Arthur Godfrey and His Friends

Arthur Godfrey and His Friends
GenreVariety show
Directed byJohn Paul Nickell [1]
StarringArthur Godfrey
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons10
Production
Running time48–50 minutes
Original release
NetworkCBS Television
ReleaseJanuary 12, 1949 (1949-01-12) –
April 28, 1959 (1959-04-28)

Arthur Godfrey and His Friends is an American television variety show hosted by Arthur Godfrey. The hour-long series aired on CBS Television from January 12, 1949,[2] to June 1957 (as The Arthur Godfrey Show after September 1956), then again as a half-hour show from September 1958 to April 1959.[3]

Many of Godfrey's musical acts were culled from Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts,[citation needed] which was airing on CBS at the same time. The singers included Frank Parker, Marion Marlowe, Janette Davis, Julius La Rosa, The Mariners, The McGuire Sisters, Carmel Quinn, Pat Boone, Lu Ann Simms, and The Chordettes.[4] The show was live, and Godfrey often did away with the script and improvised. In addition, unlike his morning show Arthur Godfrey Time, the evening show often presented celebrity guests. He refused to participate in commercials for products he did not believe in.

The series was a hit in the Nielsen ratings in the early to mid 1950s, often finishing just behind Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. It ranked #18 in the 1950–1951 season, #6 in 1951–1952, #3 in 1952–1953, #6 in 1953-1954 and #22 in 1954–1955.[5] Arthur Godfrey and His Friends also earned a nomination for an Emmy Award in 1953 for Best Variety Program.[6]

Sponsors included Viva lipstick[7] and Liggett & Myers Tobacco Company.[8]

References

  1. ^ "John Paul Nickell; Director During TV's Golden Age". Los Angeles Times. May 20, 2000. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  2. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present (9 ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. pp. 80–81. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  3. ^ Gomery, Douglas. "Arthur Godfrey Shows (Various)". Museum of Broadcast Communications. Archived from the original on June 26, 2002. Retrieved 2009-04-05.
  4. ^ Inman, David M. (December 3, 2014). Television Variety Shows: Histories and Episode Guides to 57 Programs. McFarland. pp. 62–66. ISBN 978-1-4766-0877-8. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  5. ^ "ClassicTVguide.com: TV Ratings". classictvguide.com.
  6. ^ "Arthur Godfrey and His Friends". Television Academy.
  7. ^ "Lipstick Firms Vie for Best Time, Talent on Network TV" (PDF). Billboard. July 24, 1954. p. 2. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  8. ^ "Liggett & Myers end Godfrey tie". The New York Times. January 7, 1954. p. 37. Retrieved January 23, 2023.


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