... The first television trivia quiz game with money prizes debuted in 1955 and lasted until 1958, and was the highest rated TV show in 1956. What was the title?

This popular television show, an adaptation of the radio program "Take It or Leave It," first aired on CBS on June 7, 1955. It quickly captivated audiences and became the number one rated program during its first season (1955-1956), surpassing even "I Love Lucy". The show's format involved contestants answering a series of progressively difficult questions within a chosen category to win increasing amounts of money, starting at $64 and culminating in the grand prize of $64,000. The suspense was heightened by the use of an "isolation booth" for higher-stakes questions, where contestants were shielded from any potential outside help.

The program's immense success led to a spin-off, "The $64,000 Challenge," in 1956, which pitted past winners against new challengers. At its peak, the show was a cultural phenomenon, with an estimated 55 million Americans tuning in. Its popularity was such that it was credited with causing a noticeable drop in movie theater attendance and even crime rates during its broadcast. The show featured a range of everyday people as contestants who became celebrities in their own right, including a police officer whose expertise was Shakespeare and a shoemaker who was an opera aficionado.

However, the show's run came to an end in November 1958, a casualty of the widespread quiz show scandals of the era. While direct proof of cheating on "The $64,000 Question" was not as definitive as with other shows like "Twenty-One," the scandal tainted the entire genre. Allegations arose that producers would at times influence which contestants were selected and that some contestants may have been given assistance. The ensuing loss of public trust led to a sharp decline in ratings and the eventual cancellation of the show and its spin-off.