CTVA
The Classic TV
Archive - US Comedy Series
Peter Lawford series:
Dear Phoebe (1954-55) -
The Thin Man (1957-59)
Dear Phoebe
(1954-55)
Episode Guide
compiled by
The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by:
Jim Brent, Tom Alger, Rina Fox, Alan Keeling
references:
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
-----------
DEAR PHOEBE
-----------
Chrislaw Production
for
NBC (Fridays 9:30pm EST)
Created and Produced by Alex Gottleib
US Comedy series 1954-55 32 episodes x 30 min bw
Starring
Peter Lawford
as
Bill Hastings a.k.a. "Phoebe Goodheart"
Marcia Henderson as Mickey Riley
Charles Lane as Mr. Fosdick (editor)
Joe Corey as Humphrey Humpsteader (copyboy)
Premise:
Bill Hastings (Peter Lawford) is an ex-college professor that wants to
become a writer. To do that, he has to become "Phoebe Goodheart", an
advice columnist for a Los Angeles newspaper, The Daily Blade. Other
cast included his girlfriend/sports writer "Mickey" Riley (Marcia Henderson),
copyboy Humphrey Humpsteader (Joe Corey), and editor Mr. Fosdick (Charles
Lane).
################# Dear Phoebe ################
############### season 1954-55 ###############
##############################################
NBC Fridays 9:30 pm Eastern
Premiere Air Date 10Sep54
1.01 Dear Phoebe: BILL GETS A JOB
10Sep54 NBC Fri
Starring: Peter Lawford (as Bill Hastings a.k.a. "Phoebe Goodheart")
Guest cast:
Chuck Connors ...... Rocky
Synopsis 1:
Bill gets the job on the paper and meets Mickey Riley, the prettiest
sports writer in town. [JB]
Synopsis 2:
The scene is the city room of the Los Angeles Daily Blade where our hero and
heroine work under the harsh thumb of the managing editor. The comedy tells
of the romance and rivalries on a big newspaper. "Phoebe Goodheart" interevenes
personally in the romantic problems of a beautiful blonde and her athletic
boyfriend Rocky. [RF]
[02] Dear Phoebe: THE KISSING BANDIT
17Sep54 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
Synopsis 1:
Our "Dear Phoebe" scores a scoop when he obtains an exclusive interview
with one of the victims of the "kissing bandit." Mickey Riley isn't
at all pleased that Phoebe beat her to the story. [JB]
Synopsis 2:
Mickey Riley helps bait a trap for a notorious "kissing bandit" who has
been leading the police on a merry chase. [JB]
[03] Dear Phoebe: PSYCHOLOGICALLY SPEAKING
24Sep54 NBC Friday
(NBC rerun 15Jul55)
Starring: Peter Lawford
Synopsis 1:
Editor Fosdick has a bright idea for solving Phoebe Goodheart's problems.
He persuades a shapely blonde psychiatrist to offer Phoebe her help, and
thereby awaken the jealousy of Phoebe's heartthrob, Mickey Riley. [TA]
Synopsis 2:
When Phoebe appears depressed, Fosdick arranges for him to visit a
psychiatrist. Now Phoebe has someone to tell his troubles to, and she's
a beautiful blonde at that! [JB]
[04] Dear Phoebe: BILL'S BLACK BOOK
01Oct54 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
Mickey and Phoebe find out the hard way that mumps is an extremely
contagious disease. [JB]
[05] Dear Phoebe: MICKEY'S ENGAGEMENT
08Oct54 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
It's a jealous Phoebe who hears about Mickey Riley's engagement to an
alleged socialite. [JB]
(NBC rerun 22Apr55)
[06] Dear Phoebe: THE HEX (a.k.a. "Batter Up")
15Oct54 NBC Fri
Starring: Peter Lawford
Synopsis:
Mickey's latest suitor is a hillbilly baseball player. "Phoebe" makes the
delightful discovery that the boy is superstitious, and throws a monkey
wrench into the romance. [TA/JB]
(NBC 1st rerun 3Jun55)(NBC 2nd rerun 01Jul57, Monday 4:00pm)
[07] Dear Phoebe: MISMATED
possible original airdate 22Oct54
Starring: Peter Lawford
Bill and Mickey take Humphrey, the office boy, with them as a witness and
go off to Mexico to investigate the marriage racket. Seems some of
the "quickie" marriages are illegal; some, unfortunately for the trio, are
not. [JB/TA]
(NBC 1st rerun 29Apr55) (NBC 2nd rerun 02Jul57, Tuesday 4:00pm)
[08] Dear Phoebe: BILL PLAYS CUPID
possible original airdate 29Oct54
Starring: Peter Lawford
Bill tries playing cupid and fixes Mickey up with a blind date with one of
the readers. Bill wants to dispel the gentleman's conviction that women are
a great expense. [TA/JB]
(NBC 1st rerun 22Jul55) (NBC 2nd re-run 03Jul57, Wednesday 4:00pm)
[09] Dear Phoebe: PHOEBE'S BIRTHDAY
possible original airdate 05Nov54
Starring: Peter Lawford
As a circulation builder, editor Fosdick makes public Phoebe Goodheart's
birthday intending to turn all presents over to a charity. But one of the
gifts is a key that was sent by a gang of thieves. [TA]
(NBC 1st rerun 10Jun55) (NBC 2nd rerun 04Jul57, Thursday 4:00pm)
[10] Dear Phoebe: SUPERMARKET SAM
possible original airdate 12Nov54
Starring: Peter Lawford
Mickey and Humphrey decide to play a trick on Bill Hastings. But their
plans go astray and they find themselves in trouble. [JB/TA]
(NBC 1st rerun 24Jun55) (NBC 2nd rerun 05Jul57, Friday 4:00pm)
[11] 19Nov54 - no details
[12] 26Nov54 - no details
[13] Dear Phoebe: THAT'S D'AMORE
03Dec54 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
Synopsis #1
Phoebe writes a column claiming that European women are far superior
to their American counterparts. In order to prove his point, he
invites the entire staff to see the latest film of sultry Constanzia
D'Amore. [JB]
Synopsis #2:
Under the spell of a glamorous Italian movie star who's making personal
appearances in town, "Phoebe" rashly writes a column saying European
women make better wives than American girls. [JB]
[14] Dear Phoebe: THAT'S A BET
10Dec54 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
City editor Fosdick thinks he has an ideal plan for curing Humphrey,
the office boy, of his continual betting on horses. [JB]
[15] 17Dec54 - no details
[16] Dear Phoebe: THE CHRISTMAS SHOW
24Dec54 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
Guest Cast:
George Winslow as (Joey Kragen)
Jesse White (as Murray Kragen)
Ruth Perrott (as Mrs. Kragen)
Bill tries to help a little boy find his father in time for Christmas.
[JB]
[17] Dear Phoebe: LEAD YOUR OWN LIFE
31Dec54 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
Lovelorn columnist Phoebe runs a "Key to Successful Marriage" contest.
The winning couple, two ranchers from Montana, provide quite a shock.
[JB]
[18] Dear Phoebe: MY UNMARRIED WIFE
07Jan55 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
Synopsis #1
Phoebe Goodheart tries a new approach in his campaign to win Mickey
Riley. The fighting slogan of his latest attack:
"Career Girls Make Mediocre Wives." [JB]
Synopsis #2:
Pretty Mickey Riley challenges the statement in Bill's column that
career girls make mediocre wives. [JB]
[19] Dear Phoebe: BILL'S BABY
14Jan55 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
Pandemonium breaks loose as Bill Hastings and Mickey Riley find
themselves the reluctant parents of a foundling left at Bill's door.
[JB]
[20] Dear Phoebe: AND SO TO WED
21Jan55 NBC
(NBC rerun 8Jul55)
Starring: Peter Lawford
Synopsis #1
Bill is mistaken for an amnesia victim. [JB]
Synopsis #2
Bill's startled when an angry woman comes into the newspaper office
and accuses him of being the husband who walked out on her and her
two offspring, five years before. [JB]
[21] Dear Phoebe: OUT OF MY MIND
28Jan55 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
Phoebe is driven to consult a psychiatrist by frequent hallucinations
in which he sees Mickey everywhere he goes. Funny, Miss Riley seems to
be having similar apparitions of Phoebe! [JB]
[22] Dear Phoebe: MIND OVER MUSCLE (a.k.a. "The Will to Win")
04Feb55 NBC
(NBC rerun 29Jul55)
Starring: Peter Lawford
Bill proves that a fighter's background and not his physical prowess
makes him a winner. [JB]
[23] Dear Phoebe: WHAT PRICE WOMEN?
11Feb55 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
Bill prints a letter from a "Mr. 1066" which calls women the world's
most expensive luxury and demands that they be abolished. Mickey's
reaction to this is slightly less than cordial. [JB]
[24] Dear Phoebe: SEE YOU IN JAIL
18Feb55 NBC
(NBC rerun 5Aug55)
Starring: Peter Lawford
There's chaos at the office when Humphrey sends the wrong form letter
to a woman who asked advice concerning her about-to-be jailed boy
friend. Bill determines to do something before she acts on the counsel,
"it is not too late-help your true love escape." [JB]
[25] Dear Phoebe: NO TALENT SCHOOL
25Feb55 NBC
(NBC rerun 12Aug55)
Starring: Peter Lawford
Bill and Mickey team to get material for a front-page expose of "The
Forsythe Academy of Tomorrow's Stars." The so-called dramatic school
has a great talent for extracting money from its untalented students.
New pupil Bill can't decide which Marlon Brando role he wants to copy.
[JB]
[26] Dear Phoebe: HUMPHREY GETS DRAFTED
04Mar55 NBC
(NBC rerun 19Aug55)
Starring: Peter Lawford
Humphrey's not at all pleased at having a rival for his girl friend's
affections. She throws a new light on things when she announces that
her heart will belong to the first of her boy friends to join Uncle
Sam's Army. [JB]
[27] Dear Phoebe: MR. FOSDICK STEPS OUT
11Mar55 NBC
(NBC rerun 26Aug55)
Starring: Peter Lawford
Bill turns from affairs of the heart to the problems of his caustic
managing editor, Mr. Fosdick. While engaged on this errand of mercy he
runs into a blackmail plot. [JB]
[28] Dear Phoebe: A FACE FOR PHOEBE
18Mar55 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
Editor Fosdick decides to give "Phoebe Goodheart" a huge publicity
build-up. Only catch is, Phoebe's suppose to be an elderly female. [JB]
[29] Dear Phoebe: LEGAL AND TENDER
25Mar55 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
Bill has planned an elaborate budget in order to keep himself living
within his income. [JB]
[30] Dear Phoebe: FIRE THE BOSS
01Apr55 NBC
(NBC rerun 2Sep55)
Starring: Peter Lawford
The employees of the newspaper file with the publisher a list of over
200 complaints against editor Fosdick. The publisher, Fosdick's father
-in-law, retaliates by firing Fosdick. [JB]
[31] Dear Phoebe: HOW'S YOUR HOROSCOPE?
08Apr55 NBC
Starring: Peter Lawford
Bill is upset by his colleagues' latest fad: guiding their lives by
their daily horoscopes. He's determined to teach them the foolishness
of their ways. [JB]
----------------------
NBC Summer 1955 Reruns
----------------------
[--] 15Apr55 rerun of "The Hex" (first aired 15Oct54)
[--] 22Apr55 rerun of "Mickey's Engagement" (first aired 08Oct54)
[--] 29Apr55 rerun of "Mismated" (first aired possibly 22Oct54)
[--] 06May55 - no details
[--] 13May55 rerun of "The Momster" (first aired - not
known)
Guest Cast: Joey Bagley (as The Monster)
Bill decides to prove to Mickey that he has a way with children.
He intends to demonstrate by reforming a boy who has no respect for
his elders-or anyone else. [JB/TA]
[--] 20May55 rerun of "Lonely Hearts Club" (first aired - not
known)
Bill and Mickey set out, each in his own way, to expose the activities
of lonely-hearts clubs. Bill is assisted by Fosdick and copy boy
Humphrey. But Mickey's assistant is far more interesting, at least to
Bill. She's a dazzling blonde. [JB]
[--] 27May55 rerun of "You Hypnotize Me" (first aired -not
known)
Bill is upset when he learns that Mickey's new boy friend is a
handsome athlete. Then he learns that the burly gent was a pupil of
his back in the days when he taught psychology. [JB]
[--] 03Jun55 rerun of "The Hex" (first aired 15Oct54)
[--] 10Jun55 rerun of "Phoebe's Birthday" (first aired possibly 5Nov54)
[--] 17Jun55 rerun of "A Million to One"
(first aired -not known)
Bill learns that a lonesome old lady has bequeathed "Phoebe Goodheart"
over $1,000,000 for his comforting newspaper columns.
Editor Fosdick contends that the money rightfully belongs to the paper
because it created the character of "Phoebe." [JB]
[--] 24Jun55 rerun of "Supermarket Sam" (first aired 12Nov54)
[--] 01Jul55 no details
[--] 08Jul55 rerun of "And So to Wed" (first aired 21Jan55)
[--] 15Jul55 rerun of "Psychologically Speaking" (first aired 24Sep54)
[--] 22Jul55 rerun of "Bill Plays Cupid" (first aired possibly 22Oct54)
[--] 29Jul55 rerun of "Mind Over Muscle" (first aired 04Feb55)
[--] 05Aug55 rerun of "See You in Jail" (first aired 18Feb55)
[--] 12Aug55 rerun of "No Talent School" (first aired 25Feb55)
[--] 19Aug55 rerun of "Humphrey Gets Drafted" (first aired 04Mar55)
[--] 26Aug55 rerun of "Mr. Fosdick Steps Out" (first aired 11Mar55)
[--] 02Sep55 rerun of "Fire the Boss" (first aired 01Apr55)
[--] Dear Phoebe: A DATE FOR MICKEY
airdate not known
During a cozy dinner at Fung Loo's, Mickey and Phoebe make long-range
plans -for an expose of a prefabricated-housing racket.[JB]
################# Dear Phoebe ################
################# reruns ##################
##############################################
Reruns NBC weekday afternoons in the summer of 1957
Reruns NBC weekday afternoons in the winter of 1958.
################# Dear Phoebe ################
################# the end ##################
##############################################
Have you any comments, corrections, episode
titles, air dates, production numbers, directors, writers, story/synopsis, guest
stars, cast lists, etc?
Have you any old videos, or tv guides? Dust them off and let us know if you have
any information on this series or any other tv series from the
Golden Age of TV, which is missing from any episode guides on the web. Perhaps a
certain episode of a particular series coincided with a key
moment in your life, or in world events - and or has left a vivid memory of when
it was shown. Let us know. Would you like to see any other
tv series guides on this site? If so please e-mail The Classic TV Archive - see
Feedback below.
This guide may be distributed and copied freely, in its entirety, for personal
use. All original author and copyright information must
remain intact. Any sales or other uses of this document are expressly forbidden,
without the specific consent of the author(s).
Copyright © The Classic TV Archive. All rights reserved.
Return to The
Classic TV Archive Home Page
Feedback
-
Comedy Forum