# To Tell the Truth (1956)

> A panel of celebrities tries to spot the one real contestant among two impostors who are allowed to lie.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/4911

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 13
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: reality
- Created by: Mark Goodson, Bill Todman, Bob Stewart
- Network: CBS
- Cast: Bud Collyer, Carl Reiner, Jackie Cooper
- TMDB rating: 7.7/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048907/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: playful, lighthearted, suspenseful, nostalgic, breezy

## Synopsis

To Tell the Truth (1956-1958) is a United States game show series created by Mark Goodson, Bill Todman, and Bob Stewart for CBS. Moderator Bud Collyer presides over a studio panel of four celebrities who question three contestants: one person with an unusual occupation or experience who is sworn to tell the truth, and two impostors who are free to lie and pretend to be that person. Carl Reiner and Jackie Cooper appear among the principal figures in the broadcast, with the panelists probing each contestant through pointed questions to sort out which challenger is genuine. Each episode is built around that single deduction contest, with the panel committing to a verdict and the reveal arriving at the end. Across thirteen half-hour episodes spread over three seasons, the format stays light, brisk and playful, relying on bluffing, wit and the suspense of a live studio guess. The atmosphere is cozy and nostalgic, a window onto early television panel entertainment set in a 1950s American studio. Fans of What's My Line?, I've Got a Secret and Password will find a familiar kinship in its celebrity panel charm and gentle deception.

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