Jack Bailey
Jack Bailey was an American actor and daytime game show host. He was born in Hampton, Iowa and died in Santa Monica, California.
A former vaudeville musician and World’s Fair barker, Bailey is best remembered as the host of Queen for a Day, a daytime game show which first aired on radio in 1945 and later moved to television, where it ran locally in the Los Angeles area from 1948 through 1955, on the NBC network from January 3, 1956 to September 2, 1960, and on the ABC network from September 5, 1960 to October 2, 1964. Each episode started with a different introduction, but inevitably the opening would resolve when Bailey pointed to the camera and loudly asked, “Would you like to be Queen for a Day?” as the live audience, comprised mostly of women, cheered.
Bailey also hosted the television game show Truth or Consequences from 1954 to 1956. His run as host on that show followed Ralph Edwards as host and he was in turn succeeded by Bob Barker Bob Hilton, and Larry Anderson. The television version of the show ran on CBS, NBC and also in syndication.
His other work in television included appearances in episodes of Mister Ed, Green Acres, I Dream of Jeannie, Gunsmoke, and Ironside, plus narration for the Walt Disney organization. He had a small part in the Frank Capra film It’s a Wonderful Life and he also toured the country in musical stage productions, such as Hello Dolly, The Sound of Music, and The Music Man.