The Amazing Mr. Malone is an American television legal drama that was broadcast on ABC from September 24, 1951, through March 10, 1952. It was the "earliest prime time network dramatic series to feature a lawyer protagonist."[1]
| The Amazing Mr. Malone | |
|---|---|
| Written by |
|
| Starring | Lee Tracy |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Production | |
| Producers |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | September 24, 1951 – March 10, 1952 |
Background and premise
editCriminal defense attorney[2] John J. Malone first appeared in Craig Rice's novel Eight Faces at Three (1939), although other characters were more prominent in that book. Rice soon made Malone the main character in other novels. Three films were made about Malone: Having Wonderful Crime (1945), The Lucky Stiff (1949), and Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone (1950). A radio series, The Amazing Mr. Malone, ran on ABC and NBC from 1947 to 1951.[1]
In his print debut, Malone was a "dour, cynical, hard-drinking attorney".[1] The radio version depicted him "as a girl-chasing quipster who drank only occasionally", and that characterization carried over to the TV adaptation.[1] The series was set in Chicago. Malone often went beyond an attorney's duties to find evidence that might help in his representation of his clients. Lee Tracy portrayed Malone on TV.[3]
Episodes
edit| Date | Title | Actors (in addition to Tracy) |
|---|---|---|
| September 24, 1951 | "Blood Is Thicker Than Water" | George Petrie, Roger de Koven, Chester Stratton, Ann Summers, Gordon Mills, Joseph Julian, Audrey Meadows[4] |
| October 8, 1951 | "Requiem in Blue" | Constance Dowling, Wright King, Jack Edwards, Gilbert Mack, John Malcolm, Bram Nossen, Lawrence Ryle, George Petrie[5] |
| October 22, 1951 | "Where There's A Will" | Frank Pulaski, Martin Brandt, Joyce Randolph, Arthur Walsh, Lewis Charles, Sammy Schwartz[6] |
| November 5, 1951 | "Two Lives Are Better Than One" | Rita Gam, Stiano Braggiotti, Oliver Thorndike, Douglas Watson, Sid Caese[7] |
| November 19, 1951 | "The Restless Husband" | Joe Bushkin, Glenda Farrell, Peter Barno, Millicent Brower, Guy Sorel, Francis DeSales[8] |
| December 3, 1951 | "To His Dying Day" | Biff McGuire, Ben Chilson, John Marley, Lew Herbert, Harrison Dowd, Connie Lembke[9] |
| December 17, 1951 | "Sauce for the Gander" | Helen Craig, Dennis Harrison, Fred Catania, John W. Farrell, Mike O’Dowd, Glenn Dicue, Larry Robinson[10] |
| December 31, 1951 | "Dead End Street" | Eric Mattson, Riza Royce, Harry Worth, Howard Caine, Ken Konopka, Ralph Comargo, Virginia Lord[11] |
| February 11, 1952 | "The Target" | Mercer McLeod, Edward Peck, John Boruff, Mary Farrell, Carol Teite[12] |
| February 25, 1952 | "Breakout" | Ray Boyle. Harold McGee, James Rafferty, Allen Nourse, Rusty Lane, Iggy Wolfington, Jean Pearson, Mike O'Dowd[13] |
Production
editEdgar Peterson and Bernard L. Schubert were the producers, and Peterson was the director.[3] The writers were Alvin Boretz, James Blumgarten, Gene Wang, Ben Feiner Jr., and Peter Barry.[14] Sponsored by Seiberling Tires,[15] the show was broadcast live on Mondays from 8 to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time,[16] alternating weeks with Mr. District Attorney.[1] It originated from WJZ-TV.[17]
Gene Raymond portrayed Malone in a pilot that was made for ABC in 1950 but was not broadcast.[3]
Critical response
editIn a review of the September 24, 1951, episode in the trade publication Billboard, Leon Morse complimented Tracy's portrayal of Malone, writing that Tracy "has never been more dynamic" than he was in combining the detective and attorney aspects of Malone, so that "what is unbelievable ... becomes easy to digest".[18] The review also praised the quality of the show's production and the strength of the supporting cast.[18]
Dwight Newton wrote in the San Francisco Examiner that Tracy in the role of Malone provided an excellent video version of the image that listeners had formed from the radio series: "His portrayal is easy-going, sharp-witted and packed with concealed dynamite."[19] Newton added that the stories did not stand out from other mysteries: "Take 'em or leave 'em. But I don't think you'll leave Tracy, often."[19]
A review of the premiere episode in the trade publication Variety said that The Amazing Mr. Malone "should wind up among the top half of television's many whodunits".[20] The review said that the show was structured much like contemporary shows about private detectives. It described the acting as "generally good" and the direction as "competent".[20]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Erickson, Hal (October 21, 2009). Encyclopedia of Television Law Shows: Factual and Fictional Series About Judges, Lawyers and the Courtroom, 1948-2008. McFarland. pp. 35–36. ISBN 978-0-7864-5452-5. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ 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. 36. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
- ^ a b c Terrace, Vincent (October 6, 2022). From Radio to Television: Programs That Made the Transition, 1929-2021. McFarland. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-4766-8836-7. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ Bril. (September 26, 1951). "Television Review: AMAZING MR. MALONE". Variety. p. 119. ProQuest 1286127355.
With Lee Tracy, George Petrie, Roger de Koven, Chester Stratton, Ann Summers, Gordon Mills, Joseph Julian, Audrey Meadows [...] Characterization of Malone fits in with current models for private eyes. He has the usual downtown office, kids the coppers, hands the girls a fast line and gets conked on the head by a murderer. [...] Story on the initialer dealt with the murder of a tough trucker. Roger de Koven gave an effective, if brief, performance as the victim—a part which had good motivation.
- ^ "Monday October 8". Ross Reports. October 7, 1951. p. 7. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "Monday October 22 (Cont'd)". Ross Reports. October 21, 1951. p. 7. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "Monday November 5". Ross Reports. November 4, 1951. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "Monday November 19 (Cont'd)". Ross Reports. November 18, 1951. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "Monday December 3" (PDF). Ross Reports. December 2, 1951. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "Monday December 17". Ross Reports. December 16, 1951. p. 7. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ "Monday December 31 (Cont'd)". Ross Reports. December 30, 1951. p. 8. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ "Monday February 11". Ross Reports. February 10, 1952. p. 8. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
- ^ "Monday February 25". Ross Reports. February 24, 1952. p. 8. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ "List of Properties Used on TV Dramas - November 17, 1951 Through June 30, 1952". Ross Reports. 1952. p. 1. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ "Loss of 11 Clients To Cost ABC $8 Mil". Variety. March 1, 1952. p. 6. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ 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. 42. ISBN 978-0-307-48320-1. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ "This Week -- Network Debuts, Highlights, Changes". Ross Reports. March 9, 1952. p. 1. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ a b Morse, Leon (October 6, 1951). "Lee Tracy, Sock Support Bring Credibility to 'Amazing Malone'". Billboard. p. 3. Retrieved January 18, 2024.
- ^ a b Newton, Dwight (October 15, 1951). "Day and Night with Radio and Television". San Francisco Examiner. p. 24. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved January 18, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Amazing Mr. Malone". Variety. September 26, 1951. p. 119. Retrieved January 20, 2024.