Academy Theatre
| Academy Theatre | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Curtis Canfield |
| Release | |
| Original release | July 25, 1949 – September 12, 1949 |
Academy Theatre is a drama anthology series that aired on NBC in 1949. It ran for eight weeks as the summer replacement for Chevrolet on Broadway.[1]
Format
The series utilized a different cast each week who appeared in short works by established playwrights. The plays were broadcast live in 30-minute segments on Monday nights.
Selected episodes
| Play Title | Playwright | Original airdate | Cast |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Stolen Prince | Dan Totheroh | August 1, 1949 | Shirley Dale, Ian MacDonald |
| Drums of Oude | Austin Strong | August 8, 1949 | Richard Newton |
| In the Shadow of the Glen | J.M. Synge | August 15, 1949 | Anne Jackson |
| Summer Comes to the Diamond O | Robert Finch | August 29, 1949 | Jack Davis |
| Aria da Capo | Edna St. Vincent Millay | September 5, 1949 | Michael Higgins |
Development
In April 1949, Charles R. Denny, NBC Executive Vice-President and a graduate of Amherst College, arranged for a production of Julius Caesar to be broadcast to 14 cities nationwide. The play was performed by the Amherst College Masquers and directed by F. Curtis Canfield, a professor at Amherst and Director of Amherst's Kirby Theatre. The broadcast marked the first time that an entire play by Shakespeare aired on television.[2]
During the following summer, Canfield (who would later become the first Dean of the Yale School of Drama), again collaborated with NBC to bring a series of one-act plays to the network. Academy Theatre was the result.[3]
During a sabbatical as an NBC producer, Canfield convinced the network to create Masterpiece Playhouse, one-hour productions of seven classic plays including Hedda Gabler, Uncle Vanya, and Othello. Broadcast in 1950, each play was produced for the "heavy-budget" sum of $10,000.[4]
References
- ↑ Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
- ↑ Shakespeare at Amherst Retrieved 2011-05-03.
- ↑ Canfield papers Retrieved 2011-05-03.
- ↑ Noble experiment. (September 4, 1950). Time Magazine. Retrieved 2011-05-03.