Alcoa Premiere (also known as Premiere, Presented by Fred Astaire[citation needed] ) is an American anthologydrama series sponsored by the Alcoa Corporation that aired from October 10, 1961, to September 12, 1963, on ABC. The series was hosted by Fred Astaire, who also starred in several of the episodes.[1]
Several Alcoa Premiere episodes were actually pilots for TV shows, often produced by other hands and picked up as anthology episodes by Alcoa. Most of these pilots went no further than their appearance on Alcoa Premiere, but three series (Channing, Wide Country[citation needed], and McHale's Navy[3]) were developed from the pilot films shown on this anthology series.[citation needed]
One first-season episode ("The Jail") had been produced with the intention of airing as an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, but was shown on Alcoa Premiere instead. The episode was written by Ray Bradbury and produced by the AHP crew, with Hitchcock credited as executive producer of the aired episode.[citation needed]
Broadcast history
During its first season, the show was broadcast on Tuesday evenings at 10:00 pm. The show moved to Thursday evenings at the same time for its second season.[1]
Awards
The anthology was nominated for 14 Emmy Awards during its two-year run.[4]
Shot down during the Korean War, Lt. Brown is held captive in a basement where the light is never turned off. They won't treat his mangled leg unless he gives his captors a confession.
4
4
"Moment of Decision"
Stanley Ellin (story) Larry Marcus, Porter Putnam, K.H. Lindsay (teleplay)
In this future time a young man is charged with an offense against the state and marshaled into a huge building crammed with banks and banks of computers. These computers absorb and assess the evidence, circumstances and facts in his case -- and all of them are operated by one master button-pusher. Originally intended as an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and shot, directed and produced by the AHP crew. Hitchcock is credited as executive producer of this episode.
14
14
"Mr. Easy"
Matt Taylor (story) James Brewer, Claude Binyon (teleplay)
Andrew Whitbeck is bored with his successful business and decides to chuck it all and "enjoy himself" by becoming a cartoonist -- which is more demanding than he realizes.
A college teacher's new job is made difficult by a brilliant, but uncompromising, student. This is the pilot for the eventual 1963/64 series Channing, which starred both Jones and Evers.
Hoby Dunlap was acquitted of treason during the Korean War, but Hoby's efforts to enter a rodeo contest are blocked by officials who fear audiences won't come see a "traitor". This episode became the pilot for the 1963-64 NBC series Wide Country [citation needed] .
During WWII, a stranded group of American PT boat crewmen hide out on a remote South Pacific island controlled by the Japanese Navy. This drama served as a pilot for the eventual 1962-66 comedy series McHale's Navy, which starred Borgnine.
Convinced that a wife can ruin a career, San Francisco criminal lawyer Max McIntire tries to stop his partner's marriage. Pilot for an unsold series, produced by Ralph Edwards.
