The Ed Wynn Show (1958 TV series)

Last updated
The Ed Wynn Show
Genre Sitcom
Starring Ed Wynn
Jacklyn O'Donnell
Sherry Alberoni
Herb Vigran
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes15
Production
ProducersBen Feiner, Jr
CinematographyFred Jackman
EditorEdwin Bryant
Running time30 minutes
Original release
Network NBC
ReleaseSeptember 25, 1958 (1958-09-25) –
January 1, 1959 (1959-01-01)

The Ed Wynn Show is a filmed sitcom that aired Thursday evenings on NBC [1] from September 25, 1958 [2] to January 1, 1959. It was the second TV show of the same name for the veteran comedian Ed Wynn, and his third television series overall. The Thalia-Keethwyn production company, [3] of which he and his son Keenan Wynn were part-owners, worked with Screen Gems to make the show. [2]

Contents

Premise

John Beamer (Ed Wynn) is a retired taxidermist [4] in a small college town. [5] He is a widower who lives in a big old house with his two granddaughters. [5] The elder, Laurie (Jacklyn O'Donnell), attends the local college, while Midge (Sherry Alberoni) is a school girl. Their mother is dead, their father is mentioned as working overseas. [6] Advance publicity described Beamer as a "wily old widower with a genius for solving other people's problems". [7] Beamer's attorney and friend, Ernest Hinshaw (Herb Vigran), is the only other regular character. Recurring characters include Pauline (Myrna Fahey), a college friend of Laurie, and Mrs. Creavy (Jesslyn Fax), a gossipy neighbor.

Production

The first public notice of the new series came in May 1958, when a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge approved the contracts between the Thalia-Keethwyn production company and the two minor actors, Jacklyn O'Donnell and Sherri Alberoni. [3] From a later story about the sale of the pilot episode, it must have been made just after the contract approvals. [8] While showing the pilot to prospective buyers, the representatives for the production companies [fn 1] were asked the same question each time: "Isn't he a bit old to risk in the lead?" [8] A previously secured affidavit of 72-year-old Ed Wynn's insurability answered that concern. [8]

Newspapers reported the next month that NBC had picked up The Ed Wynn Show for broadcast on Thursday evenings. [9] By mid-July, the premise of the show was released to the press, along with the starting date. [7] The primary sponsor was Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company for its Chesterfield cigarette brand, with the commercials handled by McCann Erickson. [2] Co-sponsor Bulova Watch Company bought up the remaining commercial time for the fall season. [10]

The producer for Screen Gems was Ben Feiner, Jr. [2] Actual filming, aside from the pilot episode, began August 4, 1958. [11] The film used was 35 mm, with Westrex magnetic sound recording.

IMDb reports this show as having 16 episodes, but lists only 15. It is not known if the discrepancy is due to the pilot episode, the title of which is also not known. From contemporary newspaper accounts, only 14 episodes were listed in television schedules.

Reaction

Reviews after the debut broadcast agreed that the show's concept precluded Ed Wynn from displaying much of his talent, with the writing an even bigger problem. Barbara Delatiner in Newsday said: "...the opener gave the venerable star little opportunity to act and certainly very little in the way of comedy". [12] William Ewald in his UPI syndicated column praised Wynn's performance as "warm and professional" but was blunt about the show itself: "It is a formula comedy complete with contrived situations and ha-ha-ha soundtrack". [13] Harry Harris in The Philadelphia Inquirer felt the same way about Wynn versus the show's writing: "He's an ingratiating fellow, but some of the dialogue and plot assigned to him are almost indigestibly 'folksy'." After seeing two episodes, Canadian reviewer Les Wedman wrote in The Province : "Mr. Wynn is fun to watch but the storyline appears likely to be a continued thin one. And the dialogue isn't half as funny as the canned laughter would try to convince us it is". [14]

When interviewed by Steven H. Scheuer about the critical reception, Ed Wynn defended the show. "People call the show corny... I admit I don't expect Brooks Atkinson to like my little show, but this isn't for sophisticated New York or Hollywood. It's a clean show and it has heart." [15]

Broadcast history

The first episode broadcast was on Thursday, September 25, 1958, at 8 pm. It replaced You Bet Your Life in that time slot, which moved to the later time of 10 pm Thursday. [6] It was initially bracketed by two game shows on NBC Thursday evenings: Tic-Tac-Dough preceded it at 7:30 pm [fn 2] and Twenty-One followed it at 8:30 pm. [16] The latter show had been moved from Mondays. [16]

The show was pre-empted by an hour long Bell Telephone Science Series special on Oct 23rd, 1958. [17] The episode originally scheduled for that date, "Laurie's Career", may not have ever been broadcast.

By early November, a columnist reported that a cigarette sponsor was considering dropping The Ed Wynn Show for a new Jack Webb series. [18]

The last episode broadcast was on January 1, 1959. A week later Steve Canyon was moved from Saturdays to replace The Ed Wynn Show in that Thursday 8pm time slot.

Episodes

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Sincerely Sam Hill"UnknownUnknownSeptember 25, 1958 (1958-09-25)
Laurie's college friends fill the spare rooms at the Beamer house, causing John's arrest on a zoning violation. [19] Cast: Jesslyn Fax, Myrna Fahey, Maureen Cassidy, Norman Ollestad, Gary Vinson, Charles Arnt
22"The Crossing Guard" Arthur Lubin Arthur Julian
Bill Davenport		October 2, 1958 (1958-10-02)
John Beamer substitutes for vacationing crossing guard but nearly costs him his job. [20] Cast: Howard Wright, Ross Ford, Elaine Edwards, Frank Wilcox, June White
33"The Scholarship"UnknownUnknownOctober 9, 1958 (1958-10-09)
John Beamer helps student get college scholarship over faculty objections. [21] Cast: Eugene Persson, Sheila Bromley, Ralph Clanton
44"Nature Knows Best"UnknownUnknownOctober 16, 1958 (1958-10-16)
Beamer disapproves of Laurie's new boyfriend hanging around, so tries to find him a job. [22] Cast: Robert Levin
55"Laurie's Career"TBATBATBA
(Pre-empted episode) [17] Cast:
66"Lover's Lane"UnknownUnknownOctober 30, 1958 (1958-10-30)
Beamer launches crusade to save public recreation area from highway development. [23] Cast:
77"The Jalopy Derby"UnknownUnknownNovember 6, 1958 (1958-11-06)
After catching a juvenile car thief, Beamer enters him into a hot rod race. [24] Cast:
88"Younger Than Autumn"UnknownUnknownNovember 13, 1958 (1958-11-13)
Beamer volunteers for town's centennial celebration but finds he isn't needed. [25] Cast:
99"A Date with Mrs. Creavy"UnknownUnknownNovember 20, 1958 (1958-11-20)
Beamer's efforts to play Cupid for Laurie land him a date with Mrs. Creavy. [26] Cast: Jesslyn Fax
1010"The Parking Ticket"UnknownUnknownNovember 27, 1958 (1958-11-27)
After giving a radio lecture on good citizenship, Beamer gets a parking ticket. [27] Cast:
1111"Aunt Lydia Comes to Town"UnknownUnknownDecember 4, 1958 (1958-12-04)
Beamer fears Laurie's Aunt Lydia is turning her into a cynical sophisticate. [28] Cast: Virginia Field
1212"New Boy in Town"UnknownUnknownDecember 11, 1958 (1958-12-11)
Show biz "brat" makes himself unpopular at the local junior high school. [29] Cast: Carol Morris, [30] Richard Eyer, Harvey Grant [31]
1313"Exchange Professor"UnknownUnknownDecember 18, 1958 (1958-12-18)
Physics professor lets Beamer down by no-showing a paid speaking event. [32] Cast: Duncan McLeod
1414"Midge's Award"UnknownUnknownDecember 25, 1958 (1958-12-25)
Midge fears having to live with Aunt Gertrude if she doesn't win scholarship award. [33] Cast: Isabel Randolph
1515"New York Adventure"UnknownUnknownJanuary 1, 1959 (1959-01-01)
Beamer goes to New York to persuade company heads to keep local pajama factory open. [34] Cast:

Notes

  1. ↑ Harold Cohen of the Ashley-Steiner talent agency, representing Thalia-Keethwyn, and Henry White from Screen Gems
  2. ↑ In a few markets a game show called Haggis Baggis was seen instead.

Related Research Articles

<i>Cop Rock</i> American television series

Cop Rock is an American police procedural musical television series created by Steven Bochco and William M. Finkelstein for the American Broadcasting Company. It premiered on September 26, 1990, and broadcast eleven episodes before concluding on December 26. It was both a critical and commercial failure when it originally aired.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Webb</span> American actor, producer, director, and writer (1920–1982)

John Randolph Webb was an American actor, television producer, director, and screenwriter, most famous for his role as Joe Friday in the Dragnet franchise, which he created. He was also the founder of his own production company, Mark VII Limited.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KTXA</span> Independent TV station in Fort Worth, Texas

KTXA is an independent television station in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is owned by the CBS News and Stations group alongside Fort Worth–based CBS station KTVT. Both stations share primary studio facilities on Bridge Street, east of downtown Fort Worth, and advertising sales offices at CBS Tower on North Central Expressway in Dallas. KTXA's transmitter is located in Cedar Hill, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KXTX-TV</span> Telemundo TV station in Dallas

KXTX-TV is a television station licensed to Dallas, Texas, United States, serving as the Dallas–Fort Worth market's outlet for the Spanish-language network Telemundo. It is owned and operated by NBCUniversal's Telemundo Station Group alongside Fort Worth–licensed NBC outlet KXAS-TV. Both stations share studios at the CentrePort Business Park in Fort Worth; KXTX-TV's transmitter is located in Cedar Hill, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KVIA-TV</span> ABC/CW affiliate in El Paso, Texas

KVIA-TV is a television station in El Paso, Texas, United States, affiliated with ABC and The CW. Owned by the News-Press & Gazette Company, the station maintains studios on Rio Bravo Street in northwest El Paso and a transmitter atop the Franklin Mountains within the El Paso city limits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KTSM-TV</span> NBC affiliate in El Paso, Texas

KTSM-TV is a television station in El Paso, Texas, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Nexstar Media Group. The station's studios are located on Oregon Street in northwest El Paso, and its transmitter is located atop the Franklin Mountains on the El Paso city limits.

<i>Law & Order</i> (season 7) Season of television series

The following is a list of Law & Order episodes from the series' seventh season (1996–1997): During the 7th season, Law & Order was becoming more popular than ever on television and was NBC's 2nd most-popular drama; however, the ratings were usually half the size of the network's hit drama ER. NBC decided to give Law & Order some additional promotion by airing episodes 149 "D-Girl", 150 "Turnaround" & 151 "Showtime" on Thursday nights at 10pm ET instead of ER reruns. Ratings for all three episodes were strong and helped establish the show on NBC's schedule for years to come. Episode 152 "Mad Dog" was supposed to air on a Thursday night as well, but NBC moved Law & Order back to Wednesdays at 10pm ET when their midseason show, the police drama Prince Street, bombed in the ratings in that same time slot. Law & Order won the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series for their work in the 7th season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buck Lansford</span> American football player (born 1933)

Alex John "Buck" Lansford is an American former football player who was an offensive lineman in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Rams. He was named to the Pro Bowl once. Lansford played college football for the Texas Longhorns and was selected in the second round of the 1955 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KHEY (AM)</span> Radio station in El Paso, Texas

KHEY is a Fox Sports Radio AM affiliate in the El Paso, Texas, United States, area. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The station is licensed to broadcast in HD radio, but does not currently broadcast in HD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaye Elhardt</span> American actress

Kaye Elhardt was an American actress with dozens of television appearances in a career spanning from 1956 to 1977. She was known for her many roles in Warner Brothers (WB) television series, including 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Surfside 6, Maverick, Bourbon Street Beat, Colt .45, and Bronco, but also did multiple episodes of Perry Mason and My Three Sons.

The David Niven Show is an American half-hour television anthology series that was broadcast from April 7, 1959, through September 15, 1959.

<i>Katie Joplin</i> 1999 American sitcom that aired on The WB

Katie Joplin is an American sitcom created by Tom Seeley and Norm Gunzenhauser that aired for one season on The WB Television Network from August to September 1999. Park Overall stars as the title character, a single mother who moves from Knoxville to Philadelphia and tries to balance her job as a radio program host with parenting her teenage son Greg. Supporting characters include Katie's niece Liz Berlin as well as her co-workers, played by Jay Thomas, Jim Rash, and Simon Rex. Majandra Delfino guest-starred in three episodes as the daughter of the radio station's general manager.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melinda Plowman</span> American actress

Melinda Ann Plowman, also known as Melinda Ann Casey and Melinda Casey, is an American actress and associate director. She began her acting career at age 6 and appeared in feature films and television episodes through the 1960s. In the 1970s, she became a member of the Directors Guild of America and worked as an associate director through the 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bek Nelson</span> American actress

Bek Nelson was an American model and showgirl who turned to acting at age 29, making seven films and two dozen television shows in her first three years.

Jacklyn Pearl O'Donnell is a retired American actress who was active from 1956 until 1970. She had regular starring roles on two television series, and performed on stage and in films. From September 1961 on she used the name "Erin O'Donnell" for billing credits.

His Honor, Homer Bell is a half-hour filmed American sitcom series made by NBC Films for first-run syndication. It starred Gene Lockhart in the title role. Thirty-nine episodes were produced by NBC in 1955. The first station that aired the series was KCOP-TV in Los Angeles, starting February 24, 1955. Station WJAC-TV in Johnstown, Pennsylvania was still running it as late as January 1961.

Oldsmobile Music Theatre is an American musical anthology television series that was broadcast on NBC from March 26, 1959, until May 7, 1959.

References

  1. ↑ "Ed Wynn Signed for New NBC Show". Newsday (Suffolk Edition). Melville, New York. July 8, 1958. p. 43 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Ed Wynn Slated for Return in Fall". Courier-Post. Camden, New Jersey. July 19, 1958. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 "Contracts Approved (photo caption)". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. May 13, 1958. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Smith, Cecil (August 3, 1958). "Gentle Charm of Ed Wynn to Glow in New TV Series". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. 129 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 Coleman, Bill (July 12, 1958). "RADIOpinion and TELEVISIONotes". The Tablet. Brooklyn, New York. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 Humphrey, Hal (September 8, 1958). "Even the Medics Can't Stop Ed Wynn". Los Angeles Mirror. Los Angeles, California. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 Pantell, Hope (July 15, 1958). "To View". Evening Sun. Baltimore, Maryland. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 3 Pack, Harvey (August 2, 1958). "Selling T.V. Pilot Can Be Tough Chore". The Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Ewald, William (June 26, 1958). "Wagon Train Cast Reflects Hard Travel". Courier-Post. Camden, New Jersey. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Playhouse Signs Gleason for 'Time of Your Life'". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. August 1, 1958. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Rogers, Helen (July 23, 1958). "Videosyncracies". The News-Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. p. 37 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Delatiner, Barbara (September 26, 1958). "On Television". Newsday (Nassau Edition). New York, New York. p. 96 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ Ewald, William (September 26, 1958). "Last Night's Television". The Herald News. Passaic, New Jersey. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ Wedman, Les (October 6, 1958). "T.V. In Review". The Province. Vancouver, British Columbia. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ Scheurer, Steven H. (October 19, 1958). "Ed Wynn Hot After Dramatic Comeback During Past Year". Manhattan Mercury. Manhattan, Kansas. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. 1 2 Gaver, Jack (September 3, 1958). "NBC Is Scheduling 12 New TV Shows". The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte, North Carolina. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. 1 2 Stancil, Bill (October 22, 1958). "What's Doing For Fun?". Rocky Mount Telegram. Rocky Mount, North Carolina. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ Ewald, William (November 6, 1958). "The Channel Swim". Daily Press Journal. Wilmington, California. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Staling Bites the Dust in 'Playhouse' Premiere". Tampa Bay Times. Tampa, Florida. September 21, 1958. p. 128 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ "TV Best Bets on the Nets". Star-Telegram. Ft. Worth, Texas. October 2, 1958. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ "TV Previews, Programs". Daily Herald. Rutland, Vermont. October 9, 1958. p. 24 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ "TV Best Bets on the Nets". Star-Telegram. Ft. Worth, Texas. October 16, 1958. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ "TV Best Bets on the Nets". Star-Telegram. Ft. Worth, Texas. October 30, 1958. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ Turre, Marie (November 6, 1958). "Today's TV Briefs". The Lima Citizen. Lima, Ohio. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ↑ "TV Best Bets on the Nets". Star-Telegram. Ft. Worth, Texas. November 13, 1958. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ↑ "KTSM-TV Channel 9 NBC". El Paso Times. El Paso, Texas. November 20, 1958. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ↑ "KTSM-TV Channel 9 NBC". El Paso Times. El Paso, Texas. November 27, 1958. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ↑ "KTSM-TV Channel 9 NBC". El Paso Times. El Paso, Texas. December 4, 1958. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ↑ "TV Best Bets on the Nets". Star-Telegram. Ft. Worth, Texas. December 11, 1958. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ↑ "Top Viewing Today". The Independent. Long Beach, California. December 11, 1958. p. 52 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ↑ "Television Programs". Los Angeles Evening Citizen-News. Hollywood, California. December 11, 1958. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ↑ Cain, Ira (December 18, 1958). "Hussein Assassination Plot on Behind Closed Doors". Star-Telegram. Ft. Worth, Texas. p. 70 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ↑ "Today's Television Highlights". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, Utah. December 25, 1958. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ↑ "TV Highlights". The Daily Times. Davenport, Iowa. January 1, 1959. p. 28 – via Newspapers.com.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.