Chance of a Lifetime

Chance of a Lifetime Information

Chance of a Lifetime was a game show which aired on ABC and DuMont.

Broadcast history

Dennis James was the host of the ABC version which ended on August 20, 1953, and John Reed King was the host of the DuMont version, which ran from September 11, 1953 to June 17, 1955. ABC then brought the show back from July 3, 1955 to June 23, 1956.

From July to December 1956, James hosted another quiz show, High Finance on CBS.

Format

Three professional performers, usually singers, dancers or instrumentalists, competed in the first half of each episode. The winner of that first half, determined by an audience applause meter, then competed against a returning champion in the second half. After both champion and challenger, in that order, have performed, the audience applause meter determines the champion, who receives $1000 cash, the opportunity to return the following week, and a week's engagement at a popular nightspot.

Episode status

One episode of the DuMont version is held in the collection of J. Fred MacDonald collection at the Library of Congress. Another episode, from the ABC run, is linked below.

Fifteen episodes are held by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. These include two episodes from 1951, eight from 1953, two from 1954, and three from 1955.

Chance of a Lifetime

Chance of a Lifetime Information

Broadcast history

Format

Episode status

See also