Mack & Myer for Hire
Encyclopedia
Mack & Myer for Hire is an American sitcom
that aired in syndication from 1963 to 1964. The show starred Mickey Deems and Joey Faye, and was produced by Trans-Lux Television
in New York. Each episode was approximately 12 minutes long, and the show was filmed using a two-camera layout. Over 100 episodes were produced during its only year in production, and these were re-run well into the 1970s. (The series was produced by Sandy Howard
and directed by Edward Sutherland
. Sutherland had also directed film comedies with Laurel and Hardy
and W.C. Fields.)
, doing jobs
for hire
. In one episode, they are seen doing things like building a fence. However, their attempts at getting rich quick usually backfired, resulting in comedy. Sometimes the situations revolved around a common everyday problem (i.e. getting a good night's sleep).
Since each episode was approximately 12 minutes long, it was usually shown as part of a longer program. This was common at the time, as many stations across the United States would have shows, often hosted by clowns, which consisted of shorts like Mack & Myer, Clutch Cargo
and The Three Stooges combined with station-produced host segments. Like many sitcoms of the time, it featured a laugh track
.
Although the production values were lacking compared with some other shows of the time, it proved popular with children, which kept the show repeated well-into the 1970s. It was also exported around the world, to countries like West Germany
and Australia.
on August 22, 2006. These six episodes can also be seen at the Internet Archive
.
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 in syndication from 1963 to 1964. The show starred Mickey Deems and Joey Faye, and was produced by Trans-Lux Television
Trans-Lux
Trans-Lux is a world leader in designing, selling, renting, installing and maintaining multi-color, real-time data and LED large-screen electronic information displays, but is primarily known as a major supplier of national stock ticker display devices for stock exchanges...
in New York. Each episode was approximately 12 minutes long, and the show was filmed using a two-camera layout. Over 100 episodes were produced during its only year in production, and these were re-run well into the 1970s. (The series was produced by Sandy Howard
Sandy Howard
Sandy Howard was an American film producer and television producer. A native of the Bronx, New York City, Howard wrote short stories for publication in magazines like Liberty, and worked as a publicist for Broadway shows until he became a director for the Howdy Doody show at the age of nineteen;...
and directed by Edward Sutherland
A. Edward Sutherland
A. Edward Sutherland aka Eddie Sutherland was a film director and actor. Born Albert Edward Sutherland in London, he was from a theatrical family. His father, Al Sutherland, was a theatre manager and producer and his mother, Julie Ring, was a vaudeville performer...
. Sutherland had also directed film comedies with Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy were one of the most popular and critically acclaimed comedy double acts of the early Classical Hollywood era of American cinema...
and W.C. Fields.)
Premise
Mack and Myer are two handymenHandyman
A handyman is a person skilled at a wide range of repairs, typically around the home. These tasks include trade skills, repair work, maintenance work, both interior and exterior, and are sometimes described as "odd jobs", "fix-up tasks", and include light plumbing jobs such as fixing a leaky toilet...
, doing jobs
Employment
Employment is a contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. An employee may be defined as:- Employee :...
for hire
Hire
Hire may refer to:*Employment*Rental*Payment for the use of a ship under a time charterHIRE may refer to*Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, a United States law enacted in 2010...
. In one episode, they are seen doing things like building a fence. However, their attempts at getting rich quick usually backfired, resulting in comedy. Sometimes the situations revolved around a common everyday problem (i.e. getting a good night's sleep).
Since each episode was approximately 12 minutes long, it was usually shown as part of a longer program. This was common at the time, as many stations across the United States would have shows, often hosted by clowns, which consisted of shorts like Mack & Myer, Clutch Cargo
Clutch Cargo
Clutch Cargo is an animated television series produced by Cambria Productions and syndicated beginning on March 9, 1959. Notable for its very limited animation, yet imaginative stories, the series was a surprise hit at the time, and could be seen on 65 stations nationwide in 1960.- Plot :The...
and The Three Stooges combined with station-produced host segments. Like many sitcoms of the time, it featured a laugh track
Laugh track
A laugh track is a separate soundtrack invented by Charles "Charley" Douglass, with the artificial sound of audience laughter, made to be inserted into television programming of comedy shows and sitcoms.The term "laugh track" does not apply to the genuine audience laughter on shows that shoot in...
.
Although the production values were lacking compared with some other shows of the time, it proved popular with children, which kept the show repeated well-into the 1970s. It was also exported around the world, to countries like West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
and Australia.
DVD release and availability
Six episodes of the show were released on DVD by Alpha VideoAlpha Video
Alpha Video is an entertainment company, based near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that specializes in the manufacturing and marketing of public domain movies and TV shows on DVD...
on August 22, 2006. These six episodes can also be seen at the Internet Archive
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
.