“Feather Your Nest” 1950s Quiz Show

“Feather Your Nest” was a quiz show (1954-56) that I found out about after watching a 1947 movie called “Framed” on TCM and discovering that the lead actress later became a hostess on this show.

The contestants played for household furniture. They won items that were shown in a specific room based upon how many feathers they accumulated during the game. Each round had 5 questions but stopped at a wrong answer.

Each team consisted of two players – one to answer questions, and the other to “shop,” or pick out prizes from the room after each round. If enough points were accumulated, answering a bonus question could win you the entire contents of the room. There was also a drawing at the end. The team that picked the lowest number went into a pool and at the end of the season, the team with the lowest number won a new home and a new car. Apparently, the game in this video was the first one of 1955 as it sounds like they just gave away a whole house on the last show.

This episode featured 3 teams, with the shopper listed last:
— Randall Kirk and his mother-in-law, Mrs. Cook
— Mrs. Gallagher, mother of 11 children, including the one she brought with her, Arthur
— Gene Hosman (phonetic sp*) and his 7-year-old daughter, Mary Jane.

*You can turn on the closed captioning but it’s not all that helpful. For instance, at the end of the show when Bud Collyer says “Happy feathers,” the cc says “happy fetish.” LOL

Mrs. Gallagher answered the most questions correctly and I have transcribed them to the best of my ability here.

$1000 Red Feathers (won all 5)

1. Sometimes a party can go too far. What famous American episode touched off the spark that led to the great war for independence here in the United States?

2. Abraham Lincoln spoke words of warning for all Americans in his Gettysburg Address. He put democracy as divided into three categories and said that it must not perish from the face of the earth. What were those three categories?

3. Royal visitors come to America from all parts of the world. Who were the first reigning English monarchs ever to visit the United States?

4. A recent biography of a First Lady has been published with more details about her life. What was the full name of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln

5. Hawaii is now awaiting the opportunity to enter the union as the 49th member of the United States. What does it require before this can happen?

$2000 Yellow Feathers (won 1)

1. Two men, the same last name, their New York State homes are now shrines– the homes of Theodore and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Where are these two famous homes located?

2. Congress passed the bill by a narrow margin and the Gadsen Purchase was bought for more than ten million dollars. Name the two states which were affected by this addition to American territory known as the Gadsden Purchase.

Green Feathers (won 3)

1. Three states can claim that Lincoln’s life was influenced by their soil. He was born in one, moved to the second, and began his career in the third before moving to Washington and lasting glory. Name any two of those three states.

2. Some folks thought this man crazy. Others think he was a legend, but a tombstone in Ashland, Ohio calls him “patron saint of orchards and soldier of peace.” Who was he?

3. America is composed of the original 13 states, other additions, territories and states but only one state in the union was ever a republic, independent and on its own. Which one of the 48 was it?

4. No one ever wins a war, especially a civil war. The one between the states was given greater purpose for the battle fought near Manassas, Virginia. It has been called the First Manassas an also one of the best planned and worse fought battles of all time. One name for that battle is most famous of all. What is it known as today?

Mrs. Gallagher was also given this bonus riddle for all the rest of the items in the kitchen, with 15 seconds to solve, but it stumped her.

My powers are high
Like the next day am I
Eight kings had my name
And I matched them for fame