Navy Log

Last updated
Navy Log
Genre Anthology
Written byPeter Barry
David E. Durston
Max Ehrlich
Leonard Lee
Roger Marston
William N. Robson
Allan E. Sloane
Directed by Samuel Gallu
Leslie Goodwins
Reginald Le Borg
Oscar Rudolph
Jean Yarbrough
Theme music composer Irving Bibo
Fred Steiner
Opening theme"Navy Log March"
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes104
Production
Producer Samuel Gallu
CinematographyKen Hodges
Frank V. Phillips
Lester White
Running time22–24 minutes
Production companiesGallu Productions
Worldvision Enterprises

(post-1960 international reruns only)
Original release
Network CBS (1955–1956)
ABC (1956–1958)
ReleaseSeptember 20, 1955 (1955-09-20) –
September 25, 1958 (1958-09-25)

Navy Log is an American television drama anthology series created by Samuel Gallu that presented stories from the history of the United States Navy. This series ran on CBS from September 20, 1955, until September 25, 1956. On October 17, 1956, it moved to ABC, where it aired until September 25, 1958. [1] It changed networks because CBS "could not schedule it to the sponsor's wishes". [2] The program aired for a total of three seasons and 104 episodes.

Contents

The Department of Defense and departments of the Navy cooperated with production of the filmed 30-minute series. [3] In conjunction with that cooperation, the Navy Information Office solicited suggestions for stories, accompanied by brief documentation, with a Navy Log Project Officer in charge. [4] The opening scene, filmed aboard the U.S.S. Hancock, showed 2,000 sailors forming the words "Navy Log". [1]

The program's theme was "The Navy Log March" by Fred Steiner. Episodes opened with an announcer saying, "This is Navy Log. The dramas you see each week on Navy Log are from official U. S. Navy files. They tell of ships and places and those who man them. Recorded through the years in Navy Log." [5]

In August 1957, then-Senator John F. Kennedy was technical adviser for the "P. T. 109" episode of the program, which related the story of the sinking of the patrol torpedo boat that he commanded. [6] He also was a guest on the broadcast of that episode. [7]

Staff and sponsors

Sam Gallu was the producer. In 1955, the New York and Washington chapters of the Navy League of the United States awarded him a citation of appreciation. [8] In 1957, he received a distinguished public service award from the Navy for his efforts related to Navy Log. [9] CBS Television Film Sales was the distributor. [10]

Allan Sloane was the writer, and Tom Connors was the production manager. John Ewing was the art director, and Fred Steiner was the music director. [2] : 18 

Sponsors for the series included W. A. Shaeffer Pens, Maytag, American Tobacco, and U. S. Rubber. [11]

Reception

Navy Log used a fictionalized — rather than documentary — approach for its presentation of stories. Executive producer Leslie Harris contrasted it with Victory at Sea, which NBC presented as a documentary. Harris said the documentary treatment created too large a scope and failed to let viewers feel "close to any of the participants" or view action as those on hand saw it. [12]

In at least one broadcast, fictionalization stirred discontent. The crew of the only patrol craft that sank a German submarine during World War II saw their presidential-citation-winning efforts turned into what a newspaper columnist described as "a comedy of errors". Jo Coppola wrote in Newsday that the men involved said the facts and circumstances were not shown correctly. [10]

Columnist Hal Humphrey described the first two episodes of the series as having excellent production quality but needing a higher quality of writing. He described some of the lines as "very trite and corny dialogue". [12] A review in The New York Times of the first ABC episode said, "Action shots in the later part of the half hour were exciting and graphic, but the acting and dialogue in general were rather routine." [13] An unsigned review in the trade publication Broadcasting noted that the program needed "a firmer hand at editing" to avoid elements that appeared amateurish. [2] : 18 .

Syndication

CBS Television Film Sales released episodes of Navy Log in two 52-episode packages that local stations could run over two years. [11]

Notable guest stars

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References

  1. 1 2 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. 592. ISBN   0-14-02-4916-8.
  2. 1 2 3 "Navy Log" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 22, 1956. pp. 15, 18. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Exploits of Navy to be seen on TV" . The New York Times. June 6, 1955. p. 49. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  4. ↑ "'Navy Log' Ideas Invited". U. S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps Bulletin. 9 (10): 30. October 1955. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  5. ↑ Terrace, Vincent (2013). Television Introductions: Narrated TV Program Openings since 1949. Scarecrow Press. p. 177. ISBN   978-0-8108-9250-7 . Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Senator Kennedy to advise for TV" . The New York Times. August 6, 1957. p. 42. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  7. ↑ 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. 718. ISBN   0-345-42923-0.
  8. ↑ "Award Shorts" (PDF). Broadcasting. October 3, 1955. p. 99. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  9. ↑ Powers, Forrest (April 24, 1957). "Film Plugs Torpedo 'Navy Log' Audience". The Minneapolis Star. p. 17 C. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  10. 1 2 Coppola, Jo (February 15, 1957). "Sailors Hit 'Navy Log'". Newsday. p. 3 C. Retrieved November 24, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
  11. 1 2 "'Navy Log' Cut for Syndication" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 14, 1958. p. 52. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  12. 1 2 Humphrey, Hal (September 21, 1955). "Viewing TV: The New 'Navy Log' Series". Evansville Courier and Press. p. 13. Retrieved November 24, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "New 'Navy Log' Series Has Debut" . The New York Times. October 18, 1956. p. 67. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
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