This week in TV Guide: August 10, 1963

There's no single dominant story this week, so we're just going to skip around a bit and see what we can come up with. OK with you all?

I've Got a Secret was on the cover of a lot of TV Guides. The game show was on the air for fifteen seasons, from 1952 to 1967, and with five strongly identifiable personalities on the show, there was plenty of material to fill the six issues that featured the show.

In this issue, the focus is on Henry Morgan, who ws with the show for virtually its entire run.  Not many people remember him anymore, but from the 40s through the 60s, Henry Morgan was the L'enfant terrible of radio and TV. He was a witty and intelligent satirist, a stylish presence on television, the host of several several programs of his own and guest on many more.  He was also a cantankerous presence, a misogynist ("Women should be very attractive and never taught to read.  The trouble with the average woman is that she's a little below average."), an egomaniac, a man with a cruel streak who found it impossible not to wind up in clashes with sponsors, costars, and anyone else who crossed his path.  There were those who praised him while others lined up to bury him. He was, I think, perpetually one step away from finding himself having to look for another job at another network; next year he'll be on NBC as one of the hosts of the American version of That Was The Week That Was.

In the "Things Aren't What They Used to Be" category, Shirl Conway, one of the stars of the CBS series The Nurses, must have said something in her profile a couple of weeks past, judging by the letter to the editor from Myrt Ober of Caldwell, NJ: "As a 'psychologically miserable' housewife, Miss Conway may I say I create more in one day of being a wife, mother and homemaker than you probably create in a whole month of acting. If loving and caring for one man and his children, decorating and running a home, not minding grime and dirt of hard work, yet keeping as attractive as possible, is losing her identity, there are many nameless women in this wonderful country of ours."  After a season, The Nurses became The Doctors and the Nurses, and storylines began to be carried by the male castmembers.  The Nurses wound up as a daytime soap opera, with the same characters but played by different actresses.

And Edith Efron, in the story headlined on top of the cover, asks the question "Why the Timid Giant [television, in this case] Treads Softly," and speculates that television shies away from controversial subject matter and investigative reporting because of "anxiety and fear of the Government's latent power over the industry [inhibiting[ broadcasters from digging more deeply into public-affairs subjects."  The FCC, the industry's federal investigative agency, is accused of "throwing its weight around inexcusably," and broadcasters are said to fear having their licenses yanked if they stir up too much trouble.  Since then, networks seem to have gotten a lot more comfortable tackling controversy and pointing investigative fingers - at least against one side of the political aisle.

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Let's see what's going on this week.

A few years ago, back when The AV Club was actually interesting instead of being a shill for left-wing causes, their TV critic Todd VanDerWerff did some very good writing on classic TV shows. One of those was The Defenders, which this week (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. CT, CBS) features part one of the two-part episode "Madman," starring Don Gordon as a death-row inmate who not only wants to die, he wants his mother there to witness it.

VanDerWerff cited this episode as an example of the series' defiance of the "wrap-it-up-neatly-in-50-minutes" method of so many programs, then and now, calling it "the kind of episode that would have a hard time making it through network notes sessions in the present, but the combination of CBS head William Paley’s largess, [producer Herbert] Brodkin’s clout, and [writer Reginald] Rose’s creative genius resulted in the heart-rending episode making it on the air in 1962, right in the middle of the period when television grew most ashamed of itself." This episode won two Emmys when the awards were presented at the end of the season; for those who missed it, they can check out part one on Saturday.  (Note the drawing of Gordon in the Close Up, rather than a picture.  TV Guide did arty things like this from time to time.)

Sunday night features a couple of interesting prospects; at 6:30 p.m. The Jetsons presents one of those most meta of storylines: the person who mistakes the filming of a TV show for the real thing. In this case, George witnesses an armored space-car robbery and overhears the hoods talking about rubbing out the witnesses. Little does he know it's all a scene from a TV police show. Confusion and hilarity ensue. (I seem to recall a similar storyline on Top Cat.) I don't remember this episode; maybe someone who's seen it can tell us if the cartoon was lampooning any police series in particular. At 7:00 p.m., CBS has a rerun of the Sullivan show, which was taped at the U.S. base at Guantanamo in Cuba. (Considering what's been going on there over the last year or so, it must have been a fairly tense atmosphere.) A good lineup: Connie Francis, Louis Armstrong, Carol Lawrence, Jack Carter, Frank Fontaine, and comedy pantomimist George Carl. Too bad The Hollywood Palace isn't on yet; I'll bet Ed would have whipped them this week.

On Monday, CBS has Comedy Hour Specials at 8:00 p.m., which sounds suspiciously like one of those summer anthology shows comprised of reruns and failed pilots. In this case, it's a rerun from 1960, "Just Polly and Me," which presents an interesting premise that also touches on the meta: Polly Bergen and Phil Silvers have just completed a TV show, and they're reviewing how some of the bits could have been better - whereupon they act out those bits in new and improved fashion. Nat Hiken, who wrote Silvers' great Bilko series, is the writer for this show as well. Here's a clip from it:


NBC repeats last year's Milton Berle special (8:30 p.m., NBC), with Berle hosting a throwback-style show with Jack Benny, Lena Horne, Janis Paige, and Laurence Harvey.

Tuesday it's Keefe Brasselle's variety show (9:00 p.m., CBS), with guests Felicia Sanders and Jules Munshin. Ann B. Davis and former boxer Rocky Graziano are among the regulars. There's nothing particularly interesting about this show in itself, just a chance to be reminded of one of the odder, more colorful characters in the entertainment business. Back a couple of years ago, Kliph Nesteroff wrote a very good bit on the remarkable story of Brasselle and his relationship with CBS and network honcho Jim Aubrey.

Bing Crosby appeared in one of his non-holiday specials on Wednesday night on NBC, with guests Bob Hope, Edie Adams, the Smothers Brothers, Pete Fountain, and Bing's son Gary.  "Leisure Time" is the theme, and I can't think of anyone who'd epitomize it better than Bing. (Keeping in tune with so many of this week's programming, it's a rerun from last year.) Pete Fountain (who died last year, I think; truly one of the greatest jazz clarinetists ever) is also the guest on Steve Allen's late-night show (10:30 p.m., WCCO), along with Bobby Vinton, and two of baseball's greats: Maury Wills of the Dodgers, and Orlando Cepada of the Giants.

On Thursday, Mel Tormé is one of the guests on The Lively Ones (8:30 p.m., NBC), the summer replacement for the sitcom Hazel, hosted by Vic Damone. That's followed at 9:00 p.m. by "The World of Maurice Chevalier," a look at the French star's career on his 74th birthday. Alexander Scourby is the narrator, which makes me wonder if this might be part of NBC's "Project XX" (variously seen as "Project 20") series of documentariesb, several of which were narrated by Scourby, who had the proverbial voice that could read the phone book* and still be interesting. And at 9:00 p.m. on CBS, it's the aforementioned The Nurses, with Keenan Wynn as a star comedian who's not laughing - because Shirl Conway's character, Liz, refuses to wait on his every beck and call.

*It occurs to me to ask: you do remember phone books, don't you?

For the best in female forms, there's the "International Beauty Spectacular," Friday from Long Beach (9:00 p.m., NBC), hosted by Lorne Greene. (Of course, we all know there's no way the star of NBC's Bonanza is about to appear on any other network.) I'd never heard of this pageant which "departs from the usual pose-and-interview contest by showcasing the contestants from 46 countries in the trappings of a theatrical production," including two brand-new songs by Meredith Willson, composer of The Music Man. Couldn't find out much about this pageant - not even who won it - or if it's still around in some form, but this was the 12th spectacular, and I found a listing for it as late as 1966, so make of that what you will. I wonder, the way things are going at the Miss America pageant, if we won't be saying the same thing about that in a few years?

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The networks are looking at ramping up their coverage of the civil rights struggle. You'll recall that two or three weeks ago I wrote about the 1968 issue of TV Guide where it seemed as if almost every night featured another special on civil rights and race relations, which tells you a little bit about just how big this issue is and how long it's been dominating the conversation in this country.

ABC has already announced a series of five half-hour specials on Sunday nights under the umbrella title "The Crucial Summer," the first episode of which airs this Sunday (although I don't see any indication that KMSP is showing it this week - maybe later, when it doesn't interfere with shows that could bring in more local commercial revenue). NBC's plans are the most spectacular; a three-hour prime-time documentary on Labor Day evening, talking about the struggle. According to TV Guide's Henry Harding, this will be the first time a network has ever preempted its entire evening schedule for a news documentary. CBS's one-hour special on how the media covers the race issue will be aired on August 21.

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The "Letter to the Editor of the Week" award has to go to Mrs. Condon S. Bush, of Augusta, Wisconsin, who writes, "I suggest that the game-show producers do a better job of picking the celebrity guests. Sometimes I wonder how the emcee is able to control the show when it is being usurped by some supposed celebrity. Perhaps it is the celebrities who should be screened." Ouch!

Finally, I got a kick out of this ad for an appearance by "The Stars of TV's Rawhide!" Clint Eastwood and Paul Brinegar, at a rodeo at St. Paul's Midway Stadium.

As the character "Wishbone," Brinegar was with Rawhide for the show's entire seven-season run, as part of a long and successful Hollywood career as a character actor.  I'm not sure what happened to the other guy, though. TV  

Around the dial

I'm writing this introductory sentence on Tuesday, which means there's still time for it to change, but thankfully to this point nobody prominent in the television world has yet died, so there's hope we can still make it through the week without having to start by remembering someone, as we sadly seem to have done too many times in recent weeks. While we have the chance, let's get started.

I like this piece from Classic Film and TV Café on the five biggest movie stars of the '60s because it's such a snapshot of the times. Paul Newman: yes, he's no surprise, and neither is Sidney Poitier when you're reminded (think about Lilies of the Field, To Sir with Love, In the Heat of the Night, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and then you'll remember), and of course Sean Connery has to be there on the strength of the Bond franchise, but I think Hayley Mills and Doris Day serve as a reminder that the first half of the '60s really are much more like the last half of the '50s, a discussion we had back in the comments section a while back.

The Twilight Zone is famous, of course, for the quality of its writing, not only from Rod Serling, but the stable of writers he assembled, including Richard Matheson, Charles Beaumont, George Clayton Johnson, and others. But, as The Twilight Zone Vortex reminds us, don't forget the tremendous performances that brought those stories to life - here's part one of the 20 greatest performances from the series.

Speaking of, Escape Clause - now there's an episode of The Twilight Zone that must be fun to describe to a six-year-old, and I think Fire Breathing Dimetrodon Time does an admirable job of it, especially when the little one sees what a mess David Wayne's gotten into with his deal with the Devil, not to mention a well-timed facepalm at the end. Don't know what I'm talking about? It's well worth checking out, particularly for the O. Henry conclusion - and the performances.

Once Upon a Screen returns with a classic Columbo investigation, "Etude in Black," featuring John Cassavetes, who gives perhaps the worst impression of a concert conductor I've ever seen in my entire life - I've seen babies waving their arms in their strollers who would've made more convincing conductors. However, the rest of Cassavetes' performance is terrific, including his interactions with his old friend Peter Falk, and the rest of the supporting cast, including Blythe Danner and Myrna Loy, is top notch.

It's not British, but Get Smart gets the coveted ranking of Stonking Good Television from Cult TV Blog. It has all the spy conventions of the time, and of course it's appropriate that they're all overdone, but living across the pond John wonders just how popular it was, since he hasn't read a lot about it. Our own Mike Doran fills in some of the blanks in the comments section.

We've written from time to time about The Defenders, and now it's time for some more extensive treatment from Television's New Frontier: the 1960s, which takes a close look at the series' first season. Whether or not this show is my cup of tea is beside the point; it's part of TV's history, and I wish the remainder of the series would come out in DVD for the many who've been delighted by its quality.

At Comfort TV, David takes a look back at the life and times of Ann Jillian, an actress who probably never quite got the credit she deserved, and continuing to reach people as a motivational speaker.

It may be too early for me to start watching Christmas shows, or even go into the Christmas section of Hobby Lobby, but that doesn't mean I'm not in the mood to appreciate a tour through part of Joanna Wilson's collection of Christmas books - you can see for yourself at Chrstmas TV History.

Finally for this week, a new entry in bare-bones e-zine's Hitchcock Project: the works of Francis and Marian Cockrell, beginning with the very first Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode, "Revenge," from October 2, 1955.

Early deadline this week, so if there more good ones come our way before the end of the week - and I wouldn't be surprised in the least if that happens - I'll just add them on to next week's exciting roundup! TV  

Around the dial

The DVD release of The Defenders continues to spark some of the most interesting conversation we've seen regarding classic television. Terry Teachout has a very good column on it over at The Wall Street Journal, in which he reminds us that TV for grownups isn't something that just happened a few years ago. 

On the same topic, the TV on DVD message board at Home Theater Forum has a fascinating (and quite literate) discussion going as to whether or not the political agenda espoused in the series affects a viewer's ability to enjoy the program. (TL:DRL: maybe.) As far as I'm concerned, the jury's still out; I've only had time to watch a couple of episodes, and I've got to admit I haven't been bowled over. Yes, it's literate; yes, it's intelligent television programming. Perhaps it's my knowledge of the ideological agenda that's colored the perception for me, that I watch these episodes just waiting to be offended. And yet, one writer points out that Naked City, one of my favorite series, had a bleeding-heart detective as the star, yet that's never affected my enjoyment of the show, nor my appreciation of Paul Burke as Adam Flint, the aforementioned bleeding-heart. Methinks I'll have to explore this subject further, when I'm not detracting from the purpose of going around the dial.

The Secret Sanctum of Captain Video has been looking at one of the Batman-inspired series of the '60s, The Green Hornet, and today it celebrates the 50th anniversary of the series' first episode, while Television Obscurities commemorates the 50th anniversary of another series, the infamous Tammy Grimes Show - infamous for it's shockingly short run of just four episodes, unprecedented back in the day. I here there's a golden anniversary of some sci-fi show as well, but you've probably heard about that.

Speaking as we have been of episode reviews, Recap Retro looks at what fans consider a "boring and terrible" episode of Bonanza, featuring the great character actor Jack Carson. Is the episode's reputation justified? You'll have to read and find out.

If you're like me (and God help you if you are), you probably fast-forward through commercials on shows you've recorded, and mute them on shows you're watching live. Why, then, do classic TV fans have such affection for old commercials that we own DVD collections of them? Comfort TV suggests it's because they were profoundly better than commercials are today, in ways that go beyond mere quality.

Right now I'm working on next week's TV Guide piece, and that 1979 issue has a lot of ads for made-for-TV movies, which put me in mind for Made for TV Mayhem's review of the 1987 telefilm Family Sins, starring James Farentino and Jill Eikenberry as the parents of a troubled family. It's well worth reading Amanda's take on this complex story.

The Horn Section has a wonderful tribute to classic-TV director Leslie H. Martinson, prolific director of classics from Maverick to the big-screen version of the original Batman, who died at the age of 101. RIP to a well-played career, sir.

Faded Signals has a very cool ad as well as some great information on the history of Colorado's first television station.

That's it for today; see you here tomorrow. TV  

Around the dial

This is what I've been telling people for years - why I created this blog, in fact: a historian talks about why historians should watch more television, and what it can teach us about our history. It's a job I'm already doing; now, if I could only find a way to get paid for it...

Terry Teachout links to his Wall Street Journal column, in which he reminds all of us why Perry Como mattered. As he points out, Como was one of the most popular singers on television from the late '40s through the '60s, with annual Christmas specials after that. Any chance to catch some of his old shows, and the great (and varied) musical talent that appeared with him, is worth it.

Classic television aficionados are often accused of excessive nostalgia, but it turns out we're not the only one. The New York Times looks at MTV's attempt to appeal to nostalgia for millennials by hearkening back to the Golden Age of music video with MTV Classic - but will it work? Why or why not? Discuss.

At Made for TV Mayhem, Amanda explains why she's been absent for awhile, and what kinds of projects she's currently working on. More power to you - I know how hard that can be. Your absense has been noted, and your presence missed!

Meanwhile, at Comfort TV David offers his opinions on The Defenders following the DVD release of the classic legal drama's first season. I'm still on the fence as to whether or not the show's liberal advocacy will be too much for my conservative senses, but I agree wholeheartedly that it shows how discussing serious issues is not only possible on television, but it can hold people's attention as well.

"The Jungle" isn't one of the great Twilight Zone episodes, but it's far from the worst, either. The Twilight Zone Vortex gives us a comprehensive look at the episode and the Charles Beaumont short story upon which it was based, and shows us how it gives us something to chew on (a pun that won't become clear until after you've read the piece...)

I remember the show Car 54, Where Are You? from my youth, and I must have watched it at some point, but to tell the truth my memories are more of the title than the series itself. Seeing it on MeTV a few years ago didn't slay me with its humor, but as Television's New Frontier: the 1960s reminds us, any series created by Nat "Sergeant Bilko" Hiken has to have a subversive streak in it.

I'm not a big Olympics fan anymore, but I followed the story of NBC's coverage enough to know it left quite a big to be desired, especially when it came to presenting events on tape-delay. Such was not always the case though, as Television Obscurities reminds us with this ad for NBC's coverage of the 1964 Tokyo games. Imagine live coverage of the Opening Ceremonies at 1:00 a.m. TV  

Around the dial

Another Friday, another tour of the classic TV blogosphere. Let's see what we can come up with this week!

Ever think of worms as being dangerous? After you read The Last Drive-In's life lesson from Barney Fife, you won't be able to stop thinking about it.

Another episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents on tap at bare-bones e-zine - this time it's the ironic "Touché," from the show's fourth season, with a twist ending you'll appreciate. 

Ah, Truffaut. I've only seen his films on television, which is why it's appropriate to include this panel discussion on the famed director, courtesy of Classic Film and TV Cafe.

I remember "The Midnight Sun," a classic Twilight Zone episode, from the first time I saw it in syndication. The title, the sense of foreboding - it all worked, as recapped by The Twilight Zone Vortex.

Speaking of the sun as we were, Heat of the Sun is a 1998 Brit detective series that's the latest to undergo the microscope at British TV Detectives.

And speaking of British TV, Cult TV Blog has been silent for a bit, but this post explains it all, and I can't blame him a bit - doesn't that look more fun than blogging?

The DVD release of the seminal 1960s legal drama The Defenders has been hailed by many, and Classic TV History Blog has a very good description of the acclaimed series. I have my copy of course, but I call this a "keep the package" moment - will the show's liberal slant obscure its excellent writing and acting? Time will tell.

I've missed Classic Television Showbiz' long form interviews, many of which were (I suspect) part of his research for his book on comedy, but he's back with a continuation of his interview with the comic Jack Carter.

What do you think? Should I invest in the DVD of The Time Tunnel someday? And would this review of a tie-in novel based on the series, found at Television Obscurities, help me make up my mind? TV