The Red Buttons Show

The Red Buttons Show premiered on the CBS television network on October 14, 1952,[1] and ran for two years on that network, then moved to NBC for the final 1954–55 season.

The Red Buttons Show
GenreVariety show
Sitcom
Created byMarlo Lewis
Developed byCBS
Directed byBurt Shevelove
StarringRed Buttons
Theme music composerElliot Lawrence
ComposerMitch Miller
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
Production
Executive producerMarlo Lewis
ProducerAl Span
Running time30 min.
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseOctober 14, 1952 (1952-10-14) –
1955 (1955)

The series finished #11 for the 1952–1953 season in the Nielsen ratings and #12 in 1953–1954.[2]

Format

The CBS run of the series featured monologues, dance numbers, and sketches with Red and the other series regulars. The characters played by Red included the boxer Rocky Buttons, the Kupke Kid, the Sad Sack, and Keeglefarven. When the series was canceled by CBS, it moved to NBC which at first kept it as a variety show. When the ratings remained low, the program was overhauled and turned into a sitcom with Red playing himself as a TV comic. Phyllis Kirk played his wife, Bobby Sherwood played the director of Red's program and Paul Lynde played the network's vice president.[3]

CBS regulars

NBC regulars

Production

Bill Davenport and Johnny Green were writers for the NBC version.[5] It was sponsored by Pontiac.[6]

References
  1. "This Week (Cont'd)". Ross Reports. October 12, 1952. p. 2. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  2. "TV Ratings: United States". The Fifties Web. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  3. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present. Ballantine Books. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  4. Alicoate, Jack, Ed. (1955). The 1955 Radio and Television Yearbook. Radio Daily Corp. P. 1173.
  5. "Other Network Changes & Additions". Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index. January 31, 1955. p. 1. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  6. "Buttons Mulling '55-'56 Status". Variety. March 16, 1955. p. 27. Retrieved April 16, 2023.


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