Evening star. [volume], November 24, 1963, Image 124

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
CONTINUED
pany lists nobody who is exactly a
household name. All are talented per
formers, some have good credits in
the movies and television, but none
rates as "big boxoffice.”
Os them all, perhaps Hairy Morgan
is the most familiar to viewers. He
was Peter Porter, a dour-faced cynic,
for almost 10 years, first on the “De
cember Bride” series and later in
his own “Pete and Gladys” show.
The others in the company are Lloyd
Bochner, Guy Stockwell, Jeanette No
lan, Bethel Leslie, Ford Rainey, Laura
Devon, June Harding, Robert Blake
and Warren Stevens.
Boone has the backing of NBC, which
says the show will stay on the air.
Most critics love it for what it is,
theater drama on the air, in contrast
to the slick, formula stuff.
In a poll of the critics, Boone's show
■SB
was rated the top new program of the
season.
Sponsors keep shows on the air,
however, not well-intentioned network
officials or loving critics. And the
sponsors’ favorite reading material is
the national ratings books. There “The
Richard Boone Show” takes a clobber
ing from "Petticoat Junction.”
How does Boone, who pioneered
medical shows on television with his
"Medic” series, size up his fight?
"I believe that a show such as ours
builds an audience slowly,” he says.
“Week after week we do the best we
know how, and the word gets around.
I think that, given time, we’ll do all
right in the ratings, especially with
adult viewers.
"Nobody expected a series of dramas
to outrate a comedy show; that hasn’t
been the history of television.”