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The Golden Touch of Frankie Carle

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The Golden Touch of Frankie Carle is a musical variety television series broadcast in the United States by NBC from August 7, 1956, through October 20, 1956.[1]

The Golden Touch of Frankie Carle featured pianist Frankie Carle[1] and guest singers performing a variety of music, including popular standards and the current hits of the day.[2] Accompaniment was provided by a musical trio.[3]

The program's main purpose was to round out the half-hour prior to the beginning of prime time following the conclusion of the network's evening news broadcasts,[2] which were, like most network news broadcasts of the era, then only 15 minutes long.[citation needed]

Carle's guest on the premiere episode was Joanne Gilbert.[4]

Production

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Jim Jordan Jr. produced and directed the series. The writers were Lenny Gaines and Barry Ziff.[4] The show was sustaining and originated from KRCA-TV.[3]

In August 1956 the program was broadcast from 7:30 to 7:45 p.m. Eastern Time. In September it expanded to Tuesdays at that same time, and in October it went back to the original time slot.[2] It was replaced by The Nat King Cole Show.[5]

Critical response

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A review in the trade publication Broadcasting said that the premiere episode focused too little on the star: "Mr. Carle was all but crowded off the screen" by "visual gimmicks", the guest "gets far more exposure than he does", and "Mr. Carle is permitted to play only snatches of the songs that made him famous."[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 301. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
  2. ^ a b c Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (June 24, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 546. ISBN 978-0-307-48320-1. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "This Week — Network Debuts & Highlights". Ross Reports. August 6, 1956. p. 68. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "'Golden Touch of Frankie Carle' Starts on NBC-TV". NBC Trade News. July 25, 1956. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  5. ^ "This Week — Network Debuts & Highlights". Ross Reports. November 5, 1956. p. 105. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  6. ^ "The Golden Touch of Frankie Carle". Broadcasting. August 13, 1956. p. 15. Retrieved July 30, 2024.