You Bet Your Life is an American comedy quiz series that has aired on both radio and television.[1] The original and best-known version was hosted by Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers, with announcer and assistant George Fenneman. The show debuted on ABC Radio on October 27, 1947, moved to CBS Radio debuting October 5, 1949, and went to NBC-TV and NBC Radio on October 4, 1950. Because of its simple format, it was possible to broadcast the show on both radio and television but not simultaneously. Many of the laughs on the television show were evoked by Groucho's facial reactions and other visual gimmicks; the two versions were slightly different. The last episode in a radio format aired on June 10, 1960. The series continued on television for another year, recording a season on September 22, 1960 with a new title, The Groucho Show.
Gameplay on each episode of You Bet Your Life was generally secondary to Groucho's comedic interplay with contestants and often with Fenneman. The show was so popular that it was the first primetime series to be shown in reruns during the summer months. The common practice at the time was to have a series go on hiatus during the summer, being replaced temporarily by a 13-week comedy or variety series before the main series returned in the fall. The You Bet Your Life summer reruns were broadcast as The Best of Groucho, to make clear to viewers that these were repeat broadcasts.
After the show went off the air, NBC prepared a syndicated version for local stations in 1961. Because the reruns were already established as The Best of Groucho, the syndicated version retained this title. NBC removed all references to the original sponsors by cropping the image whenever the sponsor's logo appeared, along with the "NBC" mark on Groucho's microphone. This is why some shots in the syndicated versions appear grainy and less focused: by deleting the sponsor's logo, the image zoomed in on what remained on the screen, sometimes cropping out a contestant while the screen showed only Groucho.
You Bet Your Life has been revived three times since the original series ended, the most recent being an ongoing version hosted by Jay Leno that launched in first-run syndication in September 2021.
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1 You Bet Your Life 1947-09-15 (Aud) Secret Word - Air - 16:06
2 You Bet Your Life 1949-04-20 (56) Secret Word - Head - 57:57
3 You Bet Your Life 1949-10-05 (62) Secret Word - Chair - 29:05
4 You Bet Your Life 1949-10-12 (63) Secret Word - Smile - 28:44
5 You Bet Your Life 1949-10-19 (64) Secret Word - Clock - 23:40
6 You Bet Your Life 1949-10-26 (65) Secret Word - Radio - 17:34
7 You Bet Your Life 1949-11-02 (66) Secret Word - Shoe - 24:52
8 You Bet Your Life 1949-11-09 (67) Secret Word - Ink - 24:01
9 You Bet Your Life 1949-11-16 (68) Secret Word - Grass - 28:20
10 You Bet Your Life 1949-11-23 (69) Secret Word - Sky - 29:01
11 You Bet Your Life 1949-11-30 (70) Secret Word - Window - 29:09
12 You Bet Your Life 1949-12-07 (71) Secret Word - Dust - 28:57
13 You Bet Your Life 1949-12-14 (72) Secret Word - Hair - 29:20
14 You Bet Your Life 1949-12-21 (73) Secret Word - Chair - 29:18
15 You Bet Your Life 1949-12-28 (74) Secret Word - Name - 29:06
16 You Bet Your Life 1950-01-04 (75) Secret Word - Tree - 28:59
17 You Bet Your Life 1950-01-11 (76) Secret Word - Milk - 29:33
18 You Bet Your Life 1950-01-18 (77) Secret Word - Spoon - 29:11
19 You Bet Your Life 1950-01-25 (78) Secret Word - Sky - 28:25
20 You Bet Your Life 1950-02-01 (79) Secret Word Air - 29:33
21 You Bet Your Life 1950-02-08 (80) Secret Word - Bread - 29:21
22 You Bet Your Life 1950-02-15 (81) Secret Word - Sugar - 29:09
23 You Bet Your Life 1950-02-22 (82) Secret Word - Table - 29:29
24 You Bet Your Life 1950-03-01 (83) Secret Word - Door - 29:05
25 You Bet Your Life 1950-03-08 (84) Secret Word - Heart - 29:12
26 You Bet Your Life 1950-03-15 (85) Secret Word - Water - 28:52
27 You Bet Your Life 1950-03-22 (86) Secret Word - Money - 29:00
28 You Bet Your Life 1950-03-29 (87) Secret Word - Name - 29:11
29 You Bet Your Life 1950-04-05 (88) Secret Word - Smile - 29:04
30 You Bet Your Life 1950-04-12 (89) Secret Word - Door - 27:02
31 You Bet Your Life 1950-04-19 (90) Secret Word - Name - 29:37
32 You Bet Your Life 1950-04-26 (91) Secret Word - Chair - 30:36
33 You Bet Your Life 1950-05-03 (92) Secret Word - Bread - 30:11
34 You Bet Your Life 1950-05-10 (93) Secret Word - Door - 29:07
35 You Bet Your Life 1950-05-17 (94) Secret Word - Foot - 29:23
36 You Bet Your Life 1950-05-24 (95) Secret Word - Tree - 29:08
37 You Bet Your Life 1950-05-31 (96) Secret Word - Book - 29:28
38 You Bet Your Life 1950-06-07 (97) Secret Word - Dress - 28:26
39 You Bet Your Life 1950-10-04 (101) Secret Word - Wall - 28:46
40 You Bet Your Life 1950-10-11 (102) Secret Word - Grass - 28:59
41 You Bet Your Life 1950-10-18 (103) Secret Word - Floor - 28:24
42 You Bet Your Life 1950-10-25 (104) Secret Word - Air - 29:19
43 You Bet Your Life 1950-11-01 (105) Secret Word - Tree - 28:43
44 You Bet Your Life 1950-11-08 (106) Secret Word - Door - 29:00
45 You Bet Your Life 1950-11-15 (107) Secret Word - Key - 28:53
46 You Bet Your Life 1950-11-22 (108) Secret Word - Table - 30:30
47 You Bet Your Life 1950-11-29 (109) Secret Word - Book - 29:28
48 You Bet Your Life 1950-12-06 (110) Secret Word - Hair - 29:14
49 You Bet Your Life 1950-12-13 (111) Secret Word - Room - 29:18
50 You Bet Your Life 1950-12-20 (112) Secret Word - Floor - 29:10
51 You Bet Your Life 1950-12-27 (113) Secret Word - Smile - 29:16
52 You Bet Your Life 1951-01-03 (114) Secret Word - Chair - 29:07
53 You Bet Your Life 1951-01-10 (115) Secret Word - Heart - 29:09
54 You Bet Your Life 1951-01-17 (116) Secret Word - Lamp - 29:01
55 You Bet Your Life 1951-01-24 (117) Secret Word - Walk - 29:23
56 You Bet Your Life 1951-01-31 (118) Secret Word - Clock - 29:00
57 You Bet Your Life 1951-02-07 (119) Secret Word - Shoe - 29:04
58 You Bet Your Life 1951-02-14 (120) Secret Word - Sky - 29:15
59 You Bet Your Life 1951-02-21 (121) Secret Word - Door - 28:28
60 You Bet Your Life 1951-03-07 (123) Secret Word - Cup - 28:42
61 You Bet Your Life 1951-03-14 (124) Secret Word - Tree - 29:19
62 You Bet Your Life 1951-03-21 (125) Secret Word - Coat - 29:10
63 You Bet Your Life 1951-03-28 (126) Secret Word - Street - 29:08
64 You Bet Your Life 1951-04-04 (127) Secret Word - Hand - 29:24
65 You Bet Your Life 1951-04-11 (128) Secret Word - Room - 29:33
66 You Bet Your Life 1951-04-18 (129) Secret Word - Light - 29:22
67 You Bet Your Life 1951-04-25 (130) Secret Word - Wall - 29:22
68 You Bet Your Life 1951-05-02 (131) Secret Word - Foot - 29:11
69 You Bet Your Life 1951-05-16 (133) Secret Word - Sky - 29:10
70 You Bet Your Life 1951-05-23 (134) Secret Word - Smile - 29:09
71 You Bet Your Life 1951-06-06 (136) Secret Word - Heart - 29:17
72 You Bet Your Life 1951-06-13 (137) Secret Word - Floor - 29:12
73 You Bet Your Life 1951-06-20 (138) Secret Word - Door - 29:33
74 You Bet Your Life 1951-06-27 (139) Secret Word - Table - 29:18
75 You Bet Your Life 1951-10-03 (140) Secret Word - Table - 29:27
76 You Bet Your Life 1951-10-10 (141) Secret Word - Street - 29:17
77 You Bet Your Life 1951-10-24 (143) Secret Word - Floor - 29:22
78 You Bet Your Life 1951-10-31 (144) Secret Word - Sky - 29:35
79 You Bet Your Life 1951-11-07 (145) Secret Word - Head - 29:22
80 You Bet Your Life 1951-11-14 (146) Secret Word - Roof - 29:26
81 You Bet Your Life 1951-11-21 (147) Secret Word - Tree - 29:38
82 You Bet Your Life 1951-11-28 (148) Secret Word - Name - 29:47
83 You Bet Your Life 1951-12-05 (149) Secret Word - Door - 29:36
84 You Bet Your Life 1951-12-12 (150) Secret Word - People - 29:32
85 You Bet Your Life 1951-12-19 (151) Secret Word - Smile - 29:07
86 You Bet Your Life 1951-12-26 (152) Secret Word - Paper - 30:31
87 You Bet Your Life 1952-01-02 (153) Secret Word - Hand - 30:08
88 You Bet Your Life 1952-01-09 (154) Secret Word - Face - 29:10
89 You Bet Your Life 1952-01-16 (155) Secret Word - Spoon - 29:05
90 You Bet Your Life 1952-01-23 (156) Secret Word - Water - 29:01
91 You Bet Your Life 1952-01-30 (157) Secret Word - Food - 29:08
92 You Bet Your Life 1952-02-06 (158) Secret Word - Lamp - 29:02
93 You Bet Your Life 1952-02-13 (159) Secret Word - Floor - 29:11
94 You Bet Your Life 1952-02-20 (160) Secret Word - Heart - 28:59
95 You Bet Your Life 1952-03-05 (162) Secret Word - Knife - 29:20
96 You Bet Your Life 1952-03-12 (163) Secret Word - Sky - 29:23
97 You Bet Your Life 1952-03-19 (164) Secret Word - Name - 29:28
98 You Bet Your Life 1952-03-26 (165) Secret Word - Table - 29:26
99 You Bet Your Life 1952-04-02 (166) Secret Word - Chair - 29:25
100 You Bet Your Life 1952-04-09 (167) Secret Word - Sign - 29:28
101 You Bet Your Life 1952-04-16 (168) Secret Word - Foot - 29:25
102 You Bet Your Life 1952-04-23 (169) Secret Word - Spoon - 29:24
103 You Bet Your Life 1952-04-30 (170) Secret Word - Door - 29:21
104 You Bet Your Life 1952-05-07 (171) Secret Word - House - 29:55
105 You Bet Your Life 1952-05-14 (172) Secret Word - Age - 29:33
106 You Bet Your Life 1952-05-21 (173) Secret Word - Money - 29:17
107 You Bet Your Life 1952-05-28 (174) Secret Word - Wall - 28:46
108 You Bet Your Life 1952-06-04 (175) Secret Word - Clothes - 29:04
109 You Bet Your Life 1952-06-11 (176) Secret Word - Paper - 29:15
110 You Bet Your Life 1952-09-17 (177) Secret Word - Chair - 29:26
111 You Bet Your Life 1952-09-24 (178) Secret Word - Floor - 29:19
112 You Bet Your Life 1952-10-01 (179) Secret Word - Tree - 29:16
113 You Bet Your Life 1952-10-15 (181) Secret Word - Water - 29:03
114 You Bet Your Life 1952-10-22 (182) Secret Word - Table - 28:46
115 You Bet Your Life 1952-10-29 (183) Secret Word - Heart - 29:14
116 You Bet Your Life 1952-11-05 (184) Secret Word - Light - 29:59
117 You Bet Your Life 1952-11-12 (185) Secret Word - Clock - 29:51
118 You Bet Your Life 1952-11-19 (186) Secret Word - Smile - 30:47
119 You Bet Your Life 1952-11-26 (187) Secret Word - Door - 28:43
120 You Bet Your Life 1952-12-03 (188) Secret Word - Paper - 27:44
121 You Bet Your Life 1952-12-10 (189) Secret Word - Fire - 28:52
122 You Bet Your Life 1952-12-17 (190) Secret Word - Chair - 27:45
123 You Bet Your Life 1953-09-16 (216) Secret Word - People - 30:04
124 You Bet Your Life 1953-09-23 (217) Secret Word - Foot - 29:34
125 You Bet Your Life 1953-09-30 (218) Secret Word - Smile - 29:32
126 You Bet Your Life 1953-10-07 (219) Secret Word - Table - 29:45
127 You Bet Your Life 1953-10-14 (220) Secret Word - Wall - 29:32
128 You Bet Your Life 1953-10-21 (221) Secret Word - Name - 29:42
129 You Bet Your Life 1953-10-28 (222) Secret Word - Chair - 30:14
130 You Bet Your Life 1953-11-04 (223) Secret Word - Tree - 29:51
131 You Bet Your Life 1953-11-25 (226) Secret Word - Water - 29:48
132 You Bet Your Life 1953-12-02 (227) Secret Word - Face - 28:19
133 You Bet Your Life 1953-12-09 (228) Secret Word - Window - 28:10
134 You Bet Your Life 1953-12-16 (229) Secret Word - Car - 28:04
135 You Bet Your Life 1954-02-17 (238) Secret Word - Clock - 28:32
136 You Bet Your Life 1954-02-24 (239) Secret Word - Name - 29:40
137 You Bet Your Life 1954-03-03 (240) Secret Word - Paper - 26:25
138 You Bet Your Life 1954-03-10 (241) Secret Word - Street - 26:29
139 You Bet Your Life 1954-03-17 (242) Secret Word - Hand - 27:59
140 You Bet Your Life 1954-03-24 (243) Secret Word - Floor - 27:41
141 You Bet Your Life 1954-04-21 (247) Secret Word - People - 27:43
142 You Bet Your Life 1954-04-28 (248) Secret Word - Smile - 29:07
143 You Bet Your Life 1954-05-05 (249) Secret Word - Water - 28:27
144 You Bet Your Life 1954-05-12 (250) Secret Word - House - 28:23
145 You Bet Your Life 1954-05-19 (251) Secret Word - Arm - 28:13
146 You Bet Your Life 1954-05-26 (252) Secret Word - Chair - 28:25
147 You Bet Your Life 1954-06-02 (253) Secret Word - Clock - 28:19
148 You Bet Your Life 1954-06-09 (254) Secret Word - Name - 26:54
149 You Bet Your Life 1955-05-11 (289) Secret Word - Food - 23:51
150 You Bet Your Life 1955-11-23 (304) Secret Word - Face - 29:10
151 You Bet Your Life 1955-11-30 (305) Secret Word - Sign - 29:43
152 You Bet Your Life 1955-12-07 (306) Secret Word - Chair - 29:19
153 You Bet Your Life 1955-12-14 (307) Secret Word - Name (Unedited Version) - 01:01:40
154 You Bet Your Life 1955-12-14 (307) Secret Word - Name - 21:44
155 You Bet Your Life 1955-12-21 (308) Secret Word - Street - 29:23
156 You Bet Your Life 1955-12-28 (309) Secret Word - Table - 27:43
157 You Bet Your Life 1957-03-16 (360) Secret Word - Chair - 25:05
158 You Bet Your Life 1957-04-06 (363) Secret Word - Arm - 27:22
159 You Bet Your Life 1957-11-04 (380) Secret Word - Street - 18:33
160 You Bet Your Life 1957-12-16 (386) Secret Word - Hand - 22:01
161 You Bet Your Life 1958-01-13 (390) Secret Word - Picture - 22:33
162 You Bet Your Life 1958-01-27 (392) Secret Word - Hand - 22:38
163 You Bet Your Life 1958-02-24 (396) Secret Word - Face - 22:50
164 You Bet Your Life 1958-03-03 (397) Secret Word - Room - 22:57
165 You Bet Your Life 1958-03-10 (398) Secret Word - Name - 22:50
166 You Bet Your Life 1958-03-17 (399) Secret Word - People - 22:46
167 You Bet Your Life 1958-03-31 (401) Secret Word - Name With Ernie Kovacs - 20:05
168 You Bet Your Life 1958-05-12 (407) Secret Word - Table With Edgar Bergen - 21:33
169 You Bet Your Life 1959-01-19 (430) Secret Word - Voice - 17:53
170 You Bet Your Life 1959-01-26 (431) Secret Word - Nose - 18:48
171 You Bet Your Life 1959-03-02 (436) Secret Word - House - 18:45
172 You Bet Your Life 1959-03-16 (438) Secret Word - Paper - 18:52
173 You Bet Your Life 1959-09-28 (453) Secret Word - Street - 22:25
174 You Bet Your Life 1959-10-05 (454) Secret Word - Street - 22:26
175 You Bet Your Life 1959-10-12 (455) Secret Word - Book - 22:25
176 You Bet Your Life 1959-10-19 (456) Secret Word - Room - 22:23
177 You Bet Your Life 1959-10-26 (457) Secret Word - Book - 22:21
178 You Bet Your Life 1959-12-28 (466) Secret Word - Shoe - 21:35
179 You Bet Your Life 195x-xx-xx (xx) Secret Word - Glass - 24:04
180 You Bet Your Life 195x-xx-xx (xx) Secret Word - Tree - 24:43
