Front Row Center
| Front Row Center | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Variety |
| Directed by | Milt Douglas Fletcher Markle |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Fletcher Markle |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 30 minutes (March 1949–June 1949) 60 minutes (June 1949–April 1950) |
| Original release | |
| Network | DuMont Television Network |
| Release | March 25, 1949 – April 2, 1950 |
Front Row Center is the title of two American television programs with different formats that were broadcast on different networks.
DuMont version
[edit | edit source]Front Row Center, an American variety show, aired on the DuMont Television Network from March 25, 1949, to April 2, 1950,[1] The program was a renamed version of Hotel Broadway, with Whelan Drug Company continuing as sponsor, but with a new slot on DuMont's schedule.[2] It initially was on from 9 to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Fridays. In June 1949 it moved to 8-9 p.m. ET on Fridays, and in October 1949 it moved to 7-8 p.m. ET on Sundays.[3]
Originally 30 minutes, the sustaining program expanded to 60 minutes on June 10, 1949, and DuMont personnel began seeking entertainers in an effort to make the program "television's standout talent quest show."[4] That quest included holding auditions at DuMont's Adelphi Playhouse in New York City.[4]
The premiere episode featured Marilyn Maxwell in her TV debut.[3]
Personnel
[edit | edit source]Frank Fontaine was the host. Regulars on the program were Marian Bruce, Joan Fields, Cass Franklin, Phil Leeds, Hal Lohman, Monica Moore, Bibi Osterwald, and Danny Shore.[5]
Bill Harmon was the program's producer and director,[4] and Stanton B. Fisher also directed. Sam Spear and his 14-piece orchestra provided music.[2]
CBS version
[edit | edit source]Front Row Center was a dramatic anthology series on CBS that originally ran from June 1, 1955, to September 21, 1955, and returned from January 8, 1956 until April 22, 1956.[1] In 1955 the program was broadcast every Wednesday from 10 to 11 p.m. ET through June, after which it alternated in that time slot with The United States Steel Hour. Episodes in 1956 were broadcast on Sunday afternoons.[3]
Fletcher Markle was the director.[1] Episodes were live adaptations of Broadway plays or literary works.[3] They included the following:
- June 1, 1955 - "Dinner at Eight" - Mary Astor, Everett Sloane, Pat O'Brien, Mary Beth Hughes[1]
- June 15, 1955 - "Ah, Wilderness!" - Leon Ames, Lillian Hellman[1]
- September 7, 1955 - "Tender is the Night" - Mercedes McCambridge,[6] James Daly
- January 8, 1956 - "Finley's Fan Club" -Diana Lynn, Eddie Bracken[7]
- April 15, 1956 - "The Human Touch" - Lisa Kirk[1]
Critical response
[edit | edit source]Jack Gould wrote in The New York Times that the presentation of "Dinner at Eight" "was hurt by editing and uneven casting; it was warmed-over fare, lacking real substance."[8] He described Sloane's acting as "a good performance."[8]
See also
[edit | edit source]- List of programs broadcast by the DuMont Television Network
- List of surviving DuMont Television Network broadcasts
- 1949-50 United States network television schedule
References
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Bibliography
[edit | edit source]- David Weinstein, The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2004) Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
[edit | edit source]- Front Row Center at IMDbLua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
- DuMont historical website Archived 2022-02-14 at the Wayback Machine
- 1949 American television series debuts
- 1950 American television series endings
- 1940s American variety television series
- 1950s American variety television series
- Black-and-white American television shows
- DuMont Television Network original programming
- American English-language television shows
- American television show stubs