Author Meets the Critics
Encyclopedia
Author Meets the Critics was an American talk show
which aired on NBC, ABC
, and the DuMont Television Network
. The series began as a mid-season replacement on NBC on April 4, 1948, but moved to ABC in 1949. The show moved back to NBC in 1951, and then to DuMont from January 10, 1952 to October 10, 1954.
John K. M. McCaffery
was the moderator from 1948 to 1951. Faye Emerson
had a brief stint as moderator in 1952, during which the show was moved to prime time
. Virgilia Peterson was the moderator during the DuMont run from 1952 to 1954, when the show was aired Thursdays at 10pm EST.
The DuMont episodes of the show were produced by Phyllis Adams Jenkins, a pioneer in providing serious programming intended for daytime television
audiences. She went on to produce other shows, including What's the Problem?, the daytime show Home starring Arlene Francis
in the 1950s, and Dinah Shore
's daytime show in the 1960s.
On his show, Ernie Kovacs
parodied it as "Author Heats the Critics", where the author attacks the critics, rather than the other way around.
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
which aired on NBC, 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 the 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...
. The series began as a mid-season replacement on NBC on April 4, 1948, but moved to ABC in 1949. The show moved back to NBC in 1951, and then to DuMont from January 10, 1952 to October 10, 1954.
Overview
On the series, two critics debated a recently-published book, one in favor and the other against. Later, the author of the book appeared to face the critics.John K. M. McCaffery
John McCaffery
John McCaffery was an American television host who appeared on many game shows and talk shows during the 1940s and 1950s including Americana, Television Screen Magazine, What's the Story, and Author Meets the Critics.-Game Shows:McCaffery also hosted the following game shows:* We Take Your Word...
was the moderator from 1948 to 1951. Faye Emerson
Faye Emerson
Faye Margaret Emerson was an American film actress and television interviewer, known as "The First Lady of Television". She acted in many Warner Brothers films beginning in 1941...
had a brief stint as moderator in 1952, during which the show was moved to prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
. Virgilia Peterson was the moderator during the DuMont run from 1952 to 1954, when the show was aired Thursdays at 10pm EST.
The DuMont episodes of the show were produced by Phyllis Adams Jenkins, a pioneer in providing serious programming intended for daytime television
Daytime television
Daytime television is the general term for television shows produced that are intended to air during the daytime hours on weekdays. This article is about American daytime television, for information about international daytime television see Daytime television....
audiences. She went on to produce other shows, including What's the Problem?, the daytime show Home starring Arlene Francis
Arlene Francis
Arlene Francis was an American actress, radio talk show host, and game show panelist...
in the 1950s, and Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore was an American singer, actress, and television personality...
's daytime show in the 1960s.
On his show, Ernie Kovacs
Ernie Kovacs
Ernie Kovacs was a Hungarian American comedian and actor.Kovacs' uninhibited, often ad-libbed, and visually experimental comedic style came to influence numerous television comedy programs for years after his death in an automobile accident...
parodied it as "Author Heats the Critics", where the author attacks the critics, rather than the other way around.
Episode status
As with most DuMont series, not many episodes of the DuMont version are known to survive. The March 27, 1949 original NBC version of the show is preserved from kinescope recordings at the Paley Center in New York.See also
- List of programs broadcast by the DuMont Television Network
- List of surviving DuMont Television Network broadcasts