What's the Story
Encyclopedia
What's the Story was an American television
game show
broadcast on the DuMont Television Network
from July 25, 1951 to September 23, 1955 and aired in eleven different timeslots.
Originally hosted by Walter Raney, he was replaced in September 1951 by Walter Kiernan
, who hosted until June 20, 1953. Al Capp
took over from the following week until sometime in the Fall, when John McCaffery
took the reins through the show's end in 1955.
The series is most notable for being the last regular series to air on the DuMont network, after the game show Have a Heart
, which ended on June 14, 1955. After the finale of What's the Story on September 25, DuMont aired only a few sporting events and ceased broadcasting altogether with the final broadcast of Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena
on August 6, 1956.
s and/or other celebrities were asked to try to identify famous events from clues given by the moderator and his assistants. Among the regular panelists were Robert Sullivan
of the New York Daily News
, Jimmy Cannon
of the New York Post
, and Harriet Van Horne
of the New York World-Telegram
.
. Although many DuMont shows survive at the UCLA Film and Television Archive
, the Paley Center for Media, and Chicago's Museum of Broadcast Communications
, there are no copies of What's the Story at any of these archives.
Only one episode is known to exist from December 1953, and is held by the Chicago archive MacDonald and Associates. The episode includes a segment where McCaffery, network founder Allen B. DuMont
, and television pioneer Thomas T. Goldsmith discuss the future of color television
.
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
broadcast on the DuMont Television Network
DuMont Television Network
The DuMont Television Network, also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont, Du Mont, or Dumont was one of the world's pioneer commercial television networks, rivalling NBC for the distinction of being first overall. It began operation in the United States in 1946. It was owned by DuMont...
from July 25, 1951 to September 23, 1955 and aired in eleven different timeslots.
Originally hosted by Walter Raney, he was replaced in September 1951 by Walter Kiernan
Walter Kiernan
Walter J. Kiernan was an American radio, television, and print journalist and author, as well as television game show host during the early days of the medium.-Career:...
, who hosted until June 20, 1953. Al Capp
Al Capp
Alfred Gerald Caplin , better known as Al Capp, was an American cartoonist and humorist best known for the satirical comic strip Li'l Abner. He also wrote the comic strips Abbie an' Slats and Long Sam...
took over from the following week until sometime in the Fall, when John McCaffery
John McCaffery
John McCaffery was an American television host who appeared on many game shows and talk shows during the 1940s and 1950s including Americana, Television Screen Magazine, What's the Story, and Author Meets the Critics.-Game Shows:McCaffery also hosted the following game shows:* We Take Your Word...
took the reins through the show's end in 1955.
The series is most notable for being the last regular series to air on the DuMont network, after the game show Have a Heart
Have a Heart (TV series)
Have a Heart was a game show broadcast on the now-defunct DuMont Television Network. The 30-minute show ran from May 3, 1955 to June 14, 1955, and was hosted by John Reed King. Have a Heart was one of the last shows broadcast on the DuMont network, along with What's the Story and Boxing From St...
, which ended on June 14, 1955. After the finale of What's the Story on September 25, DuMont aired only a few sporting events and ceased broadcasting altogether with the final broadcast of Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena
Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena
Boxing from St. Nicholas Arena was an American sports program originally broadcast on NBC from 1946 to 1948, and later on the now-defunct DuMont Television Network from 1954 to 1956.-Broadcast history:The DuMont version was hosted by Chris Schenkel....
on August 6, 1956.
Gameplay
A panel of well-known newspaper columnistColumnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
s and/or other celebrities were asked to try to identify famous events from clues given by the moderator and his assistants. Among the regular panelists were Robert Sullivan
Robert Sullivan
Robert Sullivan may refer to:*Robert Sullivan *Robert Baldwin Sullivan, Canadian lawyer, judge, and the second Mayor of Toronto*Robert J. Sullivan, Jr. , American politician...
of the New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
, Jimmy Cannon
Jimmy Cannon
Jimmy Cannon was a sports journalist inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame for his coverage of the sport.-Early career:...
of the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
, and Harriet Van Horne
Harriet Van Horne
Harriet Van Horne was an American newspaper columnist and film/television critic. She was a writer for many years at the New York World-Telegram and its successors.-Life and career:...
of the New York World-Telegram
New York World-Telegram
The New York World-Telegram, later known as the New York World-Telegram and Sun, was a New York City newspaper from 1931 to 1966.-History:...
.
Episode status
Like most DuMont programs, What's the Story was a victim of wipingWiping
Wiping or junking is a colloquial term for action taken by radio and television production and broadcasting companies, in which old audiotapes, videotapes, and telerecordings , are erased, reused, or destroyed after several uses...
. Although many DuMont shows survive at the UCLA Film and Television Archive
UCLA Film and Television Archive
The UCLA Film and Television Archive is an internationally renowned visual arts organization focused on the preservation, study, and appreciation of film and television, based at the University of California, Los Angeles. It holds more than 220,000 film and television titles and 27 million feet of...
, the Paley Center for Media, and Chicago's Museum of Broadcast Communications
Museum of Broadcast Communications
The Museum of Broadcast Communications is an American museum that currently exists exclusively on the Internet and not in any physical capacity. Its stated mission is "to collect, preserve, and present historic and contemporary radio and television content as well as educate, inform and entertain...
, there are no copies of What's the Story at any of these archives.
Only one episode is known to exist from December 1953, and is held by the Chicago archive MacDonald and Associates. The episode includes a segment where McCaffery, network founder Allen B. DuMont
Allen B. DuMont
Allen Balcom DuMont also spelled Du Mont, was an American scientist and inventor best known for improvements to the cathode ray tube in 1931 for use in television receivers. Seven years later he manufactured and sold the first commercially practical television set to the public...
, and television pioneer Thomas T. Goldsmith discuss the future of color television
Color television
Color television is part of the history of television, the technology of television and practices associated with television's transmission of moving images in color video....
.