September 15, 1954 (1954-09-15) – May 4, 1955 (1955-05-04)
The Best of Broadway is a 60-minutelive television anthology series that aired onCBS Television on Wednesdays at 10p.m. Eastern Standard Time from September 15, 1954, to May 4, 1955, for a total of nine episodes. Each show was broadcast live in color from New York City, was an adaptation of a famous Broadway play, and included commercials forWestinghouse featuringBetty Furness.[2] Using a "giant new studio,"[3] plays were presented in front of a studio audience, which contributed a Broadway-like element.[1]
The series originated from CBS Television Studio 72 atWCBS-TV.Martin Manulis was the initial producer, and Paul Nickell was the director. David Brookman was in charge of the music.[2] In February 1955,Felix Jackson became the producer when Manulis began producingClimax!.[4]
A review of "The Show-Off" in the trade publicationVariety said that the episode was "pretty feeble stuff" but that Gleason's performance kept it from being "a trying experience, indeed."[6]
