Blondie (1957 TV series)
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Blondie is the first of two television series based on the comic strip by Chic Young. The show first aired on January 4, 1957 on NBC and ran for one season. Pamela Britton starred in the title role and Arthur Lake played Blondie's husband Dagwood Bumstead, reprising his role from the Blondie film series.[1]
A pilot episode was filmed in 1954 with Hal Le Roy as Dagwood opposite Britton's Blondie. The series was released in its entirety on September 25, 2018 by ClassicFlix.[2] As of 2024, it airs on Shout! TV.
Cast
- Arthur Lake as Dagwood Bumstead[3]
- Pamela Britton as Blondie Bumstead[3]
- Florenz Ames as J.C. Dithers[3]
- Ann Barnes as Cookie Bumstead[3]
- Stuffy Singer as Alexander Bumstead[3]
- Harold Peary as Herb Woodley
- Elvia Allman as Cora Dithers
- Lucien Littlefield as Mr. Beasley
- Hollis Irving as Mrs. Woodley
Episodes
| Nº | Title [4] | Directed by | Written by | Air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Sudden Wealth" | Hal Yates | John L. Greene | 1957-1-4 |
| 2 | "It's for the Birds" | Hal Yates | John L. Greene | 1957-1-11 |
| 3 | "The Folks Who Came to Dinner" | Hal Yates | Warren Spector & Gordon T. Hughes | 1957-1-18 |
| 4 | "The Other Woman" | 1957-1-25 | ||
| 5 | "Home Sweet Home" | Hal Yates | Jack Ellinson & Charles Stewart | 1957-2-1 |
| 6 | "Get That Gun" | Hal Yates | Frank Gill, Jr. | 1957-2-8 |
| 7 | "The Feud" | Paul Landres | John L. Greene | 1957-2-15 |
| 8 | "The Quiz Show" | Hal Yates | 1957-2-22 | |
| 9 | "Husbands Once Removed" | 1957-3-1 | ||
| 10 | "The Payoff Money" | Paul Landres | George Beck & Jo Conway | 1957-3-8 |
| 11 | "Hard Luck Idol" | Paul Landres | John L. Greene | 1957-3-15 |
| 12 | "Oil for the Lamps of Blondie" | 1957-3-22 | ||
| 13 | "Blondie the Breadwinner" | 1957-3-29 | ||
| 14 | "The Glamour Girl" | 1957-4-5 | ||
| 15 | "The Rummage Sale" | Paul Landres | 1957-4-12 | |
| 16 | "Deception" | Paul Landres | Don Nelson & Jay Sommers | 1957-4-19 |
| 17 | "Puppy Love" | Gerald Freedman | George Carleton Brown & Frank Gill Jr. | 1957-4-26 |
| 18 | "Made to Fire" | Paul Landres | Gordon T. Hughes & Warren Spector | 1957-5-3 |
| 19 | "Blondie Redecorates" | Paul Landres | John L. Greene | 1957-5-10 |
| 20 | "Blondie's Double" | Paul Landres | 1957-5-17 | |
| 21 | "The Spy" | Paul Landres | John L. Greene | 1957-5-24 |
| 22 | "Cupid's Question Column" | Paul Landres | John L. Greene | 1957-5-31 |
| 23 | "The Tramp" | Paul Landres | John L. Greene | 1957-6-7 |
| 24 | "Follow That Man" | Paul Landres | John L. Greene | 1957-6-14 |
| 25 | "The Party" | Paul Landres | John L. Greene | 1957-6-21 |
| 26 | "Howdy Neighbor" | 1957-6-28 |
Production
William Harmon was the producer, Hal Yates was the director, and John L. Greene was the director.[3] The show was a Hal Roach Jr. production. Toni and Nestle sponsored it on alternate weeks. It was broadcast on Fridays from 8 to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.[5]
Critical response
A review in the trade publication Variety found little to like in the premiere episode. It said that the TV adaptation "adds no new dimensions, either in wit or humor, to the comic strip."[3] In contrast, it added, "the comic strip humor is diluted, the cliched lines and situations standing out like sore thumbs."[3]
Further reading
Blondie Goes to Hollywood, by Carol Lynn Scherling. Albany, 2010. BearManor Media. .
References
- ↑ (2007).The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present.Random House Publishing.pp. 154–155.ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
- ↑ "Blondie - the Complete 1957 Television Series - ClassicFlix."
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 (January 16, 1957)."Blondie".Variety.pp. 31.Retrieved May 23, 2023.
- ↑ "Blondie - the Complete 1957 Television Series - ClassicFlix."
- ↑ (January 2, 1957)."Nestle, Toni Will Split 'Blondie' Tab".Variety.pp. 17.Retrieved May 20, 2023.
External links