Producers Dan Enright and Albert Freedman are surprised when Columbia University instructor Charles Van Doren, son of a prominent literary family, visits their office to audition for a different, less difficult show by the same producers, Tic-Tac-Dough. Realizing that they have found an ideal challenger for Stempel, they offer to ask the same questions during the show which Van Doren correctly answered during his audition. He refuses, but when he nears a game-winning 21 points on the show, he is asked one of the questions from his audition. After a moment of moral indecision, he gives the correct answer. Stempel deliberately misses an easy question and loses, having been promised a future in television if he does so.
Producers Dan Enright and Albert Freedman are surprised when Columbia University instructor Charles Van Doren son of a prominent literary family visits their office to audition for a different less difficult show by the same producers Tic-Tac-Dough Realizing that they have found an ideal challenger for Stempel they offer to ask the same questions during the show which Van Doren correctly answered during his audition He refuses but when he nears a game-winning 21 points on the show he is asked one of the questions from his audition After a moment of moral indecision he gives the correct answer Stempel deliberately misses an easy question and loses having been promised a future in television if he does so