Dialing for Dollars was a popular American radio and TV show where a host would randomly call a number and if the person answered with the code word, they won a cash prize. Similar contests are still held today. The show became popular in the mid-20th century and was a way for local stations to increase ratings. The phrase “picking for dollars” is still used today to describe telemarketing scams. The show has had a lasting impact on American pop culture, with mentions in songs and media figures like Oprah Winfrey hosting it.
Dialing for Dollars was a popular American radio and television program during the mid-20th century. A local host on the air would advise viewers of the day’s code word and then dial a randomly selected telephone number. If the person answering the phone knew the code word, he won a cash prize; otherwise, the prize amount increased until a winner was found. The show has had a significant impact on American popular culture, and similar contests are held in modern times.
Buck Picker began as a radio show in the late 1930s. Like many popular radio shows, it launched a television version when television sets became widely available in the 1940s. At the time, national networks originated only a small percentage of available programming; local affiliates filled the remainder of the broadcast day with original or franchise programming. Composing for dollars was an example of the latter. Local versions appeared on stations from Baltimore to San Francisco through the late 1970s.
Sometimes the show filled its own hour slot. Other versions appeared during commercial breaks for the day’s film broadcast. The host revealed the day’s codephrase and the prize amount, usually between $100 and $500 United States Dollars (USD). The host or a companion then selected a local telephone number at random, sometimes with pages clipped from a telephone directory. The person called had to answer the phone with the code phrase and then provide the prize amount when prompted to win that amount. If no one answered or the respondent did not know the code phrase, the prize amount increased and another number was dialed.
Calling for dollars became a cheap and popular way for local stations to increase ratings and market share, especially during midday when viewership was low. Some hosts have pointed to the combination of winning phrases such as count and amount, which has become a popular catchphrase in those areas of the country. In the late 1970s, television programming saw an increase in nationally syndicated programs, especially talk shows. At the same time, the increase in two-income households meant that fewer homes had an adult at home during the day to answer the phone. By the 1980s, Calling for Dollars had become a thing of the past.
This show has left a lasting impression on the American pop culture landscape. It may be best remembered for its mention in rock singer Janis Joplin’s song “Mercedes Benz”; it was Joplin’s last recorded work. Popular media figure Oprah Winfrey was a host of Dialing for Dollars while working for a Baltimore television station in 1978. In the 21st century, local radio stations use similar contests to reward listeners with cash or prizes. The same phrase “picking for dollars” has come back into common use as a way to describe telemarketing scams.
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