The Ann Sothern Show
Encyclopedia
The Ann Sothern Show is an American sitcom starring Ann Sothern
that aired on CBS
for 93 episodes. The series began on October 6, 1958, and ended on September 25, 1961. The Ann Sothern Show was Sothern's second sitcom for CBS. Her first series, Private Secretary
, ended in 1957 after a contract dispute occurred between Sothern and Secretary's producer Jack Chertok
.
hotel
. Katy's boss, Jason Macauley (Ernest Truex
), was a timid, elderly man who was constantly bullied by his overbearing wife, Flora (character actress Reta Shaw
). Katy's secretary, roommate, and best friend Olive was played by Ann Tyrrell
, who had also appeared in Sothern's first series, Private Secretary, in a similar role. Other characters included Johnny Wallace (Jack Mullaney
), a bellboy who had a crush on Katy, and Paul Scott (Jacques Scott), a suave, French
room clerk.
After twenty-three episodes, the show was retooled. Katy's boss, Mr. Macauley was transferred to the Bartley House hotel in Calcutta
, along with wife Flora. Don Porter
, who had also appeared in Private Secretary as Sothern's character's boss, portrayed James Devery, Mr. Macauley's replacement. Mr. Devery was a younger, somewhat stubborn manager who tended to get carried away with some new, far-fetched idea. After Porter joined the cast, several other characters were written out.
In 1960, the series changed again with the addition of three new recurring characters. Jesse White
, another Private Secretary alum, appeared as Oscar Pudney, a dishonest newsstand owner who was Katy's nemesis
. Child actor Jimmy Fields joined the cast as Richy Gordon, a child prodigy
who Katy helped, along with Dr. Delbert Gray (Louis Nye
), a humorous dentist
who became Olive's boyfriend and eventually, her husband.
Storylines usually revolved around the personal lives of the staff and guests of the Bartley House. Throughout the three-year run, a storyline of potential romance between Katy and Mr. Devery lingered. The romance of Katie and Jim Devery was finally brought to fruition at the conclusion of The Ann Sothern Show. On the original CBS broadcast, after the sponsor's commercial for Johnson's Wax
(Glo-Coat and Pledge wax), the scene returns to Katy and Mr. Devery, who were kissing, where the scene was left off before the sponsor's tag appeared. The fourth wall
was broken as Sothern turns to the audience and says, "Well, good night everybody. Stay happy". The two began to kiss yet once again. This leaves a final scene showing the airplane the two were on, accompanied by a tag "The End?". This was intended to be a cliffhanger
sequence, but the series was canceled, so this was considered the final episode.
(Make Room For Daddy). It received decent ratings, however, at the start of the 1960-1961 season, the series moved to Thursday nights at 7:30 P.M. The ratings plummeted and CBS canceled the show in the spring of 1961.
- the successor to I Love Lucy
), as her character from Private Secretary, Susie MacNamara, the best friend of Lucy MacGillicudy Ricardo (It was one of the earliest examples of a television character "crossing over
" from one series to another). That episode, "Lucy Takes a Cruise To Havana" (which was actually seventy-five minutes), told the story of how Lucy and Susie, two stenographers, met Ricky Ricardo (Arnaz) and the Mertzes (Vivian Vance
and William Frawley
). Ball, one of Sothern's close friends and part owner of Desilu Studios
(where The Ann Sothern Show was produced), reciprocated two years later, guest starring on a 1959 Ann Sothern episode entitled "The Lucy Story". This time, Ball's character (Lucy Ricardo) is an old friend of Katy O'Connor (Sothern), who checks into the Bartley House Hotel after having an argument with Ricky. The Ricky character was mentioned throughout the episode, but did not appear. Between 1965 and 1966, Sothern appeared in seven installments of The Lucy Show
on CBS playing The Countess Framboise (a.k.a. Rosie Harrigan), a long-time friend of Lucy Carmichael (Ball).
Other notable guest stars on The Ann Sothern Show include: Jackie Coogan
, Van Johnson
, Cesar Romero
, James Millhollin
, Sal Mineo
, James Philbrook
, Eva Gabor
, Connie Stevens
, Darryl Richard
, Joe Besser
, Joel Grey
, and Constance Bennett
. The episode in which Bennett appeared, "Always April", aired on February 23, 1961, during the last season of The Ann Sothern Show. "Always April" was also the pilot for a program starring Bennett as Guinevere Fleming, but the proposed series never came to fruition.
, the show title's name, followed by still shots of Sothern, animated stop-motion views of her, the rest of the cast and then scenes featuring Sothern, who again, shows stop-motion views of her as she makes her way to the Bartley Hotel. Immediately after this, the sponsor's ad product for either General Foods
, or S.C. Johnson, which was for Glo-Coat for its alternate sponsor was aired. In syndication, the show original opening sequences was replaced with the title's name appearing on the screen before showing Sothern appearing into view from the Bartley House. She would then bow and signal the viewer to come with her as she turns and heads back into the hotel. To the tempo of the opening theme, Sothern would then swing her head once again toward the viewer as she continues to walk in, opening the revolving doors of the hotel as the scene closes. The closing credits were altered for syndication. The sponsor's product, which appeared on the lower-left hand side of the screen accompanied by the closing theme with sung lyrics, were phased out. The lyrics for the theme were also replaced by an instrumental version of the theme. The series was originally distributed by Metromedia Producers Corporation (which is now owned by News Corporation), and handled rights to syndicated prints of the show.
Cable channel Nick at Nite
ran The Ann Sothern Show from 1987 to 1990. To date, no plans for a DVD release have been announced. CBS
owns the rights to the program at present.
Ann Sothern
Ann Sothern was an American film and television actress whose career spanned six decades.-Early life and career:...
that aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
for 93 episodes. The series began on October 6, 1958, and ended on September 25, 1961. The Ann Sothern Show was Sothern's second sitcom for CBS. Her first series, Private Secretary
Private Secretary (TV series)
Private Secretary is an American sitcom that aired from February 1, 1953 to September 10, 1957 on CBS, alternating with The Jack Benny Program on Sundays at 7:30pm EST...
, ended in 1957 after a contract dispute occurred between Sothern and Secretary's producer Jack Chertok
Jack Chertok
Jack Chertok was an American film and television producer perhaps best known to modern viewers as producer for the 182 black and white episodes of The Lone Ranger.-Career:...
.
Synopsis
Katy O'Connor (Sothern) is the assistant manager of the Bartley House, a swank 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...
hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
. Katy's boss, Jason Macauley (Ernest Truex
Ernest Truex
Ernest Truex was an American actor of stage and film.-Career:...
), was a timid, elderly man who was constantly bullied by his overbearing wife, Flora (character actress Reta Shaw
Reta Shaw
Reta Shaw was an American character actress known for playing authoritative women, housekeepers, and domineering wives, especially on television...
). Katy's secretary, roommate, and best friend Olive was played by Ann Tyrrell
Ann Tyrrell
Ann Tyrrell was an American actress who co-starred in both of the Ann Sothern CBS sitcoms Private Secretary and The Ann Sothern Show .-Career:...
, who had also appeared in Sothern's first series, Private Secretary, in a similar role. Other characters included Johnny Wallace (Jack Mullaney
Jack Mullaney
Jack Mullaney was an American actor, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Mullaney acted in several television series and films throughout his career....
), a bellboy who had a crush on Katy, and Paul Scott (Jacques Scott), a suave, French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
room clerk.
After twenty-three episodes, the show was retooled. Katy's boss, Mr. Macauley was transferred to the Bartley House hotel in Calcutta
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, along with wife Flora. Don Porter
Don Porter
Donald Porter was an American actor who appeared in a number of films in the 1940s, including Top Sergeant and Eagle Squadron, but is perhaps best known for his role as Russell Lawrence, the widowed father of 15-year old Frances "Gidget" Lawrence in the 1965 ABC television series...
, who had also appeared in Private Secretary as Sothern's character's boss, portrayed James Devery, Mr. Macauley's replacement. Mr. Devery was a younger, somewhat stubborn manager who tended to get carried away with some new, far-fetched idea. After Porter joined the cast, several other characters were written out.
In 1960, the series changed again with the addition of three new recurring characters. Jesse White
Jesse White (actor)
Jesse White was an American television, film, and stage character actor. He is best remembered for portraying the Maytag repairman in television commercials, a role he played from 1967 to 1988.-Life and career:...
, another Private Secretary alum, appeared as Oscar Pudney, a dishonest newsstand owner who was Katy's nemesis
Archenemy
An archenemy, archfoe, archvillain or archnemesis is the principal enemy of a character in a work of fiction, often described as the hero's worst enemy .- Etymology :The word archenemy or arch-enemy originated...
. Child actor Jimmy Fields joined the cast as Richy Gordon, a child prodigy
Child prodigy
A child prodigy is someone who, at an early age, masters one or more skills far beyond his or her level of maturity. One criterion for classifying prodigies is: a prodigy is a child, typically younger than 18 years old, who is performing at the level of a highly trained adult in a very demanding...
who Katy helped, along with Dr. Delbert Gray (Louis Nye
Louis Nye
Louis Nye was an American comedy actor.-Early years:He was born Louis Neistat in Hartford, Connecticut, the son of Joseph Neistat and Jennie Sherman . His sister was Rose Neistat...
), a humorous dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
who became Olive's boyfriend and eventually, her husband.
Storylines usually revolved around the personal lives of the staff and guests of the Bartley House. Throughout the three-year run, a storyline of potential romance between Katy and Mr. Devery lingered. The romance of Katie and Jim Devery was finally brought to fruition at the conclusion of The Ann Sothern Show. On the original CBS broadcast, after the sponsor's commercial for Johnson's Wax
S. C. Johnson & Son
S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. , previously known as S. C. Johnson Wax , is a privately held, global manufacturer of household cleaning supplies and other consumer chemicals based in Racine, Wisconsin. It has operations in 72 countries and its brands are sold in over 110...
(Glo-Coat and Pledge wax), the scene returns to Katy and Mr. Devery, who were kissing, where the scene was left off before the sponsor's tag appeared. The fourth wall
Fourth wall
The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play...
was broken as Sothern turns to the audience and says, "Well, good night everybody. Stay happy". The two began to kiss yet once again. This leaves a final scene showing the airplane the two were on, accompanied by a tag "The End?". This was intended to be a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
sequence, but the series was canceled, so this was considered the final episode.
Nielsen ratings
During its first two seasons, The Ann Sothern Show was seen on Monday nights at 9:30 P.M. on CBS immediately following The Danny Thomas ShowThe Danny Thomas Show
The Danny Thomas Show is an American sitcom which ran from 1953-1957 on ABC and from 1957-1964 on CBS...
(Make Room For Daddy). It received decent ratings, however, at the start of the 1960-1961 season, the series moved to Thursday nights at 7:30 P.M. The ratings plummeted and CBS canceled the show in the spring of 1961.
- Season 1: #22
- Season 2: #24
- Season 3: #N/A
Guest stars
In 1957, after her first television series ended its prime-time run, Ann Sothern guest-starred on the first Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show (later retitled The Lucy-Desi Comedy HourThe Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour
The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour is a CBS television situation comedy. The show is a collection of occasional specials rather than a regular series and originally served as part of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse...
- the successor to 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...
), as her character from Private Secretary, Susie MacNamara, the best friend of Lucy MacGillicudy Ricardo (It was one of the earliest examples of a television character "crossing over
Fictional crossover
A fictional crossover is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders, or because of unauthorized efforts by fans, or even amid common...
" from one series to another). That episode, "Lucy Takes a Cruise To Havana" (which was actually seventy-five minutes), told the story of how Lucy and Susie, two stenographers, met Ricky Ricardo (Arnaz) and the Mertzes (Vivian Vance
Vivian Vance
Vivian Roberta Jones was an American television and theater actress and singer. Often referred to as “TV’s most beloved second banana,” she is best known for her role as Ethel Mertz, sidekick to Lucille Ball on the American television sitcom I Love Lucy, and as Vivian Bagley on The Lucy...
and William Frawley
William Frawley
William Clement "Bill" Frawley was an American stage entertainer, screen and television actor. Although Frawley acted in over 100 films, he achieved his greatest fame playing landlord Fred Mertz for the situation comedy I Love Lucy.-Early life:William was born to Michael A. Frawley and Mary E....
). Ball, one of Sothern's close friends and part owner of Desilu Studios
Desilu Productions
Desilu Productions was a Los Angeles, California-based company jointly owned by actors Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, who were married to each other from 1940 to 1960....
(where The Ann Sothern Show was produced), reciprocated two years later, guest starring on a 1959 Ann Sothern episode entitled "The Lucy Story". This time, Ball's character (Lucy Ricardo) is an old friend of Katy O'Connor (Sothern), who checks into the Bartley House Hotel after having an argument with Ricky. The Ricky character was mentioned throughout the episode, but did not appear. Between 1965 and 1966, Sothern appeared in seven installments of The Lucy Show
The Lucy Show
The Lucy Show is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS from 1962 until 1968. It was Lucille Ball's follow-up to I Love Lucy. A significant change in cast and premise for the 1965-66 season divides the program into two distinct eras; aside from Ball, only Gale Gordon, who joined the program...
on CBS playing The Countess Framboise (a.k.a. Rosie Harrigan), a long-time friend of Lucy Carmichael (Ball).
Other notable guest stars on The Ann Sothern Show include: Jackie Coogan
Jackie Coogan
John Leslie Coogan , known professionally as Jackie Coogan, was an American actor who began his movie career as a child actor in silent films. Many years later, he became known as Uncle Fester on 1960s sitcom The Addams Family...
, Van Johnson
Van Johnson
Van Johnson was an American film and television actor and dancer who was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during and after World War II....
, Cesar Romero
Cesar Romero
Cesar Julio Romero, Jr. was an American film and television actor who was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years...
, James Millhollin
James Millhollin
James A. Millhollin was an American character actor known for his portrayal of nervous, excited, and befuddled men with pop eyes and peculiar mannerisms, usually occupying such positions as hotel clerks, government bureaucrats, military officers, or other authority figures. He portrayed Major...
, Sal Mineo
Sal Mineo
Salvatore "Sal" Mineo, Jr. , was an American film and theatre actor, best known for his performance as John "Plato" Crawford opposite James Dean in the film Rebel Without a Cause...
, James Philbrook
James Philbrook
James Philbrook was an American actor who appeared in supporting roles in three short-lived television series between 1959 and 1963: The Islanders on ABC and The Investigators and The New Loretta Young Show, both on CBS...
, Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor
Eva Gabor was a Hungarian-born socialite and actress. She was widely known for her role on Green Acres as Lisa Douglas, the wife of Eddie Albert's character, Oliver Wendell Douglas, Duchess in the 1970 Disney film The Aristocats, and Miss Bianca in Disney's The Rescuers and The Rescuers Down Under...
, Connie Stevens
Connie Stevens
Connie Stevens is an American actress and singer, best known for her roles in the television series Hawaiian Eye and other TV and film work.-Early life:...
, Darryl Richard
Darryl Richard (actor)
Darryl Richard , is a former child actor who appeared on television from 1955 until 1966...
, Joe Besser
Joe Besser
Joe Besser was an American comedian, known for his impish humor and wimpy characters, and is now best remembered for his brief stint as a member of the Three Stooges in movie short subjects of 1957-59...
, Joel Grey
Joel Grey
Joel Grey is an American stage and screen actor, singer, and dancer, best known for his role as the Master of Ceremonies in both the stage and film adaptation of the Kander & Ebb musical Cabaret. He has won the Academy Award, Tony Award and Golden Globe Award...
, and Constance Bennett
Constance Bennett
-Early life:She was born in New York City, the daughter of actor Richard Bennett and actress Adrienne Morrison, whose father was the stage actor Lewis Morrison , a wealthy performer of English and Spanish ancestry...
. The episode in which Bennett appeared, "Always April", aired on February 23, 1961, during the last season of The Ann Sothern Show. "Always April" was also the pilot for a program starring Bennett as Guinevere Fleming, but the proposed series never came to fruition.
Syndication and DVD releases
The original opening sequence of the show featured a view of 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 show title's name, followed by still shots of Sothern, animated stop-motion views of her, the rest of the cast and then scenes featuring Sothern, who again, shows stop-motion views of her as she makes her way to the Bartley Hotel. Immediately after this, the sponsor's ad product for either General Foods
General Foods
General Foods Corporation was a company whose direct predecessor was established in the USA by Charles William Post as the Postum Cereal Company in 1895. The name General Foods was adopted in 1929, after several corporate acquisitions...
, or S.C. Johnson, which was for Glo-Coat for its alternate sponsor was aired. In syndication, the show original opening sequences was replaced with the title's name appearing on the screen before showing Sothern appearing into view from the Bartley House. She would then bow and signal the viewer to come with her as she turns and heads back into the hotel. To the tempo of the opening theme, Sothern would then swing her head once again toward the viewer as she continues to walk in, opening the revolving doors of the hotel as the scene closes. The closing credits were altered for syndication. The sponsor's product, which appeared on the lower-left hand side of the screen accompanied by the closing theme with sung lyrics, were phased out. The lyrics for the theme were also replaced by an instrumental version of the theme. The series was originally distributed by Metromedia Producers Corporation (which is now owned by News Corporation), and handled rights to syndicated prints of the show.
Cable channel Nick at Nite
Nick at Nite
Nick at Nite is the nighttime Cable network that broadcasts over the channel space of Nickelodeon on Sundays from 8.p.m.-7.am., Monday through Fridays from 9 p.m.-7 a.m. and Saturdays from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. . Though it shares channel space with Nickelodeon, A.C. Nielsen Co...
ran The Ann Sothern Show from 1987 to 1990. To date, no plans for a DVD release have been announced. CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
owns the rights to the program at present.
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Emmy Award Emmy Award An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various... |
Nominated | Best Actress in a Leading Role (Continuing Character) in a Comedy Series | Ann Sothern |
| Golden Globe Award Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign... |
Won | Best TV Show | |