Miss Susan
Encyclopedia
Miss Susan is a daytime drama
which aired on NBC
from March 12 to December 28, 1951. The show, originating from Philadelphia
and later retitled Martinsville, U.S.A., aired for fifteen minutes at 3:00 p.m. ET on weekdays. The main writer was William Kendall Clarke.
, who had garnered attention in films such as Random Harvest before a 1945 hunting accident left her permanently paralyzed. Peters returned to films in 1948, with little success. In 1951 NBC approached her to star in her own series.
Peters played Susan Martin, a paralyzed attorney who moved back to her hometown of Martinsville, Ohio
to practice law. Soon after Susan returned to town, she had to decide whether or not the family housekeeper, Laura, was an art thief. When not dealing with these matters, Susan agonized over marrying Bill Carter (Mark Roberts
) who wanted lots of kids, but Susan did not know if she could ever have children.
Colgate
, the main sponsor, pulled the plug on the low-rated show in late 1951, replacing it with The Big Payoff
. Susan Peters, who had been in declining health during the series' run, died less than a year after the final episode.
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
which aired 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...
from March 12 to December 28, 1951. The show, originating from Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and later retitled Martinsville, U.S.A., aired for fifteen minutes at 3:00 p.m. ET on weekdays. The main writer was William Kendall Clarke.
Overview
The show stars Susan PetersSusan Peters
Susan Peters was an American stage, film and television actress.-Early life:Peters was born Suzanne Carnahan in Spokane, Washington. First contracted by Warner Brothers, she subsequently began working for MGM Studios after completing high school. Her first job was to read with potential actors in...
, who had garnered attention in films such as Random Harvest before a 1945 hunting accident left her permanently paralyzed. Peters returned to films in 1948, with little success. In 1951 NBC approached her to star in her own series.
Peters played Susan Martin, a paralyzed attorney who moved back to her hometown of Martinsville, Ohio
Martinsville, Ohio
Martinsville is a village in Clinton County, Ohio, United States. The population was 440 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Martinsville is located at ....
to practice law. Soon after Susan returned to town, she had to decide whether or not the family housekeeper, Laura, was an art thief. When not dealing with these matters, Susan agonized over marrying Bill Carter (Mark Roberts
Mark Roberts (actor)
Mark Roberts was an American stage, film and television support actor who appeared in over 100 films between 1938 and 1994, according to the Internet Movie Database. Sometimes he was credited as Bob Scott, Robert E. Scott, or Robert Scott...
) who wanted lots of kids, but Susan did not know if she could ever have children.
Colgate
Colgate-Palmolive
Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American diversified multinational corporation focused on the production, distribution and provision of household, health care and personal products, such as soaps, detergents, and oral hygiene products . Under its "Hill's" brand, it is also a manufacturer of...
, the main sponsor, pulled the plug on the low-rated show in late 1951, replacing it with The Big Payoff
The Big Payoff
The Big Payoff was a daytime and primetime game show that premiered on NBC in 1951, and ended its network run on CBS in 1959. It had a brief syndication revival in 1962...
. Susan Peters, who had been in declining health during the series' run, died less than a year after the final episode.