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Jay Sommers

Show Count: 23
Series Count: 6
Role: Old Time Radio Star
Old Time Radio
Born: January 3, 1917, New York City, New York, USA
Died: September 25, 1985, Los Angeles, California, USA

Jay Sommers (January 3, 1917 - September 25, 1985) was a producer, director and comedy writer whose career spanned four decades. He wrote more than 90 television comedy episodes, produced 63, and had a major responsibility for creating the Green Acres television show. He also did the writing for and executive produced Petticoat Junction during its second and third seasons, and also worked for The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.

In 1940, he got a break by being brought in to write for a Milton Berle radio show. (Berle at the time was one of the most popular radio personalities.) He wrote for Eddie Cantor and Red Skelton on the radio, and for the radio comedy series Lum and Abner.

In 1950, he was the producer, writer and director for the Granby’s Green Acres radio show. Although it only ran for two months, it was highly similar to the highly successful Green Acres television show that he created 15 years later, where he was the main producer and writer.

His first television work was in 1955, as a writer for The Great Gildersleeve. He wrote three episodes of Hello, Larry toward the end of his life. He is credited for the story and screenplay for the movie Gordy, released 10 years after his death.

 

Source: Wikipedia

Alan Young Show, TheAlan Young Show, The
Show Count: 57
Broadcast History: 28 June 1944 to 20 September 1944, 3 October 1944 to 28 June 1946, 20 September 1946 to 30 May 1947, and 11 January 1949 to 5 July 1949
Cast: Alan Young, Jean Gillespie, Doris Singleton, Ed Begley, Louise Erickson, Jim Backus, Nicodemus Stewart, Hal March, Ken Christy
Director: Helen Mack
Producer: Helen Mack
The series began on NBC Radio as a summer replacement situation comedy in 1944, featuring vocalist Bea Wain. It then moved to ABC Radio with Jean Gillespie portraying Young's girlfriend Betty. The program was next broadcast by NBC for a 1946-47 run and was off in 1948. When it returned to NBC in 1949, Louise Erickson played Betty and Jim Backus was heard as snobbish playboy Hubert Updike III.
Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin StreetChamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street
Show Count: 6
Broadcast History: 11 February 1940 to 8 October 1944, 8 July 1950 to 30 September 1950 and 12 April 1952 to 2 August 1952
Cast: Gene Hamilton, Zero Mostel, Jack McCarthy
Director: Tom Bennett, Dee Engelbach
A strange sort of a show that was probably a little in front of it’s time. Radio shows in those days were usually quite straight forward in whatever sphere of entertainment they dealt in but The Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street was what we today would call a “send-up”. It had a satirical way of putting over good music, whether it be opera, symphony or blues. The satire was of course in the lyrics, not in the music.
Granby's Green AcresGranby's Green Acres
Show Count: 6
Broadcast History: 3 July 1950 to 21 August 1950
Cast: Bea Benaderet, Gale Gordon, Parley Baer, Louise Erickson
Director: Jay Sommers
Producer: Jay Sommers
Spike Jones Show, TheSpike Jones Show, The
Show Count: 56
Broadcast History: 3 June 1949 to 25 June 1949
Cast: Frances Langford, Dorothy Shay, Spike Jones and the City Slickers
Producer: Hal Fimberg, Joe Bigelow