Colgate Theatre (1949 TV series)

Not to be confused with Colgate Theatre (1958 TV series).

Colgate Theatre
Genre	Live dramatic anthology series
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	2
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	January 3, 1949 (1949-01-03) – June 25, 1950 (1950-06-25)

Colgate Theatre is a 30-minute dramatic television anthology series telecast on NBC from January 3, 1949, to June 25, 1950. ^[1]

The series is unrelated to NBC's 1958 series of the same name. ^[2]

Production and content

Colgate Theatre was a live television anthology series. Its episodes included a variety of comedies, dramas, and mysteries. ^[2] Some were based on short stories, plays, or radio shows — the first season included the first television adaptations of the radio shows Mr. and Mrs. North and Vic and Sade ^[2] — while others used scripts specifically written for television. ^[2] Although top names usually did not appear on Colgate Theatre, ^[2] casts included a wide variety of actors and actresses. ^[2] Each episode began with a "Broadway Theater" theme playing while cameras showed the audience members take their seats in the theater, look through the program for the episode's title, and then focus their attention on the stage as the curtain rose. ^[2]

Broadcast history

Colgate Theatre premiered on January 3, 1949, ^[2] and was telecast from 9:00 to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday nights from then through September 1949. On October 2, 1949 it moved to Sunday nights, airing from 8:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time from October 1949 to June 1950. ^[2] It last episode was broadcast on June 25, 1950.^{[ citation needed ]} It was replaced by Vic and Sade beginning on July 11, 1949. ^[3]

Critical reception

A review in the trade publication Variety described the presentation of "The Haunting Years" on January 10, 1949, as being "completely devoid of quality". ^[4] It said that the episode "was supposed to be a gag of cosmic proportions but it turned out to be only a kindergarten romp," adding that all involved in the production were "victimized by the script." ^[4]

Notable stars

• Mary Wickes

Episodes

Season 1 (1949)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
1	"Fancy Meeting You Here"	Unknown	Unknown	January 3, 1949 (1949-01-03)
2	"The Haunting Year"	Unknown	Unknown	January 10, 1949 (1949-01-10)
?	"Mr. and Mrs. North"	Unknown	Unknown	July 4, 1949 (1949-07-04)
?	"Vic and Sade (Part 1)"	Unknown	Unknown	July 11, 1949 (1949-07-11)
?	"Vic and Sade (Part 2)"	Unknown	Unknown	July 18, 1949 (1949-07-18)
?	"Vic and Sade (Part 3)"	Unknown	Unknown	July 25, 1949 (1949-07-25)
?	"The Key in the Lock"	Unknown	Unknown	August 15, 1949 (1949-08-15)
Starring Rory Mallinson, Nancy Coleman, Jesse White, John Marley, and Julius Bing.
?	"What Price Story"	Unknown	Unknown	August 22, 1949 (1949-08-22)
Starring William Post, Jr., Mary K. Wells, Reed Brown, Jr., Tony Rivers, and Dort Clark. [5]
?	"Old Flame"	Unknown	Unknown	August 29, 1949 (1949-08-29)
Starring Donald Buka, Sally Moffat, and John Boruff. [6]
?	"My Wife Is a Liar"	Unknown	Unknown	September 5, 1949 (1949-09-05)
Starring Erin O'Brien-Moore, William Post, Jr., Hunter Gardner, Frank Thomas, Jr., John Marley, David Orrick, and John Shay. [7]
?	"The Loan"	Unknown	Unknown	September 19, 1949 (1949-09-19)
Starring Tom Ewell, Harry Bannister, Billy Lynn, Fay Sappington, and Norma Jean Marlowe. [8]

Season 2 (1949–1950)

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
1	"The Queen Bee"	Unknown	Unknown	October 2, 1949 (1949-10-02)
Starring Claire Luce.
2	"Something's Got to Give"	Unknown	Unknown	October 9, 1949 (1949-10-09)
Starring John Beal and Haila Stoddard.
3	"Retaliation"	Unknown	Unknown	October 16, 1949 (1949-10-16)
4	"Young Stacey"	Unknown	Unknown	October 23, 1949 (1949-10-23)
Starring Jane Marlowe.
5	"The Old Lady Shows Her Medals"	Melville Burke	J. M. Barrie	October 30, 1949 (1949-10-30)
Starring Florence Reed.
6	"Remember the Day"	Unknown	Unknown	November 6, 1949 (1949-11-06)
Starring Donald Rose.
7	"O'Brien"	Unknown	Unknown	November 13, 1949 (1949-11-13)
Starring Phil Arthur and Jean Pugsley.
8	"News Item"	Unknown	Unknown	November 20, 1949 (1949-11-20)
Starring James Engler and Mary Alice Moore.
9	"Daughters Are Different"	Unknown	Unknown	November 27, 1949 (1949-11-27)
Starring Marta Linden, Dean Harens, Wendy Drew, and Mary K. Welles.
10	"Company for Dinner"	Unknown	Unknown	December 4, 1949 (1949-12-04)
Starring Dorrit Kelton, John Baragrey, Mary K. Welles, and Harry Bannister.
11	"A Trip to Czardis"	Unknown	Unknown	December 11, 1949 (1949-12-11)
Starring Butch Cavell and Norma Jane Marlowe.
12	"The Pearls"	Unknown	Unknown	December 18, 1949 (1949-12-18)
Starring Renold Evans and Donald Buka. [9]
13	"Blessed Are They"	Unknown	Unknown	December 25, 1949 (1949-12-25)
Starring Ian Keith and Norma Jane Marlowe. [10]
14	"I'll Marry You Later"	Unknown	Unknown	January 1, 1950 (1950-01-01)
Starring Walter Klavan and Robert Gonay.
15	"Second Generation"	Unknown	Unknown	January 8, 1950 (1950-01-08)
Starring Carroll Ashburn and Neva Patterson.
16	"Bert's Wedding"	Unknown	Unknown	January 15, 1950 (1950-01-15)
Starring Parker Fennelly, Wendy Drew, and Frank Thomas, Jr.
17	"Two for a Penny"	Unknown	Unknown	January 22, 1950 (1950-01-22)
Starring Neva Patterson and William Post, Jr.
18	"Abby, Her Farm"	Unknown	Unknown	January 29, 1950 (1950-01-29)
Starring Jimsey Somers, Joan Castle, John Newland, and Jack Diamond.
19	"The Trap"	Unknown	Unknown	February 5, 1950 (1950-02-05)
Starring Oliver Thorndyke and Mary K. Welles.
20	"The Brave and the Early Fallen"	Unknown	Unknown	February 12, 1950 (1950-02-12)
Starring Royal Dano.
21	"The Karpoldi Letter"	Unknown	Unknown	February 19, 1950 (1950-02-19)
Starring William Neil.
22	"The Long, Young Dreams"	Unknown	Unknown	February 26, 1950 (1950-02-26)
Starring Faye Emerson and Barry Nelson.
23	"Neither a Borrower"	Unknown	Unknown	March 5, 1950 (1950-03-05)
Starring Leona Maricle and Perry Wilson.
24	"Always a Knife in the Back"	Unknown	Unknown	March 12, 1950 (1950-03-12)
Starring Vicki Cummings.
25	"Blackmail"	Unknown	Unknown	March 19, 1950 (1950-03-19)
Starring William Post, Jr., Virginia Gilmore, and Cynthia Carlin.
26	"The Green Bush"	Unknown	Unknown	March 26, 1950 (1950-03-26)
Starring Robert Feyti, Eleanor Lynn, and Jonathan Marlowe.
27	"Burden of Guilt"	Unknown	Unknown	April 2, 1950 (1950-04-02)
Starring Clay Clement.
28	"Motive for Murder"	Unknown	Unknown	April 9, 1950 (1950-04-09)
Starring John Baragrey and Pam Duncan.
29	"Double Entry"	Unknown	Unknown	April 16, 1950 (1950-04-16)
Starring Florence Reed and Robert Feyti.
30	"The Witness to the Crime"	Unknown	Unknown	April 23, 1950 (1950-04-23)
Starring Joe Glendenning, June Dayton, and Frank M. Thomas.
31	"The Lawbeaters"	Unknown	Unknown	April 30, 1950 (1950-04-30)
Starring Lee Tracy.
32	"The Suitable Present"	Unknown	Unknown	May 7, 1950 (1950-05-07)
Starring Kathleen Comegys.
33	"Revenge by Proxy"	Unknown	Unknown	May 14, 1950 (1950-05-14)
Starring Nancy Coleman, Phil Arthur, Bernard Kates, and Victor Sutherland.
34	"Change of Murder"	Unknown	Unknown	May 21, 1950 (1950-05-21)
Starring Bernard Nedell, Charles Jordan, and Alfred Hopson.
35	"South Wind"	Unknown	Unknown	May 28, 1950 (1950-05-28)
Starring William Post, Jr. and Peggy French.
36	"I Got What It Takes"	Unknown	Unknown	June 4, 1950 (1950-06-04)
Starring William Post, Jr. and Peggy French.
37	"The Hotel of the Three Kings"	Unknown	Unknown	June 11, 1950 (1950-06-11)
Starring Elwyn Harvey, Sara Anderson, and William Beach.
38	"Hands of the Enemy"	Unknown	Unknown	June 18, 1950 (1950-06-18)
Starring Alfreda Wallace, Kem Dibbs, and Richard McMurray.
39	"Satan's Waitin'"	Unknown	Unknown	June 25, 1950 (1950-06-25)
Starring Jeanne Cagney and Pierre Watkins.

See also

• 1949-50 United States network television schedule
• Colgate Comedy Hour (1950–1955), also known as Colgate Variety Hour

References

Citations

1. McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 171. ISBN   0-14-02-4916-8.
2. Brooks & Marsh 1999, p. 198.
3. "Radio-Video: 'Vic and Sade' Will Make Debut on Television on July 11 Over NBC" . The New York Times. June 14, 1949. p. 54. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
4. "Colgate Theatre". Variety. January 10, 1949. p. 30. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
5. "Sunday, December 18". Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index. August 20, 1949. p. 3. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
6. "Sunday, December 18". Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index. August 27, 1949. p. 4. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
7. "Sunday, December 18". Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index. September 5, 1949. p. 4. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
8. "Ross Reports on Television Programming for the Week of Sept. 18 to Sept. 24, 1949". Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index. September 22, 1949. p. 4. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
9. "Sunday, December 18". Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index. December 18, 1949. p. 4. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
10. "Sunday, December 25". Ross Reports. December 25, 1949. p. 4. Retrieved September 8, 2023.

Bibliography

• Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1999). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (7th ed.). New York: The Ballentine Publishing Group. ISBN   0-345-42923-0.

External links

• Colgate Theatre (1949) at IMDb
• Episode list at CTVA - The Classic Television Archive