Wire Service
Dane Clark as Dan Miller, 1956.
Also known asDeadline for Action
GenreDrama
Written byAl C. Ward
Frederick Brady
Directed byLance Comfort
Tom Gries
StarringDane Clark
George Brent
Mercedes McCambridge
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes39 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersWarren Lewis
Don Sharpe
ProducerBuck Houghton
Running time4548 minutes
Production companyDesilu Productions
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseOctober 4, 1956 (1956-10-04) 
June 17, 1957 (1957-06-17)

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

Episodes

Episode #Episode TitleDirectorWriterOriginal Airdate
1"The Blood Rock Mine"Alvin GanzerAl C. WardOctober 4, 1956
2"Campaign Train"Tom GriesStory by: Gordon and Mildred Gordon
Teleplay by: Frederick Brady
October 11, 1956
3"Hideout"Alvin GanzerTeleplay by: Gabrielle UptonOctober 18, 1956
4"The Johnny Rath Story"Robert FloreyStory by: Al C. Ward
Teleplay by: Frederick Brady
October 25, 1956
5"Night of August 7th"Alvin GanzerAl C. WardNovember 1, 1956
6"Conspiracy"Reginald Le BorgSeeleg LesterNovember 8, 1956
7"The Tower"Reginald Le BorgStory by: Merwin Gerard
Teleplay by: James Edmiston and Merwin Gerard
November 15, 1956
8"Deported"Tom GriesStory by: Joel Kane
Teleplay by: Jack Jacobs, Joel Kane, and Malvin Wald
November 22, 1956
9"Until I Die"TBAGabrielle UptonNovember 29, 1956
10"The Avengers"TBAMalvin Wald and Jack JacobsDecember 6, 1956
11"The Deep End"Tom GriesStory by: Fredric Brown
Teleplay by: James Edmiston
December 12, 1956
12"High Adventure"TBATBADecember 20, 1956
13"Chicago Exclusive"Alvin GanzerStory by: Steve Fisher
Teleplay by: Steve Fisher
January 3, 1957
14"World of the Lonely"Tony LeaderGabrielle UptonJanuary 10, 1957
15"The Third Inevitable"John PeyserFrank L. MossJanuary 17, 1957
16"Flowers for the General"Alvin GanzerLászló GörögJanuary 24, 1957
17"The Comeback"Reginald Le BorgSamuel ElkinJanuary 31, 1957
18"Atom at Spithead"Lance ComfortTeleplay by: Frederic BradyFebruary 11, 1957
19"El Hombre"Alvin GanzerStory by: Richard M. Bluel and M.L. Lynn
Teleplay by: Frederic Brady
February 18, 1957
20"Profile of Ellen Gale"Reginald Le BorgJohn CopelandFebruary 25, 1957
21"Dateline Las Vegas"Reginald Le BorgAl C. WardMarch 4, 1957
22"Forbidden Ground"Tom GriesStory 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 BorgStory by: Lowell Barrington
Teleplay by: Elliot West and Lowell Barrington
March 18, 1957
24"A Matter of Conscience"Harold SchusterStephen ThornleyMarch 25, 1957
25"Misfire"Tom GriesStory by: Daniel Mainwaring
Teleplay by: Wilton Schiller
April 1, 1957
26"The Indictment"Tony LeaderSeeleg LesterApril 8, 1957
27"Ninety and Nine"Harold SchusterJames EdmistonApril 15, 1957
28"The Oil Man"Tom GriesDavid Chandler and Lowell BarringtonApril 22, 1957
29"Run, Sheep, Run"Tony LeaderW.R. Harris and Frederic BradyApril 29, 1957
30"The Death Merchant"Michael McCarthyStory by: Jack Laird
Teleplay by: Marc Brandel
May 6, 1957
31"Violence Preferred"Tom GriesStanley Niss & Lowell BarringtonMay 13, 1957
32"The Last Laugh"Tony LeaderAndrew Solt and Glen BohannanMay 20, 1957
33"Confirm or Deny"Harold SchusterJohn Michael Hayes and E. Jack NeumanMay 27, 1957
34"Four Minutes to Shot"Tom GriesFrank and Doris HursleyJune 3, 1957
35"The Washington Stars aka The Washington Story"TBATBAJune 10, 1957
36"A Death at Twin Pines"Harold SchusterStory by: Harold Channing Wire
Teleplay by: A.I. Bezzerides
June 17, 1957
37"The Nameless"TBATBASeptember 9, 1957
38"Rehearsal for Sabotage"TBATBASeptember 16, 1957
39"Escape to Freedom"TBAMalvin Wald and Jack JacobsSeptember 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. 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.
  2. Castleman, Harry, and Podrazik, Walter (1984): The TV Schedule Book https://www.amazon.com/TV-Schedule-Book-Programming-Sign/dp/0070102775
  3. 1 2 McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television (4th ed.). New York: Penguin Books USA. p. 919. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
  4. 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.
  5. O'Brien, Scott (Spring 2015). "George Brent: Hollywood's Mysterious Lone Wolf". Films of the Golden Age (80): 55.
  6. 1 2 "Tele Followups: Wire Service". Variety. February 13, 1957. p. 74. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  7. "ABC-TV Takes Dim View Of '57-'58 'Wire Service'". Variety. May 8, 1957. p. 28. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  8. "Wire Service Volume 1". TCM Shop. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
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