CTVA - The Classic TV Archive

US Anthology series (chronological order) -  US Anthology series (alphabetical order)  -  Sponsors

Ford Theatre   (1948-51) (live)

a.k.a "Ford All-Star Theater"  (1952-57) (filmed )
Sponsors   The Ford Motor Company

Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive

https://ctva.biz/index.htm

with contributions by:

Rina Fox, James Beer, Sal Crisanti, Cindy Rumbold

references:

Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)

Internet Movie Database (https://www.us.imdb.com)

 

Ford Theatre (season 1) (CBS) (1948-1949) - Live from New York (60 min)
Ford Theatre (season 2) (CBS) (1949-1950)  - Live from New York (60 min)
Ford Theatre (season 3) (CBS) (1950-1951)  - Live from New York (60 min)
season 1951-52 - no episodes aired
Ford Theatre (season 4) (NBC) (1952-1953) - Filmed in Hollywood (30 min)
Ford Theatre (season 5) (NBC) (1953-1954) - Filmed in Hollywood (30 min)
Ford Theatre (season 6) (NBC) (1954-1955) - Filmed in Hollywood (30 min)
Ford Theatre (season 7) (NBC) (1955-1956) - Filmed in Hollywood (30 min)
Ford Theatre (season 8) (ABC) (1956-1957) - Filmed in Hollywood (30 min)

* live episodes (1948-51)(hour)  CBS Production (live from New York)

for

CBS (Sundays 7:30pm)(season 1)(1948-49)(hour)(live)

CBS (Fridays 9:00pm)(seasons 2-3)(1949-51)(hour)(live)

 

* filmed episodes (1952-57)(half-hour)  a.k.a "Ford All Star Theater"

Screen Gems, Inc. (filmed in Hollywood)

a division of Columbia Pictures

NBC (Thursdays 9:30pm)(seasons 4-7) (1953-56)(half-hour)

ABC (Wednesdays 9:30pm)(season 8) (1956-57)(half-hour)

US Dramatic anthology series 

             1948-51  52 episodes x 60 min bw (live) (CBS)

             1952-57  195 episodes x 30 min bw (filmed) (Screen Gems, Inc.)    

Background:

Sponsored by the Ford Motor Company, it  began as a monthly series

of live hour-long dramatic plays  on CBS on 17Oct1948  It became a regular

series a year later, airing on alternate Friday nights with other dramatic

shows. The live CBS edition used New York-based actors and actresses,

primarily those working on Broadway. 

After a season's absence, Ford Theatre returned to the air on NBC as a

filmed series of half-hour plays. This version remained on NBC for 4 years

then moved to ABC for a final season.  With the shift to film, production

moved to Hollywood and starred motion-picture performers.  The scope

ranged from light comedy to heavy drama as well as original stories. 

Ronald Reagan & his wife Nancy Davis made their first professional appearance

 together in the series, on 05Feb1953 in a teleplay called "First Born."

 

Episodes through 09Mar1951 produced by Garth Montgomery. #1- #44

Episodes from 06Apr1951 produced by Werner Michel. #46-#52

All of the "live" episodes, with the exception of #33,

were directed by Franklin J. Shaffner.

 

Aired in Syndication 1958 as Theater of Stars weekdays at 1:00pm ET.