Queen for a Day was an American radio and television show. It helped usher in American broadcast listeners' and viewers' fascination with big prize giveaway shows when it was born on radio (1945-1957), before moving to television (1956-1964; 1969-1970) and, between the two versions, making it a forerunner of "reality television". The show became popular enough that NBC increased its running time from 30 to 45 minutes.

Jack Bailey hosted both the original radio show and the original daytime television version, first for NBC and then ABC. Using the classic "applause meter" as did many game or hit-parade style shows of the time, Queen for a Day contestants told why they would like the honour—and the twist of it was that the contestant had to talk publicly about the recent hard times she had been through.

It was something of an inverted Horatio Alger syndrome: instead of boy or girl making good, strictly speaking, the lure of Queen for a Day was woman making rock bottom (or close enough to it; the tearjerking factor was always part of the show's appeal) in order to have a one-in-four chance at best of making good, or at least a little less burdened, for at least one day in her life. The more harsh the circumstances that led a contestant to want to appear, the likelier the studio audience was to ring the applause meter's highest level. And, to the full accompaniment of "Pomp and Circumstance", the winner would be draped in a red velvet robe and a shimmering crown, and she would be festooned with a dozen long-stemmed roses, trips, a fully-paid night on the town with her husband or her escort, and other prizes. "Make every woman a queen, for every single day!" would be Bailey's trademark signoff.

Some critics accused the show of exploiting rather than enhancing the women who competed and the audience (in studio and at home) who watched. Dick Curtis hosted a short-lived attempt to revive the show in 1969.

"Do YOU want to be Queen for a Day?!" Host Bailey would bellow out those words before each program, to which the audience would reply en masse: "YES!" Four women, each having a sob story to tell, told Bailey why they believed they should be crowned the show's "Queen." Usually, each contestant asked for a merchandise prize, such as a washer and dryer. After all four stories were told, the audience determined the winner by applause (determined via the "applause meter"). The winner won her prizes, plus was bedecked in a sable-trimmed red velvet robe and jeweled crown. Interspersed between the contestants' stories was fashion commentary. Written by Brian Rathjen