Product Description Most of the bright and talented actresses who made America laugh in the 1950s are off the air today, but their pioneering Hollywood careers irrevocably changed the face of television comedy. These smart and sassy women successfully negotiated the hazards of the male-dominated workplace with class and humor, and the work they did in the 1950s is inventive still by today's standards. Unable to fall back on strong language, shock value, or racial and sexual epithets, the female sitcom stars of the 1950s entertained with pure talent and screen savvy. As they did so, they helped to lay the foundation for the development of television comedy. This book pays tribute to 10 prominent television actresses who played lead roles in popular comedy shows of the 1950s. Each chapter covers the works and personalities of one actress: Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy), Gracie Allen (The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show), Eve Arden (Our Miss Brooks), Spring Byington (December Bride), Joan Davis (I Married Joan), Anne Jeffreys (Topper), Donna Reed (The Donna Reed Show), Ann Sothern (Private Secretary and The Ann Sothern Show), Gale Storm (My Little Margie and The Gale Storm Show: Oh! Susanna), and Betty White (Life with Elizabeth). For each star, a career sketch is provided, concentrating primarily on her television work but also noting achievements in other areas. Appendices offer cast and crew lists, a chronology, and an additional biographical sketch of 10 less familiar actresses who deserve recognition.
Customer Reviews: A WinnerFebruary 18, 2007 Booklover(United States) 13 out of 13 found this review helpful
If you're a fan of vintage TV history, this book is a must. It's well-researched, wryly written, and downright interesting. It offers insightful profiles on ten of television's most important actresses (Gracie Allen, Eve Arden, Lucille Ball, Spring Byington, Joan Davis, Anne Jeffreys, Donna Reed, Ann Sothern, Gale Storm, Betty White), and provides fascinating details about the early history of television, delving into advertising, networks, contracts, ratings, behind-the-scenes details, and more.
The author deftly combines research, original interviews, and dialogue snippets (after reading this book, you will definitely want to seek out the TV shows). Mr. Tucker, who possesses a wonderful sense of humor, is not shy about bringing out controversial topics such as George Burns' infidelity, Donna Reed's anti-war efforts, Spring Byington's lesbian relationship with Marjorie Main, and Joan Davis' reputation for being difficult. I was surprised at how much I learned from reading this book, and hope for a sequel--Ten More Women Who Made Television Funny.
THE OTHER GREAT LADIES OF 1950'S TV COMEDYJune 3, 2008 Robert Walsdorff 5 out of 5 found this review helpful
It's great to see a book that pays homage to someone else besides Lucy. While taking nothing away from the red-head, there were also other great female TV stars with comedy series. I enjoyed reading about them, especially Gale Storm who has always been my favorite, but I like all 10 of the ladies. David Tucker captures what made each lady so unique and I learned new things about them. It encourged me to see these wonderful shows again.
Fun and Fact-Filled !March 10, 2010 Fredrick Tucker(Duncan, SC USA) 2 out of 2 found this review helpful
David Tucker has thoroughly researched his subjects and presents their unique stories in a easy-to-read style. Without a doubt, he is quite the wordsmith and researcher. I was delighted to find little-known information on some ladies, like Spring Byington and Joan Davis, who are overlooked today by some television historians. We all love Lucy, but the other nine actresses here are just as worthy of a book like this. Any fan of classic TV must have THE WOMEN WHO MADE TELEVISION FUNNY. And I agree with the other reviewer that this work merits a sequel! In the meantime, I can't wait to read David Tucker's LOST LAUGHS, forthcoming from McFarland.
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