November 2, 2015

What's on TV? Thursday, November 8, 1962

We're back in New England this week, with listings from Boston, Portland and surrounding points. Stand by for another round of weak jokes and fairly useless information.



WGBH, Channel 2 (Educ.)

Morning


08:30a
Action at Law

09:15a
Parlons Francais I

09:45a
Farlons Francais II

10:05a
Neighborhood Explorers

10:15a
Science (Grade 2)

10:30a
Action at Law

11:00a
Parlons Francais III

Afternoon


01:00p
Parlons Francais I

01:15p
Action at Law

01:45p
Music (Grade 2)

04:00p
American Economy

05:15p
The Friendly Giant

05:30p
What’s New?

Evening


06:00p
David Copperfield

06:30p
News (Louis Lyons)

06:45p
News (Robert Baram)

07:00p
French (Beginners)

07:30p
Funny Business

08:00p
American Education

08:30p
Master Class

09:30p
MIT Science Reporter

10:00p
The World at Ten

10:30p
Survival in the Sea

At 6:00pm, that's David Copperfield the Dickens character, not David Copperfield the magician. Although I'm sure any of these stations would welcome his illusions to improve their ratings.


WBZ, Channel 4 (NBC)

Morning


06:00a
Continental Classroom (Atomic Age Physics)

06:30a
Sign on Seminars (Other Countries)

06:45p
Daily Almanac

07:00a
Today

09:00a
News (Jack Chase, Don Kent)

09:30a
The Best of Groucho

10:00a
Say When

10:25a
NBC News (Edwin Newman)

10:30a
Play Your Hunch (color)

11:00a
The Price is Right (color)

11:30a
Concentration

Afternoon


12:00p
News (Jack Chase)

12:10p
Weather (Don Kent)

12:15p
Big Brother

12:30p
Movie – “The Fabulous Senorita”

01:50p
News, Weather (local)

02:00p
Merv Griffin (guest Danny Kaye) (color)

02:55p
NBC News (Floyd Kalber)

03:00p
Loretta Young

03:30p
Young Dr. Malone

04:00p
Make Room For Daddy

04:30p
Clubhouse 4

05:00p
Movie – “Salute for Three”

Evening


06:30p
News, Weather (local)

06:45p
The Huntley-Brinkley Report

07:00p
Wyatt Earp

07:30p
Wide Country

08:30p
Dr. Kildare

09:30p
Hazel

10:00p
Andy Williams (guests Betty Grable, Lawrence Welk)

11:00p
News, Sports, Weather (local)

11:15p
Steve Allen (guests Andre Previn, Joanie Sommers, Howard Mark)

12:45a
News (local)

01:00a
Highway Patrol

I'm always impressed by the number of educational shows on commercial TV back in the late '50s and early '60s. Sunrise Semester was probably the best known and most parodied, but both College of the Air and Continental Classroom were regular series of the time. It says a lot about the desire for self-improvement that seems to be a hallmark of the post-war era; I'm guessing it may be closely tied to things like the G.I. Bill. 


WHDH, Channel 5 (CBS)

Morning


05:55a
News (local)

06:00a
College of the Air (The Level of Business Activity)

06:30a
Continental Classroom (American Government) (color)

07:00a
Morning Key Club (color)

07:30a
Captain Bob (color)

08:00a
Captain Kangaroo

09:00a
Romper Room (color)

09:45a
Debbie Drake

10:00a
News (Leo Egan) (color)

10:05a
Julie Dane (color)

10:15a
We Believe (color)

10:30a
I Love Lucy

11:00a
The McCoys

11:30a
Pete and Gladys

Afternoon


12:00p
Love of Life

12:25p
CBS News (Harry Reasoner)

12:30p
Search for Tomorrow

12:45p
The Guiding Light

01:00p
News (Leo Egan) (color)

01:05p
Farm and Food (color)

01:30p
As the World Turns

02:00p
Password (panelists Sam Levenson, Joan Fontaine)

02:30p
House Party (guest Richard Boone)

03:00p
The Millionaire

03:30p
To Tell the Truth (panelists Shelly Berman, Ann Sothern, Phyllis Newman, Barry Nelson)

03:55p
CBS News (Douglas Edwards)

04:00p
The Secret Storm

04:30p
The Edge of Night

05:00p
Bozo the Clown (color)

05:45p
Rocky and His Friends

Evening


06:00p
News (Leo Egan) (color)

06:05p
Dateline Boston

06:30p
Sea Hunt

07:00p
CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite

07:15p
News, Sports (John Day) (color)

07:25p
Weather (Walker) (color)

07:30p
Mr. Ed

08:00p
Perry Mason

09:00p
The Nurses

10:00p
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

11:00p
News, Weather (local) (color)

11:20p
Sports Page (local) (color)

11:30p
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (color)

01:00a
News, Sports, Weather (local)

01:10a
Almanac Newsreel

Speaking of which, the guest on today's Continental Classroom is Theodore H. White, the author of the Making of the President series of books. The first, which covered the 1960 presidential campaign, is probably more responsible for creating the glamorous, quasi-celebrity politician, and if you want to know where programs like The West Wing come from, look no further. It's come to be seen as factually dubious, but still immensely readable and entertaining.


WCSH, Channel 6 (Portland, ME) (NBC)

Morning


05:50a
Farm Report

0600a
Continental Classroom (Atomic Age Physics)

06:30a
Continental Classroom (American Government) (color)

07:00a
Today

09:00a
Romper Room (Miss Connie)

09:30a
The Best of Groucho

10:00a
Say When

10:25a
NBC News (Edwin Newman)

10:30a
Play Your Hunch (color)

11:00a
The Price is Right (color)

11:30a
Concentration

Afternoon


12:00p
First Impression (color)

12:30p
Truth or Consequences

12:55p
NBC News (Ray Scherer)

01:00p
Weekday on Six

01:30p
Parlons Francais

02:00p
Merv Griffin (guest Danny Kaye) (color)

02:55p
NBC News (Floyd Kalber)

03:00p
Loretta Young

03:30p
Young Dr. Malone

04:00p
Make Room For Daddy

04:30p
Trooper 6

05:00p
Mr. Magoo

05:30p
The Outlaws

Evening


06:30p
News, Sports, Weather (local)

06:45p
The Huntley-Brinkley Report

07:00p
Hennesey

07:30p
Wide Country

08:30p
Dr. Kildare

09:30p
Hazel

10:00p
Andy Williams (guests Betty Grable, Lawrence Welk)

11:00p
News, Sports, Weather (local)

11:15p
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (color)

Betty Grable and Lawrence Welk on with Andy Williams - now that's a combo, isn't it?


WNAC, Channel 7 (ABC)

Morning


07:00a
Discovery ’62

07:25a
The Three Stooges

08:00a
The Three Stooges

09:00a
Jack LaLanne

09:30a
Louise Morgan

09:55a
News (local)

10:00a
Camouflage

10:25a
News (local)

10:30a
Day in Court

11:00a
Ernie Ford (guest Patsy Cline)

11:30a
Yours for a Song

Afternoon


12:00p
Jane Wyman

12:30p
Our Miss Brooks

12:55p
NBC News (Ray Scherer)

01:00p
Who Do You Trust

01:30p
TV Hour of Stars

02:30p
Seven Keys

03:00p
Queen for a Day

03:30p
Movie – “Girl Crazy”

05:00p
The Three Stooges

Evening


06:00p
ABC Evening Report (Ron Cochran)

06:15p
News (Victor Best)

06:25p
Weather (Gus Saunders)

06:30p
Huckleberry Hound

07:00p
Guestward Ho!

07:30p
Ozzie and Harriet

08:00p
Donna Reed

08:30p
Leave It to Beaver

09:00p
My Three Sons

09:30p
McHale’s Navy

10:00p
Alcoa Premiere

11:00p
News, Sports, Weather

11:15p
Movie Double Feature – “Presenting Lily Mars”, “Big Town Girl”

I've mentioned this in the past, but for a network that's in last place, ABC has an iconic lineup tonight: Ozzie and Harriet, Donna Reed, Leave It to Beaver, My Three Sons and McHale's Navy, all among the best-known and most-loved series even today.


WMTW, Channel 8 (Portland, ME) (ABC)

Morning


08:15a
Farm and Home

08:45a
Teddy Bear Playhouse

10:00a
History

10:20a
Teddy Bear Playhouse

10:30a
Town and Country

10:45a
Joan Robertson

10:55a
Weather (Donna Traverse)

11:00a
Ernie Ford (guest Patsy Cline)

11:30a
Yours for a Song

Afternoon


12:00p
Jane Wyman

12:30p
Camouflage

01:00p
Movie – “Homecoming”

02:00p
Day in Court

02:30p
Seven Keys

03:00p
Queen for a Day

03:30p
Who Do You Trust?

04:00p
American Bandstand

04:30p
Discovery ’62

04:55p
American Newsstand

05:00p
Superman

05:30p
Movie – “Battle Cry”

Evening


07:00p
News, Weather (local)

07:30p
Ozzie and Harriet

08:00p
Donna Reed

08:30p
Leave It to Beaver

09:00p
My Three Sons

09:30p
McHale’s Navy

10:00p
Alcoa Premiere

11:00p
ABC News Final (Bill Shadel)

11:15p
News, Weather (local)

11:20p
Movie – “Jane Eyre”

If I'm not mistaken, Battle Cry, is the 5:30pm movie, was part of the double-feature (with War Is Hell) that the Texas Theater was playing when Lee Harvey Oswald ran there to hide out after killing the police officer J.D. Tippit.


WMUR, Channel 9 (Manchester, NH) (ABC)

Morning


09:30a
Movie – “God’s Gift to Women”

11:00a
Ernie Ford (guest Patsy Cline)

11:30a
Yours for a Song

Afternoon


12:00p
Jane Wyman

12:30p
Camouflage

01:00p
News, Sports, Weather (local)

01:15p
Country Store

02:00p
Day in Court

02:30p
Seven Keys

03:00p
Queen for a Day

03:30p
Who Do You Trust?

04:00p
American Bandstand

04:30p
Discovery ’62

04:55p
American Newsstand

05:00p
Uncle Gus

Evening


06:00p
Range Rider

06:30p
News, Weather (local)

06:45p
ABC Evening Report (Ron Cochran)

07:00p
To Be Announced

07:30p
Ozzie and Harriet

08:00p
Mr. Adams and Eve

08:30p
Leave It to Beaver

09:00p
My Three Sons

09:30p
Phil Silvers

10:00p
Alcoa Premiere

11:00p
ABC News Final (Bill Shadel)

11:15p
Movie – “California”

Interesting that Channel 9 pre-empts Donna Reed for Mr. Adams and Eve, which was a late-50s series. Was it simply that they got more of the ad revenue by doing that, or did Donna Reed not have big ratings? Or was there some other reason? This kind of thing is done all the time, I know, but I couldn't think of anything else to say about the lineup.


WJAR, Channel 10 (Providence) (ABC/NBC)

Morning


06:30a
Continental Classroom (American Government) (color)

07:00a
Today

09:00a
The World Around Us

09:30a
Queen for a Day

10:00a
The Best of Groucho

10:30a
Play Your Hunch (color)

11:00a
The Price is Right (color)

11:30a
Concentration

Afternoon


12:00p
News (local)

12:05p
Talk of the Town

12:30p
Truth or Consequences

12:55p
NBC News (Ray Scherer)

01:00p
Movie – “Affair with a Stranger”

02:30p
Merv Griffin (guest Danny Kaye) (color)

02:55p
NBC News (Floyd Kalber)

03:00p
Loretta Young

03:30p
Young Dr. Malone

04:00p
Make Room For Daddy

04:30p
Here’s Hollywood (Jose Iturbi and his sister Amparo)

04:55p
NBC News (Sander Vanocur)

05:00p
Movie – “The Big Shot”

Evening


06:30p
News, Sports, Weather (local)

06:45p
The Huntley-Brinkley Report

07:00p
Ripcord

07:30p
The Gallant Men

08:30p
Dr. Kildare

09:30p
Hazel

10:00p
Alcoa Premiere

11:00p
News, Sports, Weather (local)

11:15p
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (color)

I realize WJAR must be joining Merv Griffin in progress - either that, or they're presenting a very edited version of his show - but 25 minutes for Merv and Danny Kaye? It'd take that long for the two of them to greet each other.


WENH, Channel 11 (Durham, NH) (Educ.)

Morning


08:35a
Calculus

09:15a
Parlons Francais I

09:45a
Farlons Francais II

10:00a
History

11:00a
Parlons Francais III

11:30a
Humanities

Afternoon


01:00p
Parlons Francais I

01:15p
Music (Elementary)

01:40p
Book Parade

02:00p
Calculus

02:35p
Homemaker’s World

05:30p
What’s New?

Evening


06:00p
Classical Music

06:25p
Events

06:30p
News (Louis Lyons)

06:45p
News (Robert Baram)

07:00p
4-H in Action

07:15p
Art at Your Fingertips

07:30p
American Economy

08:00p
Trio

09:30p
MIT Science Reporter

Educational stations used to be filled with programs like Parlons Francais. It's a charming reminder of the time, but we also have to admit that public broadcasting couldn't remain like this forever and still survive. After all, “Qui n’avance pas, recule.” N'est-ce pas?


WPRO, Channel 12 (Providence) (CBS)

Morning


06:30a
College of the Air (The Federal Reserve System)

07:00a
The Three Stooges

07:30a
Storytime

08:00a
Captain Kangaroo

09:00a
Romper Room (Miss Bonnie)

09:30a
Morning Merry-Go-Round

10:00a
Calendar

10:30a
I Love Lucy

11:00a
Ernie Ford (guest Patsy Cline)

11:30a
Pete and Gladys

Afternoon


12:00p
Love of Life

12:25p
CBS News (Harry Reasoner)

12:30p
Search for Tomorrow

12:45p
The Guiding Light

01:00p
Movie – “The Snake Pit”

02:20p
News (Ed Miller)

02:30p
House Party (guest Richard Boone)

03:00p
The Millionaire

03:30p
To Tell the Truth (panelists Shelly Berman, Ann Sothern, Phyllis Newman, Barry Nelson)

03:55p
CBS News (Douglas Edwards)

04:00p
The Secret Storm

04:30p
The Edge of Night

05:00p
Salty Brine’s Shack

Evening


06:00p
Huckleberry Hound

07:00p
CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite

07:15p
News, Sports, Weather (local)

07:30p
Mr. Ed

08:00p
Perry Mason

09:00p
The Nurses

10:00p
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

11:00p
News, Sports, Weather (local)

11:20p
Movie – “A Kiss Before Dying”

Were this today's television lineup, you know there'd be some jokes about the Three Stooges following a program on the Federal Reserve System. Perhaps they told the same jokes back then.


WGAN, Channel 13 (Portland, ME) (CBS)

Morning


07:00a
College of the Air (When Prices Were High)

07:30a
News, Weather (local)

07:35a
Burns and Allen

08:00a
Captain Kangaroo

09:00a
Good Morning, Maine

10:00a
Calendar

10:30a
I Love Lucy

11:00a
The McCoys

11:30a
Pete and Gladys

Afternoon


12:00p
Love of Life

12:25p
CBS News (Harry Reasoner)

12:30p
Search for Tomorrow

12;45p
The Guiding Light

01:00p
Dragnet

01:30p
As the World Turns

02:00p
Password (panelists Sam Levenson, Joan Fontaine)

02:30p
House Party (guest Richard Boone)

03:00p
The Millionaire

03:30p
To Tell the Truth (panelists Shelly Berman, Ann Sothern, Phyllis Newman, Barry Nelson)

03:55p
CBS News (Douglas Edwards)

04:00p
The Secret Storm

04:30p
The Edge of Night

05:00p
Captain and the Kids

05:30p
Movie – “The Desperados”

Evening


07:00p
News, Sports, Weather (local)

07:15p
CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite

07:30p
Mr. Ed

08:00p
Perry Mason

09:00p
The Nurses

10:00p
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

11:00p
News, Sports, Weather (local)

11:15p
Steve Allen (guests Andre Previn, Joanie Sommers, Howard Mark)

12:45a
News (local)

I've often wondered about Calendar, on at 10am. It sounds as if it should be one of those local programs talking about community events and interviewing local personalities, but in fact it's a CBS morning show co-hosted by Harry Reasoner and the actress Mary Fickett. You can read more about it here; I'm interested in the fact that the network originally wanted Allen Ludden in the role. TV  

4 comments:

  1. Here, there, and back ...:

    - Noting that local pre-emptions of network shows were commonplace during this period of TV:
    Take particular notice of the fact that several of the stations here were joint affiliates of more than one network.
    That's how Tennessee Ernie Ford's ABC show turned up on the CBS station in Providence.

    - Oh, by the way, Ol' Ern's guest was Patsy Cline, a prominent C&W star of the time (prominent enough that a movie was made of her life [Sweet Dreams, starring Jessica Lange]).
    In my Chicago edition, Miss Cline's name is spelled correctly; perhaps the New England edition had a substandard proofreader (made the same error with Floyd Kalber - again).

    - That Merv Griffin show with Danny Kaye is sort of legendary.
    Before Merv finished introducing him, Danny came on stage, smoking a cigarette and rhapsodizing about the joys of smoking - all the while coughing and hacking as loudly as possible.
    Merv kept clear of Kaye's phlegmy paean, which had the audience roaring - and NBC executives jittery (I believe that the show had at least one major cigarette sponsor; if I recall the story correctly, Kaye mentioned the brand name during his catarrh-ridden tribute).
    NBC's custom at that time was to erase and reuse video tape, so this scene probably doesn't exist any more.

    - Correcting an earlier post:
    Merv Griffin's talk show actually had four (4) separate incarnations:
    - The NBC daytime show, which no longer exists.
    - The first syndicated show for Westinghouse, which started a year after the NBC show ended, and continued through the rest of the '60s.
    This is the one with Arthur Treacher, and the one that Merv Griffin owned (which is why the tapes still exist today).
    - The CBS late-night show, which started out just like the Westinghouse show, but was overtaken by CBS micromanagement; this one doesn't exist anymore either.
    - The second syndie show, this time for Metromedia, where Merv got back full control, which he maintained through to the end of its run.
    As you can see, it wasn't a continuous run; Merv had to stand down briefly each time he changed venues.

    - Off-topic:
    This morning, I took delivery of Kliph Nesteroff's new book, The Comedians.
    A quick skim shows that Kliph has toned down some of the reminiscences that may still be found on his blogs; I imagine he's saving them up for a sequel.
    Anyway , the book is worth the effort to get it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Interesting that in Boston, the CBS affiliate was more heavily into color than the NBC affiliate--the exact opposite of their networks. And not surprisingly, ABC affiliates don't bother with color at all.
    Note Douglas Edwards in that 5 minute daytime newscast; just a few months before, he'd been dropped from the nightly news in favor of Cronkite. Amazingly enough, Edwards would do that newscast until CBS dropped it in 1980. How many other reporters would have stuck with the network that forced such an embarrasing demotion on them?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Providence didn't get a fulltime ABC affiliate until January 1st, 1963, when WTEV (now WLNE) signed-on in nearby New Bedford.

    Prior to that, WJAR and WPRO (now WPRI) each cleared a few ABC programs each week.

    Only two weekday daytime programs, Tennessee Ernie Ford and "Queen For A Day", were cleared in Providence, both on a delay (I think that on the weekend, a couple of ABC children's shows and "Wide World Of Sports" got cleared by WJAR). About a dozen prime-time ABC shows were cleared in Providence, most of those on WJAR, some on WPRO, with a handful on a delayed broadcast basis.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for writing! Drive safely!