''I Cover Times Square'' is an American television newspaper drama and crime show that was broadcast in

prime time Prime time, or peak time, is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for television shows. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting * Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...

from October 5, 1950, through January 11, 1951. A subsequent shift to daytime on Saturdays extended the program through October 13, 1951.

Premise

Harold Huber Harold Huber (born Harold Joseph Huberman, December 5, 1909September 29, 1959) was an American actor who appeared on film, radio and television. Early life Huber was born in the Bronx to Jewish immigrants from Imperial Russia, who had arrived in ...

portrayed Johnny Warren, a "crusading Broadway columnist" and radio commentator. Warren covered "the seamy side of show business", working from

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...

, where he usually hung out around a newspaper stand that carried papers from other cities. Warren described the Times Square setting as the "mad midway — the crazy carnival — the jittery jungle".

Production

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...

(also titled "I Cover Times Square") was broadcast as the December 26, 1949, episode of '' The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre''. Huber was the producer of ''I Cover Times Square.'' Murray Burnett and

Ted Post Theodore Ian Post (March 31, 1918 – August 20, 2013) was an American director of film and television. Highly prolific, Post directed numerous episodes of well-known television series including '' Rawhide'', ''Gunsmoke'', and ''The Twilight Zo ...

were the directors.

Air Wick Air Wick is an American brand of air freshener owned by the British multinational company Reckitt. It was launched by creator Guy Paschal in 1943 in the United States, and is now sold worldwide. History Air Wick was introduced in 1943 in the Unit ...

was the sponsor. The program originated from

WJZ-TV WJZ-TV (channel 13) is a television station in Baltimore, Maryland, United States, serving as the market's CBS outlet. It is owned and operated by the network's CBS News and Stations division, and maintains studios and offices on Woodberry, B ...

. It was initially broadcast on Thursdays from 10 to 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time. In April 1951 it returned to the air on Saturdays from 12:30 to 1 p.m. E. T. On May 5, 1951, '' Faith Baldwin Romance Theatre'' began sharing that time slot, with the two programs aired on alternate weeks. The show's final broadcast occurred on October 13, 1951. Huber wore a toupee in the series — a situation that led to what newspaper columnist

Dorothy Kilgallen Dorothy Mae Kilgallen (July 3, 1913 – November 8, 1965) was an American columnist, journalist, and television game show panelist. After spending two semesters at the College of New Rochelle, she started her career shortly before her 18th bir ...

called "the funniest hassle in the history of television". Huber wanted ABC to pay for the $75 hairpiece, saying that it should be considered a prop for the show. The network thought of it as part of Huber's personal wardrobe and said that he should pay for it.

Critical response

A review in the trade publication ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' indicated that the show's premise had good potential for success but said that the premiere episode showed that "the series will require considerable shaking down if it's to capitalize on its advantages enough to attract an audience." The review said that the episode's first half depended too much on dialog, and that additional visual activity in the second half came too late. It added, "Background music was absent when it was needed most and was too loud when it did come in." The review said that Huber's acting was "okay" and the "supporting cast was competent".

References

External links

Two-page photo-illustrated example of activity on ''I Cover Times Square'' in the August 1951 issue of ''Radio Television Mirror'' magazine
* {{Authority control 1950 American television series debuts 1951 American television series endings 1950s American drama television series American Broadcasting Company television dramas Television shows set in New York City