Name That Tune (1953–1959) User Reviews

A blast from the past

[schappe1 · 6/10 · 9 February 2008]

Benny Reynolds was a champion rodeo cowboy with a goofy manner who appeared on this show "in the late 50's" according to Wikipedia. There is a mention that he is currently second in the standing for best "All-Around Cowboy" and, per prorodeo.org, Benny finished 3rd in 1958 and 6th in 1959. Name that Tune, an apparently rather innocent victim of the quiz show scandals, went off the air in 1959 as producers turned to other types of programming, so I assume that this episode, which appears on the "Classic Television" DVD available on PBS, is probably from 1958. The show was the simplest of concepts. Two contestants sit in chairs on one side of the studio and listen to a clip of music. When they remember the name of the tune they get up and race to the other end of the studio and pull a rope that rings a bell. If they get there first and name the tune correctly, they win some money. Amazingly, Bennie does not seem any quicker than his much shorter rival, a young English woman visiting the states. She seems fascinated by him and one wonders if a romance was developing. But it may be all for the camera. Later a couple of precocious children come on and are interviewed, (saying things that sound a bit too clever to be spontaneous) and sing a song. There's more talk than music and it's the personalities that carry the show, not unlike "You Bet Your Life". Host George Dewitt is no Groucho Marx but he's pleasant enough, as is the show.

George DeWitt had tremendous rapport

[bpatrick-8 · 9/10 · 13 June 2014]

George DeWitt made the original "Name That Tune" as far as I'm concerned. His rapport with contestants, no matter what age, was fantastic, and I'm sorry he never got a chance to host a talk show; he would have been tough competition for Mike and Merv, I believe. Unfortunately, I've read--from DeWitt himself--that he was blackballed by CBS programmer Jim Aubrey; DeWitt was co-hosting a variety show with Mary Ann Mobley called "Be Our Guest" in 1960, when Aubrey pulled him in favor of Aubrey's buddy Keefe Brasselle, with whom he had a strange relationship that ultimately resulted in Aubrey's being fired in 1965. After that, DeWitt was kept busy making mostly game-show pilots which Aubrey never intended to air. Why DeWitt didn't get a lawyer to negotiate him out of his CBS contract, we'll probably never know. But his television career was much too brief (he did a few short-lived variety shows prior to "Name That Tune," I believe).

Of course, this was not "The George DeWitt Show"; there was a game explained by the poster below this one. There was a little more to the game, however, one element of which carried over into the '70s version: the winner of the game went on to the "Golden Medley" where, if he or she could name seven tunes in 30 seconds, won $1600 and a chance at the "Golden Medley Marathon." Here the contestant and a partner could end up dividing $25,000 if successful over a five-week period. And unlike other quiz shows of the era, they risked nothing on each successive appearance.

I wish somebody could find the kinescopes of the 1957 appearances of John Glenn and young actor Eddie Hodges (they split $25,000 in the "Golden Medley Marathon"); they, and Leslie Uggams, may be the most memorable contestants the show produced.