You Bet Your Life


(4.8 stars; 39 reviews)

You Bet Your Life is an American quiz show that aired on both radio and television. The original and best-known version was hosted by Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers, with announcer and assistant George Fenneman. The show debuted on ABC Radio in October 1947, then moved to CBS Radio in September 1949 before making the transition to NBC-TV in October 1950. Because of its simple format, it was possible to broadcast the show simultaneously on the radio and on television. In 1960, the show was renamed The Groucho Show and ran a further year. Most episodes are in the public domain.

The play of the game, however, was secondary to the interplay between Groucho, the contestants, and occasionally Fenneman. The program was rerun into the 1970s, and later in syndication as The Best of Groucho. As such, it was the first game show to have its reruns syndicated. (Summary from Wikipedia)

This recording is part of the Old Time Radio collection.

License

Chapters

Secret Word - Air - Audition - 16:06
Secret Word - Chair - Third Season - Bank Newlyweds / Druggist & Housewife / Wr… 29:06
Secret Word - Smile - Chinese About to Be's / Motor Vehicle Inspector & Housewi… 28:44
Secret Word - Clock - Boy Usher & Girl Soda Jerk / Mindreader & Husband / Purse… 23:40
Secret Word - Radio - Bachelor & Old Maid / Baker & Housewife / Magic Clerk & S… 17:34
Secret Word - Shoe - Prospective Grandpa & Baby Nurse / Fixitman & Housewife / … 24:52
Secret Word - Ink - Secretary & Optometrist / Housewife & Health Inspector / Bu… 24:01
Secret Word - Grass - LA Airport Announcer & Weatherman / Bareback Rider & Hous… 28:20
Secret Word - Sky - Grooms Mother & Brides Father / Housewife & Butcher / Bail … 29:01
Secret Word - Window - Bachelor & Spinster / Washing machine salesman & Housewi… 29:09
Secret Word - Dust - Bacterologist & Bird Nurse / Woman Driver & Auto Mechanic … 28:57
Secret Word - Hair - Oldweds / Housewife & Postal Clerk / Body Builder & High S… 29:20
Secret Word - Chair - Messenger & Fred Knott / Scool Teacher & Housewife / Exch… 29:18
Secret Word - Name - Tip-Toppers Newlyweds Scalas / Carhop & Married Man/ Chiro… 29:06
Secret Word - Tree - Spinster Hopkins & Bachelor Lind / Housewife & her Congres… 24:43
Secret Word - Milk - About to be's / House Mover & Housewife / Parents of 20 ch… 29:33
Secret Word - Spoon - Accountant & Ballroom Bouncer / Chiropodist & Housewife /… 29:11
Secret Word - Sky - Rookie Cop & Librarian / Housewife & TV Repairman / Auction… 28:26
Secret Word - Air - Oldyweds / Food Checker & Husband / Brownie Troop Leader & … 24:03
Secret Word - Bread - Pediatrician & Youngest Mother / Shoemaker & Housewife / … 29:21
Secret Word - Sugar - Milkman & Brewmaster / Interior Decorator & Housewife/ We… 29:09
Secret Word - Table - High Schoolers / Piano Teacher & Dog Trainer / DA & House… 29:29
Secret Word - Door - Bachelor & Old Maid / Butler & Housewife / French Consul G… 29:05
Secret Word - Heart - Golden Wedding Couple / Dress Buyer & Husband / Hobo & Vo… 29:12
Secret Word - Water - Irishman & Coleen / Barber & Housewife / Business Manager… 28:52
Secret Word - Money - Conductor & Stevedore / Gardener & Housewife / Diamond Me… 29:00
Secret Word - Smile - Hotel Clerk & Law Secretary / Beauty Operator & Husband /… 29:04
Secret Word - Door - Ice Man & Steel Man / Baby Photographer & Young Mother / B… 27:02
Secret Word - Name - Circus Woman & Burlesque Doorman / Fireman & Housewife Abo… 29:37
Secret Word - Chair - Building Inspector & Real Estate Agent / Camp Counsellor … 30:36
Secret Word - Bread - Hot Rodder & Gas Attendant / Lady Tax Assessor & Husband … 30:11
Secret Word - Door - Swedish Girl & Telephone Man / Housepainter & Housewife / … 29:08
Secret Word - Foot - Locksmith & Dynamite Expert / Harold Price & Housewife / P… 29:23
Secret Word - Tree - About To Be's - Big family / Hypnotist & Housewife / Boxer… 29:08
Secret Word - Book - Butcher & Night Club Girl / Hospital Dietician & Husband /… 29:28
Secret Word - Dress - Stunt Man & Glass Blower / Flamingo Housekeeper & Husband… 28:26
Secret Word - Water - Candymaker & 8-year-old Girl / Lloyd Mitchell & Housewife… 29:52
Secret Word - Wall - 4th Season - About To Be's / Laundromat Woman & Husband / … 28:46
Secret Word - Grass - Dance Instructor & Riding Acad. / Yard Trashman & Housewi… 28:59
Secret Word - Floor - Football Player & Honor Girl / Poultry man & Housewife / … 28:24
Secret Word - Air - Bachelor Conductor & Old Maid / Lady Barber & Husband / Sin… 29:19
Secret Word - Tree - Cop & Girl About To Be's / Furniture Salesman & Housewife … 28:43
Secret Word - Door - Newlywed College Kids / Florist & Mary Futurnick / Spanish… 29:00
Secret Word - Key - Photographer & Construction Worker / Housewife & Driving In… 28:53
Secret Word - Table - Swiss War Bride & GI / Home Economist & Husband / Parrot … 30:30
Secret Word - Book - Patent Attorney & Seebee / Housewife & Produce Man / Expec… 29:28
Secret Word - Hair - Cabbie & Old Maid / Woman Dentist & Husband / Symphony Con… 29:14
Secret Word - Room - Greeting card writer & gadget of the month / Stocking desi… 29:18
Secret Word - Floor - Truck Driver & Mail Girl / Housewife & Door-ToDoor-Salesm… 29:10
Secret Word - Smile - Tip-Topper Newlyweds / Fishmonger & Housewife / Judo Woma… 29:16
Secret Word - Chair - Lawyer & Psychiatrist / Rocket Man & Railroad Enqineer / … 29:07
Secret Word - Heart - Weatherman & Drive-In Cashier / Weightlifter & Housewife … 29:09
Secret Word - Lamp - Barn Dance Caller & Elevator Girl / Woman Fashion Expert &… 29:01
Secret Word - Walk - Good Humor Girl & Duke of Catalina / Insurance Man & House… 29:24
Secret Word - Clock - Genealogist & Unemployment Woman / All State Society & Hu… 29:00
Secret Word - Shoe - Young Mother & Grandpa / Mexican Cook & Housewife / Jockey… 29:04
Secret Word - Sky - Beekeeper & Wedding Director / Nurseryman & Housewife / Jun… 29:15
Secret Word - Door - Librarian & Mining Engineer / Army Quartermaster & Housewi… 28:29
Secret Word - Nose - About to Be's from Gas Company / Senator LaBlanc & Wife / … 18:48
Secret Word - Cup - Girl Economics Student & Tax Official / Public Stenographer… 28:42
Secret Word - Tree - Health Food Store Gal & Mountain Climber / Irish Housewife… 29:19
Secret Word - Coat - Mildred Gordon & Doctor / Helmsman & Housewife / Doll Make… 29:10
Secret Word - Street - Japanese Newlyweds / Husband & Charm School Woman / Ranu… 29:08
Secret Word - Hand - Beard from Knott's & Indian / Girl IQ Tester & Husband / V… 29:24
Secret Word - Room - Coast Guardsman & Army Girl / Red Cross Housewife & Pet Ma… 29:34
Secret Word - Light - Cargo Plane Pilot & Steamship Nurse / Mrs. Hanson & Movie… 29:22
Secret Word - Wall - Joe Anderson & 5 and Dime Store Clerk / Principal & German… 29:22
Secret Word - Foot - Student Nurse & College Gymnast / Etta Rue & Private Eye /… 29:11
Secret Word - Sky - Treasure Hunter & Woman Rental Agent / French War Bride & H… 29:10
Secret Word - Smile - Boxer & Lady Painter / Flavia & Barter Unlimited / Boss, … 29:09
Secret Word - Heart - Soda Girl & Drama Student / Louis Laurnet & Catering Stud… 29:17
Secret Word - Floor - College Frat Kids / Bird Woman & Supervisor Darby / Resor… 29:12
Secret Word - Door - CG Weather Sailor & YWCA Girl / 4H Boy & Horsewoman / Lola… 29:33
Secret Word - Table - WAF & Hobby Guy / Mrs. Gaskins & Eddie Ostrom / Parents o… 29:18
Secret Word - Table 5th Season - Newlyweds / Math Teacher & Boy / Dog Show Judg… 29:27
Secret Word - Street - Girl Fencer & Male Model / Flamingo Dealer & Susanna Sti… 29:17
Secret Word - Arm - About to Be's / Lady Riveter & Society Photographer / Nancy… 27:22
Secret Word - Floor - Memory Expert & Professor's Wife / Wrestling Referee & Ch… 29:22
Secret Word - Sky - Studio Messenger Girl & Ski Instructor / Swiss Housewife & … 29:35
Secret Word - Head - Edna Rubin & Egyptian / Tennis Play & Boy from Playground … 29:22
Secret Word - Roof - Bachelor & Old Maid / Commander Murray and Laura Hamilton … 29:26
Secret Word - Tree - Architect & Sheila Crystal / Richard R MacIntosh & Katheri… 29:38
Secret Word - Name - WAF Major & Elevator Operator / Mike Romanoff & Waitress /… 29:47
Secret Word - Door - Danish Girl & College Footballer / Plumber & Handwriting E… 29:36
Secret Word - People - Junior High Just Mets / Furrier & Housewife / Western Un… 29:32
Secret Word - Smile - Native Daughter & Bill Hopper / Jazz Drummer & Band / You… 29:07
Secret Word - Paper - Girl from Cole & Paint Company Boy / Grandma Green & Mrs.… 30:31
Secret Word - Hand - Freeway Man & Anna Mahler / Dance Teacher & Stevedore / Pa… 30:08
Secret Word - Face - H Cantor & Frances Richardson / Helicoptor Pilot & TV Repa… 29:10
Secret Word - Spoon - Mrs. Goldner & Smoke Jumper / Termite Inspector & V. Klin… 29:05
Secret Word - Water - Newlyweds / Woman Pharmacist & Kid's Barber / Dad Montee … 29:01
Secret Word - Food - Dramatic Student & Choir Girl / Snograsses return for FL t… 29:08
Secret Word - Lamp - Industrial Designer & Dentist / Carpet Man and Mrs. Laird … 29:02
Secret Word - Floor - Jim McClellan & Cermics Woman / Boarding House Keeper & G… 29:11
Secret Word - Heart - Philharmonic Girl & Cabbie / Hardware Man & Mrs. Vaccio /… 28:59
Secret Word - Glass - Exporter & Secretary / Auctioneer & Mrs. Healy / College … 24:04
Secret Word - Knife - Martha Prendergast & Sea Explorer / Fred Clarke & Woman L… 29:20
Secret Word - Sky - Escrow Man & Lady Cop / Jim Hershey & Housewife / Mr. & Mrs… 29:24
Secret Word - Name - Cowboy & Notions Counter Girl / Councilman Hahn & Mrs. M. … 29:28
Secret Word - Table - Dr. & Mrs. Ely / Skindiver & Housewife / Landscape Archit… 29:26
Secret Word - Chair - Jockey & Mobile Librarian / Don Park & MRs. Pickert / Nin… 29:25
Secret Word - Sign - Smoot & Oberjuerge / Horsewoman & Tuna Man / Zukerman & Mr… 29:28
Secret Word - Foot - B-29 Pilot & Reducing Girl / Aluminun Salesman & Mrs. Wool… 29:25
Secret Word - Spoon - Schoolboy & Grammar Teacher / Mrs. Saint Onge & Tanner Dr… 29:24
Secret Word - Door - Toast Misteress & Salvador Vara / Waiter & Mary Starr / Ja… 29:21
Secret Word - House - Tree Surgeon & Stunt Woman / Beauty Operator & Mrs. T. Ro… 29:55
Secret Word - Age - Aircraft Worker & Jerry Hoffman / Insurance Adjustor & Lucy… 29:33
Secret Word - Money - Dick Anderson & Betty Sherman / Mrs. Stewart & English Pr… 29:18
Secret Word - Wall - Mr. & Mrs. Cole / Ruth Elder King & Mrs. Treichler / Baseb… 28:46
Secret Word - Clothes - Bachelor & Old Maid / Paul Grimes & Draft Board Woman /… 29:04
Secret Word - Paper - Olympic Boy & Latin Girl / Democrat & Republican / The Ca… 29:15
Secret Word - Chair - 6th Season - Intern & Baby Photographer / Neckencamp & Re… 29:26
Secret Word - Floor - Nugget Jim & Dietician / Olivia Estis & Hotel Manager / T… 29:19
Secret Word - Tree - Laura Winner & Postman / Welcome Wagon Woman & Draftee / T… 29:16
Secret Word - Water - Motorcycle About To Be's / UFO Expert & Tip-Top Girl / Mr… 29:03
Secret Word - Table - Veterinarian & Nurse / Joe Scherer & Mrs. Ralph Guldhal /… 28:46
Secret Word - Heart - Chess Player & French Bride / Locksmith & Girl Geologist … 29:14
Secret Word - Light - Boy Archer & Girl From Wiggins / Tobacco Auctioneer & Mrs… 29:59
Secret Word - Clock - Greta Grossman & Fireman / R. Nall & Junior High Girl / A… 29:51
Secret Word - Smile - Mrs. Collins & Employment Man / 12-year Terry Plummer & L… 30:47
Secret Word - Door - Joe Fox & Ram Girl / Boxing Second & Singer Sewing Girl / … 28:44
Secret Word - Paper - Mr. & Mrs. John Sweeney / Rudolph Florentino & Laundry Gi… 27:44
Secret Word - Fire - Frank Lubin & Mrs, Fansier / Percy Vivian & Factory Woman … 28:53
Secret Word - Chair - Marge Riley & Cheese Man / Cricket Man & Pierce Aggie Gir… 27:45
Secret Word - People - 7th Season - Mrs. Shaw & Officer Smith / Kaufman & Nelso… 30:04
Secret Word - Foot - The Bittles / Mother of Twins & Jack Martin / Barry O'Neil… 29:34
Secret Word - Smile - The Bogarts / Putnam & Dun & Bradstreet / Judge Leroy Daw… 29:32
Secret Word - Table - parakeet trainer & Chinese waitress / Mrs. Peterson & Ott… 29:45
Secret Word - Wall - Lady Constable & Fortune Gordien / Bob Disterdick & Wardro… 29:32
Secret Word - Name - Mr. & Mrs. Fedorowicz / Regula Thorsten & Plumber / Mr. & … 29:42
Secret Word - Chair - Mrs, 30:14
Secret Word - Tree - Newlyweds / Barney's Beanery & Cosmetic Woman / Countess B… 29:51
Secret Word - Water - Walter Muhonen & Girl from Corona / Chief Jansen & Carol … 29:48
Secret Word - Face - Helen Wilde & E. Pollock / Mayor Loomis & Phone Girl / Nor… 28:20
Secret Word - Window - Mardie & Helen Bakjean / Sulky Driver & Frances Bera / 28:10
Secret Word - Car - Walter Atkinson & Roxie Jamogchian / Lucky Wilbur & Bridge … 28:04
Secret Word - Clock - Arthur Murray Dance Instructor & Bill Eddy / Lestelle & S… 28:32
Secret Word - Name - John Ely & Sheila Phew / GI Service Girl & Harry Laughran … 29:40
Secret Word - Paper - Milt Whisler & Helen Pfeifer / Art McBride & Girl Interns… 26:25
Secret Word - Street - Ernest Rhea & Beverly Kaanapu / Sailor & Pat Madgwick / … 26:29
Secret Word - Hand - Dr. & Mrs. Irving Puziss / Store Buyer & Woodchopper / War… 27:59
Secret Word - Floor - Peter Ellesmere-Jones & Secretary / Pauline Mells & Eric … 27:42
Secret Word - People - Vegas Lifeguard & Placement Girl / Stathis & Mrs. Tommie… 27:43
Secret Word - Smile - Mr. & Mrs. Bob Mathias / CW Wiggle & Foster Freeze / Loui… 29:07
Secret Word - Water - Andy Sanchez & Lee Whitney / Ben Bell & Pan Am Girl / Pla… 28:27
Secret Word - House - Osbum O'Brien & Ulla Anderson / Laura LaPlante & Henry Aa… 28:23
Secret Word - Arm - Mel Morrison & Esperanto Girl / Dick Hubler & Dori Martin /… 28:13
Secret Word - Chair - Noel Kennedy & Eleanor Green / Bill Vaughan & Mrs. Shiple… 28:26
Secret Word - Clock - Harry Myers & Alice Brabon / Charles Carpenter & Lawyer's… 28:19
Secret Word - Name - Stella Walsh & James A. Murphy / Frances McGrew & Chiropod… 26:54
Secret Word - Face - Odette & Nassir Kaddo / Baron de Rosner & Marjorie Koonce … 29:11
Secret Word - Sign - Thurman Wade & Icelandic Bride / Mrs. Altomari & PhiMp Sch… 29:44
Secret Word - Chair - Jackie Gorham & Phil Swanson / Tom Rears & Zora Sweet / S… 29:19
Secret Word - Name - Ben Zeppa & Tip-Top girl/ Pearl Money & 2 Scotsmen /Binnie… 21:44
Secret Word - Street - Dr. Giovanni & 2 Bookstore Men / General Shoop & Edythe … 29:23
Secret Word - Table - Pearl Runyon & Charles Pierce / Mr. & Mrs. Horn / Gypsy G… 27:43
Secret Word - Chair - Mrs. Caryl Jost & Emmanuel W. Klein / Mrs. Bettina Consol… 25:06
Secret Word - Street - Jean Odmark & Henry Piffl return / Darah & Richard Prebl… 18:33
Secret Word - Hand - Mrs. Angeline Papadakis & Joseph Interliggi / Mrs. Mitzi L… 22:43
Secret Word - Picture - Louise Squire & Theodore Anderson / Elsie Jerra & Rob B… 22:33

Reviews

I love it, reminds me of DAD


(5 stars)

As a young child we laid on the shelf old cars had under the back windon. Speakers there played Supermaan, Gunsmoke, and you bet your life as we took the long ride back from Grandas house. If I find they use funds I am definitely going to donate and share with as many young people as I can. Thank you!!!!

You Bet


(5 stars)

Wow, I thought I missed the oppertunity to download you bet your life. What a great show... and so many episodes too. Good quality. Thanks, C


(4.5 stars)

I love groucho! Love quizzes! ¡¡

Astounding!


(5 stars)

I love You Bet Your Life. Groucho is so witty and George is the genius behind the scenes. Thank you, LibriVox!

Groucho


(5 stars)

Very grateful to be able to listen to these shows. I’ve watched all the tv shows on the YouTube channel, and now listening to all of these. I wonder whether others get the same feeling as I do, that Groucho was essentially a gentle soul. May he rest in peace. And Fenneman was very special too. The perfect combo. Groucho was surely the quickest witted gentleman to have walked the earth!

LotR


(5 stars)

They say they can predict my age from my Lord of the Rings crush. Well, I say you can’t. My crush is LEGOLAS. Predict my age within five years and I commend you.

Hard To Find


(4 stars)

With Periods in the title, this is hard to find

every cut short and SWEET


(5 stars)

I love Groucho!! The poem in