Academy Theatre

Academy Theatre is an American drama anthology series that aired on NBC in 1949. It ran for eight weeks as the summer replacement for Chevrolet on Broadway.[1]

Not to be confused with Academy Theater.
Academy Theatre
GenreDrama
Country of originUnited States
Original language(s)English
Production
Producer(s)Curtis Canfield
Release
Original networkNBC
Original releaseJuly 25 –
September 12, 1949

Format

The series utilized a different cast each week who appeared in short works by established playwrights. The plays were broadcast live in 30-minute segments on Monday nights.

Selected episodes
Play TitlePlaywrightOriginal airdateCast
The Stolen PrinceDan TotherohAugust 1, 1949Shirley Dale, Ian MacDonald
Drums of OudeAustin StrongAugust 8, 1949Richard Newton
In the Shadow of the GlenJ.M. SyngeAugust 15, 1949Anne Jackson
Summer Comes to the Diamond ORobert FinchAugust 29, 1949Jack Davis
Aria da CapoEdna St. Vincent MillaySeptember 5, 1949Michael Higgins

Development

In April 1949, Charles R. Denny, NBC Executive Vice-President and a graduate of Amherst College, arranged for a production of Julius Caesar to be broadcast to 14 cities nationwide. The play was performed by the Amherst College Masquers and directed by F. Curtis Canfield, a professor at Amherst and Director of Amherst's Kirby Theatre. The broadcast marked the first time that an entire play by Shakespeare aired on television.[2]

During the following summer, Canfield (who would later become the first Dean of the Yale School of Drama), again collaborated with NBC to bring a series of one-act plays to the network. Academy Theatre was the result.[3]

During a sabbatical as an NBC producer, Canfield convinced the network to create Masterpiece Playhouse, one-hour productions of seven classic plays including Hedda Gabler, Uncle Vanya, and Othello. Broadcast in 1950, each play was produced for the "heavy-budget" sum of $10,000.[4]

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References
  1. Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
  2. Shakespeare at Amherst Retrieved 2011-05-03.
  3. Canfield papers Retrieved 2011-05-03.
  4. Noble experiment. (September 4, 1950). Time Magazine. Retrieved 2011-05-03.


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