Famous Jury Trials
{{infobox television
| image =
| caption =
| runtime = 30 minutes
| creator =
| starring = Joyce Randolph
James Bender
Truman Smith
Lenore Aubert
| country = United States
| network = DuMont
| first_aired = {{start date|1949|10|12}}
| last_aired = {{end date|1952|3|12}}
| num_episodes =
}}
Famous Jury Trials is a dramatized court show that first appeared on radio, followed by television, and then in the movies. The series ran on radio from 1936 through 1949, then on television from 1949 through 1952, and finally in a movie in 1971.{{Cite web|url=http://www.metnews.com/articles/reminiscing101603.htm|title=TV, Radio Feature Reenactments Of Trials--Even a Pre-Enactment|last=Grace|first=Roger M.|website=www.metnews.com|access-date=2016-06-01}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Da6nJoa_9nQC|title=New Media, Old Media: A History and Theory Reader|last=Chun|first=Wendy Hui Kyong|last2=Keenan|first2=Thomas|date=2004-06-01|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=9780203643839|language=en}} On television, it aired on the DuMont Television Network. Episodes re-enacted historic actual court cases.{{cite news |title='Famous Trials' On TV Betters Radio Success |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/845602562/?match=1&terms=%22Hands%20of%20Murder%22 |access-date=November 26, 2024 |work=Norfolk Virginian-Pilot |date=March 12, 1950 |page=C 7|via = Newspapers.com |url-access=subscription }}
Broadcast history
Famous Jury Trials first aired on October 12, 1949, on DuMont, and was a live dramatized court show {{cite web |url=http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/exhibits/mason_&_associates/documents/reality_series_by_title.pdf |title=Reality Courtroom Series: 1949-2005 |website=tarlton.law.utexas.edu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116141958/http://tarlton.law.utexas.edu/exhibits/mason_%26_associates/documents/reality_series_by_title.pdf |archive-date=2014-01-16}} with each episode lasting 30 minutes. During the first season, the show aired Wednesdays at 9:30pm EST. During later seasons, the show aired Wednesdays at 9pm EST. The final show aired March 12, 1952.
Production
Frank Bunetta and C. Harrell were the directors, and John L. Clark was the writer. The program originated from WABD and was sponsored by Chevrolet Dealers.{{cite news |title=Dramatic Shows (Continued) |url=https://archive.org/details/rossreportstele04ross/page/n84/mode/1up?view=theater |access-date=February 3, 2023 |work=Ross Reports on Television including The Television Index |date=November 27, 1949 |page=7}} Four sets in the Adelphi Theater were used for broadcasts. The main set, a replica of a courtroom, was surrounded by three sets used for flashback scenes. While a witness testified, the televised scene shifted to one of the side sets to portray the actions that the witness was relating.
Episodes
- June 4, 1950 - "People vs. William Tait" - Lenore Aubert, Lynn Salisbury{{cite news |title=Television Highlights of the Week |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77119364/the-boston-globe/ |access-date=May 6, 2021 |work=The Boston Globe |date=June 4, 1950 |page=6 - A|via = Newspapers.com}}
- July 9, 1950 - "The People vs. Jack Pelt"{{cite news |title=Television Highlights of the Week |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78100420/the-boston-globe/ |access-date=May 21, 2021 |work=The Boston Globe |date=July 9, 1950 |page=6-A|via = Newspapers.comn}}
- July 16, 1950 - "State vs. William Townsend"{{cite news |title=Television Highlights of the Week |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78436064/the-boston-globe/ |access-date=May 27, 2021 |work=The Boston Globe |date=July 16, 1950 |page=12-A}}
Episode status
No episodes are confirmed to survive, however an episode may possibly exist at the Paley Center for Media.{{Cite web|url=http://www.paleycenter.org/collection/item/?q=Famous+Jury+Trials&p=1&item=B:24273|title=The Paley Center for Media|website=The Paley Center for Media|access-date=2016-06-01}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- David Weinstein, The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2004) {{ISBN|1-59213-245-6}}
- Alex McNeil, Total Television, Fourth edition (New York: Penguin Books, 1980) {{ISBN|0-14-024916-8}}
- Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows, Third edition (New York: Ballantine Books, 1964) {{ISBN|0-345-31864-1}}
External links
- [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0281440/ Famous Jury Trials at IMDb]
- [https://dumonthistory.com/a1.html DuMont historical website]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms--UwO0V6o&feature=PlayList&p=C95A53461044D3C6&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=2 Interview with Joyce Randolph about her TV career, including Famous Jury Trials]
Category:1949 American television series debuts
Category:1952 American television series endings
Category:American live television series
Category:Black-and-white American television shows