Login
Login

Going My Way (TV series)

{{Short description|American TV comedy-drama series (1962–1963)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox television

| image = Gene Kelly Going My Way television series 1962.JPG

| caption = Fred Clark and Gene Kelly in the episode "A Matter of Principle" (1962)

| genre = Comedy drama

| writer = Richard Baer
Mark Weingart
Joe Connelly
Emmet Lavery

| director = Joseph Pevney
Robert Florey
Alan Crosland, Jr.
Paul Stewart

| starring = Gene Kelly
Dick York
Leo G. Carroll
Nydia Westman

| theme_music_composer = Jack Marshall
Cyril Mockridge

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 30

| producer = Joe Connelly

| runtime = 60 minutes

| company = Kerry Productions
Revue Studios
The My Way Company

| channel = ABC

| first_aired = {{Start date|1962|10|03}}

| last_aired = {{End date|1963|04|24}}

| related = {{Plainlist|

}}

}}

Going My Way is an American comedy-drama series starring dancer and actor Gene Kelly. Based on the 1944 film of the same name starring Bing Crosby, the series aired on ABC with new episodes from October 3, 1962, to September 11, 1963.{{cite book|last1=McNeil|first1=Alex|title=Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present |date=1996|publisher=Penguin Books USA, Inc.|location=New York, New York|isbn=0-14-02-4916-8|page= 331|edition=4th}}{{cite book|last1=Brooks|first1=Tim|last2=Marsh|first2=Earle|title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present|date=1999|publisher=The Ballentine Publishing Group|location=New York|isbn=0-345-42923-0|page=393|edition=7th}} The program was Kelly's first and only attempt at a weekly television series.Levy, Claudia. [https://web.archive.org/web/20121022035417/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-766340.html "Song-and-Dance Man Gene Kelly Dies; Breezy, Athletic Style Graced Film Musicals of '40s and '50s"], The Washington Post, February 3, 1996. Accessed November 2, 2008. "He won an Emmy in 1967 for his television production of Jack and the Beanstalk and appeared often on television, starring in one short-lived 1962 series, Going My Way, based on the Bing Crosby movie." The series was cancelled after one season of 30 episodes.{{Citation needed |date=July 2024}} The program was also broadcast in England, where the trade publication Sponsor reported that it was "a smash in the London market", rated in the top 10 programs there in 1963.{{cite magazine |date=March 18, 1963 |page=58 |title=Top drawer |magazine=Sponsor |url=https://archive.org/details/sponsor17spon/page/n751/mode/1up?view=theater |accessdate=July 29, 2024 }}

Synopsis

Kelly stars as Father Chuck O'Malley, a Roman Catholic priest who is sent to St. Dominic's Parish located in a lower-class section of New York City. Dick York portrays Chuck's boyhood friend Tom Colwell, the director of a secular neighborhood youth center. Also co-starring is Leo G. Carroll as the aging pastor, Father Fitzgibbon. Nydia Westman is Mrs. Featherstone, the housekeeper of the rectory. Episodes focus on Father O'Malley's attempts to connect with the congregation and his relationship with the elderly Father Fitzgibbon.

Guest stars

{{col-begin|width=65%}}

{{Col-2}}

{{Col-2}}

{{Col-end}}

Episode list

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="width:100%; background:#fff;"
style="background:#;"| No.

! style="background:#;"| Title

! style="background:#;"| Directed by

! style="background:#;"| Written by

! style="background:#;"| Original air date

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 1

|Title = Back to Ballymora

|DirectedBy = Joseph Pevney

|WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Juanita Vaughn|t= Emmet Lavery}}

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|3}}

|ShortSummary= Co-Starring Will Kuluva as Mr. Remplevich, Russell Collins as Barney O'Dowd, Robert Emhardt as Joe Feeney.

cast Nydia Westman as Mrs. Featherstone, Argentina Brunetti as Mrs. Severino, Lauren Gilbert as Dr. Warnake, Jeff Pevney as The Boy.

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 2

|Title = The Crooked Angel

|DirectedBy = Joseph Pevney

|WrittenBy = William Fay

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|10}}

|ShortSummary= Co-Starring Ralph Meeker as Jack Slade.

cast Dennis Joel as Eddie Slade, J. Pat O'Malley as Healy, Edward Holmes as Nolan, Ralph Manza as Charlie, Celia Lovsky as Mother Gabriel.

Herbie Faye as The Customer, Wally Young as Felix Slade, Frank Sully as The Golf Attendant and Phyllis Love as Sister Mary Mathew.

and Willard Parker as Monsignor Joseph Francis Giblin.

Uncredited: Nydia Westman [Mrs. Featherstone]

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 3

|Title = The Parish Car

|DirectedBy = Joseph Pevney

|WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Joe Connelly|t= Mark Weingart and Joe Connelly}}

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|17}}

|ShortSummary= cast Nydia Westman as Mrs. Featherstone, Jerome Cowan as Tim Murphy, Virginia Christine as Mrs. Randall, Barry Kelley as Capt. Donovan, Gary Vinson as Bruce, Ken Lynch as Lt. Harris, Raymond Bailey as Rudy Blanchard.

Hugh Sanders as Murray Cranston, Peter Leeds as The Policeman, Harry Lauter as Frank, [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1775065/ Johnny Eimen] as Tim Wheelen, Eddie Hanley as The Clerk, Cy Malis as The Worker, Marian Morley as The Secretary.

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 4

|Title = The Father

|DirectedBy = Alex March

|WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Caryll Houselander|t= Mark Weingart and Joe Connelly}}

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|24}}

|ShortSummary= Co-Starring Arnold Moss as Mr. Fernandez.

cast Nydia Westman as Mrs. Featherstone, Miriam Goldina as Aunt Teresa, Doug Lambert as Randy Simpson, Mary Field as Sister Agnes.

Harry Ellerbe as The Man, Paul Langton as The Businessman, Kitty Kelly as The Middle - Aged Woman and Cliff Norton as The Taxi Driver.

with Angela Dorian as Carmel.

Uncredited: Shep Houghton [bus depot clerk]

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 5

|Title = A Man for Mary

|DirectedBy = Joseph Pevney

|WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= John Fante|t= George Tibbles}}

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|31}}

|ShortSummary= Guest Star Anne Francis as Mary Dunne.

Co-Starring George Kennedy as Mike Lewis, Robert Strauss as Curt Meyers.

cast Nydia Westman as Mrs. Featherstone, Connie Gilchrist as Mrs. Riordan, Chet Stratton as Orville Kelton, John Harmon as Bruno Martin, Raymond Cavaleri as Julius, Andrea Darvi as Angela, Judy Strangis as Maria, James Secrest as Stan Walker.

and Gerald O'Loughlin as Joe Bianchi.

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 6

|Title = Like My Own Brother

|DirectedBy = Robert Florey

|WrittenBy = Richard Baer

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|11|7}}

|ShortSummary= Co-Starring Harry Morgan as Al Everett, Paul Carr as Jerry Everett.

with Nydia Westman as Mrs. Featherstone, Paula Winslowe as Anne, Melinda Plowman as Jane, Sam Weston as Jack Marcus, Bob Hopkins as The Policeman, George Spicer as The 1st Boy, Johnny Scoggins as The 2nd Boy, Dan Krohn as The 3rd Boy, Warren White as The 4th Boy.

with Eddie Bracken as Danny Everett.

The opening credits start without a prologue.

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 7

|Title = Not Good Enough for Mary

|DirectedBy = Bernard Girard

|WrittenBy = Richard Baer

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|11|14}}

|ShortSummary= Guest Star Jack Warden as Carl Wiczinski.

Co-Starring Virginia Vincent as Mary Cipollaro, Al Ruscio as Jimmy Cipollaro.

cast Nydia Westman as Mrs. Featherstone, Angela Clarke as Mama Cipollaro, Anne Barton as Lois Cipollaro, Mike Ragan as The Driver.

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 8

|Title = A Matter of Principle

|DirectedBy = Fielder Cook

|WrittenBy = Richard Baer

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|11|21}}

|ShortSummary= Co-Starring Fred Clark as John Murphy.

Cast Peter Helm as Frank Murphy, Nydia Westman as Mrs. Featherstone, Chris Warfield as Doctor Thornton, Simon Scott as Larry Raymond, George Furth as Lester, Kip King as Joey.

Jerry Ziesmer as Fred, Charla Doherty as Harriet Hall, Jesse Kirkpatrick as Heath, Brad Morrow as Robert Stern, Scott Wells as Milton Blumenthal and Virginia Gregg as Margaret Murphy.

The end credits appear over a freeze frame image of the church's interior staircase, rather than over the standard filmed courtyard scene.

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 9

|Title = Mr. Second Chance

|DirectedBy = Allen Reisner

|WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Robert Hardy Andrews|t= Mark Weingart and Joe Connelly}}

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|11|28}}

|ShortSummary= Co-Starring Dan Duryea as Harold Harrison.

cast Nydia Westman as Mrs. Featherstone, Dorothy Green as Mrs. Harrison, Maggie Pierce as Marilyn Harrison, Willis Bouchey as Bill Fleming, Ross Elliott as Ken Hamlin, Steve Terrell as Tony, Frankie Darro as The Elevator Operator.

Uncredited: Bess Flowers, Ted Mapes [wedding guests]

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 10

|Title = Ask Me No Questions

|DirectedBy = Robert Florey

|WrittenBy = Mark Weingart and Joe Connelly

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|12|5}}

|ShortSummary = and Nydia Westman as Mrs. Featherstone.

Co-Starring Kevin McCarthy as Ray Corbin.

Joanne Linville as Nora Corbin.

with Roger Mobley as Michael Corbin, Mary Field as Sister Agnes, Nestor Paiva as Mr. Osborne, Allan Ray as The Man, Ralph Montgomery as The Postman, Jimmy Joyce as The Cab Driver.

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 11

|Title = Keep an Eye on Santa Claus

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|12|12}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 12

|Title = A Dog for Father Fitz

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|12|19}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 13

|Title = A Saint for Mama

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|12|26}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 14

|Title = Tell Me When You Get to Heaven

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|2}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 15

|Title = My Son the Social Worker

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|9}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 16

|Title = My Memorial for Finnegan

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|16}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 17

|Title = Don't Forget to Say Goodbye

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|23}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 18

|Title = The Shoemaker's Child

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|30}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 19

|Title = The Slasher

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|2|6}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 20

|Title = One Small Unhappy Family

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|2|13}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 21

|Title = Has Anybody Here Seen Eddie?

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|2|20}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 22

|Title = Blessed Are the Meek

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|2|27}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 23

|Title = Cornelius, Come Home

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|6}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 24

|Title = The Boss of the Ward

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|13}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 25

|Title = Run, Robin, Run

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|20}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 26

|Title = The Reformation of Willie Henratty

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|27}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 27

|Title = Custody of the Child

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|4|3}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 28

|Title = Florence, Come Home

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|4|10}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 29

|Title = Hear No Evil

|DirectedBy = Joseph Pevney

|WrittenBy = Richard Baer

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|4|17}}

|ShortSummary = Synopsis: A young married couple, both hearing-impaired, visit an ear specialist who can surgically repair the wife's deafness, but not her husband's.

Guest Stars Richard Long as George Conroy, Ellen McRae as Louise Conroy, Whit Bissell as Dr. Howard Stevens

|LineColor =

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber = 30

|Title = A Tough Act to Follow

|DirectedBy =

|WrittenBy =

|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|4|24}}

|ShortSummary =

|LineColor =

}}

Production

Going My Way was broadcast on Wednesdays from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Its competition included The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The Beverly Hillbillies, The Virginian, and Kraft Television Theatre. Joe Connelly was the producer. Directors included Joseph Pevney and Fielder Cook. Writers included Arnold Bernstein and Emmet Lavery was the writer.{{cite book |last1=Hyatt |first1=Wesley |title=Short-Lived Television Series, 1948-1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops |date=October 6, 2015 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-0515-9 |page=129 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ty21CgAAQBAJ&dq=%22Going+My+Way%22+ABC&pg=PA129 |access-date=July 29, 2024 |language=en}}

The series was produced by Revue Studios,{{cite magazine |date=October 1, 1962 |page=94 |title=This Week - Network Debuts |url=https://archive.org/details/rossreportstele97ross/page/n60/mode/1up?view=theater |magazine=Ross Reports |access-date=July 29, 2024 }} as parent company MCA owned the rights to the original film through its subsidiary, EMKA, Ltd., which in 1957 bought Going My Way and many other pre-1950 sound feature films from Paramount Pictures.{{Citation needed |date=February 2024}}

John H. Breck, Inc. sponsored the program, promoting its Breck Shampoos. The company had sponsored some specials in previous seasons, but this was its first sponsorship of a series. The $3.2 million that it spent for 50 weeks was double what the company had spent on TV advertising in any previous year, and it matched the most that the company had spent on both TV and print advertising in any previous year. The company hoped "to attract families, with large shares of women."{{cite magazine |date=October 22, 1962 |pages=34–37 |title=A Breck switch: tv surpasses print |url=https://archive.org/details/sponsor164053spon/page/n258/mode/1up?view=theater |magazine=Sponsor |access-date=July 29, 2024 }}

Critical response

A review in the trade publication Variety said that the show had potential based on its family-show appeal and the co-stars, but it acknowledged the strength of competition on other networks. Kelly and Carroll were said to be well-cast, but the plot was described as thin.{{cite magazine |date=October 10, 1962 |page=32 |title=Going My Way |magazine=Variety |url=https://archive.org/details/variety-1962-10/page/n111/mode/1up?view=theater |accessdate=February 23, 2024 }}

Home media

On December 6, 2011, Timeless Media Group released Going My Way: The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1.{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Going-My-Way-Complete-Episodes/dp/B005TN1SE0|title = Going My Way - the Complete Series - 30 Episodes!|website = Amazon| date=6 December 2011 }}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{IMDb title|0055676|Going My Way}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Going My Way (Tv Series)}}

Category:1962 American television series debuts

Category:1963 American television series endings

Category:American Broadcasting Company comedy-dramas

Category:1960s American comedy-drama television series

Category:Black-and-white American television shows

Category:American English-language television shows

Category:Catholic drama television series

Category:Fiction about Catholicism

Category:Live action television shows based on films

Category:Television series by Universal Television

Category:Television shows set in New York City

Category:Religious comedy television series