In the summer of 1958, a young actor came into the office of Joseph Stone, the Manhattan District Attorney, to complain that a minor daytime quiz show called "Dotto" was fixed. Prime Time and Misdemeanors is a complete, first-hand account of the TV quiz rigging affair, from Joseph Stone's unique perspective--through two grand jury probes directed by Stone, circus-like congressional hearings, and the eventual prosecution of Van Doren and a score of others for perjury.

This fascinating tale is drawn from Stone's memories, notes and records in his possession, and original research on many aspects of quiz show rigging which eluded scrutiny by the press and congressional investigators. Stone not only exposes the roles and motives of the creators, packagers, advertising agencies, sponsors, producers, and lawyers who participated in the cover-up during the investigation, he also unravels one of the great mysteries of the affair: Why did the individual contestants, who had done nothing illegal and had nothing to gain from such deception, perjure themselves?

Joseph Stone is a former senior assistant district attorney in Manhattan and criminal court judge. He retired from the bench in 1974 and is now in private law practice in New York City. His collaborator, Tim Yohn, is a freelance editor, writer, and photographer.

"It's quite shocking to learn how quickly the fixing of game shows became routine, and how few people seemed to care."
--Los Angeles Times Book Review

Prime Time and Misdemeanors.
Investigating the 1950s TV Quiz Scandal—A D.A.'s Account
Joseph Stone and Tim Yohn
Paper ISBN 0-8135-2100-9
Cloth ISBN 0-8135-1753-2
340 pp. 19 b&w illus.

For more information, contact:

Rutgers University Press
(732) 445-7762