Strike It Rich (radio-TV)

Strike It Rich
Warren Hull with Frank G. Atkinson, president of Joseph Dixon Crucible Company.
Presented by	Todd Russell (1947-1948) Warren Hull (1948-1958)
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	11
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Production company(s)	Walt Framer Productions
Release
Original network	CBS (1947-1950, radio; 1951-1958, television) NBC Radio (1950-1957)
Picture format	Black-and-white
Audio format	Monaural
Original release	June 9, 1947 (1947-06-09) – January 3, 1958 (1958-01-03)

Strike It Rich is a game show that aired on American radio and television from June 29, 1947, to December 27, 1957 on CBS and NBC. People in need of money (such as for medical treatment or a destitute family) appeared and told their tale of woe, then tried to win money by answering four relatively easy questions. Each player would be given $30 and bet any of their bankroll on answering each question after being given the category. If the contestant didn't win any money, the emcee opened the "Heart Line", which was a phone line to viewers who wished to donate to the contestant's family.

Sponsored by Luden's Cough Drops, the radio series aired on CBS from June 29, 1947, to April 30, 1950. Todd Russell was the host from 1947 to 1948, followed by Warren Hull. On May 1, 1950, the show moved to NBC, where it aired on weekdays, sponsored by Colgate, until December 27, 1957.

The television series premiered May 7, 1951, on CBS's daytime lineup and ran until January 3, 1958. Its popularity caused CBS to air a prime time version from July 4, 1951, to January 12, 1955. The nighttime version finished #25 in the Nielsen ratings for the 1951-1952 season and #21 for 1952-1953.

Two attempts to revive the series were made in 1973 and 1978, although neither was successful. Another quiz show in 1986 used the same name but was otherwise unrelated.

While it had a simple format, the show was controversial during the 11 years it aired. While some applauded Strike It Rich for helping out some less fortunate people (as well as showcasing the sincere charity and goodwill of viewers who donated through the Heart Line), others found it a sickening spectacle that exploited the less fortunate contestants for the vicarious thrills of the viewers and the selfish gain of the sponsors.

Part of the criticism was that it promised more than it could deliver. Though the show received between 3,000 and 5,000 letters per week from needy people wishing to win what would be (to them) life-changing sums of money, only a small fraction of those could be selected. Although this was partly due to the limits of television production (the series, although ambitious in its goals, could not reasonably assist every person needing help at the same time), critics stated that the show picked mostly those thought to have the most interesting tales of woe.