The Hank McCune Show

Last updated

The Hank McCune Show
Genre Sitcom
Directed byCharles Maxwell
StarringHank McCune
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Producers Samuel Z. Arkoff
Dick Farrell
Hank McCune
Camera setup Single-camera
Running time25 minutes
Production companyUnited Television Productions
Original release
Network NBC
ReleaseSeptember 9 (1950-09-09) –
December 2, 1950 (1950-12-02)

The Hank McCune Show is an American television sitcom. Filmed without a studio audience, the series is notable for being the first television program to incorporate a laugh track. [1]

Contents

The series began as a local program in New York in 1949. [2] NBC placed it on its national primetime schedule at the start of the 1950–51 season. It debuted at 7:00pm Eastern Time on September 9 and was cancelled three months later. It was briefly resurrected as a syndicated program in 1953–54, [3] but without a laugh track. [4]

Overview

The premise foreshadowed that of The Larry Sanders Show in that it contained a show within a show. Former radio comedian McCune portrayed a television variety show host named after himself, and each week the character managed to blunder his way into a variety of comic predicaments.

The supporting cast included Larry Keating, Charles Maxwell, Frank Nelson, Arthur Q. Bryan, Sara Berner, Tammy Kiper, [5] and Florence Bates.

Production

United Television Productions produced the show, [2] and Harold Schuster was the producer. [6] Mort Lachman and Cy Rose were the writers. [5]

Although ratings "weren't terrible", the sponsor left after the then-minimum 13 weeks of shows. [7]

Syndicated version

Bing Crosby Enterprises produced the syndicated version of The Hank McCune Show. It was distributed by CBS's TV film sales division. [8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ingram, Billy (2002). TVparty!: Television's Untold Tales. Bonus Books, Inc. p. 17. ISBN   1-56625-184-2.
  2. 1 2 Leszczak, Bob (November 16, 2012). Single Season Sitcoms, 1948-1979: A Complete Guide. McFarland. pp. 67–68. ISBN   978-0-7864-6812-6 . Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  3. ↑ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows – 1946–present (9 ed.). Ballantine Books. p. 579. ISBN   978-0345497734 . Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Production," Broadcasting Telecasting, p. 37, http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1954/1954-01-04-BC.pdf
  5. 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. 357. ISBN   0-14-02-4916-8.
  6. ↑ "Radio and Television: ' Time for Defense,' Produced by Johnson's Department, to Bow on ABC Oct. 25" . nnyt. October 6, 1949. p. 62. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  7. ↑ Jones, Gerard (March 15, 1993). Honey, I'm Home!: Sitcoms: Selling The American Dream. Macmillan. p. 49. ISBN   978-0-312-08810-1 . Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  8. ↑ "CBS Sales Acquires Crosby Video Films". Billboard. July 26, 1952. p. 11. Retrieved August 13, 2024.


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