''Uncle Jim's Question Bee'' was a radio quiz program, hosted by Jim McWilliams, which began on the

Blue Network The Blue Network (previously known as the NBC Blue Network) was the on-air name of a now defunct American Commercial broadcasting, radio network, which broadcast from 1927 through 1945. Beginning as one of the two radio networks owned by the N ...

in 1936 and continued until 1941. After the success of ''

Professor Quiz ''Professor Quiz'' was radio's first true quiz program, broadcast with many different sponsors from 1936 to 1948 on CBS and ABC. The program featured Professor Quiz, his wife Betty, and his son, Professor Quiz Jr. The program's announcer was Rober ...

'', radio's first quiz show which began four months earlier, ''Uncle Jim's Question Bee'' was broadcasting's second quiz program. The questions came from listeners. Three men and three women were chosen from the audience by the show's publicist, Adele Wesley, to become the contestants competing for the $25 prize money.

Schedule

Sponsored by George Washington Coffee, the half-hour program premiered September 26, 1936, and ran until December 16, 1939, airing on Saturday evenings at 7:30pm. George Washington Coffee also sponsored ''Professor Quiz''. The following year it was sponsored by Lever Brothers (Spry), as it moved to Tuesdays (and later Wednesdays at 8pm) on CBS, where it was heard from June 18 to October 2, 1940, as a summer replacement show for ''

Big Town ''Big Town'' is a popular long-running radio drama featuring a corruption-fighting newspaper editor initially played from 1937 to 1942 by Edward G. Robinson in his first radio role, with echoes of the conscience-stricken tabloid editor he had ...

''. It returned to the Blue Network for a run from October 8, 1940, to July 8, 1941, still sponsored by Lever Brothers but hosted by Bill Slater.

Television

A special telecast of the show was shown on the formal commercial television debut of NBC (WNBT in NY). This one-time event was seen July 1, 1941, preceding ''

Truth or Consequences ''Truth or Consequences'' is an American game show originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards (1940–1957) and later on television by Edwards (1950–1954), Jack Bailey (1954–1956), Bob Barker (1956–1975), Steve Dunne (1957–1958), ...

'' that evening as first commercial TV game show telecast.

Products

The program generated tie-in merchandising, including ''Uncle Jim's Question Bee Game'', which was given to both contestants and those who sent in questions. Listeners could also purchase a Q&A book, ''Uncle Jim's Question Bee Quiz Book''. Jim McWilliams was seen on the front cover.

References

{{reflist 1930s American radio programs 1940s American radio programs American radio game shows 1930s American game shows 1940s American game shows NBC Blue Network radio programs