August 10, 1948: “Candid Camera” Debuts

Allen Funt

August 10, 1948: Candid Microphone debuts on ABC. It is renamed Candid Camera the next year. It has been on and off the air ever since, including on all 3 of the classic U.S. TV networks: ABC in its 1st season, NBC until 1951, in syndication from then until 1958, on NBC again for 1958-59, CBS from then until 1967, then off the air until 1974, back on in syndication from then until 1979, a comeback on CBS in 1987, a season in syndication in 1991-92, and most recently on cable network TV Land in 2014.

The show involved concealed cameras filming ordinary people being confronted with unusual situations, sometimes involving trick props, such as a desk with drawers that pop open when one is closed or a car with a hidden extra gas tank. When the joke was revealed, victims were told the show's catchphrase: "Smile, you're on Candid Camera."

Allen Funt created the show, and hosted it until 1992. He died in 1999. Among the show’s writers and "correspondents" were Arthur Godfrey, Durward Kirby, Bess Myerson, John Bartholomew Tucker, Woody Allen, Fannie Flagg, Phyllis George, Joann Pflug, Dom DeLuise and Eva LaRue. Funt’s son, Peter Funt, revived it from 1996 to 2004, with correspondents including Suzanne Somers, Dina Eastwood (one of Clint’s ex-wives) and Mayim Bialik.

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August 10, 1948 was a Tuesday. These baseball games were played:

* The New York Yankees lost to the Boston Red Sox, 9-6 at Yankee Stadium. Bucky Harris took starter Eddie Lopat out after 2 batters and Frank Hiller out after 4, allowing 3 runs. He then let Tommy Byrne pitch through the 7th. Then he let Vic Raschi pitch the 8th, and he allowed 5 runs. In other words, Harris, who had led the Yankees to the World Series the year before, was managing in 1948 like Aaron Boone in the 2020s.

Don't blame the loss on Joe DiMaggio: He went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Or Yogi Berra: 2-for-4 with an RBI. Or Phil Rizzuto: 2-for-4. Blame Joe's brother, Dom DiMaggio, going 3-for-6 with 3 RBIs; Vern Stephens, 2-for-4 with a walk and an RBI; and Ted Williams, 1-for-4 with a walk and an RBI.

* The New York Giants beat the Boston Braves, 6-5 at Braves Field in Boston. Bobby Thomson went 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs. It was the most productive day of his career. But it would not remain the best one. Alvin Dark went 4-for-5 with an RBI for the Braves. After the 1949 season, the Giants acquired him in a trade.

* The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 5-2 at Ebbets Field. Rex Barney outpitched Lynwood Rowe -- the "Schoolboy" was 38 at this point. Pee Wee Reese hit a home run. Jackie Robinson went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and an RBI.

* A doubleheader was split at Shibe Park in Philadelphia. The Washington Senators won the opener, 8-2. The Philadelphia Athletics won the nightcap, 11-2.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs, 5-1 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Ralph Kiner hit a home run.

* The Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Indians, 7-3 at Briggs Stadium (later renamed Tiger Stadium) in Detroit. Ted Gray outpitches Bob Feller.

* The St. Louis Browns beat the Chicago White Sox, 3-1 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.

* And the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals were rained out at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. The game was never made up.