The Laytons
Encyclopedia
The Laytons was an early American television program
broadcast on the now defunct DuMont Television Network
.
, and was one of the first (if not the first) network television series to feature an African-American performer in a regular role.
The Laytons was a sitcom featuring Vera Tatum and Amanda Randolph
(of Amos 'n' Andy
fame). Randolph played a black maid on the series. The program, produced and distributed by DuMont, aired from 8:30 to 9:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time) on DuMont's affiliate stations. The program had been seen locally in New York beginning in May. Episodes of this early series have not been preserved, and according to Brooks and Marsh (2007), "little is known about the content of this early series".
According to Donald Bogle
, the series made such a small impression that few remember The Laytons. However, the program paved the way for later TV shows starring or featuring black actors. The final episode of the program aired on October 13, 1948.
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
broadcast on the now defunct DuMont Television Network
DuMont Television Network
The DuMont Television Network, also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont, Du Mont, or Dumont was one of the world's pioneer commercial television networks, rivalling NBC for the distinction of being first overall. It began operation in the United States in 1946. It was owned by DuMont...
.
Broadcast history
The series ran from August to October 19481948 in television
The year 1948 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1948.-Events:*March 20 – Renowned Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini makes his television debut, conducting the NBC Symphony Orchestra in an all-Wagner program.*June 21 – The first network...
, and was one of the first (if not the first) network television series to feature an African-American performer in a regular role.
The Laytons was a sitcom featuring Vera Tatum and Amanda Randolph
Amanda Randolph
Amanda Randolph was an American actress and singer. She was a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and was the older sister of actress Lillian Randolph. She was the first African-American performer to star in a regularly scheduled network television show, appearing in DuMont's The Laytons...
(of Amos 'n' Andy
Amos 'n' Andy
Amos 'n' Andy is a situation comedy set in the African-American community. It was very popular in the United States from the 1920s through the 1950s on both radio and television....
fame). Randolph played a black maid on the series. The program, produced and distributed by DuMont, aired from 8:30 to 9:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time) on DuMont's affiliate stations. The program had been seen locally in New York beginning in May. Episodes of this early series have not been preserved, and according to Brooks and Marsh (2007), "little is known about the content of this early series".
According to Donald Bogle
Donald Bogle
Donald Bogle is a film historian and author of six books concerning African Americans in film and on television. He is an instructor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and at the University of Pennsylvania.-Early years:...
, the series made such a small impression that few remember The Laytons. However, the program paved the way for later TV shows starring or featuring black actors. The final episode of the program aired on October 13, 1948.
See also
- List of programs broadcast by the DuMont Television Network
- List of surviving DuMont Television Network broadcasts