Oldsmobile Music Theatre

Oldsmobile Music Theatre is an American musical anthology television series that was broadcast on NBC from March 26, 1959, until May 7, 1959.[1]

Bill Hayes and Florence Henderson, who were already known as "goodwill salesmen for Oldsmobile", were hosts of the series.[2] The show featured episodes "in which a musical element was woven into the storyline".[3] Episodes ranged from musical comedies to dramas,[3] and none of the music was original with the show.[3] Hayes said, "The show hits that large middle ground among performers — actors who want to sing and singers who want to act."[4]

Hayes and Henderson appeared in some of the stories.[3] Guest stars on the series included Carol Lawrence and Roddy McDowall.[3] The Herbie Mann Quartet also sang on the show.[5]

Episodes

The premiere episode was "A Nice Place to Hide', with French singer Genevieve and Jackie Cooper, in which a librarian from France helped a "literary-minded bum" avoid arrest.[2]

Other episodes included:

The April 30, 1959, episode departed from the usual format, featuring Hayes and Henderson in 30 minutes of songs.[8]

Production

Oldsmobile Music Theatre was produced by Jacqueline Babbin and David Susskind.[5] The show was broadcast on Thursdays from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time.[3] It was replaced by Too Young to Go Steady.[9]

Critical response

Jack Gould, in a review distributed by the New York Times News Service, described the show's format as "a half-hour story in which snatches from popular songs are awkwardly inserted."[10] additionally, in the opening episode, he added, the lead character "never had time to offer more than a few bars" when a song was inserted.[10] He added that the commercials were "a little too cloying."[10]

Shortly after the program was canceled, Val Adams wrote in The New York Times that Oldsmobile Music Theatre "has been universally criticized by the press for its lack of originality and its mediocrity. It ranks 114th in program popularity among 125 programs."[11]

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. 615. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
  2. "Oldsmobile Plans New TV Series". Lansing State Journal. March 5, 1959. p. 49. Retrieved October 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. 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. p. 754. ISBN 0-345-42923-0.
  4. Stern, Harold (March 25, 1959). "Oldsmobile TV Show's Commercials Praised". Lansing State Journal. p. 25. Retrieved October 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 784. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
  6. "TV Scout". El Paso Herald-Post. April 2, 1959. p. 26. Retrieved October 14, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "KTSM-TV". El Paso Times. May 7, 1959. p. 26. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  8. Ewald, William (April 23, 1959). "Steel Hour Has Absorbing Plot". The Columbus Ledger. United Press International. p. 41. Retrieved October 16, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. Ewald, William (April 21, 1959). "The Untouchables Swift And Crackle". Los Vegas Daily Optic. New Mexico, East Las Vegas. United Press International. p. 3. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. Gould, Jack (March 28, 1959). "Plot held weak in new musical". Chattanooga Daily Times. New York Times News Service. p. 17. Retrieved October 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Adams, Val (May 13, 1959). "Bolshoi Proposal Rejected by C. B. S.". The New York Times. p. 75. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
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