Ford Festival Explained

Alt Name:	The James Melton Show
Genre:	Variety
Presenter:	James Melton
Theme Music Composer:	Lewis Allan David Broekman
Country:	United States
Language:	English
Num Seasons:	1
Num Episodes:	65
Executive Producer:	Charles Friedman Albert McCleery
Camera:	Multi-camera
Runtime:	60 minutes
Channel:	NBC Television

Ford Festival, also known as The James Melton Show, is an hour-long television show, sponsored by Ford Motor Company, hosted by James Melton, and broadcast on NBC Television beginning on April 5, 1951. The final show was aired June 26, 1952.^[1] This show was replaced by another Ford-sponsored NBC show, Ford Television Theatre, from October 1952 to September 1956.^[2]

The initial premise of the program was that each episode had a plot that tied together performances by Melton and other performers, including singer Dorothy Warenskjold, comedienne Vera Vague, and comedic singers the Wiere Brothers. Effective June 7, 1951, the format changed to a traditional revue. The Wiere Brothers were dropped, and Billy Barty joined the group.

The show aired:

• April 5, 1951 – December 27, 1951, Thursdays 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
• January 3, 1952 – June 26, 1952, Thursdays 9:30-10:30 p.m. ET^[3]

Guest stars

Guest stars on the program included

• Carl Ballantine
• Sarah Churchill^[4]
• Rosemary Clooney^[5]
• Peter Lorre.^[6]
• Diana Lynn^[7]
• Jan Murray^[7]
• ZaSu Pitts^[8]

Critical response

Jack Gould, in a review of the premiere episode in The New York Times, wrote Melton performed well as a singer, but "he was at a rather decided disadvantage" when he had to narrate, deliver commercials, and perform other than singing.^[9] Gould described the format as "extraordinarily pedestrian", pointing out flaws in the script and in production interludes. He added that direction of the episode seemed suited more to stage than to TV.

See also

• 1951-52 United States network television schedule
• For other TV series sponsored by Ford Motor Company, see Ford Television Theatre, Ford Startime, The Ford Show, and Ford Star Jubilee.

External links

• • The James Melton Show at ClassicThemes
• Episode list at CTVA
• April 26, 1951 episode at Internet Archive

Notes and References

1. Book: McNeil. Alex. Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present . 1996. Penguin Books USA, Inc.. New York, New York. 0-14-02-4916-8. 296. 4th.
2. Book: The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present . Tim . Brooks . Tim Brooks (historian) . Earle . Marsh . 2007 . 9 . Ford Theatre . 491 . Random House Publishing . New York . 978-0-345-49773-4 . 2024-06-02 .
3. Book: The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present . Tim . Brooks . Tim Brooks (historian) . Earle . Marsh . 2007 . 9 . Ford Festival . 490 . Random House Publishing . New York . 978-0-345-49773-4 . 2024-06-02 .
4. August 24, 1951 . 9 . Thursday August 30 . Ross Reports . July 24, 2024 .
5. Book: Crossland . Ken . Macfarlane . Malcolm . Late Life Jazz: The Life and Career of Rosemary Clooney . August 29, 2013 . Oxford University Press USA . 978-0-19-979857-5 . 228 . July 23, 2024 . en.
6. Book: Youngkin . Stephen . The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre . September 30, 2005 . University Press of Kentucky . 978-0-8131-7185-2 . 487 . July 23, 2024 . en.
7. September 23, 1951 . 7 . Thursday September 27 (Cont'd) . Ross Reports . July 24, 2024 .
8. August 31, 1951 . 11 . Thursday September 6 . Ross Reports . July 24, 2024 .
9. News: Gould . Jack . Television in Review: James Melton Unveils His Own Video Program, 'Ford Festival,' Hour-Long Show, on Channel 9 . July 23, 2024 . The New York Times . April 6, 1951 . 32. subscription .