MovieChat Forums > Classic TV: The 40s > radio shows translated to TV.

radio shows translated to TV.

posted 10 years ago by NewtonFigg
2 replies | jump to latest

Before the Saturday morning kids' TV show ghetto, there was a Saturday morning kids' radio show ghetto. All the kids wished they could have TVs and, when they got TVs, wished their radio favorites could be seen on TV. Old saying: Be careful what you wish for. You might get it. The TV versions were usually crude beyond belief. The Lone Ranger reining in Silver on a wooden stage floor (clump, clump, clump) while bad guys lurked behind papier mache rocks or in false front shacks. Bobby Benson and the B bar B Riders and Hopalong Cassidy had similar shortcomings. Sky King, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry did well to wait until the early 50s when TV production values had much improved. Smilin' Ed's Gang debuted on TV in 1950 but retained, even amplified, the crudity of 40s TV.

There were also adult mysteries like Lights Out and Suspense that made it to TV, but I haven't seen them and can't comment.

[–] Thor-Delta 10 years ago

To be fair, without the pioneering series of the late-1940s we wouldn't have had the improved series of the 1950s. Keep in mind that television was an unprofitable medium in those days (and would remain unprofitable until the mid-1950s), they really couldn't produce something with the production values of a late-1950s series like "Peter Gunn".

Ever see "Studio One" episodes of 1949? Not too bad really. I've always considered the variety series the strongest aspect of 1940s TV: Shows like "Texaco Star Theater" and "Chesterfield Supper Club" may be primitive, but they remain quite watchable.

The Johnny O'Keefe Show doll...wind it up and it makes a comeback

[–] opryphantom1 10 years ago

Radio shows came along starting in the early '50s. BURNS and ALLEN was a popular
show from radio. Jack Benny was popular on radio and tv in the early '50s.
Lucille Ball jumped from radio to I LOVE LUCY on tv in this period and was *very successful. PEOPLE ARE FUNNY was a farely successful switch. DRAGNET.
Red Skelton, Jimmy Durante and Garry Moore made the switch successfully. Your Hit Parade made the switch pretty well. Our Miss Brooks (Eve Arden) was a success on both in the early '50s.

I'm sure there were others that made the switch o.k. and quite few failures.