The Big Idea (American TV series)

Donn Bennett, whose production company owned the show,^[2] was the host, and Ray Wood (director of the South Jersey Manufacturers Association)^[3] was a regular panelist on the show. Panelists interviewed inventors and commented on the products that they displayed on the show. Those products included an inflatable bathing suit for women, a lighted dartboard, a self-standing golf club, a refrigerated lunch box, and a lunch box that contained a hot plate.^[4] The winning inventor in each episode was determined by applause from the studio audience.^[5]

The show served as "an intermediary between success-seeking inventors, whose patented ideas need producers or funds, and manufacturers or investors".^[6] By early February 1953, manufacturers had bought five inventions demonstrated on the program, and 12 more devices were the subjects of negotiations between inventors and prospective purchasers.^[6]

The Big Idea was a local program on WCAU television in Philadelphia for three years before it moved to the network.^[5] It was initially broadcast on Mondays from 9 to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time, which put it opposite I Love Lucy on CBS. In May 1953, it was moved to 10-10:30 p.m. E.T.^[4]

As with many DuMont series, no episodes are known to exist.^{[citation needed]}

• List of programs broadcast by the DuMont Television Network
• List of surviving DuMont Television Network broadcasts

• David Weinstein, The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2004) ISBN 1-59213-245-6
• Alex McNeil, Total Television, Fourth edition (New York: Penguin Books, 1980) ISBN 0-14-024916-8
• Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows, Third edition (New York: Ballantine Books, 1964) ISBN 0-345-31864-1

• The Big Idea at IMDB
• DuMont historical website