| Wire Service | |
|---|---|
 Dane Clark as Dan Miller, 1956. | |
| Also known as | Deadline for Action |
| Genre | Drama |
| Written by | Al C. Ward Frederick Brady |
| Directed by | Lance Comfort Tom Gries |
| Starring | Dane Clark George Brent Mercedes McCambridge |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 39 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Warren Lewis Don Sharpe |
| Producer | Buck Houghton |
| Running time | 45–48 minutes |
| Production company | Desilu Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | October 4, 1956 – June 17, 1957 |
Wire Service is an American television drama series that aired on ABC as part of its 1956–57 season lineup.
Synopsis
Wire Service focuses on three reporters for the fictional Trans Globe wire service,[1] which was similar to (and obviously inspired by) real-life news wire services such as the Associated Press and United Press International. It was the first hour-long, weekly scheduled dramatic series with continuing characters to last a full season on network television.[2] However, the three reporters functioned independently of each other,[3] meaning that the series was essentially three different ones sharing a time slot and title.
This program was aired at 9 p.m. (Eastern Time) Thursdays from September 1956 to February 1957, when it was moved to Mondays at 8:30. It was not renewed for a second season, and the last prime time broadcast under this title was in September 1957. However, when a gap developed in the ABC schedule in February 1959, the episodes starring Dane Clark (only) were then rebroadcast under the title Deadline for Action.[4] The last of these repeat episodes was broadcast on September 13, 1959.
The series sometimes delved into topics that were controversial for its era. They included profiteering, nuclear testing, and prison reform.[5]
Cast
- Dane Clark as Dan Miller[1]
- George Brent as Dean Evans[1]
- Mercedes McCambridge as Katherine Wells[1]
Episodes
| Episode # | Episode Title | Director | Writer | Original Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Blood Rock Mine" | Alvin Ganzer | Al C. Ward | October 4, 1956 |
| 2 | "Campaign Train" | Tom Gries | Story by : Gordon and Mildred Gordon Teleplay by : Frederick Brady | October 11, 1956 |
| 3 | "Hideout" | Alvin Ganzer | Teleplay by : Gabrielle Upton | October 18, 1956 |
| 4 | "The Johnny Rath Story" | Robert Florey | Story by : Al C. Ward Teleplay by : Frederick Brady | October 25, 1956 |
| 5 | "Night of August 7th" | Alvin Ganzer | Al C. Ward | November 1, 1956 |
| 6 | "Conspiracy" | Reginald Le Borg | Seeleg Lester | November 8, 1956 |
| 7 | "The Tower" | Reginald Le Borg | Story by : Merwin Gerard Teleplay by : James Edmiston and Merwin Gerard | November 15, 1956 |
| 8 | "Deported" | Tom Gries | Story by : Joel Kane Teleplay by : Jack Jacobs, Joel Kane, and Malvin Wald | November 22, 1956 |
| 9 | "Until I Die" | TBA | Gabrielle Upton | November 29, 1956 |
| 10 | "The Avengers" | TBA | Malvin Wald and Jack Jacobs | December 6, 1956 |
| 11 | "The Deep End" | Tom Gries | Story by : Fredric Brown Teleplay by : James Edmiston | December 12, 1956 |
| 12 | "High Adventure" | TBA | TBA | December 20, 1956 |
| 13 | "Chicago Exclusive" | Alvin Ganzer | Story by : Steve Fisher Teleplay by : Steve Fisher | January 3, 1957 |
| 14 | "World of the Lonely" | Tony Leader | Gabrielle Upton | January 10, 1957 |
| 15 | "The Third Inevitable" | John Peyser | Frank L. Moss | January 17, 1957 |
| 16 | "Flowers for the General" | Alvin Ganzer | László Görög | January 24, 1957 |
| 17 | "The Comeback" | Reginald Le Borg | Samuel Elkin | January 31, 1957 |
| 18 | "Atom at Spithead" | Lance Comfort | Teleplay by : Frederic Brady | February 11, 1957 |
| 19 | "El Hombre" | Alvin Ganzer | Story by : Richard M. Bluel and M.L. Lynn Teleplay by : Frederic Brady | February 18, 1957 |
| 20 | "Profile of Ellen Gale" | Reginald Le Borg | John Copeland | February 25, 1957 |
| 21 | "Dateline Las Vegas" | Reginald Le Borg | Al C. Ward | March 4, 1957 |
| 22 | "Forbidden Ground" | Tom Gries | Story by : Malvin Wald, Jack Jacobs, and Seeleg Lester Teleplay by : Jack Jacobs and Malvin Wald | March 11, 1957 |
| 23 | "No Peace in Lo Dao" | Reginald Le Borg | Story by : Lowell Barrington Teleplay by : Elliot West and Lowell Barrington | March 18, 1957 |
| 24 | "A Matter of Conscience" | Harold Schuster | Stephen Thornley | March 25, 1957 |
| 25 | "Misfire" | Tom Gries | Story by : Daniel Mainwaring Teleplay by : Wilton Schiller | April 1, 1957 |
| 26 | "The Indictment" | Tony Leader | Seeleg Lester | April 8, 1957 |
| 27 | "Ninety and Nine" | Harold Schuster | James Edmiston | April 15, 1957 |
| 28 | "The Oil Man" | Tom Gries | David Chandler and Lowell Barrington | April 22, 1957 |
| 29 | "Run, Sheep, Run" | Tony Leader | W.R. Harris and Frederic Brady | April 29, 1957 |
| 30 | "The Death Merchant" | Michael McCarthy | Story by : Jack Laird Teleplay by : Marc Brandel | May 6, 1957 |
| 31 | "Violence Preferred" | Tom Gries | Stanley Niss & Lowell Barrington | May 13, 1957 |
| 32 | "The Last Laugh" | Tony Leader | Andrew Solt and Glen Bohannan | May 20, 1957 |
| 33 | "Confirm or Deny" | Harold Schuster | John Michael Hayes and E. Jack Neuman | May 27, 1957 |
| 34 | "Four Minutes to Shot" | Tom Gries | Frank and Doris Hursley | June 3, 1957 |
| 35 | "The Washington Stars aka The Washington Story" | TBA | TBA | June 10, 1957 |
| 36 | "A Death at Twin Pines" | Harold Schuster | Story by : Harold Channing Wire Teleplay by : A.I. Bezzerides | June 17, 1957 |
| 37 | "The Nameless" | TBA | TBA | September 9, 1957 |
| 38 | "Rehearsal for Sabotage" | TBA | TBA | September 16, 1957 |
| 39 | "Escape to Freedom" | TBA | Malvin Wald and Jack Jacobs | September 23, 1957 |
Production
The producers were Don Sharpe and Warren Lewis.[3] Directors included Lance Comfort. Some episodes were filmed in England.[6] Wire Service initially was broadcast at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursdays. Beginning on February 11, 1957, it was moved to Mondays at 7:30 p.m. ET.[6] R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company was the sponsor.[7]
The program was produced by Desilu Productions at Desilu Studios in Hollywood, California.
Home video
A DVD set, Wire Service Volume 1, was released by Alpha Video on March 1, 2016.[8]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of television shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 1185. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
- ↑ Castleman, Harry, and Podrazik, Walter (1984): The TV Schedule Book https://www.amazon.com/TV-Schedule-Book-Programming-Sign/dp/0070102775
- 1 2 McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television (4th ed.). New York: Penguin Books USA. p. 919. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
- ↑ Books, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1979). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows: 1946–Present. New York: Ballantine Books. p. 689. ISBN 0-345-25525-9.
- ↑ O'Brien, Scott (Spring 2015). "George Brent: Hollywood's Mysterious Lone Wolf". Films of the Golden Age (80): 55.
- 1 2 "Tele Followups: Wire Service". Variety. February 13, 1957. p. 74. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
- ↑ "ABC-TV Takes Dim View Of '57-'58 'Wire Service'". Variety. May 8, 1957. p. 28. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
- ↑ "Wire Service Volume 1". TCM Shop. Retrieved 15 February 2017.