A
DATE WITH JUDY
(ABC, June 2, 1951-September 30, 1953)
American Broadcasting Company
MAIN CAST:
A
Date With Judy began its life as a teenage comedy radio series on NBC as a summer replacement
for Bob
Hope’s
show, The
Pepsodent Show (named for sponsor of both shows, Pepsodent
toothpaste). Starring then 14-year-old Ann Gillis
as Judy, the series focused on the teenaged girl who was deemed the most
datable in town, but had a habit of attracting trouble and causing chaos
wherever she went. The show began on June 24th, 1941 and ran until
May 25, 1950; with Dellie Ellis (later known as Joan Lorring) taking over as
Judy in the second season, and Louise Erickson
in the third for the remainder. The series moved to ABC for its final season,
sponsored by Ford Motors and Revere Cameras.
 |
| The radio cast photo from an article after Erickson took over the role. |
The show proved immensely popular, gaining a movie adaptation from MGM in 1948 starring Jane Powell in the title role. The
movie was also a hit, earning over $4.5 million at the box office. When the
radio show ended, ABC decided to adapt it again; this time for their television
network. Patricia Crowley played the title role, with Gene O’Donnell and Anna
Lee as her parents, Melvin and Dora, Judson Rees as her brother, Randolph, and
Jimmy Sommer as Judy’s boyfriend, Ogden “Oogie” Pringle. The series was
produced and written by Aleen
Leslie and primarily
sponsored by Clorets
Chewing Gum.
 |
| Judy and Oogie sharing a shake. |
A Date with Judy debuted on ABC on June 2nd, 1951,
airing on Saturday mornings. When the season ended, ABC decided to retool the
show and move it to primetime on Thursdays and later Wednesdays for the
remainder of its run. The entire cast was replaced, with Mary Linn Beller as
Judy; John Gibson as Melvin; Flora Campbell as Dora; and Peter Avarmo as
Randolph. Only Sommer was retained as Oogie, and Leslie continued to produce
and write for the show. It ended after three seasons on September 30, 1953;
replaced by British detective drama Saber
of London (also known as The Vise).
 |
| Judy's first comic appearance. |
While the radio show was on the air, National Periodical Publications
(the precursor of DC Comics) began publication
of a comic based on the
series. It ran for 79 issues between 1947 and 1960, outliving every
incarnation of the show. As for the show itself, clips and stills have not yet
found their way online, assuming any had survived their initial broadcasts due
to storage issues and the wide practice of wiping and recycling expensive film
stock.
EPISODE GUIDE:
Unavailable
at this time.
Originally posted in 2018. Updated in 2025.
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