- Noah's Ark (1956 TV series)
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Noah's Ark Genre Medical drama Written by Jack Webb Directed by Jack Webb Starring Paul Burke
Victor Rodman
May WynnCountry of origin United States Language(s) English No. of seasons 1 No. of episodes 24 Production Producer(s) Jack Webb Camera setup Multi-camera Running time Half-hour Broadcast Original channel NBC Picture format Color Audio format Monaural Original run September 18, 1956 – February 26, 1957 Chronology Preceded by The Big Surprise (8 p.m. Tuesday, 1956-1957 season) Followed by The Jane Wyman Show (9 p.m. Tuesday, 1956-1957 season) Noah's Ark is a 24-episode half-hour drama television series which aired on NBC in the 1956-1957 season. It stars Paul Burke (1926–2009) in the title role of the young veterinarian Dr. Noah McCann,[1] partner with the older Dr. Sam Rinehart, played by Victor Rodman (1892–1965), who in the series uses a wheelchair. May Wynn (born 1930) plays the young receptionist, Liz Clark.[1][2]
Another similarly titled series, Second Noah, a family drama with Daniel Hugh Kelly in the title role of author Noah Beckett and Betsy Brantley as his veterinarian-wife, was televised on ABC from 1996-1997.[3]
Contents
Background
Noah's Ark was created, produced, and directed by Jack Webb through his Mark VII Limited and filmed at Revue Studios.[4] Its pilot episode on September 18, 1956, is titled "Jack Webb Presents." At the time, Webb and Ben Alexander co-starred on NBC's popular police drama Dragnet.[4] In the October 2 episode of Noah's Ark titled "The Petition", a dispute develops over a rezoning request for the veterinary clinic. When Noah tries to reason with recalcitrant neighbors, violence results.[1]
Other selected episodes
In "The Toothless Monkey" on October 9, the veterinarians place dental implants on a performing monkey, which is losing its teeth, in an effort to save the animal's career. In "The Mascot" on October 23, Marine Sergeant Mike Baker, played by Stacy Harris, refuses to allow the veterinarians to euthanize his aging Irish setter, which once saved the officer's life. In "The Friendly Lion" on October 30, Noah becomes more interested in a young blonde woman than her circus lion which needs treatment. In "The Displaced Deer" on November 13, Liz and the veterinarians try to nurse a fawn back to health. A hunter brought the animal to the clinic to be destroyed after it was struck by a richocheting bullet.[1]
In "The Cure-All" on November 27, Noah and Sam treat a little girl's puppy but discover that the child is herself being neglected by her wealthy father. In "A Girl's Best Friend" on December 11, Noah becomes more interested in a pretty blonde model, Barbara Windsor, played by Joi Lansing, than her allergic poodle, which he is treating.[1]
In the Christmas Day episode, 1956, "The Reluctant Reindeer," Noah finds an injured reindeer in a field on Christmas Eve, but the animal will not let the veterinarian get close enough to be treated.[5] On New Years Day, 1957, in the episode "Out to Pasture", Dr. Sam becomes despondent because he believes at sixty-four he has outlived his usefulness. Then the owner of an aging horse brings his animal to the clinic for a diagnosis.[1]
Paul Brinegar, later cast as the chuckwagon cook known as Wishbone on CBS's Rawhide, appears in the January 8 episode entitled "The Guide," the guide being a man's ill seeing eye dog. On January 15, in "The Talking Ostrich", a man telephones the veterinarians to inform them that he has an ostrich that can talk.[5]
In the series finale entitled "The Intruder" on February 26, the veterinarians question why a burglar keeps breaking into the clinic and steals pet food. Meanwhile, a mysterious stranger does gardening about the clinic at night.[1]
Scheduling
The 24th episode of the series with the title, "Irmgaard's Problem," never aired. Instead on March 5, 1957, the suspense series Panic made its debut to replace Noah's Ark. The theme song for Noah's Ark was performed by the Hi-Los.[1]
Noah's Ark aired at 8:30 p.m. EST on Tuesdays, opposite The Brothers (with Gale Gordon, Bob Sweeney and Barbara Billingsley) on CBS and Hugh O'Brian's The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp on ABC. Noah's Ark followed the quiz show The Big Surprise and preceded the anthology series, The Jane Wyman Show, or Fireside Theater, on NBC.[6] Along with Richard Boone's Medic, Noah's Ark was one of the early medical shows on American television. It was also an early program to be aired in color at a time when most selections were in black and white.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Noah's Ark". Classic Television Archives. http://ctva.biz/US/Medical/NoahsArk.htm. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
- ^ Alex McNeil, Total Television, p. 606
- ^ "Second Noah". tv.com. http://www.tv.com/second-noah/show/3106/summary.html. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
- ^ a b "Noah's Ark: "Jack Webb Presents"". tv.com. http://www.tv.com/noahand039s-ark/jack-webb-presents/episode/172071/summary.html?tag=ep_guide;summary. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
- ^ a b "Noah's Ark episode guide". tv.com. http://www.tv.com/noahs-ark/show/5917/episode.html. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
- ^ 1956-1957 American network television schedule, Total Television, appendix
Categories:- 1956 television series debuts
- 1957 television series endings
- 1950s American television series
- American drama television series
- English-language television series
- NBC network shows
- Television series by NBC Universal Television
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