The Millionaire
Michael Anthony (Marvin Miller) hands check to Betty Perkins (Inger Stevens) in a 1956 episode
Also known asIf You Had a Million
GenreAnthology drama
StarringPaul Frees
Marvin Miller
ComposersStanley Wilson
Jeff Alexander (6.28)
Wilbur Hatch (6.35)
William Lava (6.16)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons6
No. of episodes207
Production
Executive producerFred Henry
ProducerDon Fedderson
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesSilverstone Films
Don Fedderson Productions
MCA TV
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseJanuary 19, 1955 (1955-01-19) 
June 7, 1960 (1960-06-07)

The Millionaire is an American anthology series that aired on CBS from 1955 to 1960. It was originally sponsored by Colgate-Palmolive. The series, produced by Don Fedderson and Fred Henry, explored the ways that sudden and unexpected wealth changed life, for better or for worse. It told the stories of people who were given one million dollars ($10.9 million in 2022 dollars) from a benefactor who insisted they must never know his identity, with one exception.

The series became a five-season hit during the Golden Age of Television, finishing in the Nielsen ratings at #9 for the 1955–1956 season, #13 in 1956–1957, #17 in 1957–1958 and #30 in 1958–1959.[1] In syndication, it was known by two titles: The Millionaire and If You Had a Million.[2]

The Benefactor

The benefactor was named John Beresford Tipton. Viewers heard his voice, making observations and giving instructions; they generally saw only his arm as he reached for a cashier's check for one million dollars each week and handed it to Michael Anthony, his executive secretary. It was Anthony's job to deliver that check to its intended recipient. The voice of the unseen John Beresford Tipton was played—uncredited—by veteran character actor and voice artist Paul Frees. (Frees was seen on camera playing other roles in two episodes.) In the closing credits of each episode, the actors and the roles they played would be listed, invariably ending with "and John Beresford Tipton", implying that he was a real person playing himself. The character's name was actually derived from the birthplaces of Millionaire producer Don Fedderson and his wife Tido: they were born in Beresford, South Dakota and Tipton, Missouri, respectively.

The Executive Secretary

Invariably, The Millionaire began with a very brief opening theme fanfare behind the ascending title frame, followed by the camera's training directly upon Michael Anthony, played by veteran character actor and radio and television announcer Marvin Miller.

The Millionaire told the stories of Tipton's beneficiaries in flashback, as if from Anthony's case files. Each episode began with Anthony, behind his desk and looking directly into the camera, speaking one or another variation on this theme:

My name is Michael Anthony, and until his death just a few years ago, I was the executive secretary to the late John Beresford Tipton. John Beresford Tipton, a fabulously wealthy and fascinating man, whose many hobbies included his habit of giving away one million dollars, tax free, each week—to persons he had never even met.

From there, the camera faded to a brief tour of the grounds on which Tipton's home stood, as Anthony continued speaking:

This is Silverstone, John Beresford Tipton's 60,000 acre estate. From here, he spent the later years of his life pursuing many hobbies, often tied to his fascination with human nature and behavior. Mr. Tipton was a man of so many wide interests, that when called into his presence, one never knew just what to expect.

The camera then showed Anthony entering Tipton's presence, with Tipton frequently engaged in another one of his many wide-ranging hobbies. Anthony invariably greeted him with, "You sent for me, sir?" Tipton spoke for a moment to Anthony (always referring to him as "Mike"), chatting about his doings and explaining what prompted him to choose "our next millionaire", before he actually handed Anthony the envelope containing the check, sometimes adding, "I'll want a full report."

Though "Tipton" was heard in every episode, Miller was the only cast member who was seen in every episode. He was usually only seen in the first few minutes of any given story, returning very briefly to directly address viewers at the episode's end (often promoting the story in next week's episode). These closings are often cut in syndicated airings.

Others

The only other recurring supporting actor was Roy Gordon as banker Andrew V. McMahon, on whose Gotham Trust Bank the anonymous Tipton's cashier's checks were drawn. In a few of the very earliest episodes, recipients had to pick up their check at the bank and it was McMahon (not Michael Anthony) who interacted with the recipients of Tipton's money and outlined the conditions of acceptance. Fairly quickly, this was altered to having Anthony personally deliver the check (and outline the conditions of acceptance), rendering the McMahon character superfluous. Accordingly, McMahon was seen in about half the episodes from the first season, and in the first two episodes of the second season—then was dropped. Later episodes showed a close up of a cashier's check drawn from the "First Molkefstorming Bank".

Ed Herlihy was the announcer for The Millionaire throughout the run. Not a cast member—but seen in a cameo appearance in virtually every episode as a prominently featured extra—was Tido Fedderson.

The beneficiaries

Carolyn Jones in a 1958 episode

Following the commercial break, Anthony, back in the present and behind his desk, would introduce the week's millionaire.

Exactly how Tipton chose whom to make an instant millionaire was never necessarily disclosed, although Tipton made it plain in the show's first episode exactly what his intentions were. Saying that he wanted to set up a new kind of chess game, "with human beings," Tipton told Anthony:

I'm going to choose a number of people for my chessmen, and give them each a million dollars. No one is ever to know that I am the donor.

After showing the beneficiary in a typical situation for a few minutes at the beginning of the episode, Anthony would arrive, deliver the check, and have the beneficiary sign a legal statement binding him or her never to reveal the source of this million-dollar gift except to a spouse (if the recipient was single, Anthony would add, "... should you marry"), under penalty of forfeit. Once the document was signed and the thanks were given, Anthony disappeared from the beneficiary's life, never to return. The remainder of the episode showed how the gift affected the beneficiary.

The beneficiaries were not always poor but could be from any social class or occupation, from secretaries, salespeople, and construction workers to professionals like doctors, lawyers, even writers. Nor were they always likely to find their lives changed for the better because of their sudden wealth. In one episode, "The Jerry Bell Story", Charles Bronson played a once-lonely writer who first invests some of his unexpected fortune in the surgery to restore his blind fiancée's (Georgeann Johnson) eyesight, only to disappear at the moment her bandages were removed, fearful she would reject him because of his plain looks.

The series ran for 207 episodes, and Tipton made 206 millionaires. (One recipient returned the money.) However, the amount Tipton invested in his hobby was much more than $206 million, since, as Anthony told the recipient each week, "The taxes have already been paid."

The exceptions

Tipton did meet one beneficiary, a man condemned to be executed for a crime he never committed. He used a portion of his million-dollar gift to prove his innocence, with direct help from Michael Anthony, the only time Anthony stayed in even the periphery of a beneficiary's life.

Tipton visited the man as he was about to leave prison, though he was shown in his customary position: from behind, only his hand or arm and a brief glimpse of the top of his head in view. The only other time Tipton was seen in any episode, beyond his presentation of Anthony with the next check to deliver, was one in which Anthony was arrested and needed Tipton to bail him out so that he could finish the mission.

In another episode, Anthony said that the beneficiary "got the money, all right ... but not from me." Anthony was on his way to deliver the check when he was run down in a street accident, and the check was jarred loose from his possession. It made its way around a few stunned townspeople before it finally reached its rightful owner, offering a short study of those people's reactions to instant wealth as well as the intended recipient's.

In the first episode, during which Tipton explained to Anthony his human chess match, the recipient—a young woman who worked as a sales clerk—actually returned the bulk of her unexpected fortune, saying it wasn't worth allowing her husband-to-be to feel like a "kept man."

End of production

The Millionaire ceased regular series production in 1960, its final regular episode, "The Patricia Collins Story", airing June 7, 1960, and its final summer reruns in its regular production time slot appearing that September. The show became a familiar presence in syndicated reruns from the 1960s through the 1980s, both on its original network, CBS, and on numerous regional independent stations. In 1999, the TV Land cable channel aired a few selected episodes. The show was never officially released on home video. CBS also aired daytime reruns in the early 1960s, with Bern Bennett being the live announcer for these. The Millionaire also aired on ABC in Australia on January 2, 1959.

In 2015, the series began to air on CBS's digital subchannel network Decades, and indeed, it unofficially launched the network on January 16, 2015, as part of the network's "countdown" to its Memorial Day launch, where 186 out of the 207 episodes of the series (along with others on the Decades schedule) were screened back-to-back consecutively. Nineteen episodes were excluded from airing, and according to CBS Television Distribution, these episodes were also removed from syndication. The show had formerly aired on Weigel Broadcasting's Heroes & Icons weekdays from 5:00am to 6:00am EST, but was later removed in the first quarter of 2015.

Up until 2019, the show was not transmitted regularly on any television network. It played on Decades every weekday from 6am to 7am until March 24, 2023 where Decades rebranded as Catchy Comedy on March 27, 2023.

Creator and producer Don Fedderson later produced a TV movie version of The Millionaire with Martin Balsam as Arthur Haines and Robert Quarry as Michael Anthony. The movie was intended as a backdoor pilot for a revival series, which never occurred.

Guest stars

Since each episode featured a different beneficiary, numerous guest stars appeared during The Millionaire's production, including Richard Anderson, Raymond Bailey, Joanna Barnes, Patricia Barry, Orson Bean, Jacques Bergerac, Charles Bronson, Edgar Buchanan, Carleton Carpenter, John Carradine, Marguerite Chapman, Chuck Connors, Mike Connors, Royal Dano, Richard Deacon, Angie Dickinson, Mason Alan Dinehart, Barbara Eden, Yvonne Lime Fedderson, Virginia Field, Dick Foran, Reginald Gardiner, Beverly Garland, Lisa Gaye, James Gleason, Don Gordon, Frank Gorshin, Peter Graves, George Grizzard, Harry Guardino, Alan Hale Jr., Barbara Hale, Murray Hamilton, Dennis Hopper, William Hopper, Frieda Inescort, David Janssen, DeForest Kelley, Jack Kelly, Robert Knapp, Tom Laughlin, Nan Leslie, Margaret Lindsay, Jack Lord, Celia Lovsky, Nora Marlowe, Frank McHugh, Joyce Meadows, Lee Meriwether, Martin Milner, Mary Tyler Moore, Joanna Moore, Agnes Moorehead, Rita Moreno, Vic Morrow, Lori Nelson, Kathy Nolan, Susan Oliver, Patrick O'Neal, Larry Pennell, Paul Picerni, Denver Pyle, John Smith, Kent Smith, Aaron Spelling, Olive Sturgess, Marshall Thompson, Regis Toomey, Ernest Truex, Robert Vaughn, Betty White, Grant Williams, and Dick York.

At least two professional athletes appeared on the show: basketball and baseball player Chuck Connors (who also had a career as an actor) and Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Don Drysdale.

Episodes

Season 1 (1955)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"The Amy Moore Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: George Van Marter
Teleplay by: Mary C. McCall Jr.
January 19, 1955 (1955-01-19)
22"The Carl Nelson Story"UnknownCharles HoffmanJanuary 26, 1955 (1955-01-26)
33"The Joe Iris Story"William A. SeiterJames R. WebbFebruary 2, 1955 (1955-02-02)
44"The Dan Mulcahy Story"Alfred E. GreenMary C. McCall Jr.February 9, 1955 (1955-02-09)
55"The Emily Short Story"Alfred E. GreenBert GranetFebruary 16, 1955 (1955-02-16)
66"The Margaret Browning Story"Alfred E. GreenMary C. McCall Jr.February 23, 1955 (1955-02-23)
77"The Harvey Blake Story"Edward BerndsEldon Packard and Stanley DavisMarch 2, 1955 (1955-03-02)
88"The Nancy Marlborough Story"Alfred E. GreenMilton M. RaisonMarch 9, 1955 (1955-03-09)
99"The Betty Jane Ryan Story"William A. SeiterEric Freiwald and Robert C. SchaeferMarch 16, 1955 (1955-03-16)
1010"The Charles Lomar Story"Alfred E. GreenJack Jacobs and Malvin WaldMarch 23, 1955 (1955-03-23)
1111"The Ken Fowler Story"Alfred E. GreenDavid ChandlerMarch 30, 1955 (1955-03-30)
1212"The Pev Johnson Story"Jules BrickenMilton RaisonApril 6, 1955 (1955-04-06)
1313"The Quentin Harwood Story"William A. SeiterSeeleg LesterApril 13, 1955 (1955-04-13)
1414"The Fred Malcolm Story"Charles F. HaasMuriel Roy BoltonApril 20, 1955 (1955-04-20)
1515"The Luke Fortune Story"Alfred E. GreenMary McCall Jr.April 27, 1955 (1955-04-27)
1616"The Jack Martin Story"Charles F. HaasStory by: Robert Clayton
Teleplay by: Jack Leonard
May 4, 1955 (1955-05-04)
1717"The Walter Carter Story"UnknownFrank Gill Jr., Phil Cole, and Dick PediciniMay 11, 1955 (1955-05-11)
1818"The Merle Roberts Story"UnknownMary McCall Jr.May 18, 1955 (1955-05-18)
1919"The Uncle Robby Story"Charles F. HaasStory by: Steven David
Teleplay by: Seeleg Lester
May 25, 1955 (1955-05-25)
2020"The Sam Donovan Story"UnknownJackson GillisJune 1, 1955 (1955-06-01)
2121"The Vickie Lawson Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: David Chandler
Teleplay by: David Chandler and Mary C. McCall Jr.
June 8, 1955 (1955-06-08)
2222"The Cobb Marley Story"Harry KellerStory by: Milton Raison
Teleplay by: Robert Clayton and Milton Raison
June 15, 1955 (1955-06-15)
2323"The Mildred Milliken Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Polly James
Teleplay by: Charles Hoffman
June 22, 1955 (1955-06-22)

Season 2 (1955–56)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
241"The Rita Keeley Story"Alfred E. GreenMary C. McCall Jr.September 28, 1955 (1955-09-28)
252"The Robert Croft Story"Harry KellerStory by: Ray Wander
Teleplay by: David Chandler
October 5, 1955 (1955-10-05)
263"The Joe Seaton Story"William A. SeiterJack TownleyOctober 12, 1955 (1955-10-12)
274"The Iris Millar Story"Leslie H. MartinsonDavid ChandlerOctober 19, 1955 (1955-10-19)
285"The Ralph McKnight Story"William A. SeiterGeorge TibblesOctober 26, 1955 (1955-10-26)
296"The Tom Bryan Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Fred Schiller
Teleplay by: Mary C. McCall Jr.
November 2, 1955 (1955-11-02)
307"The Peggy Demos Story"Alfred E. GreenMary C. McCall Jr.November 9, 1955 (1955-11-09)
318"The Jerome Wilson Story"William A. SeiterGeorge TibblesNovember 16, 1955 (1955-11-16)
329"The Nora Paul Story"Alfred E. GreenJosef MontaigueNovember 23, 1955 (1955-11-23)
3310"The Steve Carey Story"Leslie H. MartinsonHobart DonavanNovember 30, 1955 (1955-11-30)
3411"The Don Lewis Story"Alfred E. GreenMary C. McCall Jr.December 7, 1955 (1955-12-07)
3512"The Jeff Ellis Story"Leslie H. MartinsonBarry TriversDecember 14, 1955 (1955-12-14)
3613"The Wilbur T. Gerrold Story"UnknownDavid ChandlerDecember 21, 1955 (1955-12-21)
3714"The Philip Sargent Story"Leslie H. MartinsonStory by: Irma Kalish
Teleplay by: Seeleg Lester
December 28, 1955 (1955-12-28)
3815"The Chris Hall Story"Sobey MartinStory by: Lawrence L. Goldman
Teleplay by: Robert Creighton Williams
January 4, 1956 (1956-01-04)
3916"The Reverend John Hardin Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: George Carleton Brown and Frank Gill Jr.
Teleplay by: Milton M. Raison
January 11, 1956 (1956-01-11)
4017"The Cindy Bowen Story"Leslie H. MartinsonLee ErwinJanuary 18, 1956 (1956-01-18)
4118"The Jean Griffith Story"Alfred E. GreenSeeleg LesterJanuary 25, 1956 (1956-01-25)
4219"The Larry Evans Story"Leslie H. MartinsonRobert Creighton WilliamsFebruary 1, 1956 (1956-02-01)
4320"The Brian Hendricks Story"Sobey MartinMuriel R. BoltonFebruary 8, 1956 (1956-02-08)
4421"The Arthur Darner Story"Gerald MayerJo PaganoFebruary 15, 1956 (1956-02-15)
4522"The Victor Volante Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Frank Cavett
Teleplay by: Mary C. McCall Jr.
February 22, 1956 (1956-02-22)
4623"The Candy Caldwell Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Josef Montaigue
Teleplay by: Mary C. McCall Jr.
February 29, 1956 (1956-02-29)
4724"The Rip Matson Story"Charles F. HaasLee Erwin and Mary C. McCall Jr.March 7, 1956 (1956-03-07)
4825"The Rita Hanley Story"Gerald MayerAl C. WardMarch 14, 1956 (1956-03-14)
4926"The Eric Vincent Story"James SheldonStory by: David Chandler
Teleplay by: Muriel R. Bolton
March 21, 1956 (1956-03-21)
5027"The Bedelia Buckley Story"Alfred E. GreenBarry TriversMarch 28, 1956 (1956-03-28)
5128"The Tom Mead Story"Sobey MartinStory by: Gene Wang
Teleplay by: Al C. Ward
April 4, 1956 (1956-04-04)
5229"The Lucky Swanson Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Ruth Weddle
Teleplay by: Doris Gilbert
April 11, 1956 (1956-04-11)
5330"The Jane Costello Story"Alfred E. GreenDoris GilbertApril 18, 1956 (1956-04-18)
5431"The Ed Murdock Story"Harry KellerHarold Jack BloomApril 25, 1956 (1956-04-25)
5532"The Louise Williams Story"Anton LeaderMuriel Roy BoltonMay 2, 1956 (1956-05-02)
5633"The Todd Burke Story"Alfred E. GreenMary C. McCall Jr.May 9, 1956 (1956-05-09)
5734"The Captain John Carroll Story"Harry KellerLee ErwinMay 16, 1956 (1956-05-16)
5835"The Sally Delaney Story"Gerald MayerStory by: Leonard Neubauer
Teleplay by: Doris Gilbert
May 23, 1956 (1956-05-23)
5936"The Olivia Grainger Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Paul de Sainte Colombe
Teleplay by: Al C. Ward
May 30, 1956 (1956-05-30)
6037"The Jill Mayfield Story"Harry KellerJoe MorhaimJune 6, 1956 (1956-06-06)

Season 3 (1956–57)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
611"The Kathy Munson Story"Alfred E. GreenRobert BassingSeptember 12, 1956 (1956-09-12)
622"The Jane Carr Story"Gerald MayerLeonard NeubauerSeptember 19, 1956 (1956-09-19)
633"The Anna Hartley Story"Harry KellerStory by: Josef Montiague
Teleplay by: Doris Hursley, Frank Hursley, and Milton Raison
September 26, 1956 (1956-09-26)
644"The Charles Hartford Story"Gerald MayerDanny ArnoldOctober 3, 1956 (1956-10-03)
655"The Fred Graham Story"Alfred E. GreenMary C. McCall Jr.October 10, 1956 (1956-10-10)
666"The Virginia Lennart Story"James V. KernMuriel Roy BoltonOctober 17, 1956 (1956-10-17)
677"The Denny Havens Story"UnknownStory by: Phil Cole and Ed Nathan
Teleplay by: Barry Trivers
October 24, 1956 (1956-10-24)
688"The Joey Diamond Story"John BrahmStory by: Aileen Hamilton
Teleplay by: Al C. Ward
October 31, 1956 (1956-10-31)
699"The David Tremayne Story"Gerald MayerStory by: Charles R. Marion
Teleplay by: Al C. Ward
November 7, 1956 (1956-11-07)
7010"The Waldo Francis Turner Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Wellyn Totman
Teleplay by: Seeleg Lester
November 14, 1956 (1956-11-14)
7111"The Jay Powers Story"John BrahmStory by: Jack Townley
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
November 21, 1956 (1956-11-21)
7212"The Harvey Borden Story"Gerald MayerKarl BrownNovember 28, 1956 (1956-11-28)
7313"The Valerie Hunt Story"Alfred E. GreenJack HanleyDecember 5, 1956 (1956-12-05)
7414"The Salvatore Michelangelo Buonarotti"James V. KernDanny ArnoldDecember 12, 1956 (1956-12-12)
7515"The Mildred Kester Story"Gerald MayerEd AdamsonDecember 19, 1956 (1956-12-19)
7616"The Betty Perkins Story"Alfred E. GreenDick StengerDecember 26, 1956 (1956-12-26)
7717"The Nick Cannon Story"Alfred E. GreenLeonard NeubauerJanuary 2, 1957 (1957-01-02)
7818"The Nancy Wellington Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Wellyn Totman
Teleplay by: Carolyn Slade
January 9, 1957 (1957-01-09)
7919"The Russell Herbert Story"Gerald MayerJo PaganoJanuary 16, 1957 (1957-01-16)
8020"The Anton Bohrman Story"Alfred E. GreenBarry TriversJanuary 23, 1957 (1957-01-23)
8121"The Charles Wyatt Story"Gerald MayerStory by: Walter Goetz
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
January 30, 1957 (1957-01-30)
8222"The Jim Driskill Story"Gerald MayerJerry AdelmanFebruary 6, 1957 (1957-02-06)
8323"The Professor Amberson Adams Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Howard Estabrook
Teleplay by: Barry Trivers
February 13, 1957 (1957-02-13)
8424"The Judge William Westholme Story"Sobey MartinBarry TriversFebruary 20, 1957 (1957-02-20)
8525"The Jerry Bell Story"Alfred E. GreenJerry AdelmanFebruary 27, 1957 (1957-02-27)
8626"The Jerry Patterson Story"Sobey MartinJerry AdelmanMarch 6, 1957 (1957-03-06)
8727"The Jimmy Reilly Story"Gerald MayerJo PaganoMarch 13, 1957 (1957-03-13)
8828"The Rose Russell Story"UnknownJerry AdelmanMarch 27, 1957 (1957-03-27)
8929"The Doctor Alan March Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Lou Morheim
Teleplay by: Jo Pagano
April 3, 1957 (1957-04-03)
9030"The Crystal Sands Story"Charles F. HaasStory by: Frank and Doris Hursley
Teleplay by: Jerry Adelman
April 10, 1957 (1957-04-10)
9131"The Maggie Sheeler Story"Alfred E. GreenEllis Marcus and Lester A. WhiteApril 17, 1957 (1957-04-17)
9232"The Carol Wesley Story"Gerald MayerEd AdamsonApril 24, 1957 (1957-04-24)
9333"The Hub Grimes Story"John BrahmTeleplay by: Frank and Doris HursleyMay 1, 1957 (1957-05-01)
9434"The Chris Daniels Story"Alfred E. GreenHoward J. GreenMay 8, 1957 (1957-05-08)
9535"The Josef Marton Story"James V. KernStory by: Wesley Haynes
Teleplay by: Barry Trivers
May 15, 1957 (1957-05-15)
9636"The Ted McAllister Story"James V. KernTeleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton and Wesley HaynesMay 22, 1957 (1957-05-22)
9737"The Dan Larsen Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Jo Pagano and Fred Schiller
Teleplay by: Jo Pagano and Fred Schiller
May 29, 1957 (1957-05-29)
9838"The Diane Loring Story"Alfred E. GreenEndre Bohem and Louis VittesJune 5, 1957 (1957-06-05)
9939"The Bob Fielding Story"Alfred E. GreenLowell S. HawleyJune 12, 1957 (1957-06-12)

Season 4 (1957–58)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1001"The Matt Kirby Story"Gerald MayerStory by: Joe Morheim
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
September 18, 1957 (1957-09-18)
1012"The Peter Marlowe Story"Gerald MayerStory by: Josef Montaigue
Teleplay by: Robert Creighton Williams and Josef Montaigue
September 25, 1957 (1957-09-25)
1023"The Roy Delbridge Story"Gerald MayerRobert Leslie Bellem and DeVallon ScottOctober 2, 1957 (1957-10-02)
1034"The Carl Bronson Story"Alfred E. GreenMarie BaumerOctober 9, 1957 (1957-10-09)
1045"The Laura Hunter Story"Gerald MayerMuriel Roy BoltonOctober 16, 1957 (1957-10-16)
1056"The Larry Parker Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Ira V. Adkins
Teleplay by: Jo Pagano
October 23, 1957 (1957-10-23)
1067"The Ruth Ferris Story"John PeyserEd AdamsonOctober 30, 1957 (1957-10-30)
1078"The Hap Connolly Story"Alfred E. GreenJack RocheNovember 13, 1957 (1957-11-13)
1089"The Frank Keegan Story"UnknownEd AdamsonNovember 20, 1957 (1957-11-20)
10910"The Steve Logan Story"Gerald MayerStory by: Jack RocheNovember 27, 1957 (1957-11-27)
11011"The Anitra Dellano Story"Alfred E. GreenJo PaganoDecember 4, 1957 (1957-12-04)
11112"The Hugh Waring Story"Gerald MayerStory by: June Purcell
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
December 11, 1957 (1957-12-11)
11213"The Barbara Lydon Story"R.G. SpringsteenJack Laird and Wilton SchillerDecember 18, 1957 (1957-12-18)
11314"The Regina Wainwright Story"James SheldonJerry AdelmanDecember 25, 1957 (1957-12-25)
11415"The Rod Matthews Story"James SheldonStory by: John Fulton and John Stephens
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
January 1, 1958 (1958-01-01)
11516"The Marjorie Martinson Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Albert Aley
Teleplay by: Jo Pagano
January 8, 1958 (1958-01-08)
11617"The Peter Bartley Story"Robert AltmanJack Laird and Paul SavageJanuary 15, 1958 (1958-01-15)
11718"The Jonathan Bookman Story"James V. KernStory by: Seeleg Lester
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
January 22, 1958 (1958-01-22)
11819"The Doris Winslow Story"Alfred E. GreenStory by: Howard Estabrook
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
January 29, 1958 (1958-01-29)
11920"The Michael Holm Story"John PeyserStory by: Fred Shevin
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
February 5, 1958 (1958-02-05)
12021"The Martha Crockett Story"Gerald MayerDory Previn and Barbara MerlinFebruary 12, 1958 (1958-02-12)
12122"The John Richards Story"John PeyserMarie BaumerFebruary 26, 1958 (1958-02-26)
12223"The Johanna Judson Story"James SheldonDeVallon ScottMarch 5, 1958 (1958-03-05)
12324"The Raymond Dupar Story"John PeyserDory Previn and Barbara MerlinMarch 12, 1958 (1958-03-12)
12425"The Neal Bowers Story"Alfred E. GreenJo PaganoMarch 19, 1958 (1958-03-19)
12526"The John Smith Story"Gerald MayerMuriel Roy BoltonMarch 26, 1958 (1958-03-26)
12627"The Susan Birchard Story"R.G. SpringsteenGail Ingram and DeVallon ScottApril 2, 1958 (1958-04-02)
12728"The Tony Drummond Story"James SheldonStory by: Paul Franklin
Teleplay by: Jack Roche
April 9, 1958 (1958-04-09)
12829"The Thorne Sisters Story"John PeyserStory by: Elizabeth Coulson
Teleplay by: Jack Roche
April 16, 1958 (1958-04-16)
12930"The Rafe Peterson Story"James SheldonLee LoebApril 23, 1958 (1958-04-23)
13031"The Andrew Sterling Story"James SheldonTeddi ShermanApril 30, 1958 (1958-04-30)
13132"The Wally Bannister Story"Gerald MayerStory by: Stuart Palmer
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
May 7, 1958 (1958-05-07)
13233"The Jack Garrison Story"John PeyserJerry AdelmanMay 14, 1958 (1958-05-14)
13334"The Paul Naylor Story"James SheldonStory by: Isabel Gilbert
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
May 21, 1958 (1958-05-21)
13435"The Russ White Story"Alfred E. GreenLawrence L. GoldmanMay 28, 1958 (1958-05-28)

Season 5 (1958–59)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1351"The Betty Hawley Story"John PeyserJerry AdelmanSeptember 3, 1958 (1958-09-03)
1362"The Norman Conover Story"James SheldonHalsey MeloneSeptember 10, 1958 (1958-09-10)
1373"The Fred Morgan Story"James SheldonLawrence L. GoldmanSeptember 17, 1958 (1958-09-17)
1384"The Ken Leighton Story"James SheldonGail IngramSeptember 24, 1958 (1958-09-24)
1395"The David Barrett Story"James SheldonStory by: Jerry Adelman
Teleplay by: Jack Laird and Wilton Schiller
October 1, 1958 (1958-10-01)
1406"The Martin Scott Story"John PeyserStory by: David Chandler
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
October 8, 1958 (1958-10-08)
1417"The Ellen Curry Story"James SheldonLawrence L. GoldmanOctober 15, 1958 (1958-10-15)
1428"The William Vaughan Story"James SheldonStory by: Gena Canestrari
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
October 22, 1958 (1958-10-22)
1439"Ralph the Cat"John PeyserJack RocheOctober 29, 1958 (1958-10-29)
14410"The Dan Howell Story"Robert AltmanHal Fimberg and Frank WaldmanNovember 5, 1958 (1958-11-05)
14511"The Newman Johnson Story"James SheldonLeonard KantorNovember 12, 1958 (1958-11-12)
14612"The Lee Randolph Story"James SheldonLawrence L. GoldmanNovember 19, 1958 (1958-11-19)
14713"The Frank Harrigan Story"James SheldonJack RocheDecember 3, 1958 (1958-12-03)
14814"The Pete Hopper Story"Robert AltmanSamuel NewmanDecember 10, 1958 (1958-12-10)
14915"The Eric Lodek Story"James SheldonJack HanleyDecember 17, 1958 (1958-12-17)
15016"The William Courtney Story"James SheldonRobert Leslie Bellem and Whitney EllsworthJanuary 7, 1959 (1959-01-07)
15117"The Terrence Costigan Story"James SheldonStory by: Besse Zuckerman
Teleplay by: Jack Laird
January 14, 1959 (1959-01-14)
15218"The Irene Marshall Story"John PeyserMuriel Roy Bolton and Lawrence L. GoldmanJanuary 21, 1959 (1959-01-21)
15319"The Julia Conrad Story"James SheldonGavin Lambert, Peggy O'Shea, Lou Shaw, and Ellis St. JosephJanuary 29, 1959 (1959-01-29)
15420"The Emily Baker Story"John PeyserLorraine EdwardsFebruary 4, 1959 (1959-02-04)
15521"The John Rackham Story"James SheldonStory by: Jo Pagano
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton and Jo Pagano
February 11, 1959 (1959-02-11)
15622"The Father Gilhooley Story"James V. KernDavid BoehmFebruary 18, 1959 (1959-02-18)
15723"The Hank Butler Story"Robert AltmanGail IngramFebruary 25, 1959 (1959-02-25)
15824"The Charlie Weber Story"Robert AltmanStory by: Mel Durslag
Teleplay by: Douglas Morrow
March 4, 1959 (1959-03-04)
15925"The Angela Temple Story"Robert AltmanJack LairdMarch 11, 1959 (1959-03-11)
16026"The Alicia Osante Story"James SheldonRobert Altman and John T. KelleyMarch 18, 1959 (1959-03-18)
16127"The Marcia Forrest Story"James SheldonLawrence MenkinMarch 25, 1959 (1959-03-25)
16228"The Henry Banning Story"Robert AltmanRobert Altman and John T. KelleyApril 1, 1959 (1959-04-01)
16329"The Sally Simms Story"James SheldonMuriel Roy Bolton and Jo PaganoApril 8, 1959 (1959-04-08)
16430"The Ann Griffin Story"James SheldonStory by: David Boehm
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
April 15, 1959 (1959-04-15)
16531"The Karl Miller Story"Robert AltmanGail IngramApril 22, 1959 (1959-04-22)
16632"The Gilbert Burton Story"James SheldonJack RocheApril 29, 1959 (1959-04-29)
16733"The Susan Ballard Story"John PeyserGail IngramMay 6, 1959 (1959-05-06)
16834"The Bill Franklin Story"James SheldonMuriel Roy Bolton and Barney SlaterMay 13, 1959 (1959-05-13)
16935"The Louise Benson Story"James SheldonJo PaganoMay 20, 1959 (1959-05-20)
17036"The Martha Halloran Story"James SheldonJames BloodworthMay 27, 1959 (1959-05-27)
17137"The Charles Bradwell Story"James SheldonAl C. WardJune 10, 1959 (1959-06-10)

Season 6 (1959–60)

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1721"The Mark Fleming Story"James SheldonMuriel Roy BoltonSeptember 15, 1959 (1959-09-15)
1732"The Harry Brown Story"James SheldonLorraine EdwardsSeptember 22, 1959 (1959-09-22)
1743"The Lorraine Daggett Story"John PeyserStory by: Robert Altman
Teleplay by: John T. Kelley
September 29, 1959 (1959-09-29)
1754"The Phillip Burnell Story"James SheldonMuriel Roy BoltonOctober 6, 1959 (1959-10-06)
1765"The Doctor Joseph Frye Story"Robert AltmanJohn T. KelleyOctober 13, 1959 (1959-10-13)
1776"The Jim Hayes Story"James SheldonGail IngramOctober 27, 1959 (1959-10-27)
1787"The Maureen Reynolds Story"Robert AltmanMuriel Roy BoltonNovember 3, 1959 (1959-11-03)
1798"The Jeff Mercer Story"James V. KernStephen KandelNovember 10, 1959 (1959-11-10)
1809"The Tom Hampton Story"James V. KernLorraine EdwardsNovember 18, 1959 (1959-11-18)
18110"The Sergeant Matthew Brogan Story"Robert AltmanJack RocheNovember 24, 1959 (1959-11-24)
18211"The Mitchell Gunther Story"Robert Ellis MillerMuriel Roy BoltonDecember 1, 1959 (1959-12-01)
18312"The Andrew C. Cooley Story"Robert AltmanRobert AltmanDecember 8, 1959 (1959-12-08)
18413"The Nancy Pearson Story"UnknownStephen KandelDecember 15, 1959 (1959-12-15)
18514"The Jackson Greene Story"Robert AltmanJack MarloweDecember 22, 1959 (1959-12-22)
18615"The Timothy Mackail Story"Robert AltmanMuriel Roy BoltonDecember 29, 1959 (1959-12-29)
18716"The Elizabeth Tander Story"James SheldonJack MarloweJanuary 5, 1960 (1960-01-05)
18817"The Sylvia Merrick Story"Joe ParkerMuriel Roy BoltonJanuary 12, 1960 (1960-01-12)
18918"The Whitney Ames Story"James SheldonStory by: Robert Ellis Miller
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
January 19, 1960 (1960-01-19)
19019"The Janie Harris Story"Joe ParkerBetty Andrews BluntJanuary 26, 1960 (1960-01-26)
19120"The Margaret Stoneham Story"James SheldonJack RocheFebruary 2, 1960 (1960-02-02)
19221"The Jerry Mitchell Story"James SheldonStory by: Jack Laird
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
February 9, 1960 (1960-02-09)
19322"The Sandy Newell Story"Joe ParkerJames BloodworthFebruary 16, 1960 (1960-02-16)
19423"The Larry Maxwell Story"James SheldonJack MarloweMarch 1, 1960 (1960-03-01)
19524"The Karen Summers Story"James SheldonAline Degrandchamp and Stephen KandelMarch 8, 1960 (1960-03-08)
19625"The Jessica March Story"Lee SholemStory by: John Stephens
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
March 15, 1960 (1960-03-15)
19726"The Julie Sherman Story"James SheldonStory by: Sloan Nibley
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
March 22, 1960 (1960-03-22)
19827"The Tony Rogers Story"James SheldonStephen KandelMarch 29, 1960 (1960-03-29)
19928"The Susan Johnson Story"Dick DarleyJack MarloweApril 5, 1960 (1960-04-05)
20029"The Nancy Cortez Story"James SheldonEstelle Conde and Jan WintersApril 12, 1960 (1960-04-12)
20130"The Katherine Boland Story"Dick DarleyMarvin C. JohnsonApril 19, 1960 (1960-04-19)
20231"The Mara Robinson Story"James SheldonStory by: Betty Ulius
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton and Betty Ulius
April 26, 1960 (1960-04-26)
20332"The Dixon Cooper Story"James SheldonStory by: Jack Marlowe
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
May 3, 1960 (1960-05-03)
20433"The Vance Ludlow Story"James SheldonStory by: James Bloodworth
Teleplay by: Muriel Roy Bolton
May 10, 1960 (1960-05-10)
20534"The Peter Longman Story"John PeyserBetty A. BluntMay 24, 1960 (1960-05-24)
20635"The Maggie Dalton Story"James SheldonBertrand Casrelli and Richard KayneMay 31, 1960 (1960-05-31)
20736"The Patricia Collins Story"James SheldonLorraine EdwardsJune 7, 1960 (1960-06-07)

Parodies

The Millionaire was parodied in a 1958 episode of The Jack Benny Program, in which Dennis Day became a Tipton beneficiary, with Marvin Miller as Michael Anthony delivering the unexpected gift.

During its fourth season, The Twilight Zone was expanded to an hour. Rod Serling, upset at this change, wrote an episode that season called "The Bard" about a hack television writer who was unable to come up with anything good until he inadvertently summoned the ghost of William Shakespeare. One of his bad ideas was an in-joke ... "We take The Millionaire, expand it to an hour, and call it The Multimillionaire!"

In 1978, the Canadian sketch comedy program SCTV produced a parody of the show called The $Millionaire. In it, Tipton (played by Joe Flaherty) has given away so much money over the years that he is practically broke. He now can only afford to give away $50 at a time, much to the embarrassment of Anthony (played by John Candy).

Mad Magazine included The Millionaire in a parody article during the run of the show. Miller's character approaches a subject and says, "My name is Michael Anthony, and I have been authorized to give you one million dollars!" The man tears up the check, saying, "My name is Mike Todd, and I don't need it!"

In the sitcom Cheers, the episode "How to Marry a Mailman" opens with Norm Peterson and Cliff Clavin explaining The Millionaire and its premise to multi-millionaire Robin Colcord in an effort to get Colcord to give them a million dollars.

Similar productions

The 1932 film If I Had a Million involves a dying businessman who leaves his money to eight strangers. The movie had seven directors and multiple screenwriters.

The 1983–1984 ABC-TV series Lottery! also explored sudden wealth and its impacts upon its beneficiaries, as did the NBC-TV shows Sweepstakes in 1979 and Windfall in 2006; all three had short runs. The 2013 television show Lucky 7 had an even shorter run.

References

  1. "TV Ratings". Classictvhits.com. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
  2. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present. Ballantine Books. 2003. p. 570. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
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