CTVA US Anthology - "Best Of Broadway" (Martin Manulis/CBS)(1954-55)

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Best of Broadway (1954-55)
Sponsors  - Westinghouse
Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive

https://ctva.biz/index.htm

with contributions by: Rina Fox
references:
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive

 

BEST OF BROADWAY

CBS

Produced by Martin Manulis

September 15, 1954 to May 4, 1955

CBS Wed 10:00-11:00

 

Every fourth Wednesday the Pabst Blue Ribbon Bouts were

preempted by "The Best of Broadway".

All episode were in color.

The Westinghouse product demonstrations with Betty Furness

were done in color for the first time.

 

########## Best of Broadway #########

########### season 1 1954-55 #########

##################################

 

1.01 [--] Best of Broadway: THE ROYAL FAMILY

15-Sep-1954 CBS Wed

Adapted by Ronald Alexander

Based on the play by Edna Ferber

Directed by Paul Nickell
starring

Frederic March ... Tony Cavendish

Charles Coburn ... Oscar Wolfe

Claudette Colbert ... Julie Cavendish

Helen Hayes ... Franny Cavendish

Nancy Olson ... Gwen Cavendish

Synopsis:

The eccentric Cavendish family of theatrical performers and their comedic lives.

 

1.02 [--] Best of Broadway: THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER

13-Oct-1954 CBS Wed

Adapted by Ronald Alexander

Based on the play by Moss Hart

Directed by David Alexander
starring

Joan Bennett as Lorraine Sheldon

Monty Woolley as Sheridan Whiteside

Catherine Doucet as Harriet Stanley

Sylvia Field as Mrs. Stanley

Reginald Gardiner as Beverly Carlton

Margaret Hamilton as Sarah

Buster Keaton as Dr. Bradley

Bert Lahr as Banjo

Merle Oberon as Maggie Cutler

Zasu Pitts as Miss Preen

William Prince as Bert Jefferson

Howard St. John as Mr. Stanley

Frank Tweddell as John

Synopsis:

A visiting theater critic breaks his hip in a midwestern town and winds

up staying there trying to recuperate.

 

1.03 [--] Best of Broadway: PANAMA HATTIE

10-Nov-1954 CBS Wed

adapted by Herbert Baker

based on the book by Herbert Fields

starring

Art Carney as Woozy

Neil Hamilton as Charlie Randolph

Jack E. Leonard as Windy

Joseph Macauley as Bartender

Mort Marshall as First Spy

Ethel Merman as Hattie Maloney

Ray Middleton as Nick Bullett

Tony Mottola as Senor Aguilar

Karin Wolfe as Gerry

 

1.04 [--] Best of Broadway: THE PHILADELPHIA STORY

08-Dec-1954 CBS Wed

play by Philip Barry

starring

Mary Astor as Margaret Lord

Richard Carlson as Mike Connor

Dick Foran as George Kittredge

Herbert Marshall as Seth Lord

Dorothy McGuire as Tracy Lord

Neva Patterson as Liz Imbrie

John Payne as C.K. Dexter Haven

Charles Winninger as Uncle Willie

 

1.05 [--] Best of Broadway: ARSENIC AND OLD LACE

05-Jan-1955 CBS Wed

adapted by Russel Crouse & Howard Lindsay

play by Joseph Kesselring

starring

Helen Hayes as Abby Brewster

Billie Burke as Martha Brewster

Orson Bean as Mortimer Brewster

John Alexander as 'Teddy Roosevelt' Brewster

Boris Karloff as Jonathan Brewster

Peter Lorre as Dr. Einstein

Richard Bishop as Lieutenant Rooney

Edward Everett Horton as Witherspoon

King Calder as Policeman Brophy

Bruce Gordon as Policeman Klein

Allan Tower as Reverend Dr. Harper

 

1.06 [--] Best of Broadway: THE SHOW-OFF

02-Feb-1955 CBS Wed

based on the play by George Kelly

starring

Jackie Gleason as Aubrey Piper

Cathy O'Donnell as Amy Fisher

Carleton Carpenter as Joe Fisher

Alice Ghostley as Clara Hyland

Thelma Ritter as Mrs. Fisher

 

1.07 [--] Best of Broadway: THE GUARDSMAN

02-Mar-1955 CBS Wed

adapted by Reginald Jackson

play by Ferenc Molnar

starring

Claudette Colbert as Actress

Franchot Tone as Actor

Mary Boland as Mama

Mary Grace Canfield as Liesl

Reginald Gardiner as Critic

Margaret Hamilton as Usher

 

1.08 [--] Best of Broadway: STAGE DOOR

06-Apr-1955 CBS Wed

adapted by Gore Vidal

play by Edna Ferber & George S. Kaufman

starring

Rhonda Fleming ...... Jean Maitland
Dennis Morgan ....... David Kingsley
Diana Lynn .......... Terry Randall
Elsa Lanchester ..... Mrs. Orcutt
Peggy Ann Garner .... Kaye Hamilton
Charles Drake ....... Keith Burgess
Victor Moore ........ Adolph Gretzl
Nita Talbot ......... Judith Canfield
Virginia Vincent .... Bernice Niemeyer
Treva Frazee ........ Bobby Melrose
Kathleen Maguire .... Louise Mitchell
Melissa Weston ...... Pat Kendall
Elizabeth York ...... Mary Harper
Synopsis:
At the Footlights Club, would-be Broadway actresses eat, sleep and

 wait for that big phone call. Under the watchful eye of Mrs. Orcutt, herself

a former actress, they live their own little dramas of success and failure. [RF]
 

1.09 [--] Best of Broadway: BROADWAY

04-May-1955 CBS Wed

adapted by Phillip Dunning

play by George Abbott

starring

Joseph Cotten as Dan McCorn

Piper Laurie as Billie Moore

Keenan Wynn as Steve Crandell

Martha Hyer as Pearl

Don Gordon as Dolph

Frank Marth as Scar Edwards

Carole Mathews as Mazie

Gene Nelson as Roy Lane

David Sheiner as Joe

Akim Tamiroff as Nick Verdis

Iggie Wolfington as Porky

 

########## Best of Broadway ########

############# the end ############

##################################

 

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