If Groucho Marx’ skill at improvisation was an annoyance to writers – especially those in the rigorously scripted world of early radio –producer John Guedel suggested a format that would turn it to advantage in 1947: A quiz show, in which the quiz would be the least important part of the show.

You Bet Your Life went on to become a 14-year smash hit on radio and television. Hugely popular almost from the moment a duck dropped into the picture to reveal the secret word that could earn contestants an extra $100, the shows amount to little more than an excuse for Groucho to chat with his guests. Where other shows offered big prizes, this one kept the payouts piddling, but offered lots of laughs.

You Bet Your Life, which aired from 1950 to 1961 on television and for three years before that on radio, wasn't quite as ad-libbed as it sometimes claimed to be. Though announcer George Fenneman and Groucho engage in some obviously scripted chatter, the show's writers were initially listed only as "program staff" in the credits, and TV Guide occasionally ran "exposes" about how contestants were screened, and how Groucho was prepped for them beforehand.

All of this was standard for quiz shows – and still is – but the fact that everything sounds spontaneous made viewers wonder.