You Asked For It

You Asked For It was a popular human-interest show created and hosted by Art Baker. The program originally aired on American television between 1950 and 1959. Later versions of the series were seen in 1972, 1981 and 2000.

On the show, viewers were asked to send in postcards describing something that they wanted to see on television, such as the reenactment of William Tell shooting an apple off his son's head. (1950 US national archery champion Stan Overby performed the feat, shooting an apple off his assistant's head.) The show was originally broadcast live, so some of the riskier propositions took on added elements of danger and suspense. A segment where animal trainer and stuntman, Reed Parham wrestled a huge, deadly anaconda, for example, nearly became disastrous until assistants interceded with guns drawn, visibly unnerving host Art Baker.

The program was named The Art Baker Show, after the series creator and host; in April 1951, the show's title was changed to You Asked For It. Originally airing on the cash-strapped DuMont Network from December 1950 to December 1951, it moved to ABC, where it remained until the end of its original run in September 1959. The show was sponsored by Skippy peanut butter and Studebaker Automobiles.

Art Baker hosted the show, until early 1958, when Jack Smith took over for the remaining twenty months.

Magic Acts

• Dina Figgone - Ice Burial
• Senor Maldo - Substitution Trunk
• Irby - Milk Can Escape
• Kuda Bux - Blindfold Drive
• Irby - The Lady and the Tiger
• Houdini Films
• Dante - Sawing a Woman in Half
• Frakson - Cigarettes and Cards
• Mr. X - Gambling Trickery (possibly Paul Embling)
• Think-a-Drink Hoffman - Any Drink Called For
• Earl Lockman - Paper Bag Escape
• Kuda Bux - Blindfold Routine
• Nicky - Canine Math
• Irby - Canvas-Covered Box Escape
• Lawrence Yeager Magic During Wartime
• Art Baker and Mr. T.N.T. Dynamite Stunt
• MR. X. Card Cheating (possibly Paul Embling)
• Charles Carrer - Grocery Juggling
• Bela Lugosi - Girl to Bat
• Peter Godfrey Cups and Balls
• Aubrey Floating Ball
• Mohammed Bey Water Burial
• Irby Water Torture Cell
• Carl Eddington Wet Rope Escape
• Aubrey - Asrah
• Hereward Carrington - Spirit Trickery
• Wrestler Gorgeous George Card Effects
• Harlan Tarbell Eyeless Vision
• Earl Lockman Handcuff Collection
• Hal Haviland - "Capers with Papers"
• Arthur Buckley Miser's Dream
• Harry Blackstone Sr. Buzz Saw
• Peter Goy Cargo Net Vanish
• Bob Haskell and Art Baker Card Cheating
• Dante Backstage
• Kirk Kirkham Stretching a Woman
• Jim Conley Living Head on Swords
• Kirk Kirkham Sword Basket
• Irby Thumb Tie
• Jim Conley Broom Suspension
• George Boston and Art Baker Psychic Exposé
• Phyllis Kirkham Straitjacket Escape
• Jodar Temple of Benares
• Peter Godfry Aga Levitation
• Irby Maze of Blades Escape
• Rajah Raboid Knife Throwing
• Victor Ahlheim and Art Baker Hypnotized Suspension
• Jack Hall Underwater Mummy Escape
• Aubrey - Costume Trunk

• McDonald Birch Packing Case Escape
• Aubrey Cremation
• Al Wheatley Suspension
• Aubrey Disembodied Princess
• Irby Torture Wheel Escape
• Aubrey Vanishing Princess
• Marvello Burned Alive
• Lee Grabel Floating Piano
• John Fabjance Miniature Illusions
• Kirk Kirkham Spike Cabinet
• Eddie Silverman Bullet Catch
• Aubrey Swimsuit Manipulation
• Kirk Kirkham Guillotine
• Aubrey Shooting Through a Woman
• Peter Godfrey Indian Rope Trick
• Jack Kodell Parakeets
• Aubrey Dancing Hank
• Dante Crushing a Woman
• Aubrey Spirit Paintings

External links

This page incorporated content from You Asked For It, a page hosted on Wikipedia. Please consult the history of the original page to see a list of its authors. Therefor, this article is also available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

• You Asked for It at the Internet Movie Database
• http://www.miraclefactory.net/youacts1.htm