While browsing through back issues of TV Guide, I came across a number of news blurbs that provide interesting insight to television programs that never happened, trivia about shows that did happen... well, you get the idea.
November 16, 1957
A ghost story series, One Step Beyond, is in preparation at Screen Gems with Boris Karloff, one of Hollywood's kindlier ghosts, penciled in as the ghost-host.
Note: Not produced at Screen Gems and with John Newland as host, not Karloff.
February 22, 1958
Jack Webb as plans for six hour-long documentary TV films on science and space, to be financed and sponsored by an oil company.
Note: I don't think this ever happened.
August 15, 1959
Rock Hudson wants to do three specials this year and is waiting for producers to submit properties.
Note: No such specials were ever produced or telecast.
January 17, 1959
Moon Flight, new semi-documentary series about man's exploration of space, has gone into production, with Bill Lundigan as star. The producer spent over $100,000 in preliminary research and has built a full-sized replica of a space ship for background.
June 13, 1959
Ziv's new Space (formerly Moonshot) series for CBS has a Government okay to use Cape Canaveral for background and location filming. Film shooting, that is, not moon shooting.
Note on above two: The series was titled Men Into Space.
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| Men Into Space TV series |
August 8, 1959
Besides televising the Miss America Pageant from Atlantic City September 12, CBS for the first time will also televise the Miss America Parade September 8. Newsman Doug Edwards and marilyn Van Derbur, the 1958 Miss America, will narrate.
March 18, 1961
CBS is still planning an hour-long version of Playhouse 90 for the fall.
Note: The show was never an hour long but I guess if that happened they would have re-titled it Playhouse 60?
January 24, 1959
Ricky Nelson planning a trip to Spain this summer to study bullfighting, in which he became interested while co-starring in a new movie with John Wayne. Ricky will play in a bullfighting sequence on the Ozzie and Harriet show before his trip.
December ??, 1958
Screen Gems has a show called Behind Closed Doors which it cannot sell because it is so powerful. The stories are declassified information from the files of the U.S. Government. One story is said to concern an alleged Russian bombing mission headed for the U.S. until it was suddenly recalled just as the group neared Canada. A soap manufacturer viewed the test film, said: "It's great, but how can I interrupt such stories to tell people to buy soap?"
August 25, 1962
A new jungle adventure series for syndication, Tongaloa, is now being produced by CBS Films near Acapulco, Mexico. A tame lion named Claude, born and raised in Hollywood, was imported for the series. He escaped from his cage one night, wandered into the jungle, returned the next day, suffered a heart attack and died. The attending veterinarian said Claude simply could not adjust himself to jungle living.
Note: No such TV series met fruition except for the pilot attempt.
also August 25, 1962
An episode of The Untouchables titled "The Fabulous Floyd Gibbons" is being planned by Robert Stack's production company and writer Mort Lewis for a subsequent series.
Note: No such series was ever produced.
November 22, 1958
Kathy Nolan's wardrobe for this season's The Real McCoys runs to $11.46. Old clothes bought from old-clothes dealers and her "new" shoes cost 21 cents -- with tax.
August 25, 1962
A new jungle adventure series for syndication, Tongaloa, is now being produced by CBS Films near Acapulco, Mexico. A tame lion named Claude, born and raised in Hollywood, was imported for the series. He escaped from his cage one night, wandered into the jungle, returned the next day, suffered a heart attack and died. The attending veterinarian said Claude simply could not adjust himself to jungle living.
Note: No such TV series met fruition except for the pilot attempt.
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| Robert Stack as Elliot Ness on The Untouchables |
also August 25, 1962
An episode of The Untouchables titled "The Fabulous Floyd Gibbons" is being planned by Robert Stack's production company and writer Mort Lewis for a subsequent series.
Note: No such series was ever produced.
November 22, 1958
Kathy Nolan's wardrobe for this season's The Real McCoys runs to $11.46. Old clothes bought from old-clothes dealers and her "new" shoes cost 21 cents -- with tax.
