The Classic TV Archive - US Comedy Series
Meet Corliss Archer (1954-55)
Episode Guidecompiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by: Robert Leszczak
Jeremy Brunner - "Nostalgia Family Video"
https://www.nostalgiafamilyvideo.com/
references:
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://www.us.imdb.com)
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MEET CORLISS ARCHER
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Ziv Television Programs, Inc..
for
First-Run Syndication
Screenplay by Phil Shuken & Jerry Adelman
US Comedy series 1954-55 39 episodes x 30 min bw/color film
starring
Ann Baker as Corliss Archer (teenage daughter)
John Eldredge as Harry Archer (father)
Mary Brian as Janet Archer (mother)
Bobby Ellis as Dexter Franklyn (boyfriend) (also in the 1951 tv version)
Ken Christy as Bill Franklyn (boyfriend's father)(also in the 1951 tv version)
Vera Marshe as Mary Franklyn (boyfriend's mother)
Narrator Hy Averback
This second tv version of the long-running radio series of the same name
was produced on film by ZIV in 1954 It concerns teenager Corliss Archer
and her transition from girl to young woman. Also along for the ride are
her lawyer father, her mother, and her boyfriend, Dexter Franklin. Corliss
is very lively but is sometimes outdone in mischief by her father and Dexter.
The first TV version was seen on CBS 13Jul51-10Aug51; 26Jan52-29Mar52
and starred Lugene Sanders as Corliss Archer
############ Meet Corliss Archer #############
############## season 1954-55 ################
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[01] Meet Corliss Archer: NO CLOTHES FOR THE PARTY
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1001
Corliss and Dexter plan to go to a big party, but must work up the
nerve to ask the Archer's for a tux and an evening wrap, both of
which are in danger around Dex.
[02] Meet Corliss Archer: HARRY, CHILD PSYCHIATRIST
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1002
Harry and Mr. Franklyn try to teach Corliss and Dex the value of
money, and promise to match dollar for dollar everything the kids can earn.
[03] Meet Corliss Archer: (title unknown)
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no.1003
(no details)
[04] Meet Corliss Archer: DEXTER THE DIRECTOR
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1004
Dexter is directing the school parent/student play. Corliss is the
lead but to get Harry he tells him Judge Peters is appearing. To get
the Judge he gives the lead to Lucy Peters and, well, you get the idea!
[05] Meet Corliss Archer: DEXTER'S SURPRISE PARTY
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1005
After seeing Mr. Archer hiding a package and misunderstanding a
business call, Corliss and Dexter decide he's a kleptomaniac.
[06] Meet Corliss Archer: THE ALGEBRA PROBLEM
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1006
Corliss and Dex are struggling with a tough algebra problem. Their
parents smugly think they can find the answer, and soon everyone is
working on the problem with no solution in sight!
[07] Meet Corliss Archer: QUARENTEENED (color)
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1007
Corliss has the measles, which makes Mr. Archer happy, because that
means a whole week without Dexter; until Dex is quarantined along with her!
1.8 [--] Meet Corliss Archer: THE PHONE FUMBLE [verified -RL]
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1008
Written by Jack Rack
Directed by Lewis Allen and Ed Stein
Guest cast:
Herb Lytton .......... Mr. Halley
Paul Maxey ........... Mr. Sheldon
John Indrisano ....... Mike
Synopsis 1:
Harry Archer needs to make an important phone call but is hindered by losing the phone number,
not to mention the phone! Not helping at all is Corliss doing housework and Dexter's arrival
with a pie and a watermelon.
Synopsis 2:
There's only one phone number in the Archer household - not enough when there's a teenager in
the home. The phone is constantly in use, and Mr. Archer keeps missing important business calls. [RL]
[09] Meet Corliss Archer: DEXTER'S JOB
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1009
Dex's father makes a deal with him: get a job, keep it a week, and
he will buy a new muffler for his car.
1.10 [--] Meet Corliss Archer: HARRY'S COLD [verified -RL]
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1010
Written by Lee Karson and Jack Harvey
Directed by Ed Davis and Ed Stein
Guest Cast:
Ken Christy ........ Mr. Franklin
Vera Marshe ........ Mrs. Franklin
Edward Clarke ...... Mr. Schroeder
George Offerman .... the delivery boy
Synopsis 1:
Harry has a bad cold and Janet makes him stay in bed, and everyone
leaves him alone except Dex.
Synopsis 2:
Harry has a bad cold. The well-meaning but bumbling Dexter tries to help out by going
to the drug store for Harry's medicine. While there, a misunderstanding leads the
druggist and neighbors to believe that the Archer family is destitute. As a result,
lots of food baskets mysteriously begin to appear at the Archer's front door. [RL]
1.11 [--] Meet Corliss Archer: DEXTER THE HELPER [verified -RL]
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1011
Written by Tom Coffey, Margaret Coffey, Jerry Adelman
Directed by Lewis Allen
Guest cast
Charles Halton ........ Mr. Morton
Charles Evans ......... Mr. Manders
Leon Tyler ............ the waiter
Synopsis 1:
Dexter flies his model airplane through Corliss' window, glass and
all, then insists on fixing it himself.
Synopsis 2:
Clumsy Dexter breaks the window of Corliss' bedroom with his model airplane. As if that weren't
enough to get Mr. Archer flustered, there's also a large beehive outside the window, and these
pests eventually take over the Archer household. [RL]
[12] Meet Corliss Archer: THE BEST POLICY
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1012
The Archers and Dex decide that being totally honest with each other will be productive.
[13] Meet Corliss Archer: HARRY'S DIET
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1013
Harry Archer bets everyone that he can lose five pounds in five days
and wear his old cutaway suit to a friend's wedding. Disaster is just around the corner.
Guest Star: Tor Johnson (with a moustache!)
[14] Meet Corliss Archer: THE VASE THAT CAME TO DINNER
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1014
After accidently breaking a horrible vase Janet brought home, Harry
has Dexter help him repair it. Now why does his dinner taste like glue?
[15] Meet Corliss Archer: CORLISS THE CHEERLEADER
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1015
Corliss wants to be a cheerleader, and Dex asks a friend to help
her, but his friend tries to move in on Corliss.
[16] Meet Corliss Archer: THE ARCHER'S GET A MAID
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1016
Harry decides Janet needs help so he hires a maid, who is very
unpleasant and not what they expected.
[17] Meet Corliss Archer: DEXTER BECOMES A MAN
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1017
Dex thinks he is an adult, so he starts his own business;
babysitting. Now its all work, work, work.
[18] Meet Corliss Archer: DEXTER'S MASQUERADE COSTUME
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1018
After a nice evening at the charity masquerade Dexter gets stuck in
his knight-in-shining-armor costume and they have to call a tow
truck to get him out of it.
[19] Meet Corliss Archer: (title unknown)
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1019
(no details)
[20] Meet Corliss Archer: MALE EGO
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1020
When Harry and Dexter find out that Corliss and Janet let them win
games so they will feel good, Harry decides that he and Dexter can even the score.
[21] Meet Corliss Archer: MONEY MATTERS
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1021
The Archers decide they are spending too much money and have to cut back.
[22] Meet Corliss Archer: A PARTY FOR CORLISS
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1022
Corliss plans a party with all of her friends, but Harry and Janet
don't think she is old enough to hostess her own party.
[23] Meet Corliss Archer: THE NEW NEIGHBORS
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1023
When the Wilsons move next door to the Archer's everything goes
wrong, leading the Wilson's to believe the Archer's are nuts and
the Archer's to think the Wilson's are dangerous.
Guest Star: Tris Coffin.
[24] Meet Corliss Archer: HARRY AND THE SOAP OPERA QUEEN
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1024
Corliss and Dex are addicted to a TV soap opera which drives Harry
crazy because he can't watch his show. The Archer's buy another set
for the kids and for Janet. And Harry? He still can't watch what he
wants. Maybe that soap isn't so bad...
Guest Star: Joi Lansing.
[25] Meet Corliss Archer: A DATE FOR DORIS
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1025
Corliss and Dexter try to get a date for Doris, an unattractive
school friend. No one will take her so Corliss and her mother give
Doris a beauty makeover.
[26] Meet Corliss Archer: FRIENDS FOREVER?
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1026
Corliss and Dexter have to put things right after a misunderstanding
threatens their parents' freindship.
Guest Star: Tristram Coffin.
1.27 [--] Meet Corliss Archer: BOAT BUILDERS [verified -RL]
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1027
Written by Lee Loeb
Directed by Leslie Goodwins
Guest Cast:
Ken Christy ........ Mr. Franklin
Vera Marshe ........ Mrs. Franklin
Synopsis 1:
Corliss and Dexter are building a boat, and Harry and Bill want to help.
Synopsis 2:
Corliss and Dexter try to build a boat from a kit all by themselves, but their meddling
fathers hinder instead of help, and eventually ruin the finished product. [RL]
[28] Meet Corliss Archer: MIFFY'S OVERNIGHT PAINTING
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1028
The Franklyn's are having their house painted and the Archer's invite
them to stay at their house. You know, sometimes even best friends
shouldn't be together for very long.
[29] Meet Corliss Archer: THE PAIN IN THE NECK
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1029
Harry reads a psychiatric book and decides his stiff neck is caused
by everyone else's problems.
[30] Meet Corliss Archer: PRESIDENT OF THE GARDEN CLUB
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1030
The Archers and Franklyns have a falling out when Janet and Mary are
both nominated for president of their club.
[31] Meet Corliss Archer: THE FORTUNE TELLER
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1031
Dexter has everyone visiting a swami who tells their future, with
Harry the only skeptic.
[32] Meet Corliss Archer: HARRY THE DICTATOR
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1032
Harry becomes upset after hearing Corliss' essay on family life which
names the father as a dictator. Harry declares a democracy, majority
rules, but he keeps losing the vote.
[33] Meet Corliss Archer: HARRY GIVES ADVICE
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1033
Dexter and the guys donate their allowances to charity for a month,
meaning no money for dates. Harry tells Corliss that the girls should
take the guys out and pay for the date, which causes an uproar in
the whole town.
1.34 [--] Meet Corliss Archer: DEXTER AND THE CAR [verified -RL]
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1034
Written by Phil Shuken and Jerry Adelman
Directed by Ed Davis and Don Verk
Guest cast [RL]
Ken Christy ........ Mr. Franklin
Ed Clarke .......... Mr. Schroeder
Guest Star:
Hank Patterson. [?]
Synopsis 1:
Dexter's jalopy falls apart so he borrows the Archer's vehicle to drive over to borrow
a car. The kids have trouble, Harry misses a meeting, and is arrested for car theft!
Synopsis 2:
Dexter's loud jalopy, desperately in need of a muffler, rattles Mr. Archer's nerves. [RL].
[35] Meet Corliss Archer: HARRY THE PHOTOGRAPHER
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1035
Unimpressed with Bill's new camera, Harry digs out his father's old
camera, which Dex destroys.
[36] Meet Corliss Archer: THE PERSONALITY TEST
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1036
Corliss is unhappy because a personality test shows that she and Dex
are not compatible, but Harry has a solution.
[37] Meet Corliss Archer: JANET GOES TO COLLEGE
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no. 1037
Harry convinces Janet to take some college classes, so she and Mary
sign up, leaving all the housework for Corliss and Dexter.
[38] Meet Corliss Archer: HARRY TELLS DEX HOW IT IS
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no .1038
After Corliss and Dex have a fight, Harry and Janet tell Dex about
before they were married and how they handled each other. Their
stories don't quite match.
[39] Meet Corliss Archer: THE CHRISTMAS STORY
© 1954 syndicated program
ZIV release no .1039
While making presents for everyone, Corliss and Dexter manage to
destroy Harry's decorations and the Archer's Christmas tree, while
Janet searches for her gift which Harry has hidden.
############ Meet Corliss Archer #############
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