Key to the Missing

Key to the Missing is a documentary TV series that aired on the DuMont Television Network from July 4, 1948, to September 23, 1949. Each 30-minute episode was hosted by Archdale Jones.^[1]

Key to the Missing
Starring	Archdale Jones
Country of origin	United States
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Original release
Network	DuMont
Release	July 4, 1948 (1948-07-04) – September 23, 1949 (1949-09-23)

Based on the radio program Where Are They Now, Key to the Missing sought to find missing people. Techniques used included displaying pictures and samples of handwriting of missing people and interviewing their relatives and friends. Viewers who had insights into where any of the missing people might be were asked to call with relevant information.^[2]

The program's schedule had it on Friday nights for most of its time on the air, but it was on Sunday nights August - October 1948 and Thursday nights March - April 1949.^[2] Its competition included Places Please on CBS.^[3]

Production

Jones was the producer and director, with James Caddigan as technical director. The program originated from WABD in New York City and was sustaining.^[4]

Reception

A review of the June 27, 1948, episode in the trade publication Billboard noted a "phony and completely unnecessary build-up" to one segment of the program, and it summarized, "Production was poor, pace non-existent."^[4]

Episode status

As with most DuMont series, no episodes are known to survive.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• List of programs broadcast by the DuMont Television Network
• List of surviving DuMont Television Network broadcasts
• 1948-49 United States network television schedule

Bibliography

• David Weinstein, The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2004) ISBN 1-59213-245-6
• 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, 1964) ISBN 0-345-31864-1

References

1. 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. 449. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
2. Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1999). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (7th ed.). New York: The Ballentine Publishing Group. pp. 537–538. ISBN 0-345-42923-0.
3. Hyatt, Wesley (2015). Short-Lived Television Series, 1948-1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops. McFarland. p. 6. ISBN 978-1-4766-0515-9. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
4. Csida, Joe (July 17, 1948). "Key to the Missing" (PDF). Billboard. pp. 10 17. Retrieved March 7, 2022.

External links

• Key to the Missing at IMDB
• DuMont historical website