Definition
Information Please was a United States radio and television quiz program in which a panel of experts answered questions submitted by listeners or viewers seeking factual knowledge.
Overview
The program premiered on the CBS Radio Network on May 10, 1938 and ran until its final broadcast on June 8, 1951. Hosted by the literary critic and broadcaster Clifton Fadiman, each episode featured a rotating panel of scholars, writers, and specialists who attempted to provide prompt, accurate answers to a wide range of queries—from historical dates to scientific facts and literary references. Listeners submitted questions by postcard, and successful submissions were credited on air.
Following its radio success, Information Please was adapted for television. The NBC version aired from 1952 to 1954, retaining Fadiman as host and preserving the core format of on‑air question‑answer competition. The show contributed to the popularization of trivia culture in mid‑20th‑century America and is remembered for its witty repartee, intellectual tone, and the catchphrase implied by its title.
Etymology/Origin
The title draws directly from the polite English request “information, please,” used when one seeks data or clarification. By framing the phrase as a program title, the creators highlighted the show’s emphasis on the acquisition and dissemination of factual knowledge. The punctuation of the original broadcast title often included a comma (“Information, Please!”), but the phrase is commonly referenced without it in modern discussions.
Characteristics
- Format: Each episode began with the host introducing a question submitted by a listener. Panelists then consulted reference works, employed personal expertise, or engaged in brief research to formulate an answer. Correct answers were acknowledged, and the question submitter received a modest cash prize or token of appreciation.
- Host: Clifton Fadiman (1904–1999), a noted literary critic, editor, and television personality, provided narration, guided discussions, and delivered witty interludes.
- Panelists: Regular contributors included scholars such as Dr. Leonard Gould, journalist John K. Elliott, and author‑historian Michael J. McCarty (specific panel members varied over the program’s twelve‑year run).
- Audience Interaction: The show cultivated an active audience by encouraging listeners to submit questions, thus fostering a participatory environment uncommon for its era.
- Cultural Impact: Information Please helped establish the quiz show as a staple of American broadcast entertainment and inspired later programs such as Twenty‑One, Jeopardy!, and various modern trivia podcasts.
Related Topics
- Quiz and game shows – The broader genre of competitive knowledge‑based broadcasting.
- Clifton Fadiman – Host and prominent literary figure associated with the program.
- Radio trivia culture – The tradition of question‑answer formats in early 20th‑century radio.
- Jeopardy! – A later, long‑running quiz show that shares the factual‑question focus pioneered by Information Please.
- Television game shows of the 1950s – The era in which many radio formats transitioned to TV, including Information Please.