We the People (American TV series)

We the People (stylized onscreen as We The People) is an American talk show aired on CBS Television (1948-1949) and then on NBC Television (1949-1952).

We the People
Host Dan Seymour, with series logo behind him (1950)
GenreTalk show
StarringDwight Weist
Dan Seymour (hosts)
Lee Vines (announcer)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time30 minutes
Release
Original networkCBS Television (1948-1949)
NBC Television (1949-1952)
Original releaseJune 1, 1948 (1948-06-01) –
January 1, 1952 (1952-01-01)

Broadcast history

We the People was a 30-minute talk show, first on CBS for one season and then on NBC for two seasons. The host interviewed politicians, celebrities, and everyday people. The interviews tended to be "up close and personal", interviewing celebrities about difficulties they had to overcome. The non-celebrities were usually people who participated in some type of charitable work. The show was sponsored by Gulf Oil and produced by Life magazine.[1]

The TV show aired Tuesdays at 9pm ET, and then Fridays at 8:30pm ET, and was simulcast on radio and TV for a time. The show had been aired on CBS Radio since 1936. In October 1948, We the People was rated #3 on the Hooper Ratings, Hooper being a precursor to Nielsen ratings. On October 24, 1949, NBC began broadcasting We the People from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Fridays. It originated from WNBT.[2]

Gulf Oil ended its sponsorship of the program on September 26, 1952.[3]

Famous episodes

On August 17, 1948, the American ex-Soviet spy Elizabeth Bentley appeared on the show to urge follow ex-spies to come forward and name names to the U.S. Government. "It isn't enough to just quit being a Communist as I know hundreds have. Come forward now and tell what you know while there's still time to undo the damage we have so foolishly done."[4]

See also

References
  1. Billboard (August 9, 1952)
  2. "Last Week's Arrivals". Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index. November 6, 1949. p. 2. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
  3. "Sponsor Activity(Cont'd)". Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index. August 31, 1952. p. 5. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
  4. "Miss Bentley Urges Ex-Reds to Testify". New York Times. 18 August 1948. p. 5.
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