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.
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.