The Lively Ones (TV series)

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The Lively Ones is an American musical variety television series that was broadcast July 26, 1962 - September 13, 1962, and July 25, 1963 - September 12, 1963, on NBC as the summer replacement for Hazel [1] from 9:30 to 10 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursdays. [2] The program presented "the best musical acts in the country against some of the most far-out backgrounds imaginable". [3]

Contents

Background

The program originated as a plan for selling automobiles. In 1962, Ford Motor Company introduced a new lineup of cars that were advertised as "The Lively Ones". Lee Iacocca, vice-president at Ford, thought of having a TV show of the same name as a boost to the company's marketing efforts, with the program featuring "the country's top musical talents — the lively one, the best, just as the automobiles were liveliest and best". [4]

Overview

Both years' programs starred Vic Damone in episodes that often were recorded at a variety of locations around the United States. Jerry Fielding's orchestra provided music. Each year Damone was accompanied by two "constant dates", but the young women featured in the second year were different from those of the first year. [1] Episodes also featured guests, some of whom were well-known, and others who were "new talent". [2] Barry Shear produced and directed the series. [5] He described the locations used in the show as "places where the young set of today, the lively set" went. [6] Shear indicated that the program was aimed at young people who were ready for music other than rock and roll — "other entertainment, some of which is very sophisticated". [6] He called the show's content "solid music for grownups" and said that he hoped younger people would be exposed to better music than that to which they were accustomed. [7] Damone described the program's concept: "The idea was to keep things moving at a certain beat, almost as if the entire show was one piece of music." [8]

1962

Damone's dates were Tiger and Charley, portrayed by Joan Staley and Shirley Yelm, respectively. [2] Guests included:

1963

Smitty and Melvin, played by Quinn O'Hara and Gloria Neil, respectively, were Damone's companions. [2] Guests included:

Production

Innovations were not limited to the varied locales; some segments added animated elements to live performances, and Damone's introductions of guests used "audio-visual devices". [6] In 1962, the show's eight episodes were made in three weeks. [25]

Recognition

The Lively Ones received four nominations for Emmy Awards:

Critical response

Jack Gould wrote in a review in The New York Times that the varied backgrounds and visual effects used on The Lively Ones diminished enjoyment of the music: "The eye is so busy keeping up with Mr. Shear's tinkering with the video that the ear never really gets with the audio." [27] He cited specific examples from the July 25, 1963, episode to support his statement and added that members of the audience might want to just listen: "Turn off the picture, and the show is fair radio." [27]

A review of the premiere episode in the trade publication Variety called it "a light and airy potpourri of song and music" that was "inventive and breezy ... despite over-gimmickry in camera conception and staging design". [28] The reviewer expressed surprise that Damone was not featured more but added that the guest performers did well. [28]

Integration with advertising

The trade magazine Sponsor reported in October 1962 that Ford and other automobile companies had "embarked on singularly effective marketing campaigns designed to capture the youth market", and that TV seemed "a superb vehicle" for reaching that market. [29] The article called The Lively Ones a "delightful color TV excursion" and said that experts in the industry considered it "one of the most effective non-sports campaigns". [29]

Ford's 1962 advertising campaign integrated elements of the program into commercials, with Damone and his "dates" from the show appearing in some of the TV advertising. [29] : 48  Two commercials from that group were recognized in the fourth annual American Television Commercials Festival. [30] A commercial for the Ford Fairlane was named best in Program Openings & Billboards, [30] : 45  and a special citation for Music with Lyrics went to another commercial. [30] : 49 

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. 487. ISBN   0-14-02-4916-8.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (June 24, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. pp. 802–803. ISBN   978-0-307-48320-1 . Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  3. ↑ Pack, Harvey (July 25, 1963). "'The Lively Ones' Open Tonight" . The Reporter Dispatch. New York, White Plains. p. 25. Retrieved December 21, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Damone, Vic; Chanoff, David (June 9, 2009). Singing Was the Easy Part. Macmillan. p. 184. ISBN   978-0-312-57025-5 . Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Vic Damone, The Lively Ones, In Summer Finale" . Breeze Courier. Illinois, Taylorsville. September 8, 1962. p. 7. Retrieved December 20, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Penton, Edgar (July 21, 1963). "'Lively Ones' Bounces Back For 1963" . The Daily Press. Virginia, Newport News. p. TV 2. Retrieved December 20, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ Scott, Vernon (July 22, 1963). "'Lively Ones' Returns" . The Bayonne Times. p. 6. Retrieved December 21, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Gates, Gary P. (July 20, 1963). "Damone and the 'Lively Ones' Promise to Keep 'the Old Zip'" . The South Bend Tribune. United Press International. p. 20. Retrieved December 21, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Thursday August 23". Ross Reports. August 20, 1962. p. 34-A. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Radio-TV". Jet. August 2, 1962. p. 66. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 4 "'Lively Ones' Get Lively Start" . Tampa Bay Times. July 22, 1962. p. 121. Retrieved December 21, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  12. 1 2 3 "Thursday August 9". Ross Reports. August 6, 1962. p. 32-A. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 "Thursday August 30". Ross Reports. August 27, 1962. p. 35-A. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Radio-TV". Jet. August 30, 1962. p. 66. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Radio-TV". Jet. August 15, 1963. p. 66. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  16. 1 2 3 "Radio-TV". Jet. August 29, 1963. p. 66. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 "TV Guest Appearances by Record Talent". Billboard. September 14, 1963. p. 11. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  18. 1 2 "TV Guest Appearances by Record Talent". Billboard. August 10, 1963. p. 16. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  19. 1 2 3 4 "TV Guest Appearances by Record Talent". Billboard. September 7, 1963. p. 12. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Radio-TV". Jet. August 8, 1963. p. 66. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  21. 1 2 "TV Guest Appearances by Record Talent". Billboard. August 3, 1963. p. 10. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  22. ↑ Churchill, Nicholas (December 29, 2004). Stan Getz: An Annotated Bibliography and Filmography, with Song and Session Information for Albums. McFarland. p. 341. ISBN   978-0-7864-1949-4 . Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  23. 1 2 "Radio-TV". Jet. July 25, 1963. p. 66. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  24. ↑ "TV Guest Appearances by Record Talent". Billboard. August 24, 1963. p. 14. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  25. ↑ Goldsborough, Robert (July 29, 1962). "Vic Damone Seeks to Score in Video" . Chicago Tribune. p. 58. Retrieved December 21, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
  26. 1 2 3 4 "The Lively Ones". Television Academy. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  27. 1 2 Gould, Jack (July 26, 1953). "TV: 'Lively Ones' Return; Barry Shear's Program on Channel 4 Includes Goodman and Count Basie" . The New York Times. p. 53. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  28. 1 2 "The Lively Ones". Variety. August 1, 1962. p. 29. Retrieved December 25, 2024.
  29. 1 2 3 "Tv's bright new 'youth kick'". Sponsor. October 22, 1962. pp. 27–29, 48, 50. Retrieved December 23, 2024.
  30. 1 2 3 "It's 'Go, Go' for Goodyear as Clio makes festival debut". Sponsor. June 3, 1963. pp. 40–41, 45, 48–49. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
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