People have been known to do some crazy things on reality television, but rest assured, it’s not an entirely new phenomenon. In fact, stunts like this were happening back when most Americans got their entertainment from the radio.
In 1948 LIFE wrote about one such stunt, taken on by Virginia Taylor of Pasadena. She went a week without talking in order to win $1,000. While that sounds manageable enough—these days people pay good money to go on silent retreats and not speak for that long—the show that ran the contest, People Are Funny, escalated the drama with another condition. Taylor would be monitored for the week by a young actress who would be living in the Taylor home—one who could talk to her husband when she could not.
And the actress sounded like she was ready to have fun with it. Here is how LIFE’s described the contest in its Jan. 17, 1949 issue:
The week of Dec. 14 to 21 was a grueling one for Mrs. Charles R. Taylor of Pasadena, California. Radio’s give-away craze, so desperate that recently everything from Adolphe Menjou to $1,000 worth of books has been pressed on winners, made her the victim of its most frantic stunt to date. If Mrs. Taylor could refrain from talking for the entire week, the program People Are Funny would pay her $1,000. But if so much as one word passed her lips, the $1,000 would go to a very attractive movie bit player, Maralyn Peterson, whom the program had sent not only to keep tabs on Mrs. Taylor but also to entertain Mr. Taylor. “This’ll be a snap,” said Maralyn beforehand, “and besides I’ve brought along a black silk neglige.”
Yes, that’s right, she was bringing a black negligee. One can imagine how that detail sparked the imaginations of listeners to this popular show—a slinky temptress gads about while the housewife must hold her tongue!
LIFE staff photographer Peter Stackpole was there to document the week, and while negligee was nowhere to be seen, he did capture a couple photos of the actress chatting up the husband while Virginia Taylor say by looking helpless. Stackpole’s photos from Taylor’s week of silence also showed her being teased by family members, communicating with a chalkboard, and, strangely enough, taking the stage with her church choir but keeping silent all the while. LIFE said “her narrowest escape was when she almost began singing in church.”
For her week of silenece was rewarded with “two crisp $500 bills,” LIFE wrote. Peterson earned $150 for playing the apple in the garden of Eden. Stackpole’s photos showed the two women “burying the hatchet” afterward and celebrating their bounty.
Taylor’s first words after winning: “I can’t think of a thing to say.”
Virginia Taylor wore tape on her mouth (which she would later take off) during the first day of a challenge in which she stayed silent for a week to win $1000 from Art Linkletter’s radio program People Are Funny, 1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock948.
Marilyn Peterson (right) lived in the home of Virginia Taylor to see if Mrs. Taylor could keep silent for one week and win $1000 from Art Linkletter’s radio program People Are Funny, 1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life PIcture Collection/Shutterstock
Virginia Taylor (left) sat quietly in a beauty shop while attempting to keep silent for one week and win $1000 from Art Linkletter’s radio program People Are Funny, 1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Virginia Taylor (right), who was trying to keep silent for a week to win $1000 from a radio show, sat by while her husband got to know Maralyn Peterson, the actress that the radio show People Are Funny had assigned to shadow the Taylors and monitor Virginia’s silence, 1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life Picture Collection/Shutterstock
Virginia Taylor (left) wrote messages for Marilyn Peterson to relay on phone; Mrs. Taylor was attempting to keep silent for one week and win $1000 from Art Linkletter’s radio program People Are Funny, while Peterson was her monitor,1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life PIcture Collection/Shutterstock
Virginia Taylor (right) communicated with a door-to-door saleswoman using a slate and chalk during her attempt to keep silent for one week and win $1000 from Art Linkletter’s radio program People Are Funny, 1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life PIcture Collection/Shutterstock
Virginia Taylor (center) read the newspaper sulkily in the background while husband Charles chatted with Marilyn Peterson, an actress who was living with the couple to make sure Mrs. Taylor remained silent for one week while attempting to win $1000 from Art Linkletter’s radio program People Are Funny, 1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life PIcture Collection/Shutterstock
Virginia Taylor (right) resisted the temptation to talk to fellow church members during her efforts to keep silent for one week and win $1000 from Art Linkletter’s radio program People Are Funny, 1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life PIcture Collection/Shutterstock
Virginia Taylor (second from left) in church while attempting to keep silent for one week and win $1000 from Art Linkletter’s radio program People Are Funny, 1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life PIcture Collection/Shutterstock
Virginia Taylor (right) was teased by relatives during her efforts to keep silent for one week and win $1000 from Art Linkletter’s radio program People Are Funny, 1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life PIcture Collection/Shutterstock
Virginia Taylor tried to deal with her nephew without talking while she was trying to keep silent for one week and win $1000 from Art Linkletter’s radio program People Are Funny, 1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life PIcture Collection/Shutterstock
Virginia Taylor (left) communicated with her husband, a plumbing salesman, using sign language during her attempt to keep silent for one week and win $1000 from Art Linkletter’s radio program People Are Funny, 1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life PIcture Collection/Shutterstock
Art Linkletter (center) with Virginia Taylor (right) during his radio program People Are Funny, for which he challenged her to stay silent for a week in order to win $1,000 in 1948.
Peter Stackpole/Life PIcture Collection/Shutterstock
Virginia Taylor (center), her husband (right) and Marilyn Peterson celebrated after Mrs. Taylor won $1000 from Art Linkletter’s radio program People Are Funny for keeping silent for one week, 1948. LIFE described this scene as Taylor and Peterson “burying the hatchet.”
Peter Stackpole/Life PIcture Collection/Shutterstock
