Biff Baker, U.S.A. is an American adventure television program starring Alan Hale Jr. in the title role and Randy Stuart as his wife, Louise.[1] The series was broadcast on CBS from November 6, 1952, until March 26, 1953. After the show's network run ended, it was syndicated,[2] with reruns being broadcast until late in the 1950s.[3]Lucky Strike cigarettes sponsored the program.[4]
Biff Baker, U.S.A.
Alan Hale, Jr. and Randy Stuart in Biff Baker, U.S.A. in 1952
As the operator of an importing business, Biff Baker traveled around the world with Louise to find merchandise. They usually became involved with international intrigue of some kind, often related to spying. Baker did not look for trouble, but trouble usually found him.[1] The Bakers' travels enabled the use of a variety of locales for episodes, with a different setting each week, "ranging from Paris to Pakistan and from Saigon to Istanbul[5]
Some sources say that the Bakers were spies who posed as businesspeople.[6][7]
Critical responseedit
Leon Morse, writing in the trade publication Billboard, found the program's November 6 episode "another thriller, similar to many of its kind, but with two personable leads ...".[4] He wrote that the production's quality was high, but the episode lacked sufficient suspense, and "The characters and the scenes were written on a juvenile level."[4]
Newspaper columnist Hal Humphrey found flaws in the program, based on the first two episodes. He noted that Baker was so busy with his spying activity that he had little time left for his business, and he found fault with the sometimes silly conversations between the Bakers. He wrote that the characters were "portrayed in such a namby-pamby manner that the viewer finds himself not really caring whether they escape from their predicament or not."[8]
Productionedit
Richard Irving was the director of Biff Baker, U.S.A.. Frank Burt and Fenton Earnaham were the writers.[9] The program was produced by Alan Miller at Revue Studios.[7] Of the 26 episodes filmed, 21 were shown on CBS in the initial run.[3]
Referencesedit
^ abBrooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (24 June 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 135. ISBN978-0-307-48320-1. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
^"Syndicated Pix ARB Multi-City Ratings". Billboard. March 27, 1954. p. 8. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
^ ab. November 1, 2021. Archived from the original on March 24, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
^ abcMorse, Leon (November 15, 1952). "Television-Radio Reviews: Biff Baker USA" (PDF). Billboard. p. 16. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
^"Coca-Cola To Present New Television Show". The Jackson Sun. March 28, 1954. p. 42. Retrieved October 31, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
^Terrace, Vincent (29 May 2020). The Television Treasury: Onscreen Details from Sitcoms, Dramas and Other Scripted Series, 1947-2019. McFarland. p. 62. ISBN978-1-4766-8029-3. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
^ abMcNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 93. ISBN0-14-02-4916-8.
^Humphrey, Hal (November 18, 1952). "U. S. Tops For TV Thrillers". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 39. Retrieved November 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
^Hyatt, Wesley (6 October 2015). Short-Lived Television Series, 1948-1978: Thirty Years of More Than 1,000 Flops. McFarland. p. 44. ISBN978-1-4766-0515-9. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
January 01, 1970
biff, baker, series, biff, baker, american, adventure, television, program, starring, alan, hale, title, role, randy, stuart, wife, louise, series, broadcast, from, november, 1952, until, march, 1953, after, show, network, ended, syndicated, with, reruns, bein. Biff Baker U S A is an American adventure television program starring Alan Hale Jr in the title role and Randy Stuart as his wife Louise 1 The series was broadcast on CBS from November 6 1952 until March 26 1953 After the show s network run ended it was syndicated 2 with reruns being broadcast until late in the 1950s 3 Lucky Strike cigarettes sponsored the program 4 Biff Baker U S A Alan Hale Jr and Randy Stuart in Biff Baker U S A in 1952GenreAdventureWritten byFrank BurtFenton EarnahamDirected byRichard IrvingRobert G WalkerStarringAlan Hale Jr Randy StuartCountry of originUnited StatesOriginal languageEnglishNo of seasons1No of episodes26 5 unaired ProductionProducerAlan MillerRunning time30 minutesProduction companyRevue StudiosOriginal releaseNetworkCBSReleaseNovember 6 1952 1952 11 06 March 26 1953 1953 03 26 Contents 1 Premise 2 Critical response 3 Production 4 ReferencesPremise editAs the operator of an importing business Biff Baker traveled around the world with Louise to find merchandise They usually became involved with international intrigue of some kind often related to spying Baker did not look for trouble but trouble usually found him 1 The Bakers travels enabled the use of a variety of locales for episodes with a different setting each week ranging from Paris to Pakistan and from Saigon to Istanbul 5 Some sources say that the Bakers were spies who posed as businesspeople 6 7 Critical response editLeon Morse writing in the trade publication Billboard found the program s November 6 episode another thriller similar to many of its kind but with two personable leads 4 He wrote that the production s quality was high but the episode lacked sufficient suspense and The characters and the scenes were written on a juvenile level 4 Newspaper columnist Hal Humphrey found flaws in the program based on the first two episodes He noted that Baker was so busy with his spying activity that he had little time left for his business and he found fault with the sometimes silly conversations between the Bakers He wrote that the characters were portrayed in such a namby pamby manner that the viewer finds himself not really caring whether they escape from their predicament or not 8 Production editRichard Irving was the director of Biff Baker U S A Frank Burt and Fenton Earnaham were the writers 9 The program was produced by Alan Miller at Revue Studios 7 Of the 26 episodes filmed 21 were shown on CBS in the initial run 3 References edit a b Brooks Tim Marsh Earle F 24 June 2009 The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946 Present Random House Publishing Group p 135 ISBN 978 0 307 48320 1 Retrieved October 31 2021 Syndicated Pix ARB Multi City Ratings Billboard March 27 1954 p 8 Retrieved November 1 2021 a b Biff Baker U S A 1952 53 CBS November 1 2021 Archived from the original on March 24 2019 Retrieved November 1 2021 a b c Morse Leon November 15 1952 Television Radio Reviews Biff Baker USA PDF Billboard p 16 Retrieved November 1 2021 Coca Cola To Present New Television Show The Jackson Sun March 28 1954 p 42 Retrieved October 31 2021 via Newspapers com Terrace Vincent 29 May 2020 The Television Treasury Onscreen Details from Sitcoms Dramas and Other Scripted Series 1947 2019 McFarland p 62 ISBN 978 1 4766 8029 3 Retrieved November 1 2021 a b McNeil Alex 1996 Total Television the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present 4th ed New York New York Penguin Books USA Inc p 93 ISBN 0 14 02 4916 8 Humphrey Hal November 18 1952 U S Tops For TV Thrillers The Pittsburgh Press p 39 Retrieved November 1 2021 via Newspapers com Hyatt Wesley 6 October 2015 Short Lived Television Series 1948 1978 Thirty Years of More Than 1 000 Flops McFarland p 44 ISBN 978 1 4766 0515 9 Retrieved November 1 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Biff Baker U S A TV series amp oldid 1221139858, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
