Query: "$64,000 quesiton" (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Jonathan Lighter]

Jerry is correct. "The $64 Question" was a radio show with (you'll laugh) $64 as the top prize.  A simpler time.

JL

"Mullins, Bill AMRDEC" <Bill.Mullins at US.ARMY.MIL> wrote: ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender:       American Dialect Society
Poster:       "Mullins, Bill AMRDEC"
Subject:      Re: Query: "$64,000 quesiton" (UNCLASSIFIED)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Not relevant to the question before the house, but Van Doren was on the
quiz show "Twenty-One".

> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society
> [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On Behalf Of Cohen, Gerald Leonard
> Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 4:33 PM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Query: "$64,000 quesiton"
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society
> Poster:       "Cohen, Gerald Leonard"
> Subject:      Query: "$64,000 quesiton"
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------------
>
>    I've received the following query from a colleague:
>
>     'Is there a generally accepted origin for the phrase
> "$64,000 question"?'
>
>    All I know is that the phrase was originally "That's the
> $64 question," and IIRC, it got raised to "64,000 question"
> as the title of a TV quiz show in the late 1950's.  Also,
> IIRC, that's the one which Charles Van Doren appeared on.
>
>    Would anyone have anything to add (or correct) here?  Any
> help would be much appreciated.
>
> Gerald Cohen
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

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