Somerset Maugham TV Theatre

The series made its debut on October 18, 1950 on CBS. The series was a half-hour (later 60 minute) drama whose episodes were based on the works and novels of the show's namesake William Somerset Maugham.

Maugham appeared for one minute at the beginning of each episode and for 30 seconds at the end. His segments were live on the first three episodes and were filmed thereafter,{{cite news |last1=Adams |first1=Val |title=A Minute-and-a-Half Work Week |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1950/11/12/archives/a-minuteandahalf-work-week-circus-show.html?searchResultPosition=1 |access-date=August 10, 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=November 12, 1950 |page=109|url-access=subscription }} while the dramas themselves were presented live.

After the series finished its run on CBS after one season on March 28, 1951, the series was moved to NBC on April 2, 1951. The series would remain for the rest of its run. The series also moved from Wednesday nights to Monday nights{{Citation needed |date=August 2019}} and expanded to 60 minutes, alternating weekly with Robert Montgomery Presents.

Season two finished its second season on September 3 after airing 16 episodes.{{Citation needed |date=August 2019}}

The series started its third season on September 17, 1951, continuing to air on Monday nights and for sixty minutes. This season would be the show's final season airing its last episode on December 10, 1951, after airing 7 episodes.

The series was directed by directors Martin Ritt and David Alexander and produced by John Gibbs, Ann Marlow, and Daniel Petrie.

During its third season, the show alternated on Monday nights with the NBC anthology series Robert Montgomery Presents.

Tintair sponsored the program.{{cite magazine |date=November 24, 1951 |page=87 |title=Tintair Wants Better TV Time |magazine=Billboard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qSEEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Somerset+Maugham+TV+Theatre+intitle%3ABillboard&pg=PA87 |accessdate=August 10, 2024 }} The company ended its sponsorship effective December 10, 1951, because it felt that the show's alternate-week status diminished the impact of Tintair's advertising.{{cite magazine |date=December 1, 1951 |page=5 |title=Tintair Drops 'Maugham' TV |magazine=Billboard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B0UEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Somerset+Maugham+TV+Theatre+intitle%3ABillboard&pg=PA5 |accessdate=August 10, 2024 }}

• Wednesdays 9–9:30 PM, October 18, 1950 – March 28, 1951, on CBS.
• Mondays 9:30–10:30 PM, April 2, 1951 – June 25, 1951, on NBC.
• Mondays 9:30–10 PM, July 9, 1951 – August 27, 1951, on NBC.
• Mondays 9:30–10:30 PM, September 3, 1951 – December 10, 1951, on NBC.

Actors appearing in the series included:

• Luther Adler
• Judith Anderson
• Constance Bennett{{cite book |last1=Kellow |first1=Brian |title=The Bennetts: An Acting Family |date=November 26, 2004 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |isbn=978-0-8131-7192-0 |page=479 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IRrebTiu4WUC&dq=%22Somerset+Maugham+TV+Theatre%22&pg=PA479 |access-date=August 10, 2024 |language=en}}
• Joan Bennett
• Lee J. Cobb
• Dane Clark
• Robert Cummings
• Mildred Dunnock
• Nina Foch
• Rita Gam
• Bonita Granville
• June Havoc
• Grace Kelly{{cite book |last1=Calder |first1=Robert |title=Somerset Maugham and the Cinema |date=February 13, 2024 |publisher=University of Wisconsin Press |isbn=978-0-299-34620-1 |page=200 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TOroEAAAQBAJ&dq=%22Somerset+Maugham+TV+Theatre%22&pg=PA200 |access-date=August 10, 2024 |language=en}}
• Otto Kruger
• Veronica Lake
• Cloris Leachman
• Ross Martin
• Murray Matheson
• Peggy McCay
• Mildred Natwick
• Anthony Quinn
• Joseph Schildkraut
• Martha Scott
• Beatrice Straight
• Jessica Tandy

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• The Creative Impulse – October 18, 1950
• McKintosh – October 25, 1950
• Winter Cruise – November 1, 1950
• Episode – November 15, 1950
• "The Unconquered" – November 19, 1950, Rex Williams, Olive Deering{{cite news |title=Television Highlights of the Week |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/77015039/the-boston-globe/ |access-date=May 4, 2021 |work=The Boston Globe |date=November 19, 1950 |page=20-A|via = Newspapers.com}}
• "Lord Mountdrago" – November 22, 1950, Arnold Moss{{cite news |title=Television . . . . . . Highlights of the Week |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75693573/detroit-free-press/ |access-date=April 13, 2021 |work=Detroit Free Press |date=November 19, 1950 |page=22|via = Newspapers.com}}
• The String of Beads – November 29, 1950
• Force of Circumstance – December 6, 1950
• The Round Dozen – December 13, 1950
• Footprints in the Jungle – December 20, 1950
• Virtue – December 27, 1950
• The Treasure – January 3, 1951
• The Man from Glasgow – January 10, 1951
• The Vessel of Wrath – January 17, 1951
• Honolulu – January 24, 1951
• Partners – January 31, 1951
• The Romantic Young Lady – February 7, 1951
• The Dream – February 14, 1951
• The People You Meet – February 21, 1951
• The Outstation – February 28, 1951
• The Back of Beyond – March 7, 1951
• Halfway to Broadway – March 14, 1951
• The Luncheon – March 21, 1951
• End of Flight – March 28, 1951

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• Of Human Bondage – April 2, 1951
• Theatre – April 16, 1951
• The Moon and Sixpence – April 30, 1951
• The Facts of Life – May 14, 1951
• Cakes and Ale – May 28, 1951
• The Narrow Corner – June 11, 1951
• The Letter – June 25, 1951
• The French Governor – July 9, 1951
• The Promise – July 16, 1951
• In Hiding – July 23, 1951
• The Ardent Bigamist – July 30, 1951
• Bewitched – August 6, 1951
• The Great Man – August 13, 1951
• The Yellow Streak – August 20, 1951
• A Woman of Fifty – August 27, 1951
• Appearances in Reality – September 3, 1951

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• The Mother – September 17, 1951
• Grace – October 1, 1951
• Masquerade – October 15, 1951
• The Fall of Edward Bernard – October 29, 1951
• Before the Party – November 12, 1951
• Home and Beauty – November 26, 1951
• "Smith Serves" – December 10, 1951, starring Eddie Albert{{cite news |title=Road bond appeal tonight, singing stars to be heard |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/75777522/the-birmingham-news/ |access-date=April 15, 2021 |work=The Birmingham News |date=December 10, 1951 |page=22|via = Newspapers.com}}

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Reviewers for the trade publication Billboard had differing reactions to two episodes of the show.

The January 17, 1951, episode was described as "a superb job of emasculation" of the short story "Vessel of Wrath".{{cite magazine |last=Franken |first=Jerry |date=January 27, 1951 |page=9 |title=Somerset Maugham Theater |magazine=Billboard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VR8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=Somerset+Maugham+TV+Theatre+intitle%3ABillboard&pg=PA9 |accessdate=August 10, 2024 }} The reviewer wrote that he had not seen "more lacklustre, dull, stodgy, boring, inane, stupid, empty, silly and nauseating dramatizations". He added that it was " a completely pointless production ... disgracefully dull in execution."

A review of the September 3, 1951, episode called it "one of the best full-hour programs to be seen hereabouts in a long time ... completely superior in script adaptation, acting and direction."{{cite magazine |last=Francis |first=Bob |date=September 15, 1951 |page=11 |title=Somerset Maugham Theater |magazine=Billboard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=90QEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Mohawk+Showroom%22&pg=PA11 |accessdate=August 10, 2024 }} The only flaw cited by the reviewer was "a top-heavy overdose of lengthy commercials" that were repetitive enough to irritate viewers.

The Somerset Maugham Theater, a radio version of the program was broadcast on CBS from January 20, 1951, through July 14, 1951, sponsored by Tintair. It ran on NBC from October 27, 1951, through January 19, 1952, with By-Mart as the sponsor. Stars of episodes included Clark, Hume Cronyn, Alfred Drake, Nancy Kelly, Scott, and Tandy. The producers were John Gibbs and Ann Marlowe; the director was Mitchell Grayson.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fi5wPDBiGfMC&dq=%22The+Somerset+Maugham+Theater+dramatic%22&pg=PA623|last=Dunning |first=John |title=On the Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio |year=1998 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=New York|isbn=978-0195076783 |page=623 |edition=Revised |access-date=December 13, 2024}}

A review of the January 27, 1951, episode in Billboard said that despite "a soap opera slant", The Somerset Maugham Theater was "far above the usual daytime drama, because its basic story ideas are much stronger".{{cite magazine |last=Morse |first=Leon |date=February 10, 1951 |page=8 |title=The Somerset Maugham Theater |magazine=Billboard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xh8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=Somerset+Maugham+TV+Theatre+intitle%3ABillboard&pg=PA8 |accessdate=August 11, 2024 }} The review commended Tandy's acting and Grayson's directing and complimented the commercials.

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|id=0042144|title=Somerset Maugham TV Theatre}}
• [http://ctva.biz/US/Anthology/SomersetMaughamTheatre.htm Somerset Maugham TV Theatre at CVTA with episode list]

Category:1950s American anthology television series

Category:1950 American television series debuts

Category:1951 American television series endings

Category:Black-and-white American television shows

Category:CBS television dramas

Category:NBC television dramas

Category:Adaptations of works by W. Somerset Maugham

Category:Television shows filmed in France