When I was seven years old, I occasionally caught an unusual TV show that ran on KTTV Channel 11. It was called Check It With Chambers and it aired live, Monday through Friday at 9 AM. It basically consisted of a man named Jack Chambers sitting at a desk and taking phone calls from viewers quizzing him on news items in that morning's Los Angeles Times. Somehow — don't ask me how — Mr. Chambers would memorize everything in every news story in that morning's paper. He was occasionally stumped but not often.
Using my own uncanny memory, I remember the show and I also remember some local skepticism that he was actually memorizing the newspaper and not, for example, getting the answers off a TelePrompter or via a hidden earpiece. Many local reporters tested him and he went on every other local program that would have him on to show that he could do this anywhere. He was asked often not just how he could do it but how he could do it in time to go on the air at 9:00 in the morning.
I also remember the series not lasting long. It was an astounding feat but how many times did you have to watch him do it?
A few years ago, I searched the Internet and could not find a single word about Jack Chambers or his show or his talent. But it turns out he was the first guest on the telecast of I've Got a Secret for 9/23/59 and the Buzzr folks put that episode online. The rest of it's not that interesting but watch the first segment and watch Jack Chambers amaze the panel…