CTVA US Music Variety - "The RCA Victor Show" (NBC)(1951-54) starring
Ezio Pinza, Dennis Day
CTVA The Classic TV Archive - US
Music Variety "Bonino"(NBC) (1953)
starring Ezio Pinza The R.C.A. Victor Show
presents The Ezio Pinza Show
(1951-52) The Dennis Day
Show (1952-54)
Episode Guide
compiled by
The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by: Robert Leszczak, Rina Fox
references:
TV Guide /
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive
Writers Guild of America (wga)
--------------------------------------------------------------- THE RCA VICTOR SHOW - THE EZIO PINZA SHOW / THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
---------------------------------------------------------------
NBC
Produced by Paul Henning & Joseph Stanley
US Music Comedy-Variety Series 1951-54 3 seasons x 30min
"The Ezio Pinza Show" 1951-52 20 episodes x 30min (Variety format)
"The Dennis Day Show" 1952-54 92 episodes x 30min (Sitcom format)
Starring: Ezio Pinza as Himself (1951-52) Dennis Day as Himself (1952-54)
With: Verna Felton as Dennis's mother Cliff Arquette as Charlie Weaver (janitor) Ida Moore as Lavinia (Charlie's girlfriend)
*
Kathy Phillips as Kathy (Dennis Day's girlfriend #1)(1952)
Lois Butler as Lois (Dennis Day's girlfriend #2)(1952-53)
Barbara Ruick as Peggy (Dennis Day's girlfriend #3)(1953)
Carol Richard as Marian (Dennis Day's girlfriend #4)(1954)
* Hal March as Hal (Dennis Day's friend)
Other Regulars:
Dancers: Tom and Jean Mahoney
Orchestra: Charles "Bud" Dante
############ The RCA Victor Show #############
############# Season 1 1951-52 ###############
########### The Ezio Pinza Show #############
NBC Fridays 8:00-8:30pm ET
[EP01] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
23Nov1951 NBC Fri 8:00pm [Premiere]
Guests: Jane Froman
Lew Parker
[EP02] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
30Nov1951 NBC Fri
Guests: Mindy Carson
Monty Woolley
[EP03] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
07Dec1951 NBC Fri
Guests: Bert Lahr
June Valli
[EP04] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
14Dec1951 NBC Fri
Guests: Beatrice Lillie
[EP05] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
21Dec1951 NBC Fri
Guests: Robert Shaw Chorale
[EP06] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
28Dec1951 NBC Fri
Guests:
Soprano Zinka Milanov
Eddie Foy Jr.
[EP07] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
04Jan1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Martha Wright
[EP08] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
11Jan1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Margaret Truman
[EP09] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
18Jan1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Eddy Arnold
Janis Paige
[EP10] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
25Jan1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Helen Hayes
Ben Blue
[EP11] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
01Feb1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Harpo Marx
======================
[01] The RCA Victor Show: THE DENNIS DAY SHOW (first
episode)
(biweekly - alternating with "The Ezio Pinza Show")
08Feb1952 NBC Fri 8:00pm
Guests: Verna Felton
Kathy Phillips
[EP12] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
15Feb1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Patrice Munsel
[02] The RCA Victor Show: THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
22Feb1952 NBC Fri
Guests:
no detail
[EP13] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
29Feb1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Celeste Holm
[03] The RCA Victor Show: THE DENNIS DAY SHOW: Grandpa Day's Leprechaun
07Mar1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Billy Barty as the Leprechaun [RF]
[EP14] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
14Mar1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Patricia Morison
[04] The RCA Victor Show: THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
21Mar1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Jack Benny
[EP15] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
28Mar1952 NBC Fri
Guests:
The Death Scene from Moussorgsky's Opera "Boris Gudonov". [RF]
[05] The RCA Victor Show: THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
04Apr1952 NBC Fri
Guests:
no detail
[EP16] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
11Apr1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Vanessa Brown
Eugenia Leontovitch
[06] The RCA Victor Show: THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
18Apr1952 NBC Fri
Guests:
no detail
[EP17] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
25Apr1952 NBC Fri
Guests:
no detail
[07] The RCA Victor Show: THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
02May1952 NBC Fri
Guests:
no detail
[EP18] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
09May1952 NBC Fri
Guests:
no detail
[08] The RCA Victor Show: THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
16May1952 NBC Fri
Guests:
no detail
[09] The RCA Victor Show: THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
23May1952 NBC Fri
Guests:
no detail
[EP19] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
30May1952 NBC Fri
Guests:
no detail
[10] The RCA Victor Show: THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
06Jun1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Reginald Gardiner
[EP20] The RCA Victor Show: THE EZIO PINZA SHOW
(final show)
13Jun1952 NBC Fri
Guests:
no detail
*NOTE: Last show of the season. "Curtain Call" is the summer replacement.
[RF]
############ The RCA Victor Show #############
############# Season 2 1952-53 ###############
############ The Dennis Day Show #############
NBC Fridays 8:00-8:30pm ET
Name changes to The Dennis Day Show and is now filmed, no longer live.
2.01 [11] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW [Season Premiere]
03Oct1952 NBC Fri
2.02 [12] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
10Oct1952 NBC Fri
2.03 [13] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
17Oct1952 NBC Fri
Guests: Hal March
Synopsis:
Dennis decides to buy his friend Charley (Cliff Arquette) a car for his
birthday. The salesman turns
out to be Hal March. [RF]
2.04 [14] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
24Oct1952 NBC Fri
2.05 [15] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
31Oct1952 NBC Fri
Synopsis:
A Halloween pumpkin aids Dennis Day when romance threatens on a blind date. [RF]
2.06 [16] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
07Nov1952 NBC Fri
2.07 [17] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
14Nov1952 NBC Fri
2.08 [18] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
21Nov1952 NBC Fri
Synopsis:
Dennis is persuaded by a little girl to fake a camping trip on Charley. [RF]
2.09 [19] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
28Nov1952 NBC Fri
2.10 [20] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
05Dec1952 NBC Fri
2.11 [21] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
12Dec1952 NBC Fri
2.12 [22] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
19Dec1952 NBC Fri
2.13 [23] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
26Dec1952 NBC Fri
2.14 [24] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
02Jan1953 NBC Fri
Guests: Maria Palmer (Countess)
Synopsis:
Dennis returns from a holiday trip and finds a glamorous Countess who has moved
into his apartment building. [RF]
2.15 [25] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
09Jan1953 NBC Fri
2.16 [26] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
16Jan1953 NBC Fri
2.17 [27] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
23Jan1953 NBC Fri
2.18 [28] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
30Jan1953 NBC Fri
Guests: Marie Wilson
Synopsis:
Dennis Day finds that a husband is nothing to trifle with. [RF]
2.19 [29] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
06Feb1953 NBC Fri
2.20 [30] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
13Feb1953 NBC Fri
Synopsis:
Dennis masquerades as Charley, the janitor and again nearly loses the job and
becomes involved
with the mother of the building owner. [RF]
2.21 [31] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
20Feb1953 NBC Fri
Guests: Kukla, Fran and Ollie
Synopsis:
Dennis plans a dinner party for his guests but runs into trouble with Ollie. [RF]
2.22 [32] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
27Feb1953 NBC Fri
2.23 [33] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
06Mar1953 NBC Fri
2.24 [34] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
13Mar1953 NBC Fri
2.25 [35] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
20Mar1953 NBC Fri
2.26 [36] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
27Mar1953 NBC Fri
2.27 [37] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
03Apr1953 NBC Fri
Guests: Irene Ryan
Synopsis:
Miss Mount Idy is still in town and Dennis finds himself the victim. [RF]
2.28 [38] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
10Apr1953 NBC Fri
2.29 [39] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
17Apr1953 NBC Fri
2.30 [40] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
24Apr1953 NBC Fri
2.31 [41] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
01May1953 NBC Fri
2.32 [42] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
08May1953 NBC Fri
2.33 [43] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
15May1953 NBC Fri
2.34 [44] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
22May1953 NBC Fri
2.35 [45] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
29May1953 NBC Fri
2.36 [46] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
05Jun1953 NBC Fri
2.37 [47] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
12Jun1953 NBC Fri
Synopsis:
A boastful discussion on sons and grandsons between Charlie and an old crony
puts Dennis in
the role of Charlie's son. [RF]
2.38 [48] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
19Jun1953 NBC Fri
Synopsis:
Dennis takes Peggy the chimpanzee to a birthday party to entertain the guests. [RF]
2.39 [49] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW
26Jun1953 NBC Fri
with Jimmy Gleason
Molly Goldberg
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick McNulty
*NOTE: "The Dennis Day Show" takes a vacation and the Summer replacement series
is
First Person Play: Cafe Society with the camera as the Lead Character.
[Premiere] [RF]
############ The RCA Victor Show #############
############# Season 3 1953-54 ###############
############ The Dennis Day Show #############
NBC Mondays 9:00-9:30pm ET
(competing against "I Love Lucy" on CBS)
3.01 [50] The Dennis Day Show:
05Oct1953 NBC Mon [Premiere]
Synopsis:
Dennis gets involved with two confidence men portraying Russian musicians. [RF]
3.02 [51] The Dennis Day Show:
12Oct1953 NBC Mon
3.03 [52] The Dennis Day Show: CHARLIE'S BIRTHDAY
(verified -RL)
19Oct1953 NBC Mon 9:00-9:30pm ET
Sponsored by RCA
Directed by James Neilson
Written by Paul Henning and Stanley Shapiro
Starring
Dennis Day
Cliff Arquette ........ Charlie Weaver (janitor)
Jeri Lou James ........ Susan (Lois's sister)
Carol Richards ........ Marian (Dennis Day's girlfriend #4)
Byron Foulger
Marjorie Bennett
Synopsis:
Charlie Weaver is upset that Dennis has forgotten his birthday. Dennis and the
others
in the cast try to convince Charley otherwise by tricking Charlie into thinking
it's
still Saturday (and thus still Charlie's birthday), not Sunday (which it really
is). [RL]
3.04 [53] The Dennis Day Show:
26Oct1953 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis and his most ardent janitor Charlie and his elderly friend loses his job
in a supper club. [RF]
3.05 [54] The Dennis Day Show:
02Nov1953 NBC Mon
3.06 [55] The Dennis Day Show:
09Nov1953 NBC Mon
3.07 [56] The Dennis Day Show:
16Nov1953 NBC Mon
3.08 [57] The Dennis Day Show:
23Nov1953 NBC Mon
3.09 [58] The Dennis Day Show:
30Nov1953 NBC Mon
3.10 [59] The Dennis Day Show:
07Dec1953 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis takes a nightclub job but rebels and lands in deep trouble.
3.11 [60] The Dennis Day Show:
14Dec1953 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis discovers that his pixyish friend Lavinia is pawning her jewelry in order
to eat. So Dennis
and Charley Weaver buy a broken-down restaurant and fix it. [RF]
3.12 [61] The Dennis Day Show:
21Dec1953 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis recalls some of his ancestors and their Christmases during a neighborhood
party. [RF]
3.13 [62] The Dennis Day Show:
28Dec1953 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Lavinia's restaurant needs cash customers and Dennis Day sets out to get them
but runs into complications. [RF]
3.14 [63] The Dennis Day Show:
04Jan1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis talks an agent into hearing Carol sing, but the agent hears Bedelia
instead.
Dennis sings "One Love For Two" and "By the Light of the Silvery Moon".
Bedelia sings "Jada". [RF]
3.15 [64] The Dennis Day Show:
11Jan1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Susie's birthday party mixes monkeys and monkeyshines enough to throw a new
tenant in the house into utter confusion. [RF]
3.16 [65] The Dennis Day Show:
18Jan1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis plays his grandfather from Ireland to five-year-old Patrick Day. (Patrick
is actually Dennis Day's son.) [RF]
3.17 [66] The Dennis Day Show:
25Jan1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Charlie is jealous of the attention paid by Dennis's grandfather to Lavinia.
Ida Moore is Lavinia and Dennis plays his grandfather. [RF]
3.18 [67] The Dennis Day Show:
01Feb1954 NBC Mon
3.19 [68] The Dennis Day Show:
08Feb1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis and Charley are given gifts by their girls but things become complicated
when the gifts are switched. [RF]
3.20 [69] The Dennis Day Show:
15Feb1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis and Charley get in a merry mix up over a photo. [RF]
3.21 [70] The Dennis Day Show:
22Feb1954 NBC Mon
Guest Eddie Cantor
Synopsis:
Dennis takes Bedelia nightclubbing.
3.22 [71] The Dennis Day Show:
01Mar1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
When Dennis believes he has the tendencies of a thief, he gets involved in all
kinds of trouble. [RF]
3.23 [72] The Dennis Day Show:
08Mar1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis is relieved of his tape-recorder and given a similar Japanese model as he
becomes involved with
a young doctor. [RF]
[--] The Dennis Day Show:
15Mar1954 NBC Mon
pre-empted to following week by Eisenhower's Speech. [RF]
3.24 [73] The Dennis Day Show:
22Mar1954 NBC Mon
Guest:
Billy Barty as the leprechaun.
Synopsis:
Grandfather Day tells leprechaun stories.
*NOTE: Pre-empted from last week by Eisenhower's speech. [RF]
3.25 [74] The Dennis Day Show:
29Mar1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Charley Weaver is writing a song for the Mt. Idy amateur-song contest, and
Dennis agrees to record it for him.
"Everything Is Tidy in Mt. Idy" promises to become a hit ... but Charley throws
a monkey-wrench into the
negotiations. [RF]
3.26 [75] The Dennis Day Show:
05Apr1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis becomes disillusioned when he discovers girlfriend Peggy is going out
with a Western movie star
and this leads to a dress in which he becomes a cowboy star. [RF]
Synopsis 2:
Dennis finds his girl dating a movie star. [RF]
3.27 [76] The Dennis Day Show:
12Apr1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis' grandfather decides that Dennis and his friends are a bunch of "party
people". Grandpa is virtually kidnaped
by gangsters, talks them into a party, makes his escape and decides that
Americans aren't good party-goers. Dennis
plays the dual role.
3.28 [77] The Dennis Day Show:
19Apr1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
He tells of his experiences, when he enlisted in the Navy and wound up as a GI
hero of the infantry.
3.29 [78] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW: (episode title not
known) [verified -RL]
26Apr1954 NBC Mon
Produced by Dennis Day
Written by Albert Lewis and Burt Styler
Directed by Rod Amateau
Guest Ann Blyth
Synopsis:
A pretty relative of Dennis' shows up to guest on his KNBH (4) show at 9 p.m. in
the person of Ann Blyth, his
real-life sister-inlaw. His brother. Dr. John McNulty also appears briefly. The
storyline is built around the guesting
movie star and has Dennis talking her out of a surprise trip to Hawaii, and her
husband out of one to Las Vegas. [RF]
Synopsis 2:
Actress Ann Blyth is the guest star as Dennis' sister in law, the
actress. She's been working so very
hard making movies that Dennis tries to trick her into taking a vacation to Sun
Valley. However, at the
same time, Ann has been planning her OWN vacation - a cruise to Hawaii, and when
the plans cross, trouble
ensues. The most interesting part of this entire episode is an uncredited
Johnny Carson in one of his
first network appearances ever as expectant father, Mr. Swanson. [RL]
3.30 [79] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
03May1954 NBC Mon
3.31 [80] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
10May1954 NBC Mon
3.32 [81] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
17May1954 NBC Mon
Guest Louis Jourdan
Synopsis:
A Mount Idy beauty contest winner, seeks the help of Dennis in getting a start
on the road to stardom. [RF]
3.33 [82] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
24May1954 NBC Mon
Guest Pat Carroll
Synopsis:
Dennis hears that a girl named Wilhelmina Ogg has won the Mount Idy Beauty
Contest, and arranges to have
her meet a theatrical agent. [RF]
Synopsis 2:
Dennis does a good turn for a fellow actor. [RF]
3.34 [83] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
31May1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis is accused of being a cheat.
3.35 [84] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
07Jun1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Is it Jack Webb? No it's Dennis, dreaming that he is Sgt. Josef Dayfri of the
Paris police, investigating a robbery
involving Madame Du Barry, Madame Pompadour and King Louis XV. His staunch
assistant Francois
(Cliff Arquette as Charley Weaver) aids him in his search.
3.36 [85] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
14Jun1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
A former College sweetheart, Volcano Lips puts Dennis in a precarious dilemma
with his current girlfriend. [RF]
3.37 [86] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
21Jun1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
A chimpanzee is guest entertainer at a birthday party for little Susan.
3.38 [87] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
28Jun1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Charlie wants Dennis to be picked as a quizmaster on the telephone in order to
become a "This Is Your Life"
researcher. [RF]
3.39 [88] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
05Jul1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis Day's 5-year-old son Patrick guests as Dennis has a flashback to his
childhood when Alvin invents
an intercom system while tinkering around. [RF]
3.40 [89] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
12Jul1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
A near panic ensues when Dennis and Charley appear on the highway dressed as
Martians. [RF]
3.41 [90] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
19Jul1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis and Charley help the neighborhood kids put on a variety show. [RF]
3.42 [91] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW:
26Jul1954 NBC Mon
Synopsis:
Dennis and Charley get involved with a lonely hearts club. [RF]
3.43 [92] THE DENNIS DAY SHOW: (final episode)
02Aug54 NBC Mon 9:00-9:30pm ET
Synopsis:
Dennis finds himself involved with a gang of counterfeiters. [RF]
############## The RCA Victor Show ###########
################## the end #################
##############################################
