Americana (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Americana is a weekly game show
which ran on NBC
from December 8, 1947 to July 4, 1949. The series was originally hosted by literary critic John Mason Brown
and produced by Martin Stone Productions with NBC Television. Each week's show was sponsored by Encyclopedia Americana
. The 30-minute show aired Mondays at 8:10pm ET in the 1947-48 television season, and Mondays at 8:30pm ET in the 1948-49 season.
, who only hosted that show and the January 28 episode. On February 4 he was replaced by Ben Grauer
, who was at the time recognized for hosting Information Please
on NBC Radio since 1938.
In 1949, Vivian Ferrer joined Grauer as co-host, likely remaining with the series through its end.
, a process that was continued by three of the four networks on the air at the time (DuMont rarely disposed of any material) through the late 1970s.
The March 14, 1949 episode is held by the UCLA Film and Television Archive
. Michael Keane, Dan Roberts, and Oscar Brand
were the actors; Elliot Mendelson, Vivian Frost, Elizabeth Mulligan, Joan Moran, and Michael Drake were the contestants. Vivian Ferrer is not mentioned as co-host, implying that she had not been hired at this point.
The surviving episode has been confirmed to be the second-oldest television game show episode known to exist, the oldest being from the mid-1947 game Party Line hosted by Bert Parks
(which is held on kinescope at the Library of Congress).
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
which ran on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
from December 8, 1947 to July 4, 1949. The series was originally hosted by literary critic John Mason Brown
John Mason Brown
John Mason Brown was an American drama critic and author.Born in Louisville, Kentucky, he graduated from Harvard College in 1923. He worked for the New York Evening Post from 1929 to 1941. He served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy during World War II, beginning in 1942...
and produced by Martin Stone Productions with NBC Television. Each week's show was sponsored by Encyclopedia Americana
Encyclopedia Americana
Encyclopedia Americana is one of the largest general encyclopedias in the English language. Following the acquisition of Grolier in 2000, the encyclopedia has been produced by Scholastic....
. The 30-minute show aired Mondays at 8:10pm ET in the 1947-48 television season, and Mondays at 8:30pm ET in the 1948-49 season.
Format
The quiz, whose slogan was "Your program about your country", involved five contestants (originally adults, changed to high school students by March 1949) answering viewer-submitted questions about American history. A panel of three actors would perform short skits (with either one actor or more in each), after which the contestants would try to answer the questions.Hosts
On January 21, 1948, Brown was replaced by composer and musical critic Deems TaylorDeems Taylor
Joseph Deems Taylor was a U.S. composer, music critic, and promoter of classical music.-Career:Taylor initially planned to become an architect; however, despite minimal musical training he soon took to music composition. The result was a series of works for orchestra and/or voices...
, who only hosted that show and the January 28 episode. On February 4 he was replaced by Ben Grauer
Ben Grauer
Benjamin Franklin Grauer was an US radio and TV personality, following a career during the 1920s as a child actor in films and on Broadway. He began his career as a child in David Warfield's production of The Return of Peter Grimm. Among his early credits were roles in films directed by D.W....
, who was at the time recognized for hosting Information Please
Information Please
Information Please was an American radio quiz show, created by Dan Golenpaul, which aired on NBC from May 17, 1938 to April 22, 1951. The title was the contemporary phrase used to request from telephone operators what was then called "information" but is now called "directory assistance".The series...
on NBC Radio since 1938.
In 1949, Vivian Ferrer joined Grauer as co-host, likely remaining with the series through its end.
Episode status
Americana was one of the first victims of wipingWiping
Wiping or junking is a colloquial term for action taken by radio and television production and broadcasting companies, in which old audiotapes, videotapes, and telerecordings , are erased, reused, or destroyed after several uses...
, a process that was continued by three of the four networks on the air at the time (DuMont rarely disposed of any material) through the late 1970s.
The March 14, 1949 episode is held by the UCLA Film and Television Archive
UCLA Film and Television Archive
The UCLA Film and Television Archive is an internationally renowned visual arts organization focused on the preservation, study, and appreciation of film and television, based at the University of California, Los Angeles. It holds more than 220,000 film and television titles and 27 million feet of...
. Michael Keane, Dan Roberts, and Oscar Brand
Oscar Brand
Oscar Brand is a folk singer, songwriter, and author. In his career, spanning over 60 years, he has composed at least 300 songs and released nearly 100 albums, among them Canadian and American patriotic songs...
were the actors; Elliot Mendelson, Vivian Frost, Elizabeth Mulligan, Joan Moran, and Michael Drake were the contestants. Vivian Ferrer is not mentioned as co-host, implying that she had not been hired at this point.
The surviving episode has been confirmed to be the second-oldest television game show episode known to exist, the oldest being from the mid-1947 game Party Line hosted by Bert Parks
Bert Parks
Bert Parks, born Bertram Jacobson , was an American actor, singer, and radio and television announcer, best known for hosting the annual Miss America telecast from 1955 to 1979....
(which is held on kinescope at the Library of Congress).
See also
- 1947-48 United States network television schedule
- 1948-49 United States network television schedule