The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theatre

The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theatre
Also known asEddie Cantor Show
GenreMixed
Created byEddie Cantor
Presented byEddie Cantor
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes39
Production
ProducerEddie Cantor
CinematographyCurt Fetters, Robert Hoffman
EditorCharles Craft
Running time30 minutes
Production companyZiv Television Programs, Inc.
Original release
NetworkFirst-run syndication
ReleaseJanuary 23, 1955 (1955-01-23)

The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theatre is a half-hour filmed American comedy series produced by Eddie Cantor and made at Ziv Television Programs, Inc. for first-run syndication. Cantor hosted and performed on each show. Thirty-nine episodes were produced and aired in 1955 before Cantor decided the show was too much for him to continue doing.

Premise

During November 1954, Cantor explained his idea for television success to columnist Erskine Johnson: "The size of TV screens demands intimacy, close-ups, and not more than half a dozen people on stage at the same time".[1]

This was an unusual mixed genre show, combining elements of comedy, variety and anthology.[2] Each episode might have one or multiple guest stars, who would interact with Cantor before and after any sketches. (There were also supporting actors and extras). Some episodes had a single long sketch with an intermission, others had two or three short sketches,[3] while a few dispensed with sketches for musical variety. The sketches were always light-hearted comedies, with Cantor sometimes performing in them alongside the guest star and supporting players.[2] "I'm the host, but I get around" Cantor said.[1]

A typical show opened with a theater marquee displaying the shows name, the camera moving inside the theater lobby, where a large photo poster of Cantor was displayed, while the guest star name(s) appeared on screen. Cantor would appear backstage, introduce that episode's guest star(s), and they would engage in banter for a few minutes. A sketch might ensue, the conceit being that it was performed before an actual theater audience. Cantor would reappear to introduce a commercial break, often by way of a short skit. The last half of the sketch (or a second sketch, or musical numbers) would follow. When complete, Cantor and the guest star(s) would reengage before a theater curtain to applause. Cantor would then close with a short song just before the credits rolled.

Production

Worn out from doing live television shows, Cantor signed a contract with Ziv Television during the summer of 1954 to do a filmed program.[4] The seven year contract called for 39 films (episodes) per year for a comedy and variety show.[5] Some newspapers reported that the show would have a $9 million dollar budget in order to complete 39 episodes.[6] However, John Sinn of Ziv Television clarified this by saying the average budget per TV episode was $53,000, while the larger figure included seven years of radio shows.[7]

By early November Cantor had completed filming several episodes,[8] while Ziv Television announced the first episode would be available for airing on January 23, 1955.[9]

Columnist Eve Starr reported that Cantor's Comedy Theatre had "sold to 60 syndicated spots its first two weeks on the market".[10] One major sponsor was Burgermeister Beer, which purchased spots in many West Coast markets.[6] Most sponsors however were buying for a single market, such as the First Trust Company and First National Bank, both of Lincoln, Nebraska, which jointly purchased the spot for their city.[11]

By late March 1955 only a few weeks worth of filming remained for the first season,[12] while the number of broadcasting spots sold nationwide approached 180.

Response

John Lester in his syndicated column said the show "was disappointing in its premiere last week, to say the very least and to say it as kindly as possible".[13] John Crosby was more blunt in his column: "The show's a mishmash. Cantor bursts into song... Then there are the sketches, the like of which have not been seen in a long, long time... it reminded me strongly of the sort of thing you'd find in a Broadway revue around 1922".[3] One reviewer voiced a common opinion among critics; after giving the guest star lineup for an episode, he said: "That's a lot of talent for Eddie to hide while he hogs the camera".[14]

Erskine Johnson reported in September 1955 that Cantor wanted to stop doing the show after 39 episodes because "It's just too much for me".[15]

Broadcast history

The first episode broadcast was on Monday, January 23, 1955. Since it was syndicated, stations ran it on different days of the week, and at various times, usually after network programming had ended for the evening. In many markets it replaced the show Foreign Intrigue,[2] which had had the same sponsors.[4] Newspapers often shortened the name in television listings to Eddie Cantor Show. Stations first started broadcasting the show anywhere from January thru April depending on the market. Episodes were often skipped or shown out of release order. Because it was syndicated and stations had already paid for one-time showings of the episodes, it continued to be broadcast as late as August 1956.[16]

Episodes

In the following table multiple sketches are indicated by numbers in parentheses. "Original Air Date", except for the first episode, is omitted: all 39 episodes were available for broadcasting by May 1955.

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Now in Rehearsal"UnknownUnknownJanuary 23, 1955 (1955-01-23)
(1) Man babysits his unruly toddler nephew and a St. Bernard dog. (2) Cantor plays inventor of remote control popcorn machine. Cast: Brian Aherne, Eddie Cantor[17]
22"Nearly Normal"TBATBATBA
Argumentative newlyweds must deal with sudden wealth. Cast: Don DeFore (Vic Pruitt), Pat Crowley (Sally Pruitt)[18][19]
33"The Big Bargain"TBATBATBA
The husband of a bargain hunter suffers misfortune trying to keep up. Cast: Billie Burke, James Gleason, Frank Jenks,[20] Ralph Peters
44"The Hypochondriac"TBATBATBA
Man mistakenly believes he has only 12 minutes to live.[21] Cast: Virginia Field (Margie), Eddie Cantor (Harold Clinker)[22]
55"A Hunting We Will Go"TBATBATBA
Shy secretary sets out to bag a husband. Cast: Lizabeth Scott, Craig Stevens, Ken Tobey[23]
66"The Suspicious Husband"TBATBATBA
Nervous husband thinks wife plans to kill him for insurance money. Cast: Bonita Granville, Buddy Ebsen, Allen Jenkins[24]
77"Garage"TBATBATBA
Cantor plays a service station attendant. Cast: Eddie Cantor
88"Romance Wrecker"TBATBATBA
Retired Colonel tries to play Cupid for young folks. Cast: Charles Coburn, Cathy Downs[25][26]
99"The Atomic Brain"TBATBATBA
Math genius becomes dysfunctional around cute women. Cast: Allyn Joslyn, Marie Windsor[27]
1010"The Critics"TBATBATBA
To impress three "critics", Cantor performs: 1) The Piano Tuner 2) Barbershop Quartet, with all parts by Cantor 3) Wedding Day, of butcher's assistant. Cast: Eddie Cantor[28]
1111"The Helper"TBATBATBA
Wife tries to help husband swing business deal. Cast: Marjorie Reynolds, Bill Goodwin, Selmer Jackson, Fay Baker, Pierre Watkin[29][30]
1212"The Wizard"TBATBATBA
Cast:
1313"The Mink Coat"TBATBATBA
Expensive mink is mistakenly shipped from ritzy store in place of lingerie. Cast: Jean Parker, Adele Jergens, George Givot[31]
1414"The Finer Points"TBATBATBA
Uncouth brawler, wanting to impress a rich man, hires an etiquette teacher. Cast: Robert Strauss, Jack LaRue, Helen Mowery, Douglass Dumbrille[32][33]
1515"The Sure Cure"TBATBATBA
Glum complaint department adjustor must liven up to win girl. Cast: Peter Lorre, Veda Ann Borg[34][35]
1616"Commercially Ever After"TBATBATBA
Forgotten TV star makes comeback by "sponsoring" himself with an imaginary product.[36] Cast: Eddie Cantor, Tris Coffin, John Gallaudet[37]
1717"The Practical Joker"TBATBATBA
Family endures constant pranks from irrepresible relative. Cast: Joe E. Brown, Eddie Cantor[38]
1818"Always the Butler"TBATBATBA
Comical "mystery" has Rathbone make fun of his Sherlock Holmes role. Cast: Basil Rathbone[39]
1919"A Night at the Follies"TBATBATBA
All musical variety episode ala the Ziegfeld Follies. Cast: John Barrymore Jr, Eddie Cantor, the Szony Dancers, the Appleton Trio[40]
2020"V for Victoria"TBATBATBA
Cast:
2121"How Much for Van Such"Leon BensonAlbert E. Lewin
Burt Styler		TBA
Cast: Vincent Price (Van Such), Richard Karlan, Pamela Duncan, Charles Williams, Richard Benedict, Keith Richards, Alan Reynolds, Ken Christy
2222"Dying to Live"TBATBATBA
Herman Fergie (Cantor) is both hypochondriac and a "living A-bomb". Cast: Eddie Cantor[41]
2323"Bombshell Goes to College"TBATBATBA
Chorus girl marries college professor. Cast: Joan Blondell[42]
2424"Call Me Irving"TBATBATBA
To prep for a Broadway role, shy young man takes job in rough dive. Cast: Johnnie Johnston[43]
2525"Ten Thousand Years from Now[fn 1]"TBATBATBA
Unjustly convicted man creates thriving business while in prison. Cast: Edward Arnold, Walter Kingsford[44][45]
2626"What Do You Want in a Show"TBATBATBA
1) The Safe Driver 2) The Yachting Party. Cast: Reginald Denny[46]
2727"The Playboy"TBATBATBA
Cast: Rudy Vallee[47]
2828"Man Who Liked Little People"TBATBATBA
Apartment manager, who only rents to short people, can't evict tall Mrs. Bullit. Cast: Edmund Gwenn[48]
2929"The Lieutenant Was No Gentleman"TBATBATBA
Pentagon sends WAC officer to command male infantry platoon. Cast: Ann Sheridan[49]
3030"The Song Pluggers"TBATBATBA
Cantor plays a struggling song plugger trying to avoid getting fired. Cast: Ray Anthony, Helen O'Connell, Eddie Cantor[50]
3131"Four Strikes"TBATBATBA
Neglected wife of fanatical baseball umpire tries to recapture his attention. Cast: Pat O'Brien[51]
3232"The Square World of Alonzo Pennyworth"TBATBATBA
Travel agent Pennyworth daydreams of travel and his girl Linda. Cast: Buster Keaton[52]
3333"Triplets"TBATBATBA
Cast:
3434"A Night at the U.S. Mint"TBATBATBA
Cast: The Three Stooges, Eddie Cantor[16]
3535"The Marine Went to Town"TBATBATBA
Pfc. Jimmy Moore wins $20k which Sgt. Al Sweeny and girlfriend try to get. Cast: Stan Freberg, Victor McLaglen, Julio Sebastian[53]
3636"The Hollywood Story"TBATBATBA
Cast:
3737"The Tester"TBATBATBA
Cast:
3838"Strange Little Stranger"TBATBATBA
Man blames his wife's fictitious ailments for his own chronic tardiness. Cast: Tommy Noonan, Joyce Holden[54][55]
3939"And Now from the Audience"TBATBATBA
Pro quiz show contestant wins prizes but no money for his back rent. Cast: William Frawley[56]

Notes

  1. ^ The storyline and cast belong together, but may not belong to this episode title.

References

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