Talent Patrol

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

{{Infobox television

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| alt_name = Soldier Patrol

| genre = Game show

| creator =

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| writer =

| director = Edward Nugent

| creative_director =

| presenter = Steve Allen
Arlene Francis (1953-1955)

| starring =

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| voices =

| narrated = Steve Allen (1953)
Bud Collyer (1953-1955)
Richard Hayes (1955)

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| country = United States

| language = English

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| executive_producer =

| producer = Dave Myers

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| runtime = 30 minutes (season 1-2)
60 minutes (season 3)

| company =

| channel = ABC

| first_aired = {{Start date|1953|1|19}}

| last_aired = {{End date|1955|6|}}

| related =

}}

Talent Patrol is an American game show that was broadcast during the 1950s. The series starred Steve Allen and later Arlene Francis{{cite web|url=http://www.museum.tv/eotv/francisarle.htm|title=Francis, Arlene - U.S. Talk Show Host/Performer|publisher=Museum of Broadcast Communications|access-date=April 10, 2015}} as the hosts. The series ran on the American Broadcasting Company from 1953-1955.{{cite web|url=http://jfredmacdonald.com/trm/111militarytv.htm|title=The Military As TV Entertainment|publisher=J. Fred Macdonald|access-date=April 10, 2015}}{{cite magazine|last=Atlas|first=Ben|date=June 24, 1954|title=Washington Once-over|magazine=Billboard}}

Overview

The program served as a recruiting tool for the U. S. Army, with each episode featuring four acts from an Army camp. The winner was taken to one of the top plays in New York City and was given "a whirlwind tour of Manhattan night spots".{{cite magazine |date=December 25, 1953 |pages=20-21 |title=One Enchanted Evening |magazine=TV Guide |url=https://archive.org/details/tvguide-chicago-1953-12-25/page/21/mode/2up?view=theater |accessdate=April 4, 2025 }} Different places were visited each week. The Ninth Infantry Divison Band from Fort Dix, New Jersey provided music.

Broadcast history

Talent Patrol originally was broadcast on Monday nights from 9:30-10:00 pm.{{cite magazine|date=February 14, 1953|title=Television–Radio Reviews|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.}}

Starting with season two, the series moved to Saturdays at 8-8:30 pm. Its primetime competition was The Jackie Gleason Show on CBS, Bonino on NBC and National Football League Professional Football on DuMont.{{cite book|last=Niemeyer|first=Daniel|date=2013|title=1950s American Style: A Reference Guide (soft cover)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4q6fBQAAQBAJ&dq=talent+patrol+tv+show&pg=PA107|publisher=Zulu.com|page=107|isbn=9781304201652|access-date=April 10, 2015}} Beginning in April 1954, the series moved to Thursdays at 8-8:30 pm.{{cite journal|date=April 8, 1954|title=Harry Belafonte To Appear On Two TV Shows|journal=Jet|publisher=Johnson Publishing Company}} Its third and last season aired on Sunday nights from 9:30-10:00 pm.

References

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