As was the case the last time we looked at this area, the last four channels listed show only their network programs, so we really don't know much about the rest of their broadcast day. I don't have any details to add, but we'll see what network shows they carried anyway.
WRCV, Channel 3 (NBC)
Morning
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06:25a
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Thought for the Day
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06:30a
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Farm Front
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07:00a
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World’s Greatest
Mother (special)
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07:30a
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It Is Written (color)
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08:00a
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Farm, Home and
Garden (color)
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08:30a
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Enter His Gates
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09:00a
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Foresight
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09:30a
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Cartoon Comics
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10:00a
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Satellite Police
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10:30a
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Bertie the Bunyip (color)
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11:30a
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Movie – “Bandits of
the West”
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Afternoon
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|
12:30p
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The Big Idea
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01:00p
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Speak Up (color)
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01:30p
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The Catholic Hour
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02:00p
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Our Gang
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02:30p
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Abbott and Costello
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03:00p
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Kingdom of the Sea (color)
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03:30p
|
Movie Spectacular
– “Paris After Dark”
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05:00p
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Tournament of Champions Golf (special)
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Evening
|
|
06:00p
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Meet the Press (guest Rep. Chester Bowles, D-CT)
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06:30p
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Saber of London
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07:00p
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The Overland Trail
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08:00p
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Music on Ice (debut) (color)
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09:00p
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Dinah Shore (guests Andy Williams, Sally Ann
Howes, Carl Reiner, the Kim Sisters) (color)
|
10:00p
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Loretta Young
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10:30p
|
This Man Dawson
|
11:00p
|
News (Norman
Brooks)
|
11:10p
|
Movie 3 “The Gold of Naples”
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01:00a
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Briefing Session
|
01:30a
|
News (local)
|
01:35a
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Thought for
Tomorrow
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Saber of London, on at 6:30 p.m,, tells the adventures of a British police captain working in the homicide squad of an American police department. (Think of it as McCloud, with culture.) As Brooks and Marsh point out in their Complete Directory to Prime Time Television, the Mark Saber character has one of the most varied existences in television history. A year-and-a-half after this series goes off the air, Saber returns as a one-armed private detective working in London. (Richard Kimble, call your office.) The series itself goes by Mystery Theater, Inspector Mark Saber, The Vice, Saber of London and Detective's Diary. Having never seen an episode, I can't help but wonder if it was worth it.
WFIL, Channel 6 (ABC)
Morning
|
|
08:25a
|
Christian Answer
|
08:30a
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Through the Porthole
|
08:45a
|
Adventure in Israel
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09:15a
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Christian Science
|
09:30a
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The Christophers
|
10:00a
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This Is the Life
|
10:30a
|
Bozo Cartoon
Theater
|
11:30a
|
Triangle Theater
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Afternoon
|
|
12:30p
|
Larry Ferrari
|
12:45p
|
Steelworkers
|
01:00p
|
Hollywood’s Best (double feature) "Chicago
Calling”, “Mutiny on the Blackhawk”
|
04:00p
|
Music for Young
Audiences (special)
|
04:30p
|
Tell It to the Mayor
|
05:00p
|
Matty’s Funday
Funnies
|
05:30p
|
The Lone Ranger
|
Evening
|
|
06:00p
|
Cannonball
|
06:30p
|
Flight
|
07:00p
|
Broken Arrow
|
07:30p
|
Maverick
|
08:30p
|
The Lawman
|
09:00p
|
The Rebel
|
09:30p
|
The Alaskans
|
10:30p
|
Johnny Staccato
|
11:00p
|
News (John Roberts)
|
11:10p
|
Weather (Frank
Smith)
|
11:15p
|
World’s Best Movies – Double Feature “Treasure of
the Sierra Madre”, “Yellow Jack”
|
Johnny Staccato was one of the "jazz detectives" of the era, along with Peter Gunn and Richard Diamond. Star John Cassavetes would probably describe this as one of those acting jobs one takes in order to make money for the projects one wants to pursue. If so, I think he was probably right. Best bet is probably to go with the late double feature starring, respectively, Humphrey Bogart and Robert Montgomery.
WGAL, Channel 8 (Lancaster) (CBS, ABC)
Morning
|
|
09:55a
|
News and Weather
(local)
|
10:00a
|
Lamp Unto My Feet
|
10:30a
|
The Catholic Hour
|
11:00a
|
The Christophers
|
11:30a
|
This Is the Life
|
Afternoon
|
|
12:00p
|
Film Features
|
12:30p
|
Sky King
|
01:00p
|
High School Band
|
01:30p
|
Championship Bowling
|
02:00p
|
Baseball (Indians
vs. Red Sox)
|
04:30p
|
News, Sports (Pat Bange)
|
04:40p
|
Time Out for Sports
|
05:00p
|
Tournament of Champions Golf (special)
|
Evening
|
|
06:00p
|
Doorway to Life
|
06:20p
|
News, Weather (John
MacAlarney)
|
06:30p
|
The Twentieth Century
|
07:00p
|
People Are Funny
|
07:30p
|
Dennis the Menace
|
08:00p
|
Ed Sullivan
|
09:00p
|
Dinah Shore (guests Andy Williams, Sally Ann
Howes, Carl Reiner, the Kim Sisters) (color)
|
10:00p
|
Loretta Young
|
10:30p
|
What’s My Line? (guest panelist Laurence Harvey)
|
11:00p
|
CBS News (Walter Cronkite)
|
11:15p
|
Weather (Bill Right)
|
11:20p
|
Official Detective
|
11:50p
|
Divorce Court
|
01:05a
|
One Minute with
Your Bible
|
The Mystery Guest on What's My Line?, and I can tell you this because I've seen the episode (don't read any further if you don't want the mystery spoiled!) is Gertrude Berg, best known for The Goldbergs, the ethnic sitcom from the '50s that I just don't find that funny. Kind of a letdown to have her as the Mystery Guest on my birthday - but then, I wouldn't have remembered anyway...
WCAU, Channel 10 (CBS)
Morning
|
|
06:20a
|
Give Us This Day
|
06:25a
|
News (local)
|
06:30a
|
Our Lady of Fatama (special)
|
07:30a
|
Sunday School
|
08:00a
|
Cartoons &
Stuff
|
09:30a
|
Ed Randall
|
10:00a
|
Lamp Unto My Feet
|
10:30a
|
Look Up and Live
|
11:00a
|
FYI
|
11:30a
|
Camera Three
|
11:55a
|
CBS News (Harry Reasoner)
|
Afternoon
|
|
12:00p
|
Crisis in Education (special)
|
01:00p
|
Caucus
|
01:30p
|
Eye on Philadelphia
|
02:00p
|
Picture for a Sunday Afternoon – “The Keys of the Kingdom”
|
04:00p
|
Bulletin Forum
|
05:00p
|
Face the Nation
|
05:30p
|
G-E College Bowl
|
Evening
|
|
06:00p
|
Small World
|
06:30p
|
The Twentieth Century
|
07:00p
|
Lassie
|
07:30p
|
Dennis the Menace
|
08:00p
|
Ed Sullivan
|
09:00p
|
G.E. Theater
|
09:30p
|
Alfred Hitchcock
Presents
|
10:00p
|
George Gobel (guest Imogene Coca)
|
10:30p
|
What’s My Line? (guest panelist Laurence Harvey)
|
11:00p
|
CBS News (Walter Cronkite)
|
11:15p
|
The Late Show – “Mailbag Robbery”
|
12:45a
|
The Late, Late Show – “Ladies in Washington”
|
02:20a
|
News (local)
|
02:25a
|
Give Us This Day
|
On the other hand, Alfred Hitchcock Presents has a tight little drama entitled "Insomnia," not to be confused with the Al Pacino movie of the same name. The premise, from the always-reliable Wikipedia: "Charles Cavender (Dennis Weaver) suffers from insomnia, caused by his fear of his brother-in-law, Jack Fletcher. Charles's wife was killed in a house fire and her brother, Jack, believes that Charles let her die. Charles confronts Jack at his apartment and, after a struggle, Jack is killed. That night Charles sleeps peacefully, and doesn't wake up when his heater catches a fire and burns his apartment building down." Ironic, isn't it?
WLYH, Channel 15 (Lebanon) (ABC)
Afternoon
|
|
12:30p
|
Larry
Ferrari
|
Evening
|
|
06:30p
|
Saber of London
|
08:00p
|
Music on Ice (debut) (color)
|
09:30p
|
The Alaskans
|
10:30p
|
Johnny Staccato
|
WTPA, Channel 27 (Harrisburg) (ABC)
Afternoon
|
|
05:00p
|
Matty’s Funday
Funnies
|
Evening
|
|
07:00p
|
Broken Arrow
|
07:30p
|
Maverick
|
08:30p
|
The Lawman
|
09:00p
|
The Rebel
|
09:30p
|
The Alaskans
|
10:30p
|
Johnny Staccato
|
WSBA, Channel 43 (York) (ABC)
Afternoon
|
|
05:00p
|
Matty’s Funday
Funnies
|
Evening
|
|
07:00p
|
Broken Arrow
|
07:30p
|
Maverick
|
08:30p
|
The Lawman
|
09:30p
|
The Alaskans
|
WHP, Channel 55 (Harrisburg) (CBS)
Afternoon
|
|
05:00p
|
Face the Nation
|
05:30p
|
G-E College Bowl
|
Evening
|
|
06:00p
|
Small World
|
07:00p
|
Lassie
|
08:00p
|
Music on Ice (debut) (color)
|
09:00p
|
G.E. Theater
|
09:30p
|
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
|
10:00p
|
George Gobel (guest Imogene Coca)
|
11:00p
|
CBS News (Walter Cronkite)
|
TV
Happy Birthday Mitchell!
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for all of your diligent research to keep alive our TV heritage.
George Everson
Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteAt least the TV listings from the day you were born weren't from The World's Worst Town(R).
I would think WGAL Channel 8 carried only CBS and NBC programs (and not anything from ABC) then (it's now a fulltime NBC affiliate), given that several UHF stations in the Harrisburg/York/Lancaster area were for the most part carrying ABC programs (although WLYH Channel 15 and WHP Channel 55 carried some CBS and NBC shows not picked-up by WGAL).
ReplyDeleteBeing the only VHF in that area probably gave WGAL the choice of "picking and choosing" between the top two networks of the era, leaving NBC and CBS shows rejected by WGAL to go on UHF.
A very Happy Birthday, Mitchell. I am celebrating today myself as the 11th anniversary of my arrival at Utica College as graduate admissions director.
ReplyDeleteThere are some many more guides to analyze ...and find.
Happy Birthday Mitchell, from another May Birthday Boy. Though mine isn't until May 20th and I was born in 1961, we're both part of that 60's-70's TV Generation.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Mitchell! :)
ReplyDeleteA very happy birthday, Mitchell!
ReplyDeleteI'm no big Gertrude Berg fan either, but there's a show she did a year after you were born called Mrs. G Goes to College. It's on weekdays on GetTV at 6am eastern. This morning's episode had Arlene Francis as guest star, speaking of What's My Line. The show seems to always have a moral to the story and it co-stars the irrepressible Mary Wickes and it's worth looking at just for that.
It only lasted one season, so there are only 26 episodes. Marion Ross and Aneta Corsaut are also in it on a regular basis, as well as Sir Cedric Hardwicke, who was evidently in it for the money. I'd never heard of Mrs. G until I saw it recently. It's worth a look.
You have to watch the documentary about Berg...YOO HOO, MRS. GOLDBERG. Hardwicke and Berg co-starred on Broadway in the play A MAJORITY OF ONE.
DeleteAlso in the cast of MRS. G was a young actress named Karyn Kupcinet...daughter of famed Chicago newspaper columnist Irv Kupcinet. She was brutally murdered in November 1963--the case remains unsolved to this day.
When Mrs. G. went on in '61, TV Guide did a feature on Gertrude Berg's return to TV, with much contribution by Sir Cedric Hardwicke.
DeleteSir Cedric and Mrs. Berg became quite close during the Broadway run (and subsequent national tour) of A Majority Of One.
That the Mrs. G show was a payday for Hardwicke was no secret - if you know anything about his marital history, you can figure out where most of that money went.
It was Hardwicke's first - and only - weekly TV gig, but Berg was why he got on board.
In the Guide piece, Hardwicke told of how CBS and Four Star functionaries would question some of Berg's comedy judgments (her son Cherney Berg was the headwriter), and his answer to them was always the same: "Trust Berg!"
I've got a DVD set of Mrs. G from Martin Grams - not the whole series, but if the Get-TV run does at all well, an official release could follow.
They might even find some of Mrs. Berg's commercials: one of them was for SOS scouring pads - "With soap it's loaded!"
Just a minor nitpick--I think it was Francis Davis who did the weather at 11:10 PM on WFIL-TV.
ReplyDeleteIf I had the TV Guide from my birth week, I would have a piece of wealth..it is the first one with Little "Ricky" on the front... I always tell my communications classes that TV Guide and I are the same age.
ReplyDeleteSaber Of London:
ReplyDelete(This is a little complicated, so pay attention.)
The show you seem to be referring to is Mystery Theater, aka Inspector Mark Saber, which was made in Hollywood by Hal Roach Productions, in 1951-52.
This series, which starred Tom Conway (George Sanders's brother), went out of production after '52.
In 1955, a British company took the Saber character name and built a completely different show about the one-armed PI (played by Donald Gray, who actually lost an arm in war service), which ran under various titles for several seasons, 1960 being the final one.
This is the series you've got here; Saber Of London was its final title. (One of the previous titles was The Vise, such as you would find in a machine shop).
Summarizing:
In the US series, Tom Conway was a police detective.
In the GB series, Donald Gray was a private eye.
The British had a wonderful term for this latter genre: thick ear.
Thanks to you all for the happy birthday wishes - much appreciated, and it makes me glad to know we're all part of this classic TV community. Please know that your participation on the blog, even just in reading it, is very gratifying to me personally; not only am I writing about something I enjoy enormously, but I'm able to touch people with it as well.
ReplyDeleteAgain, thanks so much - even though I don't always respond to every comment, additional piece of information, trivia, or correction, I do read them all, and appreciate them all!