December Bride
Encyclopedia
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.
who was not in fact a "December bride" but very much desired to become one, if the right man would come along. Aiding Lily in her search for this prospective suitor were her daughter, Ruth Henshaw, played by Frances Rafferty
, and her son-in-law Matt Henshaw, portrayed by Dean Miller
, and her close friend and peer, Hilda Crocker, the role of character actress Verna Felton
. A next door neighbor, Pete Porter, played by Harry Morgan
, was frequently seen. Married miserably himself, according to his constant complaints about his unseen wife, Gladys, he also envied Matt's positive relationship with Lily, as he despised his own mother-in-law.
First-run episodes of December Bride aired for five seasons, beginning in 1954 and ending in 1959, sponsored by General Foods
' Instant Maxwell House Coffee
. During the first four seasons, the program was not shown in the summer, supplanted by "summer replacement" series, but in its final year, repeat
episodes were run in its time slot during the summer months. On March 26, 1959, as the program wound down, Rory Calhoun
, star of CBS's western
series, The Texan
appeared as himself in the episode "Rory Calhoun, The Texan".
December Bride was sufficiently popular that even after its production had ceased, CBS used repeat episodes to fill slots in its prime time programming. In July 1960, December Bride repeats were used to fill in for the second half of the Friday 9 p.m. Eastern timeslot vacated by Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
, running until the beginning of the fall 1960 schedule
, and again as a temporary replacement on Thursday nights in April 1961. Additionally, repeats of the program were shown on CBS as a daytime program from October 1959 until March 1961. The Pete Porter character became so popular that he and Gladys were spun off
into their own series, Pete and Gladys
, shortly after the end the broadcast of first-run episodes of December Bride.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sitcom
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 on the 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...
television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
from 1954 to 1959, adapted from the original 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...
radio network
Radio network
There are two types of radio networks currently in use around the world: the one-to-many broadcast type commonly used for public information and mass media entertainment; and the two-way type used more commonly for public safety and public services such as police, fire, taxicabs, and delivery...
series that aired from June 1952 through September 1953.
Overview
December Bride centered around the adventures of Lily Ruskin, a spry widowWidow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
who was not in fact a "December bride" but very much desired to become one, if the right man would come along. Aiding Lily in her search for this prospective suitor were her daughter, Ruth Henshaw, played by Frances Rafferty
Frances Rafferty
Frances Rafferty was an American actress, dancer, World War II pin-up girl and MGM contract star.-Early life:Frances Anne Rafferty was born in Sioux City, Iowa, the daughter of Maxwell Lewis Rafftery, Snr...
, and her son-in-law Matt Henshaw, portrayed by Dean Miller
Dean Miller (broadcaster)
Dean Miller, born Dean C. Stuhlmueller , was an American actor and broadcaster, perhaps best known for his role as the son-in-law in the CBS sitcom December Bride...
, and her close friend and peer, Hilda Crocker, the role of character actress Verna Felton
Verna Felton
Verna Felton was an American character actress who was best-known for providing many female voices in numerous Disney animated films, as well as voicing Fred Flintstone's mother-in-law Pearl Slaghoople for Hanna-Barbera...
. A next door neighbor, Pete Porter, played by Harry Morgan
Harry Morgan
Harry Morgan is an American actor. Morgan is well-known for his roles as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on M*A*S*H , Pete Porter on both Pete and Gladys and December Bride , Detective Bill Gannon on Dragnet , and Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey...
, was frequently seen. Married miserably himself, according to his constant complaints about his unseen wife, Gladys, he also envied Matt's positive relationship with Lily, as he despised his own mother-in-law.
First-run episodes of December Bride aired for five seasons, beginning in 1954 and ending in 1959, 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...
' Instant Maxwell House Coffee
Maxwell House
Maxwell House is a brand of coffee manufactured by a like-named division of Kraft Foods. Introduced in 1892, it is named in honor of the Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. For many years until the late 1980s it was the largest-selling coffee in the U.S. and is currently second behind...
. During the first four seasons, the program was not shown in the summer, supplanted by "summer replacement" series, but in its final year, repeat
Rerun
A rerun or repeat is a re-airing of an episode of a radio or television broadcast. The invention of the rerun is generally credited to Desi Arnaz. There are two types of reruns—those that occur during a hiatus, and those that occur when a program is syndicated. Reruns can also be, as the...
episodes were run in its time slot during the summer months. On March 26, 1959, as the program wound down, Rory Calhoun
Rory Calhoun
Rory Calhoun was an American television and film actor, screenwriter and producer, best known for his roles in Westerns.-Early life:...
, star of CBS's western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
series, The Texan
The Texan (TV series)
The Texan is a Western television series starring popular B movie star Rory Calhoun. It aired on the CBS television network from 1958-1960.-Production notes:...
appeared as himself in the episode "Rory Calhoun, The Texan".
December Bride was sufficiently popular that even after its production had ceased, CBS used repeat episodes to fill slots in its prime time programming. In July 1960, December Bride repeats were used to fill in for the second half of the Friday 9 p.m. Eastern timeslot vacated by Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse
Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse is an American television anthology series produced by Desilu Productions. The show ran on CBS television between 1958 and 1960...
, running until the beginning of the fall 1960 schedule
1960-61 United States network television schedule
The 1960–61 United States network television schedule was for the period that began in September 1960 and ran through March 1961.On May 9, 1961, at the annual convention of the National Association of Broadcasters new FCC chairman Newton Minow delivered a scathing speech directed at the "procession...
, and again as a temporary replacement on Thursday nights in April 1961. Additionally, repeats of the program were shown on CBS as a daytime program from October 1959 until March 1961. The Pete Porter character became so popular that he and Gladys were spun 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...
into their own series, 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...
, shortly after the end the broadcast of first-run episodes of December Bride.
Cast
- Spring ByingtonSpring ByingtonSpring Byington was an American actress. Her career included a seven-year run on radio and television as the star of December Bride. She was a key MGM contract player appearing in films from the 1930s through the 1960s.-Early life:Byington was born Spring Dell Byington in Colorado Springs,...
as Lily Ruskin - Frances RaffertyFrances RaffertyFrances Rafferty was an American actress, dancer, World War II pin-up girl and MGM contract star.-Early life:Frances Anne Rafferty was born in Sioux City, Iowa, the daughter of Maxwell Lewis Rafftery, Snr...
as Ruth Henshaw - Dean MillerDean Miller (broadcaster)Dean Miller, born Dean C. Stuhlmueller , was an American actor and broadcaster, perhaps best known for his role as the son-in-law in the CBS sitcom December Bride...
as Matt Henshaw - Verna FeltonVerna FeltonVerna Felton was an American character actress who was best-known for providing many female voices in numerous Disney animated films, as well as voicing Fred Flintstone's mother-in-law Pearl Slaghoople for Hanna-Barbera...
as Hilda Crocker - Harry MorganHarry MorganHarry Morgan is an American actor. Morgan is well-known for his roles as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on M*A*S*H , Pete Porter on both Pete and Gladys and December Bride , Detective Bill Gannon on Dragnet , and Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey...
as Pete Porter