Wire Service
Encyclopedia
Wire Service is an American
drama series
that aired on ABC
as part of its 1956-57 season lineup.
, which was similar to (and obviously inspired by) real-life news wire services such as the Associated Press
and United Press International
. It was the first hour-long, weekly scheduled dramatic series with continuing characters to last a full season on network television. However, the three reporters functioned independently of each other, meaning that the series was essentially three different ones sharing a time slot and title.
This program was aired at 9 p.m. (Eastern time) Thursdays from September 1956 to February 1957, when it was moved to Mondays at 8:30. It was not renewed for a second season, and the last prime time
broadcast under this title was in September 1957. However, when a gap developed in the ABC schedule in February 1959, the episodes starring Dane Clark (only) were then rebroadcast under the title Deadline for Action. The last of these repeat episodes was broadcast on September 13, 1959.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
drama series
Dramatic programming
Dramatic programming in the UK, or television drama and television drama series in the US, is television program content that is scripted and fictional along the lines of √a traditional drama. This excludes, for example, sports television, television news, reality show and game shows, stand-up...
that 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...
as part of its 1956-57 season lineup.
Synopsis
Wire Service focuses on three reporters for the fictional Trans-Globe wire serviceNews agency
A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations: newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a wire service, newswire or news service.-History:The oldest news agency is Agence...
, which was similar to (and obviously inspired by) real-life news wire services such as the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
and United Press International
United Press International
United Press International is a once-major international news agency, whose newswires, photo, news film and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines and radio and television stations for most of the twentieth century...
. It was the first hour-long, weekly scheduled dramatic series with continuing characters to last a full season on network television. However, the three reporters functioned independently of each other, meaning that the series was essentially three different ones sharing a time slot and title.
This program was aired at 9 p.m. (Eastern time) Thursdays from September 1956 to February 1957, when it was moved to Mondays at 8:30. It was not renewed for a second season, and the last prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
broadcast under this title was in September 1957. However, when a gap developed in the ABC schedule in February 1959, the episodes starring Dane Clark (only) were then rebroadcast under the title Deadline for Action. The last of these repeat episodes was broadcast on September 13, 1959.
Cast
- Dane ClarkDane ClarkDane Clark was an American film actor who was known for playing, as he labeled himself, "Joe Average".-Early life:...
as Dan Miller - George BrentGeorge BrentGeorge Brent was an Irish film and television actor in American cinema.-Early life:He was born George Brendan Nolan in Raharabeg, County Roscommon on the opposite bank of the River Shannon from the town of Shannonbridge, County Offaly, Ireland, the son of a British Army officer.During the Irish...
as Dean Evans - Mercedes McCambridgeMercedes McCambridgeCarlotta Mercedes McCambridge was an American actress. Orson Welles called her "the world's greatest living radio actress."-Early life:...
as Katherine Wells
Episodes
| Episode # | Episode Title | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Blood Rock Mine" | October 4, 1956 |
| 2 | "Campaign Train" | October 11, 1956 |
| 3 | "Hideout" | October 18, 1956 |
| 4 | "The Johnny Rath Story" | October 25, 1956 |
| 5 | "Night of August 7th" | November 1, 1956 |
| 6 | "Conspiracy" | November 8, 1956 |
| 7 | "The Tower" | November 15, 1956 |
| 8 | "Deported" | November 22, 1956 |
| 9 | "Until I Die" | November 29, 1956 |
| 10 | "The Avengers" | December 6, 1956 |
| 11 | "The Deep End" | December 12, 1956 |
| 12 | "High Adventure" | December 20, 1956 |
| 13 | "The Block Rock Mine" | December 27, 1956 |
| 14 | "Chicago Exclusive" | January 3, 1957 |
| 15 | "World of the Lonely" | January 10, 1957 |
| 16 | "The Third Inevitable" | January 17, 1957 |
| 17 | "Flowers for the General" | January 24, 1957 |
| 18 | "The Comeback" | January 31, 1957 |
| 19 | "Atom at Spithead" | February 11, 1957 |
| 20 | "El Hombre" | February 18, 1957 |
| 21 | "Profile of Ellen Gale" | February 25, 1957 |
| 22 | "Dateline Las Vegas" | March 4, 1957 |
| 23 | "Forbidden Ground" | March 11, 1957 |
| 24 | "No Peace in Lo Dao" | March 18, 1957 |
| 25 | "A Matter of Conscience" | March 25, 1957 |
| 26 | "Misfire" | April 1, 1957 |
| 27 | "The Indictment" | April 8, 1957 |
| 28 | "Ninety and Nine" | April 15, 1957 |
| 29 | "The Oil Man" | April 22, 1957 |
| 30 | "Run, Sheep, Run" | April 29, 1957 |
| 31 | "The Death Merchant" | May 6, 1957 |
| 32 | "Violence Preferred" | May 13, 1957 |
| 33 | "The Last Laugh" | May 20, 1957 |
| 34 | "Confirm or Deny" | May 27, 1957 |
| 35 | "Four Minutes to Shot" | June 3, 1957 |
| 36 | "The Washington Story" | June 10, 1957 |
| 37 | "A Death at Twin Pines" | June 17, 1957 |