For almost as long as there has been broadcasting, there has been commercial sponsorship. But from the 1930s through the 1960s sponsors had an unusual amount of power because, through advertising agencies, they owned entire blocks of time on the program schedule and produced their own shows. In this episode we look at a few examples of sponsor power run amok, resulting in complications that were sometimes dangerous, sometimes just silly. Along the way we will sample clips from "The Jack Benny Program," "The Flintstones," "I Love Lucy," "Playhouse 90," "The $64,000 Question" and "30 Rock," among others.
The Hopalong Cassidy Magical Marketing Machine
The Unsinkable Betty White
The Stormy Success of "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour"
Liz and Dick and Lucy and the Ring
Fade to Blacklist: Part 2
Fade to Blacklist: Part 1
The Rise and Fall of "Moonlighting"
The 1960s: How We Played
The 1960s: What We Watched
"The Andy Griffith Show" and How It Grew
James Cagney's Final Act(ing)
The Variety Show Skirmishes of 1963
1952: The 60-Second Election
The Jack Benny-Johnny Carson Connection
The Quiz Show Scandals: "Twenty-One"
Ed Sullivan, American Gatekeeper
The Quiz Show Scandals: "The $64,000 Question"
In Godfrey We Trust
The Rise and Fall of Dragnet
When Maude Findlay Had an Abortion
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