Wire Service is an American television drama series that aired on ABC as part of its 1956–57 season lineup.
Synopsis Wire Service focuses on three reporters for the fictional Trans Globe wire service, which was similar to (and obviously inspired by) real-life news wire services such as the Associated Press and United Press International. It was the first hour-long, weekly scheduled dramatic series with continuing characters to last a full season on network television.Castleman, Harry, and Podrazik, Walter (1984): The TV Schedule Book https://www.amazon.com/TV-Schedule-Book-Programming-Sign/dp/0070102775 However, the three reporters functioned independently of each other, meaning that the series was essentially three different ones sharing a time slot and title.
This program was aired at 9 p.m. (Eastern Time) Thursdays from September 1956 to February 1957, when it was moved to Mondays at 8:30. It was not renewed for a second season, and the last prime time broadcast under this title was in September 1957. However, when a gap developed in the ABC schedule in February 1959, the episodes starring Dane Clark (only) were then rebroadcast under the title Deadline for Action. The last of these repeat episodes was broadcast on September 13, 1959.
The series sometimes delved into topics that were controversial for its era. They included profiteering, nuclear testing, and prison reform.
Cast Dane Clark as Dan Miller George Brent as Dean Evans Mercedes McCambridge as Katherine Wells
Episodes Episode # Episode Title Director Writer Original Airdate 1 "The Blood Rock Mine" Alvin Ganzer Al C. Ward October 4, 1956 2 "Campaign Train" Tom Gries October 11, 1956 3 "Hideout" Alvin Ganzer October 18, 1956 4 "The Johnny Rath Story" Robert Florey October 25, 1956 5 "Night of August 7th" Alvin Ganzer Al C. Ward November 1, 1956 6 "Conspiracy" Reginald LeBorg Seeleg Lester November 8, 1956 7 "The Tower" Reginald LeBorg November 15, 1956 8 "Deported" Tom Gries November 22, 1956 9 "Until I Die" TBA Gabrielle Upton November 29, 1956 10 "The Avengers" TBA Malvin Wald and Jack Jacobs December 6, 1956 11 "The Deep End" Tom Gries December 12, 1956 12 "High Adventure" TBA TBA December 20, 1956 13 "Chicago Exclusive" Alvin Ganzer January 3, 1957 14 "World of the Lonely" Tony Leader Gabrielle Upton January 10, 1957 15 "The Third Inevitable" John Peyser Frank L. Moss January 17, 1957 16 "Flowers for the General" Alvin Ganzer László Görög January 24, 1957 17 "The Comeback" Reginald LeBorg Samuel Elkin January 31, 1957 18 "Atom at Spithead" Lance Comfort February 11, 1957 19 "El Hombre" Alvin Ganzer February 18, 1957 20 "Profile of Ellen Gale" Reginald LeBorg John Copeland February 25, 1957 21 "Dateline Las Vegas" Reginald LeBorg Al C. Ward March 4, 1957 22 "Forbidden Ground" Tom Gries March 11, 1957 23 "No Peace in Lo Dao" Reginald LeBorg March 18, 1957 24 "A Matter of Conscience" Harold Schuster Stephen Thornley March 25, 1957 25 "Misfire" Tom Gries April 1, 1957 26 "The Indictment" Tony Leader Seeleg Lester April 8, 1957 27 "Ninety and Nine" Harold Schuster James Edmiston April 15, 1957 28 "The Oil Man" Tom Gries David Chandler and Lowell Barrington April 22, 1957 29 "Run, Sheep, Run" Tony Leader W.R. Harris and Frederic Brady April 29, 1957 30 "The Death Merchant" Michael McCarthy May 6, 1957 31 "Violence Preferred" Tom Gries Stanley Niss & Lowell Barrington May 13, 1957 32 "The Last Laugh" Tony Leader Andrew Solt and Glen Bohannan May 20, 1957 33 "Confirm or Deny" Harold Schuster John Michael Hayes and E. Jack Neuman May 27, 1957 34 "Four Minutes to Shot" Tom Gries Frank and Doris Hursley June 3, 1957 35 "The Washington Stars aka The Washington Story" TBA TBA June 10, 1957 36 "A Death at Twin Pines" Harold Schuster June 17, 1957 37 "The Nameless" TBA TBA September 9, 1957 38 "Rehearsal for Sabotage" TBA TBA September 16, 1957 39 "Escape to Freedom" TBA Malvin Wald and Jack Jacobs September 23, 1957
Production The producers were Don Sharpe and Warren Lewis. Directors included Lance Comfort. Some episodes were filmed in England. Wire Service initially was broadcast at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursdays. Beginning on February 11, 1957, it was moved to Mondays at 7:30 p.m. ET. R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company was the sponsor.
The program was produced by Desilu Productions at Desilu Studios in Hollywood, California.
Home video A DVD set, Wire Service Volume 1, was released by Alpha Video on March 1, 2016.
See also
The Name of the Game
References
External links
Wire Service at CVTA "Chicago Exclusive" episode of Wire Service from YouTube "The Tower" episode of Wire Service from the Internet Archive "The Deep End" episode of Wire Service from the Internet Archive