The Front Page (TV series)

The Front Page is an American newspaper drama television series, broadcast on CBS beginning September 29, 1949, and ending on January 26, 1950. The stars were John Daly and Mark Roberts,^[1] with Richard Boone, Curt Conway and Janet Shaw. The live 30-minute show, based on the 1928 play The Front Page by Charles MacArthur and Ben Hecht, aired Thursdays at 8pm ET.^[1]

The Front Page
Created by	Franklin Heller
Written by	Charles MacArthur (play) Ben Hecht (play) Alvin Saplinsley
Starring	John Daly Mark Roberts Richard Boone Curt Conway Janet Shaw
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	18
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Original release
Network	CBS Television
Release	September 29, 1949 (1949-09-29) – January 26, 1950 (1950-01-26)

Premise

The series revolved around editor Walter Burns and his star reporter Hildy Johnson.

In the series premiere an assassination attempt has been made on the city's corrupt mayor. Hildy is on his honeymoon, so Burns compels him to come back and cover the story by kidnapping Hildy's mother-in-law. After a follow-up assassination plot is discovered and foiled, Burns keeps Hildy in town by getting the mayor to arrest Hildy.^[2]

Cast

• John Daly as editor Walter Burns^[3]
• Mark Roberts as reporter Hildy Johnson^[4]
• Cliff Hall as Mayor Barber
• Leona Powers as Mrs. Grant
• Janet Shaw as Peggy Grant

Production

Donald Davis was the producer, Frank Heller was the director, and Alvin Sapinsley was the writer. The show originated from WCBS-TV.^[5]

Critical response

A review of the premiere episode in The New York Times called Daly's role "serious miscasting" and said he "is in seriously over his head".^[6] The review explained that the newspaper's managing editor needed to have a "vivid personality" and be tough and ruthless.^[6] "Under such circumstances, Mr. Daly's sonorous and pear-shaped tones, coupled with an excessively suave and almost delicate interpretation, are completely out of character."^[6] Otherwise, it said the cast did well. It said that some situations in the episode were "wholly implausible", and that the scenes had little relation to actual events at newspapers.^[6]

Preservation status

Three episodes are in the collection of the Paley Center for Media.^[7]

See also

• 1949-50 United States network television schedule

References

1. Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (24 June 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows - 1946-Present (9 ed.). Random House Publishing. p. 508. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
2. June Bundy (1949-10-08). "The Front Page (review)". The Billboard. p. 11. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
3. McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 306. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
4. "Radio and Television: CBS Video to Offer 'Front Page,' Based on the Hecht-MacArthur Play, Starting Sept. 29". The New York Times. September 17, 1949. p. 28. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
5. "Dramatic Shows". Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index. November 27, 1949. p. 5. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
6. Gould, Jack (October 9, 1949). "Television in Review: 'Inside U. S. A.' Opens -- Two Other Shows". The New York Times. p. X 11. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
7. Internet Archive entry

Bibliography

• Alex McNeil, Total Television, Fourth edition (New York: Penguin Books, 1980) ISBN 0-14-024916-8
• Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows, Third edition (New York: Ballantine Books, 1985) ISBN 0-345-31864-1

External links

• The Front Page at IMDb