The Frank Sinatra Show (1957 TV series) explained

Genre:Music
Director:Kirk Browning
Presenter:Frank Sinatra
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:1
Num Episodes:32
Producer:William Self
Runtime:26 minutes
Channel:ABC

The Frank Sinatra Show is an ABC variety and drama series, starring Frank Sinatra, premiering on October 18, 1957, and last airing on June 27, 1958.[1]

Summary

This was Sinatra's second attempt at a television series, his first was The Frank Sinatra Show on CBS Television (1950–1952).[2]

The series was originally slated to consist of one-third variety episodes, one-third dramas starring Sinatra, and one-third dramas hosted by Sinatra. Sinatra was paid $3 million for the series, and "given carte blanche to do it exactly as he wanted to."[3]

Nelson Riddle directed the orchestra for the variety episodes. Beginning on March 29, 1958, Jesse White became a regular on the variety episodes.[4]

The drama segments of the show fared less well against the variety episodes in ratings and the final total was fourteen live variety shows, eight filmed variety shows, four dramas starring Sinatra, and six dramas hosted by Sinatra. Rather than 36 episodes for the season, ABC cut its losses and reduced the total number to 32.

Sinatra hated rehearsing, and tried to make eleven shows in fifteen days; the series subsequently received a critical mauling and was Sinatra's last attempt at a television series.

Black and white copies of kinescopes of several shows have been released on VHS and DVD.

Guest appearances

Episodes

Production

Paul Dudley produced and wrote for The Frank Sinatra Show; William Self was the director. Liggett & Myers bought the show before it debuted, as a vehicle for advertising Chesterfield cigarettes. The trade publication Billboard reported that the program "will be TV's most expensive half-hour" at $66,000 per week.[17] The Bulova Watch Company was a co-sponsor.

Initially episodes were filmed at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. It was broadcast on Fridays from 9 to 9:30 p.m. EasternTime, when its competition included The Phil Silvers Show,[18] M Squad on CBS and Mr. Adams and Eve on NBC. Low ratings led to changes, including having an audience during filming and presenting more musical episodes. The New York Times reported in December 1957 that the show "recently inserted a live presentation in an effort to improve its rating."[19] Although the premiere's rating was a "whopping 29.1 Trendex, outranking combined network competition",[20] about a month later the trade publication Television Digest reported, "Major salvage job being attempted by ABC-TV on its expensive, but low-rated Frank Sinatra Show".[21]

Critical response

The trade publication Broadcasting began a review of the show's premiere episode with "For sheer disappointment, it is hard to beat the long-awaited premiere of the Frank Sinatra Show on ABC-TV. The hour was marked by banality, stilted comedy, and free plugs ..."[22] The review praised Sinatra's singing and said, "He should have sung for the entire hour." The episode's guest stars received negative comments also. Bob Hope "proved just mildly amusing"; Kim Novak "added nothing" and "was painful to watch" in a skit"; and Peggy Lee "was just plain unexciting".

As the show's run was ending, the trade publication Ross Reports commented, "The end of the Frank Sinatra Show, seemingly not lamented by any one concerned in its sponsorship or production, affirms for variety specialists that a strong production hand with a good planning sense is as important as a star attraction."[23]

External links

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. 301. 4th.
  2. 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. 300. 4th.
  3. Book: Brooks. Tim. Marsh. Earle. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present. 1999. The Ballentine Publishing Group. New York. 0-345-42923-0. 364–365. 7th.
  4. March 24, 1958 . 24 . Other Network Changes & Additions . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .
  5. Grevatt . Ben . November 25, 1957 . 34 . On the Beat . Billboard . July 23, 2024 .
  6. October 28, 1957 . D . Friday November 1 (Cont'd) . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .
  7. October 14, 1957 . D . Friday October 18 (Cont'd) . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .
  8. October 21, 1957 . C . Friday October 25 . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .
  9. November 4, 1957 . D . Friday November 8 (Cont'd) . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .
  10. November 11, 1957 . D . Friday November 15 (Cont'd) . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .
  11. November 18, 1957 . C . Friday November 22 . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .
  12. January 20, 1958 . C . Friday January 24 . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .
  13. January 27, 1958 . C . Friday January 31 . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .
  14. February 3, 1958 . C . Friday February 7 . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .
  15. February 10, 1958 . C . Friday February 14 . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .
  16. May 19, 1958 . C . Friday May 23 . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .
  17. December 8, 1956 . 2 . Sinatra Show Set For Chesterfield . Billboard . July 23, 2024 .
  18. Book: Hyatt . Wesley . Short-Lived Television Series, 1948-1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops . October 6, 2015 . McFarland . 978-1-4766-0515-9 . 85 . July 23, 2024 . en.
  19. News: Adams . Val . A. B. C. Reverses Film Show Trend: Drops 'Date With Angels' for Live Betty White Program --C.B.S. Signs Fred Coe Producer Gets C.B.S Pact . July 23, 2024 . The New York Times . December 16, 1957 . 51. subscription .
  20. October 26, 1957 . 10 . Telecasting Notes . Television Digest . July 23, 2024 .
  21. November 23, 1957 . 9 . Telecasting Notes . Television Digest . July 23, 2024 .
  22. October 28, 1957 . 15 . The Frank Sinatra Show . Broadcasting . July 23, 2024 .
  23. April 16, 1958 . 1 . News - Comment - Possibilities . Ross Reports . July 23, 2024 .

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