The John Forsythe Show
Encyclopedia
The John Forsythe Show began as a situation comedy
in the fall of 1965 on NBC
, but at mid-season it switched to a spy show. In the first phase of the series, John Forsythe
appeared as United States Air Force
veteran John Foster, who inherited the private Foster School for Girls in San Francisco, California
, from his late aunt, Victoria. Forsythe's co-stars were Elsa Lanchester
as the principal, Miss Culver; Ann B. Davis
, as the physical education
teacher
, Miss Wilson; and Guy Marks
as Ed Robbins, Forsythe's aide and a former sergeant
. Actors who portrayed students included Pamelyn Ferdin
as Pamela, Darlene Carr
as Kathy, Page and Brooke Forsythe (Forsythe's actual daughters) as Marcia and Norma Jean, Peggy Lipton
, as Joanna, Tracy Stratford as Susan, and Sara Ballantine as Janice.
NBC
advertising in February, 1965, gave a working title of The Mr. and The Misses.
When the format changed to espionage
(in the February 21, 1966 episode "Funny, You Don't Look Like a Spy"), it was explained to viewers that Major Foster had been recalled to active duty as a secret agent. All the other regulars except Forsythe and Marks were dropped from the cast. Peter Kortner was the producer of the series, which aired twenty-nine episodes (and eighteen selected repeats) from September 13, 1965, to August 29, 1966. The series was produced by Forsythe's own company in conjunction with Universal Television
Studios. Earl Bellamy
was the director
.
Selected episodes include "'Tis Better to Have Loved and Lost" with Kim Darby
, "Duty and the Beast" with Harvey Korman
and Sandra Smith, "Engagement, Italian Style" with stuntman
Dick Shane, "Little Miss Egghead" with Angela Cartwright
, "That Little Old Matchmaker" (also with Sandra Smith), "The Bainbridge Curse", and the series finale, "Get Me to the Execution on Time".
The John Forsythe Show aired on Mondays at 8 p.m. Eastern following the Hullabaloo
music program and preceding Dr. Kildare
starring Richard Chamberlain
. Its competition was Garry Moore
's quiz program, I've Got a Secret
on CBS
, and the second half of the military drama Twelve O'Clock High
starring Robert Lansing
, Paul Burke
, and Robert K. Dornan. The series' primary sponsor was Colgate-Palmolive
.
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...
in the fall of 1965 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...
, but at mid-season it switched to a spy show. In the first phase of the series, John Forsythe
John Forsythe
John Forsythe was an American stage, television and film actor. Forsythe starred in three television series, spanning four decades and three genres: as single playboy father Bentley Gregg in the sitcom Bachelor Father ; as the unseen millionaire Charles Townsend on the crime drama Charlie's...
appeared as United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
veteran John Foster, who inherited the private Foster School for Girls in San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, from his late aunt, Victoria. Forsythe's co-stars were Elsa Lanchester
Elsa Lanchester
Elsa Sullivan Lanchester was an English-American character actress with a long career in theatre, film and television....
as the principal, Miss Culver; Ann B. Davis
Ann B. Davis
Ann Bradford Davis is an American television actress.Davis achieved prominence for her role in The Bob Cummings Show for which she twice won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series...
, as the physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, Miss Wilson; and Guy Marks
Guy Marks
Guy Marks was an American actor, comedian and impressionist.He was born Mario Scarpa in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
as Ed Robbins, Forsythe's aide and a former sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
. Actors who portrayed students included Pamelyn Ferdin
Pamelyn Ferdin
Pamelyn Ferdin is a former American television and film child actor, active both in live action and as a voice actress in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s and has since appeared in several voice acting roles as late as 2009...
as Pamela, Darlene Carr
Darlene Carr
Darlene Carr is an actress, singer, and frequent voice over artist. She is best known for her performances in The Beguiled and Disney's The Jungle Book . She is sometimes credited as Darleen Carr or Darleen Drake and is the sister of the actresses Charmian Carr and Shanon Farnon...
as Kathy, Page and Brooke Forsythe (Forsythe's actual daughters) as Marcia and Norma Jean, Peggy Lipton
Peggy Lipton
Peggy Lipton is an American television actress. She played "Julie Barnes" in The Mod Squad, and Norma Jennings in Twin Peaks.- Personal life and background :...
, as Joanna, Tracy Stratford as Susan, and Sara Ballantine as Janice.
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...
advertising in February, 1965, gave a working title of The Mr. and The Misses.
When the format changed to espionage
Espionage
Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information. Espionage is inherently clandestine, lest the legitimate holder of the information change plans or take other countermeasures once it...
(in the February 21, 1966 episode "Funny, You Don't Look Like a Spy"), it was explained to viewers that Major Foster had been recalled to active duty as a secret agent. All the other regulars except Forsythe and Marks were dropped from the cast. Peter Kortner was the producer of the series, which aired twenty-nine episodes (and eighteen selected repeats) from September 13, 1965, to August 29, 1966. The series was produced by Forsythe's own company in conjunction with Universal Television
Universal Television
Universal Television is the television production arm of the NBCUniversal Television Group, and by extension, the NBC television network...
Studios. Earl Bellamy
Earl Bellamy
Earl Arthur Bellamy was an American film and television director, producer, writer, and set decorator.-Biography:...
was the director
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
.
Selected episodes include "'Tis Better to Have Loved and Lost" with Kim Darby
Kim Darby
Kim Darby is an American actress perhaps best known for co-starring with John Wayne and country singer/actor Glen Campbell in the 1969 western True Grit.-Early life and film career:...
, "Duty and the Beast" with Harvey Korman
Harvey Korman
Harvey Herschel Korman was an American comedic actor who performed in television and movie productions beginning in 1960...
and Sandra Smith, "Engagement, Italian Style" with stuntman
Stuntman
A stuntman or stunt performer is someone who performs dangerous stunts.Stuntman may also refer to:*The Stunt Man, a 1980 film starring Peter O'Toole*Stuntman , a 2002 video game**Stuntman: Ignition, its sequel...
Dick Shane, "Little Miss Egghead" with Angela Cartwright
Angela Cartwright
Angela Margaret Cartwright is an English-born American actress primarily known for her roles in movies and television...
, "That Little Old Matchmaker" (also with Sandra Smith), "The Bainbridge Curse", and the series finale, "Get Me to the Execution on Time".
The John Forsythe Show aired on Mondays at 8 p.m. Eastern following the Hullabaloo
Hullabaloo (TV series)
Hullabaloo is an American musical variety series that ran on NBC from January 12, 1965 through August 29, 1966. Similar to Shindig! it ran in prime time in contrast to ABC's American Bandstand.-Overview:...
music program and preceding Dr. Kildare
Dr. Kildare
Dr. James Kildare is a fictional character, the primary character in a series of American theatrical films in the late 1930s and early 1940s, an early 1950s radio series, a 1960s television series of the same name and a comic book based on the TV show, and a short-lived 1970s television series...
starring Richard Chamberlain
Richard Chamberlain
George Richard Chamberlain is an American actor of stage and screen who became a teen idol in the title role of the television show Dr. Kildare .-Early life:...
. Its competition was Garry Moore
Garry Moore
Garry Moore was an American entertainer, game show host and comedian best known for his work in television...
's quiz program, I've Got a Secret
I've Got a Secret
I've Got a Secret is a panel game show produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS television. Created by comedy writers Allan Sherman and Howard Merrill, it was a derivative of Goodson-Todman's own panel show What's My Line?...
on 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...
, and the second half of the military drama Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High (TV series)
Twelve O'Clock High or 12 O'Clock High is an American drama series set in World War II. This TV series originally broadcasted on ABC-TV for two-and-one-half TV seasons from September 18, 1964, through January 13, 1967; was based on the motion picture Twelve O'Clock High...
starring Robert Lansing
Robert Lansing (actor)
Robert Lansing was an American stage, film and television actor.Born in San Diego, California as Robert Howell Brown, he reportedly took his acting surname from the state capital of Michigan. As a young actor in New York City, he was hired to join a stock company in Michigan, but was told he would...
, Paul Burke
Paul Burke
Paul Burke may refer to:*Paul Burke , American actor in TV series Naked City and 12 O'Clock High*Paul Burke , basketball player*Paul Burke , English lightweight and light welterweight...
, and Robert K. Dornan. The series' primary sponsor was Colgate-Palmolive
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...
.