In this hit 1950s TV series, a millionaire indulges himself giving away $1 million apiece to persons he has never met.In this hit 1950s TV series, a millionaire indulges himself giving away $1 million apiece to persons he has never met.In this hit 1950s TV series, a millionaire indulges himself giving away $1 million apiece to persons he has never met.
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Did you know
- TriviaThe mysterious philanthropist John Beresford Tipton was named for Tipton, Missouri, the birthplace of producer Don Fedderson's wife, Tido Fedderson.
- GoofsEach recipient is made to sign an agreement to never reveal how he or she received the 1 million dollars. This could turn out to be a real legal problem when the IRS looks at the tax return of any recipient.
The presumption is that multi-billionaire John Beresford Tipton's lawyers have worked out some arrangement with the IRS whereby all the taxes are paid so the beneficiaries do not need to declare the money on their returns. The bigger problem is how to enforce the agreement should a beneficiary tell someone other than a spouse.
- Quotes
Michael Anthony: [At the opening of each episode, with minor variations] My name is Michael Anthony, and for many years I was executive secretary to John Beresford Tipton, the multi-billionaire whose charity was as boundless as it was mysterious. For it was his hobby to give away anonymously and tax free one million dollars apiece to various people he never knew.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Movie Orgy (2009)
Featured review
A Morality Show with Real Morals
John Beresford Tipton: his name evokes patrician wealth and breed. Using his executive secretary, Michael Anthony, Tipton chooses, apparently but not certainly, one person each week at random to receive, tax-free, the sum of one million dollars, in the form of a cashiers check. One million dollars was an enormous sum in the 1950s. And, if one remembers that the top tax bracket (which includes this amount) was 91% at that time, the gift becomes even more phenomenal.
Each recipient was required to sign an agreement never to reveal either the circumstances under which the money was received and the amount, other than to the spouse. (In one episode, a child received the money and a somewhat non-plussed Anthony told the child that he can reveal these details to his parents). The idea of each half-hour show was to see just how receiving the money would affect each recipient. At the end of the show, Tipton would briefly reviews what happened.
An excellent show, far and above the lunacy that pervades television today.
Each recipient was required to sign an agreement never to reveal either the circumstances under which the money was received and the amount, other than to the spouse. (In one episode, a child received the money and a somewhat non-plussed Anthony told the child that he can reveal these details to his parents). The idea of each half-hour show was to see just how receiving the money would affect each recipient. At the end of the show, Tipton would briefly reviews what happened.
An excellent show, far and above the lunacy that pervades television today.
helpful•90
- jcdavocat
- Feb 16, 2009
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Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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