Despite the growing popularity of billiards in America, US networks haven't been impressed. For many years, billiards was not a popular game to be played on television, but with the advent of The Hustler movie in 1961, it began to get a bit more attention. The movie had a profound impact on the popularity of pool and organized billiards was booming by the end of the 1960s.
The Hustler starred Jackie Gleason and was a smash hit. He played the role of Minnesota Fats in the movie. After the movie was released, billiards halls across the country doubled in size. The movie had a huge impact on organized billiards' popularity. In fact, by the mid-60s, billiards was on television.
Ten-Twenty became the first television show to feature billiards. Frank Oliva, a billiards pioneer, invented the game in 1959. It was an adaptation of the classic 14-1 straight-pool game. The game was timed so that each player could score 10 point per inning. 100 points was the perfect match score. There were eight innings of play. The players had the option to shoot for 20 more points in the eighth inning.
Frank Oliva started Ten-Twenty, a billiards program that brought pool out of basements. The show featured professional billiards players as well as celebrities competing against one another. Each player was timed and scored based upon the amount of snooker played.
Cisero Murphy was among those who participated in the billiards program. The show also featured amateur "pool sharks" like "Cowboy" Jimmy Moore, Jimmy Caras, and Dennis Orcollo.
The show was a major hit, and billiards on television began to become popular. Billiards began to lose popularity in the late 1970s. The number of television shows that featured billiards had decreased by the 1980s. Ballbreakers launched in 2005 and billiards again had a big impact. The Ballbreakers only lasted for one year and made many mistakes. The show's decision to limit the contestants' shots to a few, made it seem more like an amateur comedy show. However, the show was ultimately cancelled.
Pick Pockets, a billiards show that aired in the mid-1970s made a huge impact. Jimmy O'Connor was the host. Although it was dated, the show had charm. Numerous celebrities made appearances on the program, including Sid Caesar, Mickey Rooney, "Little Joey Canton" and Sid Caesar. Willie "Mr. Pocket Billie" Mosconi, the greatest player in pool history, was also a star of the show. In 1954, he set a world straight pool record. He won the World Straight Pool Championship 15 times.
There were also several celebrities who played billiards, including Sid Caesar, Bill Cosby and Buddy Hackett. One $1000 charity prize was also available on the show.