Angel (1960 TV series)
Encyclopedia
Angel is an American sitcom
that aired for one season on CBS
during the 1960–1961 season. The series was created and executive produced by Jess Oppenheimer
, and stars Annie Fargé
as the title character.
. Angel, with her distinct French accent, gets into various problems with the culture, language, and procedures in her new country. Though it had much less slapstick comedy, Angel was somewhat akin to two other CBS sitcoms, I Love Lucy
(already concluded) and Pete and Gladys
, a spin-off
of CBS's December Bride
.
The series costars Doris Singleton
as Angel's sympathetic friend Susie and Don Keefer
as Susie's husband George, somewhat like the Ethel and Fred roles of I Love Lucy. Guest stars included Dayton Lummis
, who appeared twice as Mr. Mathews in "Angel's Temper" and "The Museum".
Angel, co-sponsored by General Foods
(Post Cereals
) and Johnson's Wax, was initially broadcast at 9 p.m. Eastern on Thursday evenings between October 6, 1960 and April 13, 1961. It switched to Wednesdays, at the same time, on April 19, 1961 for the remaining first-run episodes and summer reruns.
, which went on to a twelve-year run, first on ABC
and then CBS, and Bachelor Father, then in its last year on NBC
, but having been on all three networks during its total five-year run from 1957 to 1962. Angel followed the final season of Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater
and preceded what turned out to have been the last of the three-year run of The Ann Sothern Show
, which had been highly rated in its two earlier years.
When CBS announced early in 1961 that Angel had been cancelled because of low ratings, Time
magazine
suggested that at least the talented Fargé should be "salvaged from the wreckage" for another enterprise. Earlier, Time had commented that Fargé "triumphantly resists being merely Lucille Ball with a French accent. She is easily the brightest newcomer to situation comedy—small, pert, winsome, and somehow giving the impression of being attractively feathered."
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
that aired for one season on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
during the 1960–1961 season. The series was created and executive produced by Jess Oppenheimer
Jess Oppenheimer
Jess Oppenheimer a radio and television writer, producer, and director, was producer and head writer of the CBS sitcom I Love Lucy.Lucille Ball called Oppenheimer "the brains" behind I Love Lucy...
, and stars Annie Fargé
Annie Fargé
Annie Fargue was a French-born actress named "most promising new star in a situation comedy" in 1961 when she co-starred with Marshall Thompson, Doris Singleton, and Don Keefer in CBS's Angel....
as the title character.
Synopsis
Fargé portrayed Angelique "Angel" Smith, a pretty, young scatterbrained Frenchwoman who comes to the United States and marries a young architect, John Smith, portrayed by Marshall ThompsonMarshall Thompson
Marshall Thompson was an American film and television actor.He was born James Marshall Thompson in Peoria, Illinois. In 1943 Thompson, known for his boy-next-door good looks, was signed by Universal Pictures...
. Angel, with her distinct French accent, gets into various problems with the culture, language, and procedures in her new country. Though it had much less slapstick comedy, Angel was somewhat akin to two other CBS sitcoms, I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
(already concluded) and Pete and Gladys
Pete and Gladys
Pete and Gladys is an American situation comedy broadcast by CBS on Monday night at 8:00pm Eastern and Pacific time for two seasons, beginning on September 19, 1960...
, a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
of CBS's December Bride
December Bride
December Bride is an American sitcom that aired on the CBS television network from 1954 to 1959, adapted from the original CBS radio network series that aired from June 1952 through September 1953.-Overview:...
.
The series costars Doris Singleton
Doris Singleton
Doris Singleton is an American actress perhaps best remembered as Lucy Ricardo's frenemy, Carolyn Appleby, on I Love Lucy.-Career:...
as Angel's sympathetic friend Susie and Don Keefer
Don Keefer
Donald "Don" H. Keefer is a retired American actor known for the versatility of his roles. He was born in Highspire in Dauphin County near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Keefer's first role was as Bernard in the 1951 film, Death of a Salesman, based on the Arthur Miller play...
as Susie's husband George, somewhat like the Ethel and Fred roles of I Love Lucy. Guest stars included Dayton Lummis
Dayton Lummis
Dayton Lummis. Sr. , was an American actor of film and television who specialized in the genre of anthology and western series, often playing authority figures. From 1959-1960, he appeared as Marshal Andy Morrison in nine episodes of NBC's Law of the Plainsman western, with Michael Ansara and...
, who appeared twice as Mr. Mathews in "Angel's Temper" and "The Museum".
Angel, co-sponsored by General Foods
General Foods
General Foods Corporation was a company whose direct predecessor was established in the USA by Charles William Post as the Postum Cereal Company in 1895. The name General Foods was adopted in 1929, after several corporate acquisitions...
(Post Cereals
Post Cereals
Post Foods, LLC, also known as Post Cereals is a food company that was founded by C.W. Post in 1895 with the first Postum, a "cereal beverage," developed by Post in Battle Creek, Michigan. The first cereal, Grape-Nuts, was developed in 1897. Post has its headquarters in the Bank of America Plaza...
) and Johnson's Wax, was initially broadcast at 9 p.m. Eastern on Thursday evenings between October 6, 1960 and April 13, 1961. It switched to Wednesdays, at the same time, on April 19, 1961 for the remaining first-run episodes and summer reruns.
Reception and cancellation
The series' competition included two other sitcoms, My Three SonsMy Three Sons
My Three Sons is an American situation comedy. The series ran from 1960 to 1965 on ABC, and moved to CBS until its end on August 24, 1972. My Three Sons chronicles the life of a widower and aeronautical engineer named Steven Douglas , raising his three sons.The series was a cornerstone of the CBS...
, which went on to a twelve-year run, first on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and then CBS, and Bachelor Father, then in its last year 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...
, but having been on all three networks during its total five-year run from 1957 to 1962. Angel followed the final season of Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre, sometimes simply called Zane Grey Theatre, is an American Western anthology series which ran on CBS from 1956 to 1961.-Overview:Zane Grey Theatre was created by Luke Short and Charles A. Wallace...
and preceded what turned out to have been the last of the three-year run of The Ann Sothern Show
The Ann Sothern Show
The Ann Sothern Show is an American sitcom starring Ann Sothern that aired on CBS for 93 episodes. The series began on October 6, 1958, and ended on September 25, 1961. The Ann Sothern Show was Sothern's second sitcom for CBS...
, which had been highly rated in its two earlier years.
When CBS announced early in 1961 that Angel had been cancelled because of low ratings, Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
suggested that at least the talented Fargé should be "salvaged from the wreckage" for another enterprise. Earlier, Time had commented that Fargé "triumphantly resists being merely Lucille Ball with a French accent. She is easily the brightest newcomer to situation comedy—small, pert, winsome, and somehow giving the impression of being attractively feathered."
Episode list
| Episode # | Episode title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | "The French Touch" (pilot) | October 6, 1960 |
| 1-2 | "Voting Can Be Fun" | October 13, 1960 |
| 1-3 | "The Easy Touch" (aka "Angel and the Con Men") | October 20, 1960 |
| 1-4 | "The Maid" | November 3, 1960 |
| 1-5 | "Angel's Temper" | November 10, 1960 |
| 1-6 | "Democracy" | November 17, 1960 |
| 1-7 | "The Trusting Wife" | November 24, 1960 |
| 1-8 | "The Contest" | December 1, 1960 |
| 1-9 | "The Driving Lesson" | December 8, 1960 |
| 1-10 | "The Valedictorian" | December 15, 1960 |
| 1-11 | "The Museum" | December 22, 1960 |
| 1-12 | "Togetherness" | December 29, 1960 |
| 1-13 | "The Goat Dog" | January 5, 1961 |
| 1-14 | "The Dowry" | January 19, 1961 |
| 1-15 | "Happy Marriage" | January 26, 1961 |
| 1-16 | "The Joint Bank Account" | February 2, 1961 |
| 1-17 | "Call Me Mother" | February 9, 1961 |
| 1-18 | "The Second Marriage" | February 16, 1961 |
| 1-19 | "The French Lesson" | February 23, 1961 |
| 1-20 | "Little White Lies" | March 2, 1961 |
| 1-21 | "House Guests" | March 9, 1961 |
| 1-22 | "Phone Fun" | March 23, 1961 |
| 1-23 | "The Insurance Policy" | March 30, 1961 |
| 1-24 | "The Dentist" | April 6, 1961 |
| 1-25 | "The Honest Man" | April 13, 1961 |
| 1-26 | "Unpopular Mechanics" | April 19, 1961 |
| 1-27 | "The Guided Tour" | April 26, 1961 |
| 1-28 | "The Little Leaguer" | May 3, 1961 |
| 1-29 | "The Trailer" | May 10, 1961 |
| 1-30 | "Goodbye, Young Lovers" | May 17, 1961 |
| 1-31 | "Angel of Mercy" | May 24, 1961 |
| 1-32 | "The Wedding" | June 7, 1961 |
| 1-33 | "Promise To A Friend" | June 14, 1961 |