The People's Choice (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The People's Choice is an American television sitcom
that aired on NBC
from 1955 to 1958, primarily sponsored by The Borden Company
.
It stars Jackie Cooper
as Socrates "Sock" Miller, an ex-Marine and New City, California politician with a basset hound
named "Cleo", whose thoughts (voiced by Mary Jane Croft
), as she balefully observes Sock's dilemmas, are recorded on the soundtrack for the viewers' amusement. Much of Cleo's dialog is in the form of witty wisecracks. The popularity of the basset hound
breed increased markedly with the run of the show.
with his Aunt Gus (Margaret Irving) in a trailer park
in New City, California. He is soon elected to the City Council and dating Mandy Peoples (Patricia Breslin
), the mayor
's daughter. Mayor Peoples (Paul Maxey) doesn't entirely approve of the relationship, but gradually warms to Sock.
Later, Sock takes courses (though not in law school) to pass the state bar exam and become an attorney, so that he can afford to marry Mandy. In the season finale, Sock suddenly proposes to Mandy and wants to elope. He is afraid the mayor will want to put on a big wedding, and they won't be able to get married for many months. He says he doesn't want to wait, but wants to marry her right away. They drive to Nevada for a quickie wedding, intending to get back in time for the bar exam. On the way back, they are arrested for a traffic violation, spend the night in jail, and Sock misses the bar exam. Sock says if they tell the mayor, he'll want to help them out with a check, and he wants to be independent. So they agree to keep their marriage a secret from the mayor.
Most episodes in the second season are about Sock and Mandy trying to be together (as much as this could be depicted in the 1950s), while keeping the mayor from finding out that they are married. At some point during the season, Aunt Gus and the mayor get married, and at some point she learns that Sock and Mandy are married and agrees to keep their secret from the mayor. By the end of the season, Sock has passed the bar, and their marriage is out in the open. Sock's scheming comedy relief Marine buddy Rollo "The Hex" Hexley (Dick Wesson
) moved in with Sock during the second season though he appeared in the original 1955 pilot.
In the third season, Sock is managing a residential real estate development called "Barkerville Estates." They still manage to get back to New City often enough for Mayor Peoples and Aunt Gus to appear regularly.
, also the creator of The Life of Riley
in 1949. Although The People's Choice never made the top 30 programs, its ratings were respectable enough to warrant a three-year run on the NBC television network. The show later became popular in syndication.
In its first season, The People's Choice aired opposite Stop the Music
, which concluded its long run on ABC
.
starring Ronnie Burns
. In Spanish the show was known as "Cleo y yo".
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 aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from 1955 to 1958, primarily sponsored by The Borden Company
Borden (company)
Borden, Inc., was an American producer of food and beverage products, consumer products, and industrial products. At one time, the company was the largest U.S. producer of dairy and pasta products. Its food division, Borden Foods, was based in Columbus, Ohio, and focused primarily on pasta and...
.
It stars Jackie Cooper
Jackie Cooper
Jackie Cooper was an American actor, television director, producer and executive. He was a child actor who managed to make the transition to an adult career. Cooper was the first child actor to receive an Academy Award nomination...
as Socrates "Sock" Miller, an ex-Marine and New City, California politician with a basset hound
Basset Hound
The Basset Hound is a short-legged breed of dog of the hound family. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt rabbits and hare by scent. Their sense of smell for tracking is second only to that of the Bloodhound....
named "Cleo", whose thoughts (voiced by Mary Jane Croft
Mary Jane Croft
Mary Jane Croft was an American actress best known for her roles as Betty Ramsey on I Love Lucy, Mary Jane Lewis on The Lucy Show and Here's Lucy, and Clara Randolph on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet....
), as she balefully observes Sock's dilemmas, are recorded on the soundtrack for the viewers' amusement. Much of Cleo's dialog is in the form of witty wisecracks. The popularity of the basset hound
Basset Hound
The Basset Hound is a short-legged breed of dog of the hound family. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt rabbits and hare by scent. Their sense of smell for tracking is second only to that of the Bloodhound....
breed increased markedly with the run of the show.
Overview
In the first season, Sock is an ornithologist, living in a trailerTravel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
with his Aunt Gus (Margaret Irving) in a trailer park
Trailer park
A trailer park is a semi-permanent or permanent area for mobile homes or travel trailers. The main reasons for living in such trailer parks are the often lower cost compared to other housing, and the ability to move to a new area more quickly and easily, for example when changing jobs to another...
in New City, California. He is soon elected to the City Council and dating Mandy Peoples (Patricia Breslin
Patricia Breslin
Patricia Rose Breslin was an American actress known for her guest roles in various television series in the 1950s and 1960s.-Early years:...
), the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
's daughter. Mayor Peoples (Paul Maxey) doesn't entirely approve of the relationship, but gradually warms to Sock.
Later, Sock takes courses (though not in law school) to pass the state bar exam and become an attorney, so that he can afford to marry Mandy. In the season finale, Sock suddenly proposes to Mandy and wants to elope. He is afraid the mayor will want to put on a big wedding, and they won't be able to get married for many months. He says he doesn't want to wait, but wants to marry her right away. They drive to Nevada for a quickie wedding, intending to get back in time for the bar exam. On the way back, they are arrested for a traffic violation, spend the night in jail, and Sock misses the bar exam. Sock says if they tell the mayor, he'll want to help them out with a check, and he wants to be independent. So they agree to keep their marriage a secret from the mayor.
Most episodes in the second season are about Sock and Mandy trying to be together (as much as this could be depicted in the 1950s), while keeping the mayor from finding out that they are married. At some point during the season, Aunt Gus and the mayor get married, and at some point she learns that Sock and Mandy are married and agrees to keep their secret from the mayor. By the end of the season, Sock has passed the bar, and their marriage is out in the open. Sock's scheming comedy relief Marine buddy Rollo "The Hex" Hexley (Dick Wesson
Dick Wesson (actor)
Dick Wesson was a prolific character actor, comedian, comedy writer, and producer...
) moved in with Sock during the second season though he appeared in the original 1955 pilot.
In the third season, Sock is managing a residential real estate development called "Barkerville Estates." They still manage to get back to New City often enough for Mayor Peoples and Aunt Gus to appear regularly.
Production notes
The show was created and co-produced by Irving BrecherIrving Brecher
Irving Brecher enjoyed early success as a screenwriter for the Marx Brothers; he was the only writer to get sole credit on a Marx Brothers film including At the Circus in 1939 and Go West in 1940...
, also the creator of The Life of Riley
The Life of Riley
The Life of Riley, with William Bendix in the title role, is a popular American radio situation comedy series of the 1940s that was adapted into a 1949 feature film, a long-run 1950s television series , and a 1958 Dell comic book...
in 1949. Although The People's Choice never made the top 30 programs, its ratings were respectable enough to warrant a three-year run on the NBC television network. The show later became popular in syndication.
In its first season, The People's Choice aired opposite Stop the Music
Stop the Music (TV series)
Stop the Music is a prime time television game show that aired for an hour on Thursday evenings on ABC from May 5, 1949 to April 24, 1952, and again for a half-hour from September 7, 1954, to June 14, 1956. It had also been broadcast on radio from 1948 to 1949.The series hosts were Bert Parks and...
, which concluded its long run on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
.
Spin-off
In The People's Choice, Cleo the talking dog spawned the idea of a talking baby in the 1960-1961 NBC series HappyHappy (1960 TV series)
Happy is an NBC situation comedy about a talking baby, starring Ronnie Burns , the adopted son of George Burns and Gracie Allen, which aired from June 8 to September 28, 1960, and again from January 13 to September 8, 1961....
starring Ronnie Burns
Ronnie Burns (actor)
Ronald Jon "Ronnie" Burns worked briefly as a television actor, but is primarily remembered as the adopted son of comedians George Burns and Gracie Allen.-Early life:...
. In Spanish the show was known as "Cleo y yo".