Joseph Schildkraut Presents

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Joseph Schildkraut Presents
Genre Anthology
Written by Tad Mosel
Directed by Barry Shear
David Lowe
Frank Telford
Starring Joseph Schildkraut (host and performer)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes13
Production
ProducerRay Benson
Running time30 minutes
Original release
Network DuMont
ReleaseOctober 28, 1953 (1953-10-28) –
January 21, 1954 (1954-1-21)

Joseph Schildkraut Presents is an anthology television series starring stage and screen actor Joseph Schildkraut that aired on the DuMont Television Network from October 28, 1953, to January 21, 1954. [1]

Contents

Overview

Episodes were dramas. In addition to being the series's host, Schildkraut starred in some of the episodes. [1]

Broadcast history

The series originally aired Wednesdays from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time. In January 1954 it was moved to Thursdays from 8 to 8:30 p.m. E. T. [2] The original contract with DuMont called for 26 episodes, with Schildkraut hosting all 26, and acting in 14 episodes. The series was cancelled after 13 episodes had aired.[ citation needed ]

This series is often confused with Personal Appearance Theatre which aired on ABC in the 1951–52 season and on which Schildkraut was also featured. The UCLA Film and Television Archive has some episodes of this earlier series.[ citation needed ]

Episode status

The UCLA Film and Television Archive lists seven episodes in its collection. However, only one (November 18, 1953) is from the DuMont series. The others are from the earlier ABC series Personal Appearance Theatre (1951–52), which also starred Schildkraut, and which may have also aired on DuMont stations.

Production

Joseph Schildkraut Presents was on film. Ray Benson was the producer, and Barry Shear was the director. [1]

Critical response

The reference book The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows said that Schildkraut "displayed a fairly wide range of talents" on the show, but scripts were inadequate, leading to cancellation of the series. [2]

A review in The New York Times also found fault with the writing for the show. It described the November 11, 1953, episode as "very trite, confusing and maudlin". [3] It said that the series had an expensive cast and was "handsomely mounted", but "the scripts are wretched". [3] It concluded, "Mr. Schildkraut deserves better." [3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 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. 440. ISBN   0-14-02-4916-8.
  2. 1 2 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. p. 525. ISBN   0-345-42923-0.
  3. 1 2 3 Gould, Jack. "Television in Review; Jean Carroll, the Impressionist, Gets a Poor Shuffle in Shopworn Situation Comedy" . The New York Times. p. 34. Retrieved April 1, 2025.

Bibliography


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