Beat the Clock

Lore & Background

The show began on radio as Time's A-Wastin' in 1948, hosted by Bud Collyer, and changed its name to Beat the Time on January 5, 1949. It moved to television on CBS's nighttime schedule starting March 23, 1950. On September 16, 1957, CBS premiered an afternoon version, which ran for a year. The nighttime show was cancelled on February 16, 1958, and the afternoon program followed on September 12, 1958. The show then moved to ABC's daytime schedule, running from October 13, 1958 to January 27, 1961. A brief revival aired on CBS from September 17, 1979 to February 1, 1980. From 2002 to 2003, another revival filmed at Universal Studios Hollywood aired on PAX TV with Gary Kroeger hosting. In 2006, the show made up the third segment of Gameshow Marathon on CBS with Ricki Lake as host. The most recent revival aired on Universal Kids from February 6, 2018 to July 8, 2019.

Contestants were typically married couples chosen from the studio audience. They performed tasks called 'problems' within a time limit counted down on a large 60-second clock. The main game featured a $100 clock and a $200 clock, with a jackpot clock for the wife to unscramble a famous saying. A bonus stunt, starting at $100 and increasing weekly, was attempted when a bell sounded. In 1956, a Super Bonus Stunt starting at $10,000 was introduced but was unsuccessful in improving ratings. The show had several female on-air assistants, including Roxanne and Beverly Bentley, and announcers such as Bern Bennett and Dirk Fredericks.

Reader's Guide

Beat the Clock is notable as a pioneering game show that established the format of timed physical challenges, influencing later shows like The Price Is Right. Its jackpot clock and bonus stunt provided templates for the traditional quiz show bonus round, starting with You Bet Your Life in 1950. The show's multiple revivals across different networks—CBS, ABC, PAX TV, and Universal Kids—demonstrate its enduring appeal. The original series ran from 1950 to 1961, with a brief CBS revival in 1979–1980 and a PAX TV revival in 2002–2003. The 2006 appearance on Gameshow Marathon and the 2018–2019 Universal Kids revival further extended its legacy. The show's use of a large 60-second clock and the phrase 'beat the clock' became cultural touchstones. Its history of substitute hosts and on-air assistants, as well as the evolution of bonus rounds from $100 to $10,000, reflects the changing landscape of television game shows.

Did You Know?

• Bud Collyer was referred to as 'America's number one clockwatcher'; substitute hosts were called 'America's number two clockwatcher'.
• In October 1957, a contest invited viewers to submit drawings of announcer Bern Bennett, who was never shown on camera; over 20,000 viewers participated.
• The Super Bonus Stunt, introduced in 1956, started at $10,000 and increased by $1,000 each week it was not won.