It was originally called Do You Trust Your Wife? — the gimmick being that husbands got to choose whether to let their wives answer — and hosted by Edgar Bergen. But in the late '50s the title was changed to the less sexist Who Do You Trust? and put in the hands of a quick-witted Nebraska native named Johnny Carson. His banter with contestants, obviously inspired by Groucho's You Bet Your Life, showcased Carson's easygoing wit so well that it landed him a better job — as Jack Paar's successor as host of the Tonight show.
By Richard Zoglin