Despite the widespread popularity of billiards, US networks have not been very supportive. Billiards wasn't a very popular game on television for many years. However, the Hustler movie in 1961 brought it some attention. The film had a significant impact on the popularity and growth of billiards.
The Hustler starred Jackie Gleason and was a smash hit. He played the role of Minnesota Fats in the movie. The number of billiards rooms in America doubled after the film was released. The movie also had a big impact on the popularity organized billiards. By late 1960s, billiards had appeared on television.
Ten-Twenty was the first television billiards show. Frank Oliva, a billiards advocate, created the game in 1959. This game was a variation of the 14-1 straight pool game. The game was timed so that each player could score 10 point per inning. The perfect match score was 100 points. The game consisted eight innings. In the eighth innings, players could score another 20 points.
Frank Oliva, a pool player, decided in the 1960s to take the game out of the basement and start a billiards show called Ten-Twenty. The show featured professional billiards players as well as celebrities competing against one another. The timers were set and the scores were determined by how well each snooker player scored.
Cisero Murphy, Joe Diehl and Nick Oliva were some of the players on the billiards-show. Joe Procita was one of many. It also featured amateur pool sharks like Jimmy Caras (Cowboy), 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 was the only time that billiards had a significant impact on television. Ballbreakers lasted only one year and made many errors. The show was more amateur-style comedy than a reality show because they limited the number of contestants who could participate. However, the show ended in failure and was eventually cancelled.
Pick Pockets, a billiards game show, was a hit in the 1970s. Jimmy O'Connor, a cheerful host, hosted the show. The show was somewhat dated but still had charm. The show featured several celebrities including Sid Caesar, Mickey Rooney, and Little Joey Canton. Willie “Mr. Pocket Billilliards” Mosconi played the starring role on the show. He was considered the greatest pool player of all times. He set a straight pool world record in 1954. He also won the World Straight Pool Championships fifteen times.
There were also several celebrities who played billiards, including Sid Caesar, Bill Cosby and Buddy Hackett. A $1000 charity prize was also offered on the show.