"player. Frawley reportedly never felt comfortable with the out-of-sequence filming method used for ""My Three Sons"" after doing ""I Love Lucy"" in sequence for years. Each season was arranged so that main actor Fred MacMurray could film all of his scenes during two separate intensive blocks of filming for a total of 65 working days on the set; Frawley and the other actors worked around the absent MacMurray for the remainder of the year's production schedule. By the mid-1960s, alcohol and old age finally took their toll, and Frawley began forgetting his lines. By the show's fifth season, Frawley was"
"closer to Ball's age and attractive. Also, Ball, firmly entrenched in film and radio, had never heard of Vance, who was primarily a theater actress. Ultimately, the 42-year-old Vance won the role on the new television program, which debuted October 15, 1951, on CBS. Vance's Ethel Mertz character was the landlady of a New York City brownstone that she and her husband Fred owned on East 68th Street. The Fred role was played by William Frawley, who was actually 22 years her senior. Despite their exceptional chemistry, comedic timing, and musical prowess together onscreen, Vance and Frawley did not get"
"titled ""The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show"" (later retitled ""The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour""). Vivian Vance played Ethel Mertz, Frawley's on-screen wife. Although the two actors worked well together, they greatly disliked each other. Most attribute their mutual hatred to Vance's vocal resentment of having to play wife to a man 22 years her senior. Frawley reportedly overheard Vance complaining; he took offense and never forgave her. ""She's one of the finest girls to come out of Kansas"", he once observed, ""But I often wish she'd go back there."" An avid New York Yankees baseball fan, Frawley had it written into his"
"that song previously on television, as Fred Mertz, in the 1958 episode ""Lucy Goes to Sun Valley"" on the ""Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour"". Frawley's final on-camera performance was on October 25, 1965, with a brief cameo appearance in Lucille Ball's second television sitcom ""The Lucy Show"" in the episode ""Lucy and the Countess Have a Horse Guest"". Frawley plays a horse trainer and Lucy comments: ""You know, he reminds me of someone I used to know."" (Vivian Vance, who by then had left ""The Lucy Show"" except for an occasional guest appearance, does not appear in that episode.) Frawley died of"
"as host of Reagan's ""General Electric Theater"" so long as Reagan performs as the director. Walter Brennan, who frequently portrayed the roles of an eccentric ""old timer"" or a prospector, appeared with Tennessee Ernie Ford on May 30, 1957, some three months prior to the launching of his ABC situation comedy, ""The Real McCoys."" On December 26, 1956, Spring Byington, then seventy, guest starred on ""The Ford Show"" while at the peak of her success on CBS' ""December Bride"" comedy series. Another older star who appeared with Ford was William Frawley between his stints as Fred Mertz on CBS's ""I"
"of his other memorable film roles were as the baseball manager in Joe E. Brown's ""Alibi Ike"" (1935), as the wedding host in Charlie Chaplin's ""Monsieur Verdoux"" (1947), and as a hard-nosed insurance investigator in ""My Home in San Antone"", with Roy Acuff and Lloyd Corrigan. By 1951, the 64-year-old Frawley had appeared in over 100 movies, but was starting to find film role offers becoming fewer. When he heard that Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball were casting a new television situation comedy, he applied eagerly to play the role of the cantankerous, miserly landlord Fred Mertz. One evening he"
"Mr. Conklin on both the radio and television versions of ""Our Miss Brooks"". Casting the Mertzes, as they were now called (the surname taken from a doctor that ""Lucy"" scriptwriter Madelyn Pugh knew as a child in Indianapolis), proved to be a challenge. Ball had initially wanted character actor James Gleason, with whom she appeared in Columbia Pictures film ""Miss Grant Takes Richmond"" (1949), to play Fred Mertz. However, Gleason wanted nearly $3,500 per episode to play the role, a price that was far too high to sustain. Sixty-four-year-old William Frawley, a seasoned vaudevillian and movie character actor with nearly"
"high as 80% at their peak. The duo disbanded their partnership in 1956, and Gentile returned to CKLW. Toby David also eventually returned to AM 800 to host the morning show in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Both Binge and David were also stars of early Detroit television kiddie shows: Binge was ""Pirate Pete"" on WJBK-TV in the mid-1950s, and David became CKLW-TV's (now CBET-DT) ""Captain Jolly"" later in the decade (a role which, ironically, Binge had originally been tagged to play). As television's popularity boomed, CKLW, like many other stations, coped with the changes by replacing the dying"
"popular 1950s and 1960s musicians such as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Supremes, The Dave Clark Five, The Animals, The Beach Boys, The Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Janis Joplin, The Rolling Stones, The Mamas & the Papas, The Lovin' Spoonful, Herman's Hermits, The Doors and The Band. The Canadian comedy duo Wayne and Shuster appeared on the program 67 times, a record for any performer. The American public's first exposure to Itzhak Perlman was on the show in 1958, when he was 13. This performance was a breakthrough not only for classical music, but also for Perlman, who rode the"
"Freddie Prinze Freddie James Prinze (born Frederick Karl Pruetzel; June 22, 1954 – January 29, 1977) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Prinze was the star of NBC-TV sitcom ""Chico and the Man"" from 1974 until his death in 1977. Prinze is the father of actor Freddie Prinze Jr. Prinze was born Frederick Karl Pruetzel (German spelling: Prützel) in New York City, the son of Edward Karl Pruetzel and Maria Graniela Pruetzel. His mother was Puerto Rican and his father was a German Lutheran immigrant who had arrived in the U.S. as a youth in 1934. Prinze was raised"
"exaggeration, and Frazee (who appeared without billing) earned her laughs with excellent comedy timing. The series lapsed in 1956. After retiring from acting, Frazee started a real estate business. Frazee's marriage to Glenn Tryon lasted five years and produced one son, Timothy. Jane Frazee died of a stroke in 1985. Jane Frazee co-starred as Joe's wife Alice, without screen credit: Jane Frazee Mary Jane Frehse (July 18, 1915 – September 6, 1985), known as Jane Frazee, was an American actress, singer, and dancer. (Her studio biography gave her birthdate as 1918, causing some confusion among her fans; Minnesota historian Dave"
"During the late 1950s, she also appeared on ""Alfred Hitchcock Presents"", ""General Electric Theater"", ""Lawman"", ""The Red Skelton Show"", and ""Wagon Train"", along with seven appearances on ""The Tonight Show"" with Jack Paar. During this period, she also was an actress on radio programs, including ""Suspense"". Nine-year-old Evelyn Rudie appeared as a contestant on the October 29, 1959, episode of the TV quiz program ""You Bet Your Life"", hosted by Groucho Marx. Rudie danced a waltz with her fellow contestant and told a joke in the German language. The pair earned $500. After appearing uncredited in director George Sidney's ""Bye"
"that he was the first person to perform the song publicly, in 1912 in the Mozart Cafe at 1647 Curtis Street in Denver, Colorado. Frawley revealed this during a May 3, 1965, appearance on the TV game show ""I've Got a Secret"". In 1958, Frawley performed the song again on the ""Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour"" on the episode ""Lucy Goes to Sun Valley"". Frawley, as Fred Mertz, was asked by Ricky to perform ""an old-fashioned ballad"" for his band's appearance on a TV show. Mertz sang the song in the rehearsal scene for the musical number. The song was recorded by"
"and the Man"". Prinze received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on December 14, 2004, honoring his contribution to the television industry. Actor and comedian George Lopez has acknowledged that he paid for Prinze's star. Freddie Prinze Freddie James Prinze (born Frederick Karl Pruetzel; June 22, 1954 – January 29, 1977) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Prinze was the star of NBC-TV sitcom ""Chico and the Man"" from 1974 until his death in 1977. Prinze is the father of actor Freddie Prinze Jr. Prinze was born Frederick Karl Pruetzel (German spelling: Prützel) in New York City,"
"100 film credits to his name, was a long shot to play Fred Mertz and only came into consideration after he telephoned Ball personally to ask if there was a role for him on her new show. Ball, who had only briefly known Frawley from her days at RKO, suggested him to both Arnaz and CBS. The network objected to the idea of casting Frawley, fearing that his excessive drinking—which was well known in Hollywood—would interfere with a commitment to a live show. Arnaz nonetheless liked Frawley and lobbied hard for him to have the role, even to the point"
"telephoned Lucille Ball, asking her what his chances were. Ball was surprised to hear from him — a man she barely knew. Both Ball and Arnaz agreed it would be great to have Frawley, a motion picture veteran, appear as Fred Mertz. Less enthusiastic were CBS executives, who warned of Frawley's frequent drinking and instability. Arnaz warned Frawley about the network's concerns, telling him that if he was late to work, arrived drunk, or was unable to perform because of something other than legitimate illness more than once, he would be written out of the show. A slightly different version"
"renamed the ""Grand Ole Opry"" in 1927 and NBC carried portions from 1944 to 1956. NBC also aired ""The Red Foley Show"" from 1951 to 1961, and ABC Radio carried ""Ozark Jubilee"" from 1953 to 1961. Radio attracted top comedy talents from vaudeville and Hollywood for many years: Abbott and Costello, Fred Allen, Jack Benny, Victor Borge, Fanny Brice, Billie Burke, Bob Burns, Judy Canova, Eddie Cantor, Jimmy Durante, Phil Harris, Bob Hope, Groucho Marx, Jean Shepherd, Red Skelton and Ed Wynn. Situational comedies also gained popularity, such as ""Amos 'n' Andy"", ""Burns and Allen"", ""Easy Aces"", ""Ethel and Albert"","
"expresses his exasperation with a phrase: ""Oh, for corn's sake."" The Fred Mertz character, the actor who portrayed him (William Frawley), and some of their costumes are memorialized in the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center in Jamestown, New York (Lucille Ball's real-life hometown). Due to the personality of the television character, the name ""Mertz"" is sometimes used as a description of someone acting in an unaware or unconscious manner. For example, someone walking with his zipper down or food on his face may be described as being a ""Mertz"". Fred Mertz Frederick Hobart Mertz, played by William Frawley, is a fictional"
"The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, sometimes called The Burns and Allen Show, is a half-hour television series broadcast from 1950 to 1958 on CBS. It stars George Burns and Gracie Allen, one of the most enduring acts in entertainment history. Burns and Allen were headliners in vaudeville in the 1920s, and radio stars in the 1930s and 1940s. Their situation comedy TV series received Emmy Award nominations throughout its eight-year run. A half-hour TV series broadcast October 12, 1950 – September 22, 1958, on CBS, ""The George Burns and Gracie Allen"
"Fury (TV series) Fury (retitled Brave Stallion in syndicated reruns) is an American western television series that aired on NBC from 1955 to 1960. It stars Peter Graves as Jim Newton, who operates the Broken Wheel Ranch in California; Bobby Diamond as Jim's adopted son, Joey Clark Newton, and William Fawcett as ranch hand Pete Wilkey. Roger Mobley co-starred in the two final seasons as Homer ""Packy"" Lambert, a friend of Joey's. The frequent introduction to the show depicts the beloved stallion running inside the corral and approaching the camera as the announcer reads: ""FURY!..The story of a horse..and a"
"Freddie (TV series) Freddie is an American television sitcom created by, and starring, Freddie Prinze Jr. that aired from October 5, 2005, to April 12, 2006. ""Freddie"" is inspired by Prinze Jr.'s real life, growing up in a house filled with women. His lifelong friend, Conrad Jackson, co-created this series with Prinze, along with executive producers Bruce Helford and Bruce Rasmussen. ""Freddie"" was co-produced by Hunga Rican and Excitable Boy! in association with and Mohawk Productions and Warner Bros. Television. The friendship between Freddie and Chris in the show was loosely based on Jackson and Freddie's real-life friendship. It was"
"the Michael Curtiz film ""Yankee Doodle Dandy"" (1943), starring James Cagney; 1946's ""Night and Day"", the Cole Porter biopic starring Cary Grant, Alexis Smith, and Monty Woolley; Vincente Minelli's ""Father of the Bride"" (1950), starring Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, and Elizabeth Taylor; and the 1951 comedy, ""Angels in the Outfield"". His final appearance would be in the big budget musical, ""The Farmer Takes a Wife"" (1953), which would be released after his death. Santley would die on May 14, 1953, in Los Angeles, California. Fred Santley Fred Santley (November 20, 1887 – May 14, 1953), also known variously as Freddie"
"The Tom Ewell Show The Tom Ewell Show is an American sitcom that aired on CBS during the 1960-61 television season under the alternate sponsorship of Quaker Oats and Procter & Gamble. Tom Ewell stars in this half-hour sitcom as Tom Porter, a real estate agent whose entire life, away from the office, was dominated by females: Recurring characters included Norman Fell as co-worker Howie Fletcher, heavy-set actor Barry Kelley as friend Jim Rafferty, and child-actor Vance Meadows as a neighborhood youngster. ""The Tom Ewell Show"" was created by Madelyn Martin and Bob Carroll, Jr. (of ""The Lucy Show"" fame),"
"(1957) and ""The 30 Foot Bride of Candy Rock"" (1959) and the television series, ""Bonanza"" and ""Cimarron Strip,"" before it burned to the ground in the massive Newhall/Malibu fire of 1970. The series continued in reruns on NBC until 1966 and was syndicated throughout the 1960s and 1970s by ITC Entertainment, which produced the series. Fury (TV series) Fury (retitled Brave Stallion in syndicated reruns) is an American western television series that aired on NBC from 1955 to 1960. It stars Peter Graves as Jim Newton, who operates the Broken Wheel Ranch in California; Bobby Diamond as Jim's adopted son,"
"of its own, but even dims the cherished Lillie luster."" A television show titled Inside U.S.A. With Chevrolet, was based on this revue, with music, comedy, and dance that showed different states. The TV show aired on the CBS network from September 29, 1949 through March 16, 1950, with Schwartz and Dietz providing original music and Peter Lind Hayes the Master of Ceremonies, with name guest stars. Margaret O'Brien was the first guest and Joan Blondell the last, with Lucille Ball and Ethel Merman also guesting. ""Inside U.S.A.""'s original cast recording was recorded before the production was fully cast in"
"in 1956 and 1960. On January 28, 1956, Elvis Presley made his first televised appearance on ""Stage Show"", while, the same year, musical film ""The Wizard of Oz"" starring Judy Garland saw its first telecast on November 3 on CBS. Rodgers and Hammerstein's ""Cinderella"" was written for a live television broadcast in 1957 and starred Julie Andrews. In 1957, American Bandstand hosted by Dick Clark debuts, highlighting most of the popular rock and roll acts of the 1950s. Comedy and variety shows were popular. Comedy stars with their own shows included: Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Burns and Allen, Jack Benny,"
"the show mid-season in the episode hosted by Jonny Moseley, becoming the second cast member to be hired back to the show after being fired, the first person being Jim Belushi in 1983. Hired to fill two absences were stand-up comic Dean Edwards; Chicago improv comedian Seth Meyers; Amy Poehler of the Upright Citizens Brigade comedy troupe (she previously starred in the troupes sketch show on Comedy Central for three seasons), who was promoted to repertory status mid-season; and stand-up comic/impressionist Jeff Richards, who was previously a cast member on the rival sketch show ""Mad TV"". Rachel Dratch, Tina Fey"
"The Eve Arden Show The Eve Arden Show is a 26-episode American sitcom which aired during the 1957-1958 season on CBS, alternately sponsored by Lever Brothers and Shulton, Inc. (Old Spice). The show, starring Eve Arden, is about a widowed mother, Liza Hammond, of twin daughters who earns money from writing books. It features actress Frances Bavier, the future Aunt Bee of ""The Andy Griffith Show"", as Nora, Arden's mother and housekeeper. In eight of the twenty-six episodes, Allyn Joslyn portrays George Howell, her agent and potential boyfriend. The series was produced for Arden's Westhaven Enterprises by Desilu. The show"
"The Eve Arden Show The Eve Arden Show is a 26-episode American sitcom which aired during the 1957-1958 season on CBS, alternately sponsored by Lever Brothers and Shulton, Inc. (Old Spice). The show, starring Eve Arden, is about a widowed mother, Liza Hammond, of twin daughters who earns money from writing books. It features actress Frances Bavier, the future Aunt Bee of ""The Andy Griffith Show"", as Nora, Arden's mother and housekeeper. In eight of the twenty-six episodes, Allyn Joslyn portrays George Howell, her agent and potential boyfriend. The series was produced for Arden's Westhaven Enterprises by Desilu. The show"
"Fred Allen on ""Town Hall Tonight"" in 1938. He did the goofy quiz show ""Quixie Doodles"" on Mutual and CBS (1941-44), continuing through the 1940s with ""The Colonel"" (1943), ""Stoopnagle's Stooperoos"" (1943), ""Burns and Allen"" (1943), substituting for Bob Hawk (1947), Vaughn Monroe's ""Camel Caravan"" (1947-48) and ""Duffy's Tavern"". NBC president Pat Weaver recalled how the two zanies ""used to come into my office and, while we talked, lick my supply of stamps, one after another, and flip them up to stick on the ceiling. There was a knack to it that I never mastered, but they carried it off"
"Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, Red Skelton, Abbott and Costello, Martin and Lewis, and Groucho Marx who starred in his quiz show ""You Bet Your Life"". Dinah Shore, Perry Como, Eddie Fisher, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Lawrence Welk as well as other stars had popular weekly musical variety shows. The Ed Sullivan Show showcased many famous acts during the decade. Westerns quickly became a staple of 1950s TV entertainment. The first, on June 24, 1949, was the Hopalong Cassidy show, at first edited from the 66 films made by William Boyd. A great many B-movie Westerns were"
"before it was cancelled. Jefferson Drum Jefferson Drum, also known as The Pen and the Quill, is an American Western television series starring Jeff Richards that aired on the NBC network from April 25 to December 11, 1958. Jefferson Drum, portrayed by Jeff Richards, is a crusading newspaper editor in the Old West town of Jubilee. A widower, he rears his son, Joey, played by 10-year-old Eugene Mazzola, also known as Eugene Martin. Drum's printer is Lucius Coin, played by Cyril Delevanti. Big Ed, the town bartender, is portrayed by Robert J. Stevenson, later a member of the Los Angeles"
"Richman, Janice Rule, Kim Stanley, Warren Stevens, Karl Swenson, Franchot Tone, Ethel Waters, James Whitmore, Estelle Winwood, Jane Wyatt, and Dick York. Among its notable writers were Horton Foote, Gore Vidal, Tad Mosel, Arnold Schulman, and A. E. Hotchner. Directors included Arthur Penn, later renowned for ""Bonnie and Clyde"", and Delbert Mann, the 1955 Academy Award winner for directing ""Marty"". It won one prime-time Emmy. Playwrights '56 Playwrights '56, a.k.a. The Playwright Hour, is a 60-minute live American dramatic anthology series produced by Fred Coe for Showtime Productions. Twenty episodes aired on the National Broadcasting Company from 1955 to 1956."