Created by Phyllis Adams Jenkins Original language(s) English Camera setup Multi-camera First episode date 4 April 1948 Program creator Phyllis Adams Jenkins Language English | Country of origin United States Producer(s) Martin Stone Running time 24–26 minutes Final episode date 10 October 1954 Genre Talk show | |
Presented by John McCaffery, Faye Emerson, Virgilia Peterson Similar The Alan Dale Show, Juvenile Jury, Mary Kay and Johnny, Arthur Godfrey and His F, Martin Kane - Private Eye | ||
Author Meets the Critics was an American talk show which was broadcast by the National Broadcasting Company, American Broadcasting Company, and the DuMont Television Network. The series began as a mid-season replacement on NBC on April 4, 1948, but was transferred to ABC during 1949. The show was transferred back to NBC during 1951, and then to DuMont from January 10, 1952, to October 10, 1954.
Contents
Overview
On the series, two critics debated a recently published book, one in favor and the other against. Later, the author of the book appeared to meet the critics.
John K. M. McCaffery was the moderator from 1948 to 1951. Faye Emerson had a brief stint as moderator during 1952, during which the show was transferred to prime time. Virgilia Peterson was the moderator during the DuMont run from 1952 to 1954, when the show was broadcast Thursdays at 10pm EST.
The DuMont episodes of the series were produced by Phyllis Adams Jenkins (1923-2004), a pioneer in providing serious programming intended for daytime television audiences. She later produced other series, including What's the Problem?, the daytime series Home featuring Arlene Francis during the 1950s, and Dinah Shore's daytime series during the 1960s.
On his series, Ernie Kovacs parodied it as "Author Heats the Critics", with the author attacking the critics, rather than the other way around.
An earlier version appeared on radio June 12, 1946 - April 2, 1947, on the Mutual network.
Episode status
As with most DuMont series, not many episodes of the DuMont version are known to survive. The March 27, 1949 episode of original NBC version of the series is preserved from kinescope recordings at the Paley Center for Media in New York City.