Chicagoland Mystery Players
| Chicagoland Mystery Players | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Mystery |
| Directed by | Ernest Lukas |
| Starring | Robert Smith Gordon Urquart |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | WGN-TV (1947-50) DuMont (1949-50) |
| Release | September 11, 1949 – July 23, 1950 |
Chicagoland Mystery Players, a police procedural, was "television's first crime series".[1] The series was one of several on DuMont that began in a local TV market before being picked up nationally.[citation needed]
Local origin
[edit]The live television series was first shown locally in Chicago in 1947, sponsored by the Chicago Tribune.[1]
When the series aired on WGN-TV in Chicago, viewers were not given the solution to the crime. Instead they were told that they could find the solution in the next day's Chicago Tribune,[2] the newspaper that sponsored the program.[3] WGN-TV was owned by the Tribune.[citation needed] During its time on DuMont, the end was included as part of the program.[4]
Network
[edit]It was picked up by the DuMont Television Network and first aired on the network September 18, 1949,.[5] or September 11, 1949.[6] The 30-minute show aired on Sundays at 8 pm Eastern Time.[5] The show was also known as The Chicagoland Players.[6]
Gordon Urquhart portrayed police officer Jeffrey Hall, who examined each crime scene, questioned witnesses, and interrogated suspects.[4] Bob Smith portrayed Sergeant Holland. The director was Bruno VeSota.[7]
In March 1950 the show's title changed to Chicagoland Players, and the format changed to dramatic presentations that would "cover a wider range of subjects."[8]
DuMont dropped the program on July 23, 1950, and it is unknown if it continued in Chicago for any time.
Episodes
[edit]The June 26, 1949, episode was "Adventures of the Curious Cat", written by George Anderson.[7] Other episodes of the series included:
No episodes of the series are known to have survived.[citation needed]
Critical response
[edit]Chris Raczkowski, in the book A History of American Crime Fiction, wrote that dramatizations on the program "were presented with as much of an air of realism as possible".[1] Raczkowski added that publishing the solutions to cases in the newspaper "added even more of an air of reality."[1]
See also
[edit]- List of programs broadcast by the DuMont Television Network
- List of surviving DuMont Television Network broadcasts
- 1949-50 United States network television schedule
- This Is Music
- The Music Show
- Concert Tonight
Bibliography
[edit]- David Weinstein, The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2004) ISBN 1-59213-245-6
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Raczkowski, Chris (October 26, 2017). A History of American Crime Fiction. Cambridge University Press. p. 327. ISBN 978-1-108-54843-4. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Labov, William; Browne, Ray Broadus; Browne, Pat (2001). The Guide to United States Popular Culture. Popular Press. p. 565. ISBN 978-0-87972-821-2. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
- ^ Raczkowski, Chris (26 October 2017). A History of American Crime Fiction. Cambridge University Press. p. 327. ISBN 978-1-108-54843-4. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
- ^ a b Bianculli, David (2017). The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to the Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific. Anchor Books. p. 149. ISBN 978-1-101-91132-7. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (June 24, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 249. ISBN 978-0-307-48320-1. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ a b McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 160. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
- ^ a b "New mystery series begins on WGN-TV today". Chicago Tribune. June 26, 1949. p. 22. Retrieved April 8, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Chicagoland Players to Widen Range of Dramas". Chicago Tribune. March 5, 1950. p. Part 3 - Page 10. Retrieved July 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.