Follow the Leader is an American television prime-time game show that was broadcast July 7, 1953 - August 18, 1953, on CBS with Vera Vague as hostess.[1] It was on Tuesdays from 9 to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time,[2]
Follow the Leader was based on the children's game of the same name.[3] Contestants selected from the studio audience tried to imitate scenes acted out by Vague in pantomime.[2] Each correctly reproduced movement earned $10 for the contestant and added $10 to the jackpot for that episode. Contestants' efforts were complicated by addition of "exaggerated props" that were not in Vague's original activity.[4] Episodes typically included three two-minute skits enacted by Vague, followed by contestants' efforts to re-enact them.[5] In the premiere episode:
Vague packed for a weekend trip, with the contestant "hindered by collapsing props".[3]
A man who tried to imitate Vague's skit about a private investigator also found props collapsing.[3]
A woman imitating Vague's Apache dance with a dummy discovered that the "dummy" she hit over the head with a bottle was a live actor.[3]
An applause meter was used to determine which contestant would be invited to participated in the next episode.[5]
Productionedit
The program originated from Hollywood, with Bernie Gould and Paul Harrison as producers and writers. John Claar was the director.[4]
Critical responseedit
A review in the trade publication Broadcasting described Follow the Leader as "better than average audience participation fare".[4] It noted that the program differed from most audience-participation shows in that "the game was the focal point" rather than the celebrity host or hostess.[4]
Bob Lanigan, in a review in the Brooklyn Eagle, wrote, "Vera Vague's voice is one of her greatest theatrical assets".[6] He felt that use of pantomime wasted that asset, with Vague's speaking limited to brief interviews with participants. He called the show's episodes "bits of TV mediocrity" in which "each sketch is a boring repetition of its predecessor."[6]
Syndicated newspaper columnist John Crosby wrote about Follow the Leader: "wondering what the devil it's doing on television. Can't people play their own parlor games in some reasonable privacy?"[7]
Referencesedit
^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. 294. ISBN0-14-02-4916-8.
^ abBrooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (June 24, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 486. ISBN978-0-307-48320-1. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
^ abcdMacArthur, Harry (July 9, 1953). "Vera Vague Invades TV In an Old children's Game". Evening Star. District of Columbia, Washington. p. A-33. Retrieved January 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ abcd"Follow the Leader" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 27, 1953. p. 14. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
^ abAmes, Walter (July 14, 1053). "Vera Vague Hopes to Overcome 'Frankenstein' Role With New TV Show". Los Angeles Times. p. 24-Part I. Retrieved January 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
^ abLanigan, Bob (August 10, 1953). "Vera Vague Talent Wasted In Boring 'Follow Leader'". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. p. 8. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
^Crosby, John (August 12, 1953). "Run, Sheep! Will They 'Follow The Leader'?". Tucson Daily Citizen. p. 22. Retrieved January 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
November 01, 2023
follow, leader, series, follow, leader, american, television, prime, time, game, show, that, broadcast, july, 1953, august, 1953, with, vera, vague, hostess, tuesdays, from, eastern, time, follow, leadergenregame, showwritten, bybernie, gouldpaul, harrisondire. Follow the Leader is an American television prime time game show that was broadcast July 7 1953 August 18 1953 on CBS with Vera Vague as hostess 1 It was on Tuesdays from 9 to 9 30 p m Eastern Time 2 Follow the LeaderGenreGame showWritten byBernie GouldPaul HarrisonDirected byJohn ClaarPresented byVera VagueProductionProducersBernie GouldPaul HarrisonRunning time30 minutesOriginal releaseNetworkCBSReleaseJuly 7 1953 07 07 August 18 1953 1953 08 18 Contents 1 Premise 2 Production 3 Critical response 4 ReferencesPremise editFollow the Leader was based on the children s game of the same name 3 Contestants selected from the studio audience tried to imitate scenes acted out by Vague in pantomime 2 Each correctly reproduced movement earned 10 for the contestant and added 10 to the jackpot for that episode Contestants efforts were complicated by addition of exaggerated props that were not in Vague s original activity 4 Episodes typically included three two minute skits enacted by Vague followed by contestants efforts to re enact them 5 In the premiere episode Vague packed for a weekend trip with the contestant hindered by collapsing props 3 A man who tried to imitate Vague s skit about a private investigator also found props collapsing 3 A woman imitating Vague s Apache dance with a dummy discovered that the dummy she hit over the head with a bottle was a live actor 3 An applause meter was used to determine which contestant would be invited to participated in the next episode 5 Production editThe program originated from Hollywood with Bernie Gould and Paul Harrison as producers and writers John Claar was the director 4 Critical response editA review in the trade publication Broadcasting described Follow the Leader as better than average audience participation fare 4 It noted that the program differed from most audience participation shows in that the game was the focal point rather than the celebrity host or hostess 4 Bob Lanigan in a review in the Brooklyn Eagle wrote Vera Vague s voice is one of her greatest theatrical assets 6 He felt that use of pantomime wasted that asset with Vague s speaking limited to brief interviews with participants He called the show s episodes bits of TV mediocrity in which each sketch is a boring repetition of its predecessor 6 Syndicated newspaper columnist John Crosby wrote about Follow the Leader wondering what the devil it s doing on television Can t people play their own parlor games in some reasonable privacy 7 References edit 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 294 ISBN 0 14 02 4916 8 a b Brooks Tim Marsh Earle F June 24 2009 The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946 Present Random House Publishing Group p 486 ISBN 978 0 307 48320 1 Retrieved January 27 2023 a b c d MacArthur Harry July 9 1953 Vera Vague Invades TV In an Old children s Game Evening Star District of Columbia Washington p A 33 Retrieved January 26 2023 via Newspapers com a b c d Follow the Leader PDF Broadcasting July 27 1953 p 14 Retrieved January 26 2023 a b Ames Walter July 14 1053 Vera Vague Hopes to Overcome Frankenstein Role With New TV Show Los Angeles Times p 24 Part I Retrieved January 26 2023 via Newspapers com a b Lanigan Bob August 10 1953 Vera Vague Talent Wasted In Boring Follow Leader The Brooklyn Daily Eagle p 8 Retrieved January 26 2023 Crosby John August 12 1953 Run Sheep Will They Follow The Leader Tucson Daily Citizen p 22 Retrieved January 26 2023 via Newspapers com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Follow the Leader TV series amp oldid 1173666990, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
