The Big Surprise

08/10/1955

Overview

The Big Surprise is a television quiz show broadcast in the United States by NBC from October 8, 1955 to June 9, 1956 and from September 18, 1956 to April 2, 1957. It was hastily created by NBC in response to the overwhelming ratings success of The $64,000 Question, which had premiered on CBS in Summer 1955 and almost instantly became a smash hit. The Big Surprise offered a grand prize of $100,000. The series was originally hosted by game-show entrepreneur Jack Barry through March 3, 1956, after which he was replaced by journalist Mike Wallace for the rest of the run.