Valiant Lady
Encyclopedia
Valiant Lady is an American soap opera
which ran daily on CBS
radio and television from October 12, 1953 through August 1957 at 12:00 PM (EST). The show's title was taken from a 1930s radio soap opera about a young woman struggling through life but is otherwise very different. Like many early soap operas, the show was broadcast live from CBS studios in New York City
.
The series was created by Adrian Spies; the head writer was Charles Elwyn.
. Though the wife of the airline pilot was played by four different actresses (one of whom, Sue Randall
, became best-known as Theodore Cleaver's teacher Miss Landers in the TV series Leave It To Beaver
), the airline pilot himself, Hal Soames, was played by only one actor throughout, Earl Hammond
, who later became well-known as the deep bass voice of many television cartoon heroes and villains in the 1980s. Helen's husband, on the series for only the first year, was played by Jerome Cowan
, best known for playing Miles Archer, the private eye partner of Humphrey Bogart's Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon
.
Martin Balsam
appeared late in the series as an undesirable boyfriend of daughter Kim who ends up saving the lives of the entire family during a hostage situation. A minor character was played by Helen Wagner
, who, later on As the World Turns
, played Nancy Hughes
, the longest-running character on any television soap opera.
, at around 15%.
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
which ran daily 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...
radio and television from October 12, 1953 through August 1957 at 12:00 PM (EST). The show's title was taken from a 1930s radio soap opera about a young woman struggling through life but is otherwise very different. Like many early soap operas, the show was broadcast live from CBS studios in New York City
New 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 was created by Adrian Spies; the head writer was Charles Elwyn.
Storyline
Helen Emerson, the focus of the show, was a forty-ish matron whose husband died in the show's first year. Because of her widowhood, she endured financial hardship while continually worrying about her three children's lives. Headstrong son Mickey fell for a divorcee, impulsive daughter Diane ran off with a married man, and bratty Kim constantly implored Helen to teach her the latest dance step. Helen's biggest romance throughout the series was with Hal Soames, a married airline pilot in the midst of a divorce. She finally found peace and happiness in the show's final year, when she married Governor Lawrence Walker.Cast
During the run of the show, two different actresses played Helen Emerson, and two played daughter Kim. Son Mickey was played throughout by James Kirkwood Jr., the 1970s/1980's novelist and playwright best known for A Chorus LineA Chorus Line
A Chorus Line is a 1975 musical about Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. The book was authored by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics were written by Edward Kleban, and music was composed by Marvin Hamlisch....
. Though the wife of the airline pilot was played by four different actresses (one of whom, Sue Randall
Sue Randall
Marion Burnside Randall, who acted under the name Sue Randall, was an American actress best known for her role as the kindly Alice Landers, Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver's grade-school teacher in ABC's sitcom, Leave It to Beaver.Philadelphia-born Randall's debut on the small screen was in the 1955...
, became best-known as Theodore Cleaver's teacher Miss Landers in the TV series Leave It To Beaver
Leave It to Beaver
Leave It to Beaver is an American television situation comedy about an inquisitive but often naïve boy named Theodore "The Beaver" Cleaver and his adventures at home, in school, and around his suburban neighborhood...
), the airline pilot himself, Hal Soames, was played by only one actor throughout, Earl Hammond
Earl Hammond
Earl Hammond was an American theater, radio, film and television actor, and, in his later years, a voice actor for several animated films and TV series.-Best known roles:...
, who later became well-known as the deep bass voice of many television cartoon heroes and villains in the 1980s. Helen's husband, on the series for only the first year, was played by Jerome Cowan
Jerome Cowan
Jerome Palmer Cowan was an American film and television actor. At eighteen he joined a travelling stock company, shortly afterwards enlisting in the navy in World War I. After the war he returned to the stage and became a vaudeville headliner, then gained success on the New York stage...
, best known for playing Miles Archer, the private eye partner of Humphrey Bogart's Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon
The Maltese Falcon (1941 film)
The Maltese Falcon is a 1941 Warner Bros. film based on the novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett and a remake of the 1931 film of the same name...
.
Martin Balsam
Martin Balsam
Martin Henry Balsam was an American actor. He is known for his Oscar-winning role as "Arnold Burns" in A Thousand Clowns and his role as "Detective Milton Arbogast" in Psycho.- Early life :...
appeared late in the series as an undesirable boyfriend of daughter Kim who ends up saving the lives of the entire family during a hostage situation. A minor character was played by Helen Wagner
Helen Wagner
Helen Wagner was an American actress. Born in Lubbock, Texas, she is best known for her long running role as Nancy Hughes McClosky on the soap opera As the World Turns. Wagner also played the role of Trudy Bauer during the initial TV years of Guiding Light in the early 1950s...
, who, later on As the World Turns
As the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
, played Nancy Hughes
Nancy Hughes
Nancy Hughes McClosky is a fictional character on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns. From the show's inception in 1956 until 2010, Nancy Hughes has served as the core family's matriarch...
, the longest-running character on any television soap opera.
- Nancy ColemanNancy ColemanNancy Coleman was an American film, television and radio actress. After working on radio and appearing on the Broadway stage, Nancy Coleman was brought to Hollywood to work for Warner Bros. studios...
- Helen Emerson #1 (1953–1954; original cast) - Flora Campbell - Helen Emerson #2 (1954–1957)
- Anne Pearson - Diane Emerson Soames #1 (1953–1954; original cast)
- Dolores SuttonDolores SuttonDolores Sutton was an American actress, writer and playwright. Born in New York City as Dolores Lila Silverstein to Benjamin and Mary Silverstein, she graduated from New York University in 1948 with a B.A. in Philosophy. Her career spanned seven decades and encompassed television, stage and movie...
- Diane Emerson Soames #2 (1954–1955) - Sue RandallSue RandallMarion Burnside Randall, who acted under the name Sue Randall, was an American actress best known for her role as the kindly Alice Landers, Theodore "Beaver" Cleaver's grade-school teacher in ABC's sitcom, Leave It to Beaver.Philadelphia-born Randall's debut on the small screen was in the 1955...
- Diane Emerson Soames #3 (1955–1956) - Lelia Martin - Diane Emerson Soames #4 (1956–1957)
- Helen WagnerHelen WagnerHelen Wagner was an American actress. Born in Lubbock, Texas, she is best known for her long running role as Nancy Hughes McClosky on the soap opera As the World Turns. Wagner also played the role of Trudy Bauer during the initial TV years of Guiding Light in the early 1950s...
- Trudy (1953–1954) - Jerome CowanJerome CowanJerome Palmer Cowan was an American film and television actor. At eighteen he joined a travelling stock company, shortly afterwards enlisting in the navy in World War I. After the war he returned to the stage and became a vaudeville headliner, then gained success on the New York stage...
- Frank Emerson (1953–1957) - James Kirkwood Jr. - Mickey Emerson (1953–1957)
- Lydia Reed - Kim Emerson #1 (1953–1954)
- Bonnie Sawyer - Kim Emerson #2 (1954–1957)
- Joan Lorring - Bonnie Withers #1 (1954–1955)
- Shirley Egleston - Bonnie Withers #2 (1955)
- Earl HammondEarl HammondEarl Hammond was an American theater, radio, film and television actor, and, in his later years, a voice actor for several animated films and TV series.-Best known roles:...
- Hal Soames (1954–1955) - Margaret HamiltonMargaret HamiltonMargaret Hamilton was an American film actress known for her portrayal of the Wicked Witch of the West in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz...
- Mrs. Sayre (1955) - Frances Helm - Linda Kendall (1955)
- Terry O'SullivanTerry O'SullivanTerry O'Sullivan was an American actor, best known for his role on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow as "Arthur Tate" ....
- Elliott Norris (1955) - Larry Weber - Capt. Chris Kendall (1954–1955)
- Martin BalsamMartin BalsamMartin Henry Balsam was an American actor. He is known for his Oscar-winning role as "Arnold Burns" in A Thousand Clowns and his role as "Detective Milton Arbogast" in Psycho.- Early life :...
- Joey Gordon (1955) - Katherine SquireKatherine SquireKatherine Squire was an American actress who appeared on Broadway and in regional theater, movies and television, from the 1920s through the 1980s.-Early life:...
- Gertrude Harper (1956–1957) - Betty Cakes - Roberta Wilcox (1956–1957)
- John Graham - Gov. Lawrence Walker (1956–1957)
- Doro Merande - Ivy Harper (1956–1957)
- Lilia SkalaLilia Skala-Early life:Skala was born Lilia Sofer in Vienna, Austria. Her mother, Katharina Skala, was Catholic, and her father, Julius Sofer, was Jewish and worked as a manufacturers representative for the Waldes Koh-i-noor Company. In the late 1930s, she was forced to flee her Nazi-occupied homeland with...
- Mme. Garstel (1957) - Joan TompkinsJoan TompkinsJoan Tompkins, legally known as Joan Swenson was an American actress of television, film, radio, and stage, who co-founded with her husband, Karl Swenson, an acting company in Beverly Hills, California...
- Marion Walker (1957) - Abby Lewis - ? (?)
Ratings
In the Nielsen ratings for daytime soaps in the United States, Valiant Lady never did better than 4th in its first two seasons (around 10.5%), dropped to 6th (9.2%) in its third season. and fell off the ratings list entirely in its last two years. The #1 soap in most of those seasons was Search for TomorrowSearch for Tomorrow
Search for Tomorrow is an American soap opera which premiered on September 3, 1951 on CBS. The show was moved from CBS to NBC on March 29, 1982. It continued on NBC until the final episode aired on December 26, 1986, a run of thirty-five years. At the time of its final broadcast it was the...
, at around 15%.