Going My Way (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Going My Way is an American comedy-drama
series starring dancer and actor
Gene Kelly
. Based on the 1944 film of the same name
starring Bing Crosby
, the series aired on ABC
with new episodes from October 3, 1962 to April 24, 1963. The program was Kelly's first and only attempt at a weekly television series. The series was canceled after one season.
The series was produced by Revue Studios (now Universal Media Studios), as parent company MCA owned the rights to the original film through their subsidiary EMKA, Ltd.
, which bought Going My Way and many other pre-1950 sound feature films from Paramount Pictures
in 1957.
who is sent to St. Dominic's Parish located in a lower-class section of New York City
. Leo G. Carroll
co-starred as the elderly pastor, Father Fitzgibbons, the Barry Fitzgerald
role in the film
. Dick York
portrayed Chuck's boyhood friend, Tom Colwell, the director of a secular neighborhood youth center. Nydia Westman
played Mrs. Featherstone, the housekeeper
of the rectory
. Episodes focused on Father O'Malley's attempts to connect with the congregation and his relationship with the elderly Father Fitzgibbons.
Guest stars included J. Pat O'Malley
, Gary Vinson
, Don Keefer
, and Peter Helm
.
The failure of the series to enter a second season is usually attributed to its competition, particularly The Beverly Hillbillies
. Going My Way was also scheduled opposite the final season of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
on CBS and the last third of James Drury
's 90-minute western
, The Virginian
, on NBC
. Aired at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesdays, Going My Way followed the western series Wagon Train
on the ABC schedule. The program was followed on ABC by Our Man Higgins
.
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
series starring dancer and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly
Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
. Based on the 1944 film of the same name
Going My Way
Going My Way is a 1944 film directed by Leo McCarey. It is a light-hearted musical comedy-drama about a new young priest taking over a parish from an established old veteran . Crosby sings five songs in the film. It was followed the next year by a sequel, The Bells of St. Mary's. This picture was...
starring Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, the series aired 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...
with new episodes from October 3, 1962 to April 24, 1963. The program was Kelly's first and only attempt at a weekly television series. The series was canceled after one season.
The series was produced by Revue Studios (now Universal Media Studios), as parent company MCA owned the rights to the original film through their subsidiary EMKA, Ltd.
EMKA, Ltd.
EMKA, Ltd. is an in-name-only division of Universal Studios' television unit whose sole function is overseeing Paramount Pictures' pre-1950 sound feature film library. EMKA was formed by MCA in 1957 .In the aftermath of the landmark 1948 United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc...
, which bought Going My Way and many other pre-1950 sound feature films from Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
in 1957.
Synopsis
Kelly stars as Father Chuck O'Malley, a Roman Catholic priestPriest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
who is sent to St. Dominic's Parish located in a lower-class section of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Leo G. Carroll
Leo G. Carroll
Leo Gratten Carroll was an English-born actor. He was best known for his roles in several Hitchcock films and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Topper.-Early life:...
co-starred as the elderly pastor, Father Fitzgibbons, the Barry Fitzgerald
Barry Fitzgerald
Barry Fitzgerald was an Irish stage, film and television actor.-Life:He was born William Joseph Shields in Walworth Road, Portobello, Dublin, Ireland. He is the older brother of Irish actor Arthur Shields. He went to Skerry's College, Dublin, before going on to work in the civil service, while...
role in the film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
. Dick York
Dick York
Richard Allen "Dick" York was an American actor. He is best remembered for his role as the first Darrin Stephens on the ABC television fantasy sitcom Bewitched...
portrayed Chuck's boyhood friend, Tom Colwell, the director of a secular neighborhood youth center. Nydia Westman
Nydia Westman
Nydia Eileen Westman was an American actress and singer of stage, screen and television.-Career:Westman's career ranged from episodic appearances on TV sitcoms and uncredited bit roles in movies to appearances in groundbreaking films Nydia Eileen Westman (February 19, 1902 – May 23, 1970) was an...
played Mrs. Featherstone, the housekeeper
Housekeeper (servant)
A housekeeper is an individual responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of the interior of a residence, including direction of subordinate maids...
of the rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
. Episodes focused on Father O'Malley's attempts to connect with the congregation and his relationship with the elderly Father Fitzgibbons.
Guest stars included J. Pat O'Malley
J. Pat O'Malley
James Patrick O'Malley was an English singer and character actor, who appeared in many American films and television programs during the 1940s–1970s, using the stage name J. Pat O'Malley...
, Gary Vinson
Gary Vinson
Gary Vinson was an American actor who appeared in significant roles in three television series of the 1960s: The Roaring 20s, McHale's Navy, and Pistols 'n' Petticoats.-Early life and career:...
, 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...
, and Peter Helm
Peter Helm
Peter J. Helm is an actor originally from Toronto, Canada, who appeared on American television from 1960-1971.-Early years:...
.
The failure of the series to enter a second season is usually attributed to its competition, particularly The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for nine seasons on CBS from 1962 to 1971, starring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer, Jr....
. Going My Way was also scheduled opposite the final season of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1959 to 1963. The series and some episode scripts were adapted from a 1951 collection of short stories of the same name, written by Max Shulman, that also inspired the 1953 film The Affairs of Dobie Gillis with Debbie...
on CBS and the last third of James Drury
James Drury
James Child Drury, Jr. is an American actor probably best known for his success in playing the title role in the 90-minute weekly Western television series The Virginian, broadcast on NBC from 1962-1971...
's 90-minute 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...
, The Virginian
The Virginian (TV series)
The Virginian is an American Western television series starring James Drury and Doug McClure, which aired on NBC from 1962 to 1971 for a total of 249 episodes. Filmed in color, The Virginian became television's first 90-minute western series...
, 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...
. Aired at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time on Wednesdays, Going My Way followed the western series Wagon Train
Wagon Train
Wagon Train is an American Western series that ran on NBC from 1957–62 and then on ABC from 1962–65...
on the ABC schedule. The program was followed on ABC by Our Man Higgins
Our Man Higgins
Our Man Higgins is a 34-episode situation comedy, the story of an English butler — portrayed by Stanley Holloway, who is inherited by a suburban American family, resulting in a cultural clash that grows into a cultural blending. A Screen Gems presentation, Our Man Higgins was seen on ABC television...
.
Episodes
| Episode # | Episode title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | "Back to Ballymora" | October 3, 1962 |
| 1-2 | "The Crooked Angel" | October 10, 1962 |
| 1-3 | "The Parish Car" | October 17, 1962 |
| 1-4 | "The Father" | October 24, 1962 |
| 1-5 | "A Man for Mary" | October 31, 1962 |
| 1-6 | "Like My Own Brother" | November 7, 1962 |
| 1-7 | "Not Good Enough for My Sister" | November 14, 1962 |
| 1-8 | "A Matter of Principle" | November 21, 1962 |
| 1-9 | "Mr. Second Chance" | November 23, 1962 |
| 1-10 | "Ask Me No Questions" | November 30, 1962 |
| 1-11 | "Keep an Eye on Santa Claus" | December 9, 1962 |
| 1-12 | "A Dog for Father Fitz" | December 19, 1962 |
| 1-13 | "A Saint for Mama" | December 26, 1962 |
| 1-14 | "Tell Me When You Get to Heaven" | January 2, 1963 |
| 1-15 | "My Son, The Social Worker" | January 9, 1963 |
| 1-16 | "My Memorial for Finnegan" | January 16, 1963 |
| 1-17 | "Don't Forget to Say Goodbye" | January 23, 1963 |
| 1-18 | "The Shoemaker's Child" | January 30, 1963 |
| 1-19 | "The Slasher" | February 6, 1963 |
| 1-20 | "One Small Unhappy Family" | February 13, 1963 |
| 1-21 | "Has Anybody Here Seen Eddie?" | February 20, 1963 |
| 1-22 | "Blessed are the Meek" | February 27, 1963 |
| 1-23 | "Cornelius, Come Home" | March 6, 1963 |
| 1-24 | "The Boss of the Ward" | March 13, 1963 |
| 1-25 | "Run, Robin, Run" | March 20, 1963 |
| 1-26 | "The Reformation of Willie Henratty" | March 27, 1963 |
| 1-27 | "Custody of the Child" | April 3, 1963 |
| 1-28 | "Florence, Come Home" | April 10, 1963 |
| 1-29 | "Hear No Evil" | April 17, 1963 |
| 1-30 | "A Tough Act to Follow" | April 24, 1963 |