The Big Surprise is a television quiz show broadcast in the United States by NBC from October 8, 1955, to June 9, 1956, and from September 18, 1956, to April 2, 1957.

It was hastily created by NBC in response to the ratings success of The $64,000 Question, which had premiered on CBS in summer 1955 and almost instantly became a hit.

The series was originally hosted by Jack Barry through March 3, 1956, after which he was replaced by Mike Wallace for the rest of the run.

Barry would return to NBC a few months after leaving The Big Surprise with his own co-creations Tic-Tac-Dough and Twenty One.

[citation needed] Only the April 7, 1956, show is known to exist, which begins with guest contestant Errol Flynn going for $30,000.