You Asked For It
| You Asked for It | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | ''The Art Baker Show'' |
| Presented by |
Art Baker (1950-1958) Jack Smith (1958-1959) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network |
DuMont (Dec 1950-Dec 1951) ABC (Jan 1952-Sept 1959) |
| Picture format | Black-and-white |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | December 29, 1950 – September 27, 1959 |
You Asked for It is a human interest television show created and hosted by Art Baker. Initially titled The Art Baker Show, the program originally aired on American television between 1950 and 1959. Later versions of the series were seen in 1972, 1981, and 2000.
On the show, viewers were asked to send in postcards describing something that they wanted to see on television, such as the reenactment of William Tell shooting an apple off his son's head. (1950 US national archery champion Stan Overby performed the feat, shooting an apple off his assistant's head.)
The show was originally broadcast live, so some of the riskier propositions took on added elements of danger and suspense. A segment where animal trainer and stuntman, Reed Parham wrestled a huge, deadly anaconda, for example, nearly became disastrous until assistants interceded with guns drawn, visibly unnerving host Art Baker.
Baker was fond of granting requests to see show-business personalities. He reunited the Our Gang troupe of the 1920s (Johnny Downs, Joe Cobb, Mickey Daniels, Allen "Farina" Hoskins, and Jackie Condon), and staged encore performances by singers Gloria Jean, Nick Lucas and Arthur Lee Simpkins; comedians Buster Keaton, Eddie Gribbon, and El Brendel with his wife Flo Bert; European musical entertainer Yonelli; actor Bela Lugosi and cowboy bullwhip artist Whip Wilson, among many others.
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