Of Many Things
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
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| genre = Panel discussion
| creator =
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| presenter =
| starring = Bergen Evans
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| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 1/2
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| runtime = 30 mins.
| network = ABC
| first_aired = {{Start date|1953|10|5}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1954|1|11}}
| related =
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Of Many Things is a half-hour panel discussion television series that aired on ABC from October 5, 1953, to January 11, 1954. It was hosted by Dr. Bergen Evans.{{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= 613|edition=4th}} The title was also used for an Evans radio program and recordings of selected episodes of that show.
Format
Using a set resembling Evans's study, episodes began with him meeting with someone who had a particular interest in the episode's topic. Then someone else came in and posed questions that might have been expected from viewers.
Topics discussed on the program included:
- the art of practical joking (with H. Allen Smith{{cite news |last1=Remenih |first1=Anton |title=Jokes Give New Show Good Start |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune/135504514/ |access-date=November 20, 2023 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=February 19, 1954 |page=34|via = Newspapers.com }}
- the capture of a German submarine during World War II
- popular music in America (with Mitch Miller)
- economic recovery of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- growth of cancer and how it can be controlled
- "The Emancipation of Women Since 1900" (with Frances Perkins){{cite news |title=Television Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-star/135503773/ |access-date=November 20, 2023 |work=The Evening Star |date=October 5, 1953 |location=District of Columbia, Washington |page=B-17|via = Newspapers.com}}
- "The World's New Continent — Africa" (with Melville J. Herskovits){{cite news |title=Of Many Things topic on WBKB will be 'Africa' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune/135505094/ |access-date=November 20, 2023 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=June 27, 1954 |page=34|via = Newspapers.com }}
- "Art in Everyday Living"{{cite magazine |date=April 2, 1954 |page=A-35 |title=Of Many Things |magazine=TV Guide |url=https://archive.org/details/tvguide-chicago-1954-04-02/page/n42/mode/1up |accessdate=November 20, 2023 }}
- "Old Cars"{{cite magazine |date=March 5, 1954 |page=A-35 |title=Of Many Things |magazine=TV Guide |url=https://archive.org/details/tvguide-chicago-1954-03-05/page/n46/mode/1up |accessdate=November 20, 2023 }}
- "The Atomic Submarine" (with Walter Zinn){{cite magazine |date=March 19, 1954 |page=A-33 |title=Of Many Things |magazine=TV Guide |url=https://archive.org/details/tvguide-chicago-1954-03-19/page/n44/mode/1up |accessdate=November 20, 2023 }}
Production
Of Many Things originated from WBKB-TV in Chicago. Louis G. Cowan, Incorporated was the packager, with John Lewellen and Jay Sheridan as producers.{{cite magazine |date=October 5, 1953 |page=1 |title=This Week — Network Debuts, Highlights, Changes |url=https://archive.org/details/rossreportstele35ross/page/n64/mode/1up |magazine=Ross Reports |access-date=November 20, 2023 }} It was broadcast on Mondays from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time.{{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=751|edition=7th}} The program had no advertisers, and Evans once described its budget as "one frayed thread out of a shoestring." The staff dealt with a backlog of mail from viewers such that workers were two months behind in handling letters when the show ended.
Critical response
Bill Ladd wrote about the program in the (Louisville, Kentucky) Courier Journal the week after it ended: "I thought Evans did a mighty enjoyable show. The format showed some imagination."{{cite news |last1=Ladd |first1=Bill |title=Bill Ladd's Almanac |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal/135502447/ |access-date=November 20, 2023 |work=The Courier-Journal |date=January 20, 1954 |location=Kentucky, Louisville |page=7|via = Newspapers.com }}
Radio and recordings
Of Many Things was the title of a 15-minute weekly program that Evans had on WNYC radio in New York City. Beginning on November 27, 1955, he presented essays on topics that included "Art of Being Nasty", "Byron and Hemingway", "The New Suburbia", "On Being Funny", "Phrase Origins", and "Some Aspects of Shakespeare".{{cite news |last1=Adams |first1=Val |title=Trip to Spain Set for Steve Allen |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1955/11/24/archives/trip-to-spain-set-for-steve-allen-comedian-plans-whirlwind-visit-to.html |access-date=November 20, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=November 24, 1955 |page=59|url-access=subscription }} Recordings of 16 of those essays were released on four LP records in 1957{{cite news |last1=Lask |first1=Thomas |title=An Angry Poet's Call to Arms |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1957/09/29/archives/an-angry-poets-call-to-arms-spoof-.html |access-date=November 20, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=September 29, 1957 |page=131|url-access=subscription }} (The Spoken Word, SW-A2). A review in the periodical EdScreen & AV Guide called the recordings "a rare find which will delight instructors in English and in speech in secondary schools and in colleges."{{cite magazine |last=Bildersee |first=Max U. |date=November 1957 |page=552 |title=Sound Advice |url=https://archive.org/details/educationalscree36chicrich/page/n557/mode/1up |magazine=EdScreen & AV Guide |access-date=November 20, 2023 }}