Variety review of first TV episode.
GUIDING LIGHT With Jone allison, Herb Nelson,Susan Douglas, Lyle Sudrow,Charita Bauer ; Producer: Dave Lesan Director: Ted Corday Writer: Irna Phillips 15 Mins.; Mon.-thru-Fri,, 2:30 p.m. PROCTER & GAMBLE CBS-TV, from N. Y. (Compton)
One of the longest-run radio soap operas, “Guiding Light” has been duplicated for TV by Procter & Gamble as the first AM daytime |serial to get the combined spread.
Show preemed on CBS-TV Monday (30) with the same writer, Irna Phillips and looked as though it will achieve the same mid-high ratings it’s obtained on radio. Fact that the video version is to follow the same basic story line as its AM sister, however, indicates that it won’t pick up many viewers from the radio side. Preem had no lead-in to indicate that it was a first, merely picking up the yarn as though viewers had seen a preceding stanza last Friday. Initialer had Joe Roberts separated from his wife, Meta, who’s having nightmares over fear of, how their daughter, Kathy, will fare in Joe’s hands. Kathy, in turn, is giving Joe trouble by wishing to move into her own apartment and substitute college for a career. Sounded rather schmaltzy, but the ground work has been laid for succeeding stanzas, which, after all, is and always has been the format for these soapers.
Jone Allison and Herb Nelson, doubling from the radio version, registered capably as Meta and Joe, while Susan Douglas made for an attractive and personable Kathy. Lyle Sudrow and Charita Bauer play Meta’s brother and sister-in- law, respectively. While it’s difficult to judge the production credits on the basis of a single installment, the two sets used on the initialer, plus camera work and other mountings, reflected careful planning on the part of producer Dave Lesan and director Ted Corday. P&G is sponsoring “Guiding Light” as a permanent replacement for ‘First 100 Years,” which was TV’s first soap opera. Compton agency handles this one for Crisco and Ivory, while Benton & Bowles had “Years” for Tide.
By
Paul Raven ·
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