The Marriage (American TV series)

Broadcast live by NBC for seven episodes in the summer of 1954, the series stars real-life couple Hume Cronyn (who also produced the show) and Jessica Tandy as a New York lawyer and his wife with two children, played by Susan Strasberg and Malcolm Brodrick."'The Marriage' Makes Its Television Debut," New York Times, June 27, 1954, p. X13.

The half-hour show, written by Ernest Kinoy, debuted on July 8, 1954,"Tiny Microphone for TV Displayed", New York Times, July 2, 1954, p. 15. The premiere was originally scheduled for July 1, but was cancelled at the last moment due to Jessica Tandy's illness. originating from the Colonial Theatre in New York City, NBC's color television production facility.{{Citation needed |date=January 2025}}

The television series was adapted from an NBC radio series of the same title, also starring Cronyn and Tandy and written by Kinoy, that ran from October 1953 to February 1954. The television show was directed by Jack Garfein and Marc Daniels."Director Leaves 'Marriage' Series," New York Times, July 20, 1954, p. 17. It was originally scheduled for 10 - 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time, beginning on July 1, 1954, running until August 26.{{cite magazine |date=June 19, 1954 |page=4 |title='Droodles,' 'Duke,' 'Marriage' Set for NBC-TV Summer |magazine=Billboard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4h4EAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA4&dq=Marriage%20Cronyn%20Tandy%20NBC%20intitle%3ABillboard&pg=PA4#v=onepage&q=Marriage%20Cronyn%20Tandy%20NBC%20intitle:Billboard&f=true |accessdate=January 16, 2025 }}

The New York Times television critic called the show "new and different and delightful," and wrote, "'The Marriage' is a sparkling, crisp portrayal of some charming people.""Television in Review: 'Marriage'," New York Times, July 19, 1954, p. 25. The Washington Post called it among the best of the summertime replacement series, praising its "adult approach to situation comedy," with believable situations and intelligent characters.Lawrence Laurent, "It's Not the Heat; It's the Replacements," Washington Post, Aug. 29, 1954, p. T3. A review in the trade publication Billboard said that the TV program was "a real entertainment job" that was as good as the radio version.{{cite magazine |last=Francis |first=Bob |date=July 31, 1954 |page=49 |title=The Marriage |magazine=Billboard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zxoEAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA49&dq=Marriage%20Cronyn%20Tandy%20NBC%20intitle%3ABillboard&pg=PA49#v=onepage&q=Marriage%20Cronyn%20Tandy%20NBC%20intitle:Billboard&f=true |accessdate=January 16, 2025 }} It said that the program "has the charm of complete naturalness."

The show was suspended after August 19, when Cronyn and Tandy left to tour on stage. There was talk in late 1954 of resuming the series, but it did not happen."'The Marriage' May Be Resumed," New York Times, Dec. 8, 1954, p. 51. "TV Comedy Show Tries Psychology," New York Times, Dec. 14, 1954, p. 50.

An attempt to revive the series in 1957 resulted in a filmed pilot episode. The cast was the same as in the 1954 series except that Natalie Trundy replaced Strasberg as Emily.{{cite book |last1=Terrace |first1=Vincent |title=Encyclopedia of Unaired Television Pilots, 1945-2018 |date=October 12, 2018 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-7206-9 |page=146 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ufx0DwAAQBAJ&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&lpg=PA146&dq=Marriage%20Cronyn%20Tandy%20NBC&pg=PA146#v=onepage&q=Marriage%20Cronyn%20Tandy%20NBC&f=true |access-date=January 16, 2025 |language=en}}

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• {{IMDb title|0046620|title=The Marriage}}

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Category:1953 American television series debuts

Category:1954 American television series endings

Category:1950s American multi-camera sitcoms

Category:American English-language television shows

Category:American live television series

Category:Television shows set in New York City

Category:NBC sitcoms