV 9 to HSV 7 The program was initially broadcast on Saturday nights and sponsored by the Colgate Palmolive Company of Australia Three years later on 4 July 1960 the show was moved to Monday nights at 7 00 pm and was sponsored by BP 3 Presenters EditBob Dyer who produced and packaged the show for the Seven Network decided in 1969 that it was time to start thinking about ending the show After approximately 900 episodes Pick a Box broadcast its final episode on 28 June 1971 4 As they owned the program the Dyers then reviewed most of the archived episodes kept a few as souvenirs and discarded most of them The couple then retired to Queensland where Bob pursued his other great love fishing 1 In 1971 the show was still the seventh most popular in the country 5 Format EditThe format for each episode consisted of two contestants participating in a multi question trivia quiz The contestant who correctly answered a set number of questions was invited to choose from one of 30 boxes Without disclosing the box s contents which could be either valuable or a booby prize Dyer would offer the contestant a cash payment in lieu of the prize Here appears one of the program s catch phrases The money or the box To increase the risk suspense he would sometimes offer increasing amounts of cash to contestants who chose the box After receiving the cash or prize contestants had the option of leaving the show undefeated or returning to play for more prizes at the risk of losing those already won 6 This format remained largely unchanged throughout its entire run Famous contestants EditThe first contestant to make a name for himself was Ken Eccleston who gained fame over 10 weeks in 1958 when he achieved what was then the longest win on the program After claiming the official title of Mr Pick a Box during a closely fought contest with Melbourne entrant George Morris Eccleston retired from the game with a total of AU 3873 5 or AU 7746 50 121 477 99 in 2018 currency adjusted for inflation 7 Two other famous contestants were Frank Partridge the last Australian to be awarded the Victoria Cross in World War II and George Black who went on to become a question writer for the show 8 However by far the program s most successful contestant was Barry Jones who won a total of 208 episodes spanning eight years between 1960 and 1967 winning over A 58 000 He was known for taking issue with Dyer about certain expected answers most famously in response to a question about the first British Governor General of India where he pointed out that Warren Hastings was technically only the Governor General of the Presidency of Fort William in Bengal Presidency Jones appearances on Pick a Box lasted from 1960 to 1968 Jones later became a member of the Parliament of Victoria and then of the Federal Parliament a minister in the Hawke government and president of the Australian Labor Party He was also chosen as an Australian Living Treasure Pick a Box was added to the National Film and Sound Archive s Sounds of Australia Registry in 2010 An excerpt of Episode 170 featuring Barry Jones has been published online The show s later remake Ford Superquiz featured Hutton Red Gibson as a contestant Gibson who had already won thousands of dollars as a Grand Champion on the game show Jeopardy in his native United States had a prolonged run of several weeks as champion on Superquiz Episode status EditOut of the 900 episodes made 73 are stored at the National Film and Sound Archive including the final episode according to a search of the archive s website 9 Superquiz EditFord Superquiz was a remake of the show hosted by Bert Newton and his wife Patti Newton and produced by the Reg Grundy organisation for the Nine Network It began in 1981 and ran for two seasons with the number of boxes reduced to 20 It was sponsored by the Ford Motor Company of Australia Superquiz was a remake of the show in 1989 hosted by Mike Walsh and Deborah Hutton on Network Ten The number of boxes was further reduced to 12 in this version Super Quiz is a series of games and books as well as a syndicated quiz column and online quiz game created by Ken Fisher See also EditIt Pays to Be Funny Bob Dyer s other television game show ran from 26 February 1957 to around November of the same year List of Australian game shows List of Australian television seriesReferences Edit a b Aussie TV Game Shows TelevisionAU 29 July 2006 Archived from the original on 24 December 2007 Retrieved 19 February 2008 Seven Network 1960s AusTVHistory Archived from the original on 21 November 2008 Retrieved 19 February 2008 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link McGinness Mark 15 February 2005 An elegant and affable TV sidekick The Sydney Morning Herald Archived from the original on 14 September 2008 Retrieved 19 February 2008 Dudding Howard 1978 Bob Dyer TV legend TV Week Archived from the original on 18 October 2009 Retrieved 19 February 2008 via Australian Game Shows TELEVISION RATINGS The Canberra Times Vol 45 no 12 803 Australian Capital Territory Australia 6 May 1971 p 8 Retrieved 20 September 2017 via National Library of Australia Pick a Box Australian Game Shows Archived from the original on 24 October 2009 Retrieved 19 February 2008 One of our first quiz heroes The Sydney Morning Herald 20 January 1993 Archived from the original on 27 October 2009 Retrieved 19 February 2008 via Australian Game Shows Jones Barry December 2007 A Thinking Reed 1st ed Crows Nest New South Wales Australia Allen amp Unwin ISBN 978 1 74175 361 5 Search Results National Film and Sound Archive Archived from the original on 16 October 2021 Retrieved 16 October 2021 External links EditPick a Box at IMDb Pick a Box at memorabletv com Pick A Box on Australian Screen Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pick a Box amp oldid 1131623041, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
