Jukebox Jury
Jukebox Jury is a forgotten hour-long television series hosted by disc jockey Peter Potter (1905-1983)[1] which aired in the 1953-1954 season on ABC and was syndicated in 1959.[2]
The program actually began in 1948 in Los Angeles, California, on KTSL Channel 2, which became the CBS station KNXT in 1951 and is now KCBS-TV.[3] Five years later, Jukebox Jury went national for one season. The show has been compared to a radio program replete with commercial endorsements and movie previews.[3]
The jury on the program consisted of six usually young lesser-known film stars or minor recording artists who judged the latest releases from the record companies. Among the "jurors" were Barry Sullivan (1912-1994), Maureen O'Sullivan (1911-1998), and Jane Powell (1929-2021). Mike Connors (1925-2017) appeared on an early KNXT episode under the name "Touch" Connors.[3]
Once the program was added to the network schedule, many who appeared as jurors to yell "Hit" or "Miss" at each song selection were already or later well-known entertainers, having included: Steve Allen (1921-2000), Walter Brennan (1894-1974), Elinor Donahue, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Dean Martin, Steve McQueen, Jayne Meadows, Johnny Mercer (1909-1976), Sal Mineo, Leslie Nielsen, Debbie Reynolds, Mamie Van Doren, Robert Wagner, and Natalie Wood.[4] Dick Clark used this listen-and-comment technique from persons in his audience on a reduced scale with his later long-running Philadelphia-based ABC series, American Bandstand.
Jukebox Jury aired Sundays at 9:30 p.m. Eastern, preceding Billy Graham's Hour of Decision spiritual program.[5] The program was somewhat similar to NBC's half-hour Judge for Yourself, starring Fred Allen and Dennis James, which also aired in the 1953-54 season.[6]
References
- ↑ April 17, 1983 in History. brainyhistory.com. Retrieved on March 17, 2011.
- ↑ Alex McNeil, Total Television, p. 441.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Billy Ingram. Oddball Game Shows of the '50spublisher=tvparty.com. Retrieved on March 17, 2011.
- ↑ Jukebox Jury: Research Video, Inc.: Music Footing Licensing Agency and Vintage Television Footage Archive
- ↑ Alex McNeil, Total Television, appendix, network television schedule.
- ↑ (2003) Judge for Yourself in Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, A Complete Directory to Prime Time Cable and Network TV Shows , 1946 - Present, p. 622. New York: Random House Publishing. Retrieved on June 11, 2011.