The George Jessel Show: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Userspace draft|source=ArticleWizard|date=January 2018}} |
{{Userspace draft|source=ArticleWizard|date=January 2018}} |
||
'''The George Jessel Show''' is a 30-minute television variety program that was broadcast on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from September 13, 1953, until April 11, 1954.<ref name=tt>{{cite book|last1=McNeil|first1=Alex|title=Total Television|date=1996|publisher=Penguin Books USA, Inc.|location=New York, New York|isbn=0-14-02-4916-8|page= 322|edition=4th}}</ref> |
'''The George Jessel Show''' is a 30-minute television variety program that was broadcast on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] from September 13, 1953, until April 11, 1954.<ref name=tt>{{cite book|last1=McNeil|first1=Alex|title=Total Television|date=1996|publisher=Penguin Books USA, Inc.|location=New York, New York|isbn=0-14-02-4916-8|page= 322|edition=4th}}</ref> It was broadcast live from New York.<ref name=brooks/> |
||
After having worked as one of several rotating hosts of ''[[Four Star Revue]]'' on [[NBC]] television in 1952-1953, comedian [[George Jessel (actor)|George Jessel]] gained his own program in 1954. The show used a [[Roast (comedy)|celebrity roast]] format, with Jessel drawing on his self-proclaimed "Toastmaster General of the United States" status to give provide a humorous treatment of each week's guest.<ref name="slts">{{cite book|last1=Hyatt|first1=Wesley|title=Short-Lived Television Series, 1948–1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops|date=2003|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9781476605159|pages=50-51|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ty21CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA51&dq=%22George+Jessel+Show%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjX0rKKq7_YAhVGxmMKHfooA0EQ6AEIKTAA#v=onepage&q=%22George%20Jessel%20Show%22&f=false|accessdate=4 January 2018|language=en}}</ref> Guests of honor included [[Margaret O'Brien]],<ref name="brooks" /> [[Sophie Tucker]] and [[Mitzi Gaynor]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The George Jessel Show|url=http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-george-jessel-show/cast/201628/|website=TV Guide|accessdate=5 January 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105021033/http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-george-jessel-show/cast/201628/|archivedate=5 January 2018}}</ref> |
After having worked as one of several rotating hosts of ''[[Four Star Revue]]'' on [[NBC]] television in 1952-1953, comedian [[George Jessel (actor)|George Jessel]] gained his own program in 1954. The show used a [[Roast (comedy)|celebrity roast]] format, with Jessel drawing on his self-proclaimed "Toastmaster General of the United States" status to give provide a humorous treatment of each week's guest.<ref name="slts">{{cite book|last1=Hyatt|first1=Wesley|title=Short-Lived Television Series, 1948–1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops|date=2003|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9781476605159|pages=50-51|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ty21CgAAQBAJ&pg=PA51&dq=%22George+Jessel+Show%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjX0rKKq7_YAhVGxmMKHfooA0EQ6AEIKTAA#v=onepage&q=%22George%20Jessel%20Show%22&f=false|accessdate=4 January 2018|language=en}}</ref> Guests of honor included [[Margaret O'Brien]],<ref name="brooks" /> [[Sophie Tucker]] and [[Mitzi Gaynor]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The George Jessel Show|url=http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-george-jessel-show/cast/201628/|website=TV Guide|accessdate=5 January 2018|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105021033/http://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/the-george-jessel-show/cast/201628/|archivedate=5 January 2018}}</ref> |
||
Revision as of 21:49, 5 January 2018
The George Jessel Show is a 30-minute television variety program that was broadcast on ABC from September 13, 1953, until April 11, 1954.[1] It was broadcast live from New York.[2]
After having worked as one of several rotating hosts of Four Star Revue on NBC television in 1952-1953, comedian George Jessel gained his own program in 1954. The show used a celebrity roast format, with Jessel drawing on his self-proclaimed "Toastmaster General of the United States" status to give provide a humorous treatment of each week's guest.[3] Guests of honor included Margaret O'Brien,[2] Sophie Tucker and Mitzi Gaynor.[4]
Although the program was purported to be live and extemporaneous, it was actually scripted and rehearsed. Writers provided material to supplement Jessel's remarks.[3]
The show's sponsors included Ekco Products Company, B.B. Pen Company, and Gemex Watch Band Company.[5]
Personnel
The program also featured Hal Sawyer. Manny Manheim was the producer.[1] Jessel and Sam Carlton were the writers.[2]
Critical reception
A review in the November 30, 1953, issue of the trade publication Broadcasting panned the Jessel show, calling it "As sad a variety program as has passed before the discerning eye of a tv [sic] camera ..."[6] The reviewer held Jessel himself responsible for "this shabby excuse for entertainment."[6] After complimenting the quality of guest performers and production personnel, the reviewer noted "half-hearted applause at the end of the Jessel show" as an indication of the audience's feelings.[6]
Legal problem
In January 1955, the B.B. Pen Company, Inc. sued ABC-Paramount Theaters, Inc., charging breach of contract and fraud with regard to the company's sponsorship of the Jessel program. The suit alleged that some local stations pre-empted the program, diminishing the reach of the pen company's advertising. The $1.5 million suit was filed in Los Angeles Federal Court.[7]
References
- ^ a b McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 322. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
- ^ a b c Books, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1979). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows : 1946 - Present. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 224. ISBN 0-345-25525-9.
- ^ a b Hyatt, Wesley (2003). Short-Lived Television Series, 1948–1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops. McFarland. pp. 50–51. ISBN 9781476605159. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
- ^ "The George Jessel Show". TV Guide. Archived from the original on 5 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
- ^ "Ekco Products Buys 4 ABC TV Stanzas". Billboard. September 26, 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
- ^ a b c "The George Jessel Show" (PDF). Broadcasting. November 30, 1953. p. 16. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
- ^ "B.B. Pen Suit Seeks $1.5 Mil From ABC-Para" (PDF). Billboard. January 29, 1955. p. 5.