The Alan Young Show

The Alan Young Show is an American radio and television series presented in diverse formats over a nine-year period and starring English-born comedian Alan Young.

Radio

The series began on NBC Radio, running June 28, 1944 - September 20, 1944, as a summer replacement for Eddie Cantor's program with Sal Hepatica as sponsor.<ref name="eawnts">Template:Cite book</ref> Young's character was "a bashful young man".<ref name="waw">Template:Cite book</ref> The show also featured vocalist Bea Wain, with music by Peter Van Steeden.<ref name="dunningota">Template:Cite book</ref>

From October 3, 1944, to June 28, 1946, the program was on ABC Radio with Young's girlfriend Betty portrayed by Jean Gillespie and Doris Singleton and with Ed Begley as Betty's father. Will Glickman and Jay Sommers were the writers.<ref name="dunningota" />

The program returned to NBC September 20, 1946, - May 30, 1947, with Ipana as sponsor. It was off in 1948. When it returned to NBC January 11, 1949 - July 5, 1949, Louise Erickson played Betty and Jim Backus was heard as wealthy and snobbish playboy Hubert Updike III. Don Wilson was the announcer, and George Wylie provided the music. Helen Mack was the producer and director.<ref name="dunningota" />

Television

Young and Dawn Addams, 1953.

Young had his first television program on the West Coast beginning on March 14, 1950, and the network version of The Alan Young Show debuted on CBS on April 6, 1950,<ref name="eawnts" /> as a variety, sketch comedy show. Each program typically contained a monologue, one or two songs by a vocalist and two skits.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>

The show went on hiatus after its March 27, 1952, episode. When it returned for its final season on February 15, 1953,<ref name="eawnts" /> the tone and format of the show changed into the more conventional sitcom, with Young playing a bank teller.The show alternated weeks with Ken Murray's The Ken Murray Show under the title Time to Smile. In the last two weeks of the season, the format returned to its earlier style, but it was cancelled at the end of the season.<ref name=":0" /> It ended on June 21, 1953.<ref name="eawnts" />

In 1951, The Alan Young Show received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series, and Young won the Best Actor Emmy Award.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personnel

Regulars on the first version included Polly Bergen (in her national TV debut),<ref name="eawnts" /> Ben Wright, Joseph Kearns, Mabel Paige, Phillips Tead and the Lud Gluskin Orchestra.<ref>Terrace, Vincent (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2007 (Volume 1 A-E). Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. Template:ISBN.</ref> Nina Bara was also a featured comedienne.<ref>Staff, "Space Girl 'Tonga' to Appear At White-Barne Grand Opening," The San Bernardino Daily Sun, San Bernardino, California, Wednesday 17 November 1954, Volume LXI, Number 67, page 8.</ref> On the second version, Dawn Addams played Young's girlfriend and Melville Faber portraying his son.Template:Citation needed John Heistand was the announcer. Lud Gluskin directed the orchestra.<ref name="bb" />

Ralph Levy and Dick Linkroum produced and directed, and Joe Connolly and Bob Mosher produced and wrote for the program. Alan Dinehart and Edward Bernds also directed. Other writers included Young, Leo Solomon, Dave Schwartz, Nate Monaster, and Stanley Shapiro.<ref name="eawnts" />

Critical response

A review of the first three CBS episodes in The New York Times said that Young "had some excellent sketches" in the first two, "But on the third show, when his writers let him down, Mr. Young was at very loose ends ..."<ref name="nytrev">Template:Cite news</ref> The review complimented Young's "sense of timing in the delivery of his lines" but added that his "dependence on the script is also evident in his repetitive opening monologues, which are apt to seem forced."<ref name="nytrev" /> The production, props, and settings received compliments.<ref name="nytrev" />

A review of the program's September 28, 1950, episode in the trade publication Billboard called Young "one of the most original performers in video".<ref name=bb>Template:Cite magazine</ref> However, the reviewer questioned the use of two long skits when Young's work came across better in shorter segments.<ref name=bb/>

Cast

• Ilene Woods as Singing Neighbor

External links

• Template:IMDb title
• The Alan Young Show clips at TV4u.com
• January 16 1951 episode viewable on the Internet Archive
• Four 1945-46 episodes audio-only on the Internet Archive