My Little Margie
Encyclopedia
My Little Margie is an American
situation comedy
that alternated between CBS and NBC from 1952 to 1955. The series was created by Frank Fox and produced in Los Angeles, California
at Hal Roach Studios by Hal Roach, Jr.
and Roland D. Reed.
My Little Margie premiered on CBS as the summer replacement for I Love Lucy
on June 16, 1952, under the sponsorship of Philip Morris cigarettes (when the series moved to NBC for its third season in the fall of 1953, Scott Paper Company
became its sponsor). In an unusual move, the series—with the same leads—aired original episodes on CBS Radio
, concurrently with the TV broadcasts, from December 1952 through August 1955. Only 23 radio broadcasts are known to exist in recorded form.
, the series stars Gale Storm
as 21-year-old Margie Albright and former silent film star Charles Farrell
as her widowed father, 50-year-old Vern Albright. They shared an apartment at the Carlton Arms Hotel. Vern Albright was the vice president of the investment firm of Honeywell and Todd, where his boss was George Honeywell (Clarence Kolb
). Honeywell's partner in the firm was played by George Meader. Roberta (Hillary Brooke
) was Vern's girlfriend, and Margie's boyfriend was Freddy Wilson (Don Hayden). Mrs. Odetts (played by Gertrude W. Hoffmann on TV; Verna Felton
on radio) was the Albrights' next-door neighbor and Margie's sidekick in madcap capers reminiscent of Lucy and Ethel in I Love Lucy. When Margie realized she had blundered or got into trouble, she made an odd trilling sound
. Also in the cast were Willie Best
as the elevator operator and Dian Fauntelle.
The series was canceled in 1955. Gale Storm went on to star in The Gale Storm Show
which ran for 143 episodes 1956-1960.
The show has been compared with two other 1950's sitcoms which aired at the same time, I Married Joan
and Life with Elizabeth
. All three programs were inspired by the success of I Love Lucy
, but despite their own merits, have fallen into obscurity only to gain some popularity after entering the public domain
. I Love Lucy, however, is still under copyright in the United States.
, when he composed it for a 1946 Republic Picture, The French Key. When My Little Margie contracted to use his music, Laszlo wrote a new arrangement with added bars of music, which then became the "My Little Margie Theme" from 1952 to 1955. The show's music should not be confused with the 1920s popular song "Margie," also known as "My Little Margie," though the title of the TV program may have been inspired by the song.
. Both series aired on CBN
during the 1980s and then on ION.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
that alternated between CBS and NBC from 1952 to 1955. The series was created by Frank Fox and produced in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
at Hal Roach Studios by Hal Roach, Jr.
Hal Roach, Jr.
Hal Roach, Jr. was primarily a film and television producer and very occasional director, with 41 production credits listed in the Internet Movie Database. Born in Los Angeles, California, the son of legendary comedy producer Hal Roach, Roach, Jr. co-directed One Million B.C. with his...
and Roland D. Reed.
My Little Margie premiered on CBS as the summer replacement for I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
on June 16, 1952, under the sponsorship of Philip Morris cigarettes (when the series moved to NBC for its third season in the fall of 1953, Scott Paper Company
Scott Paper Company
The Scott Paper Company is a USA-based corporation which manufactures mostly paper based consumer products.Scott Paper was founded in 1879 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by brothers E. Irvin and Clarence Scott, and is often credited as being the first to market toilet paper sold on a roll...
became its sponsor). In an unusual move, the series—with the same leads—aired original episodes on CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
, concurrently with the TV broadcasts, from December 1952 through August 1955. Only 23 radio broadcasts are known to exist in recorded form.
Synopsis
Set in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the series stars Gale Storm
Gale Storm
Gale Storm was an American actress and singer who starred in two popular television programs of the 1950s, My Little Margie and The Gale Storm Show.-Early life:...
as 21-year-old Margie Albright and former silent film star Charles Farrell
Charles Farrell
Charles Farrell was an American film actor of the 1920s silent era and into the 1930s, and later a television actor...
as her widowed father, 50-year-old Vern Albright. They shared an apartment at the Carlton Arms Hotel. Vern Albright was the vice president of the investment firm of Honeywell and Todd, where his boss was George Honeywell (Clarence Kolb
Clarence Kolb
Clarence William Kolb was an American vaudeville performer and actor.He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the only child of second generation Austrian parents who owned a local meat company....
). Honeywell's partner in the firm was played by George Meader. Roberta (Hillary Brooke
Hillary Brooke
Hillary Brooke was an American film actress best known for her work in Abbott and Costello and Sherlock Holmes films...
) was Vern's girlfriend, and Margie's boyfriend was Freddy Wilson (Don Hayden). Mrs. Odetts (played by Gertrude W. Hoffmann on TV; Verna Felton
Verna Felton
Verna Felton was an American character actress who was best-known for providing many female voices in numerous Disney animated films, as well as voicing Fred Flintstone's mother-in-law Pearl Slaghoople for Hanna-Barbera...
on radio) was the Albrights' next-door neighbor and Margie's sidekick in madcap capers reminiscent of Lucy and Ethel in I Love Lucy. When Margie realized she had blundered or got into trouble, she made an odd trilling sound
Trill
Trill may refer to:* Trill , a type of musical ornament* Trill consonant, a type of sound used in some languages*Trill, a type of bird food-Fiction:* Trill , two symbiotic races of aliens in the fictional Star Trek universe...
. Also in the cast were Willie Best
Willie Best
William "Willie" Best sometimes known as Sleep n' Eat was an American television and film actor....
as the elevator operator and Dian Fauntelle.
The series was canceled in 1955. Gale Storm went on to star in The Gale Storm Show
The Gale Storm Show
The Gale Storm Show is an American sitcom starring Gale Storm. The series premiered on September 29, 1956, and ran until 1960 for 143 half-hour black-and-white episodes, initially on CBS and in its last year on ABC...
which ran for 143 episodes 1956-1960.
The show has been compared with two other 1950's sitcoms which aired at the same time, I Married Joan
I Married Joan
I Married Joan is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from 1952 to 1955. It starred veteran vaudeville, film, and radio comedienne Joan Davis as the manic wife of a mild-mannered community judge, Bradley Stevens .-Synopsis:...
and Life with Elizabeth
Life with Elizabeth
Life with Elizabeth is an American sitcom which aired in syndication from October 7, 1953, to September 1, 1955. The show stars Betty White and Del Moore; Jack Narz was the on-camera announcer and narrator....
. All three programs were inspired by the success of I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
, but despite their own merits, have fallen into obscurity only to gain some popularity after entering the public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
. I Love Lucy, however, is still under copyright in the United States.
Theme song
The program's theme song was originally titled "Bows and Strings in Teasing" by its composer, Alexander LaszloAlexander Laszlo (composer)
Alexander Laszlo was an Hungarian-American pianist, musical composer, arranger and inventor....
, when he composed it for a 1946 Republic Picture, The French Key. When My Little Margie contracted to use his music, Laszlo wrote a new arrangement with added bars of music, which then became the "My Little Margie Theme" from 1952 to 1955. The show's music should not be confused with the 1920s popular song "Margie," also known as "My Little Margie," though the title of the TV program may have been inspired by the song.
Syndication
Since the series was canceled in 1955, My Little Margie has aired on local TV stations, often paired with I Married JoanI Married Joan
I Married Joan is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from 1952 to 1955. It starred veteran vaudeville, film, and radio comedienne Joan Davis as the manic wife of a mild-mannered community judge, Bradley Stevens .-Synopsis:...
. Both series aired on CBN
Christian Broadcasting Network
The Christian Broadcasting Network, or CBN, is a fundamentalist Christian television broadcasting network in the United States. Its headquarters and main studios are in Virginia Beach, Virginia.-Background:...
during the 1980s and then on ION.