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Four Star Playhouse (radio Program)
''Four Star Playhouse'' is a radio dramatic anthology series in the United States. The 30-minute program was broadcast on NBC beginning in July 1949 and was sustaining. It lasted only three months. ''Four Star Playhouse'' was one of "at least 10" new programs developed for that summer by NBC's estCoast programming department. A story in the July 2, 1949, issue of ''The Billboard'' reported that NBC "is now keyed to the recent programming drive, launched to offset Columbia Broadcasting System's (CBS) talent raids, and is anxious to use summer hiatus periods to develop shows worthy of fall bankrolling. Hence, the new raft of airers will not be treated as fill-in shows, but produced with an eye to long-term web tenancy.""Plethora of Summer Shows Swells Coast NBC Operations". ''The Billboard''. July 2, 1949. P. 6. Radio historian John Dunning put the production surge in context:The Four Star Playhouse was a 1949 NBC effort ... quickly put together as part of the network's barrage aga ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Four Star Playhouse
''Four Star Playhouse'' is an American anthology series that ran from 1952 to 1956. Four Star Playhouse was owned by Four Star International. Its episodes ranged anywhere from surreal mysteries, such as "The Man on the Train", to light comedies, such as "The Lost Silk Hat". The original premise was that Charles Boyer, Ida Lupino, David Niven, and Dick Powell would take turns starring in episodes. However, several other performers took the lead from time to time, including Ronald Colman and Joan Fontaine. The show was sponsored in its first bi-weekly season by The Singer Company. Bristol-Myers became an alternate sponsor when it became a weekly series in the fall of 1953 (both sponsors' names alternated as part of the show's title in its initial broadcasts). While it never made the Nielsen Top 30, the ratings were sufficient to keep it on the air for four seasons. In 1954, Billboard voted it the second best filmed network television drama series. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lawrence Dobkin
Lawrence Dobkin (September 16, 1919 – October 28, 2002) was an American television director, character actor and screenwriter whose career spanned seven decades. Dobkin was a prolific performer during the Golden Age of Radio. He narrated the western '' Broken Arrow'' (1950). His film performances include ''Never Fear'' (1949), ''Sweet Smell of Success'' (1957) and ''North by Northwest'' (1959). Before the closing credits of each episode of the landmark ABC television network series '' Naked City'' (1958–1963), he said, "There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them." Early years Dobkin was born in New York City. Radio Dobkin understudied on Broadway. When he returned to network radio he was one of five actors who played the detective Ellery Queen in ''The Adventures of Ellery Queen''. In ''The New Adventures of Nero Wolfe'' (1950–1951), Dobkin played detective Archie Goodwin opposite Sydney Greenstreet's Nero Wolfe. While playi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cosmopolitan (magazine)
''Cosmopolitan'' is an American monthly fashion and entertainment magazine for women, first published based in New York City in March 1886 as a family magazine; it was later transformed into a literary magazine and, since 1965, has become a women's magazine. ''Cosmopolitan'' is one of the best-selling magazines and is directed mainly towards a female audience. Jessica Pels is the magazine's current editor-in-chief. Formerly titled ''The Cosmopolitan'' and often referred to as ''Cosmo'', throughout the years, ''Cosmopolitan'' has adapted its style and content. Its current incarnation was originally marketed as a woman's fashion magazine with articles on home, family, and cooking. Eventually, editor-in-chief Helen Gurley Brown changed its attention to more of a women empowerment magazine. Nowadays, its content includes articles discussing relationships, sex, health, careers, self-improvement, celebrities, fashion, horoscopes, and beauty. ''Cosmopolitan'' is published by New York ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ken Christy
Robert Kenneth Christy (November 23, 1894 – July 23, 1962) was an American television, film, and radio character actor. Early life Born Robert Kenneth Christy, he was the second of three children of Alice Christy and Olivier B. Christy. He was born in Greenville, Pennsylvania. According to census records, Christy served in World War I.Sies, Luther F. (2014). ''Encyclopedia of American Radio, 1920-1960, 2nd Edition, Volume 1''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 16. Career Radio The actor started his career on radio programs. From the early 1930s, he had a nearly three decade career on radio, with roles in such popular radio series as ''Little Orphan Annie'', where he played Mr. Bonds, ''The Great Gildersleeve'' on which he was a regular as the chief of police, as well as portraying several dramatic roles on ''Suspense''. A versatile artist, he was equally comfortable in serious minded programs, such as ''The Fifth Horseman'', ''Gangbusters'', ''Jack Armstrong, the All-Amer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dan O'Herlihy
Daniel Peter O'Herlihy (May 1, 1919 – February 17, 2005) was an Irish actor of film, television, and radio. With a distinguished appearance and rich, resonant speaking voice, O'Herlihy's best known-roles included his Oscar-nominated portrayal of the lead character in Luis Buñuel's ''Robinson Crusoe'' (1954), Brigadier General Warren A. Black in ''Fail Safe'' (1964), Marshal Ney in '' Waterloo'' (1970), Conal Cochran in '' Halloween III: Season of the Witch'' (1982), Grig in ''The Last Starfighter'' in (1984), "The Old Man" in ''RoboCop'' (1987) and its 1990 sequel, and Andrew Packard in the television series ''Twin Peaks'' (1990–91). Early life and education O'Herlihy was born in Wexford, County Wexford in 1919, but moved with his family to Dublin when he was young. He was educated at Christian Brothers College in Dún Laoghaire and later studied at University College Dublin, graduating in 1944 with a degree in architecture, following in his father's footsteps. He dev ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shepard Menken
Shepard Menken (November 2, 1921 – January 2, 1999) was an American film, television, voice, radio character actor. Early life Menken began his career at the age of 11, when he started appearing on children's radio programs. After high school, Menken attended Columbia University, and later studied performing arts at the Neighborhood Playhouse Theatre and the Juilliard School of Music. Career Menken made his film debut in 1949 with a supporting role in ''The Red Menace (film), The Red Menace'', and eventually appeared onscreen in 17 movies. Menken worked steadily as a television actor, appearing on such series as ''I Love Lucy'', ''I Spy (1965 TV series), I Spy'', and ''The Wild Wild West''. He was also in demand as a voice talent, working on animated cartoons for Hanna-Barbera, United Productions of America, UPA, and Marvel Productions, as well as advertising spots for StarKist Tuna and Mattel Toys; his was the voice intoning, "The only way to fly!" in Western Airlines' spots i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeff Chandler (actor)
Jeff Chandler (born Ira Grossel; yi, יראַ גראָססעל; December 15, 1918 – June 17, 1961) was an American actor, film producer, and singer, best remembered for playing Cochise in '' Broken Arrow'' (1950), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He was one of Universal Pictures' more popular male stars of the 1950s. His other credits include ''Sword in the Desert'' (1948), ''Deported'' (1950), ''Female on the Beach'' (1955), and ''Away All Boats'' (1956). In addition to his acting in film, he was known for his role in the radio program ''Our Miss Brooks'', as her fellow teacher and clueless object of affection, and for his musical recordings. Early life Chandler was born Ira Grossel to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, the only child of Anna (née Herman) and Phillip Grossel. He was raised by his mother after his parents separated when he was a child. He attended Erasmus Hall High School, the alma mater of many stage and film per ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Herb Butterfield
Herbert Butterfield (October 28, 1895 – May 2, 1957) was an actor best known for his work in American radio. Career Perhaps his major roles on radio were those of crime-lab expert Lee Jones (as well as many supporting characters) in ''Dragnet'', and The Commissioner in ''Dangerous Assignment''. Butterfield acted in dozens of roles on ''Broadway Is My Beat''. His other roles in radio programs included: Rex Kramer on '' Dan Harding's Wife'', Ziehm in '' Girl Alone'', Clarence Wellman in ''The Halls of Ivy'', Weissoul in ''Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy'', Preacher Jim in ''Kitty Keene, Inc.'', Judge Carter Colby in '' Lonely Women'', Phineas Herringbone in '' Ma Perkins'', Judge Glenn Hunter in ''One Man's Family'', and Judge Colby in ''Today's Children''. He also was the last actor to play Inspector Richard Queen in ''The Adventures of Ellery Queen'' on radio. Butterfield's limited activity on television included reprising his roles of Clarence Wellman in ''The Halls o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Nelson (actor)
Frank Brandon Nelson (May 6, 1911 – September 12, 1986) was an American comedic actor best known for playing put-upon foils on radio and television, and especially for his "EEE-Yeeeeeeeeesssss?" catchphrase. He made numerous guest appearances on television shows, including ''The Jack Benny Program'', ''I Love Lucy'', ''The Real McCoys'', ''The Addams Family'', '' Alice'', and '' Sanford and Son''. He also provided voices for animated series such as ''The Flintstones'', ''Mister Magoo'', ''The Jetsons'', ''Dinky Dog'', and '' The Snorks''. Career Radio Nelson began his entertainment career in radio, and later moved into television and movies. In 1926, at age 15, Nelson played the role of a 30-year-old man in a series broadcast from KOA in Denver, Colorado. In 1929, Nelson moved to Hollywood, California, and worked in local dramatic broadcasts, usually playing the leading man. The first sponsored program in which he appeared that reached a national market was ''Flywheel ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mary Jane Croft
Mary Jane Croft (February 15, 1916 – August 24, 1999) was an American actress best known for her roles as Betty Ramsey on ''I Love Lucy'', Miss Daisy Enright on the radio and television versions of ''Our Miss Brooks'', Mary Jane Lewis on ''The Lucy Show'' and '' Here's Lucy'', and Clara Randolph on ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet''. Early career Described as "a stage-struck 17-year-old just out of high school", she started her career on the stage of the Muncie Civic Theatre. She quickly joined the Guild Theatre company, a new theatrical stock company in Cincinnati. From that, she went to radio station WLW. Croft said of her work at WLW, "from 1935 to 1939, I played parts with every kind of voice and accent: children, babies, old women, society belles, main street floozies – everything." Radio Croft's initial appearance on radio was in ''Sherlock Holmes''. She worked extensively as an actress in radio, appearing on such programs as ''Life with Luigi'', '' Blondie'', ' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Willard Waterman
Willard Lewis Waterman (August 29, 1914 – February 2, 1995)Cox, Jim (2008). ''This Day in Network Radio: A Daily Calendar of Births, Debuts, Cancellations and Other Events in Broadcasting History''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . was an American character actor in films, TV and on radio, remembered best for replacing Harold Peary as the title character of '' The Great Gildersleeve'' at the height of that show's popularity. Early years In the mid-1930s, Waterman attended the University of Wisconsin, where he joined Theta Chi, acted in student plays, and was a friend of Uta Hagen. His growing interest in theater put an end to his original plan to be an engineer, and he gained experience in radio at the university's station, WHA. Radio Waterman began his radio career at WIBA in Madison, singing in a quartet that performed "musical interludes between programs," and came to NBC in Chicago in early 1936. Waterman replaced Harold Peary on ''The Great Gildersleeve'' in 1950, after ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jeanne Bates
Jeanne Bates (May 21, 1918 – November 28, 2007) was a retired American radio, film and television actress. After performing in radio serials, she signed a contract with Columbia Pictures in 1942 which began her career in films both in bit parts and larger roles in a series of horror films and noirs, including ''The Return of the Vampire'' (1943) and ''Shadows in the Night'' (1946). In her later career, Bates would collaborate with David Lynch on his films ''Eraserhead'' (1977) and ''Mulholland Drive'' (2001), the latter of which was her last film credit before her death in 2007. Career Bates was born in Berkeley, California in 1918. She began her acting career while attending San Mateo Junior College, with roles on radio soap operas produced in San Francisco. Bates had the lead role, and supplied the signature scream, on the radio mystery series ''Whodunit''. Following the war, the show was revived under the name "Murder Will Out." In 1943, she married the writer of ''W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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