The Millionaire

John Beresford Tipton: his name evokes patrician wealth and breed. Using his executive secretary, Michael Anthony, Tipton chooses, apparently but not certainly, one person each week at random to receive, tax-free, the sum of one million dollars, in the form of a cashiers check. One million dollars was an enormous sum in the 1950s. And, if one remembers that the top tax bracket (which includes this amount) was 91% at that time, the gift becomes even more phenomenal.

Each recipient was required to sign an agreement never to reveal either the circumstances under which the money was received and the amount, other than to the spouse. (In one episode, a child received the money and a somewhat non-plussed Anthony told the child that he can reveal these details to his parents). The idea of each half-hour show was to see just how receiving the money would affect each recipient. At the end of the show, Tipton would briefly reviews what happened.

An excellent show, far and above the lunacy that pervades television today.