Off the Record (TV series)

Not to be confused with Off the Record with Michael Landsberg.

American TV series or program

Off the Record

Starring| Zero Mostel
Joey Faye
Mimi Benzell
Country of origin| United States
Production
Producer| Martin Gosch
Running time| 30 minutes
Original release
Network| DuMont Television Network
Release| October 19 (1948-10-19) –
October 26, 1948 (1948-10-26)

Off the Record is a comedy television series that aired on the DuMont Television Network in October 1948.[1][2][3]

## Broadcast history

[edit]

The show, slated to air Tuesdays at 7pm ET, and starring Zero Mostel and Joey Faye, only lasted two episodes, October 19 and October 26, 1948.[4] Mostel claimed he had been promised a live audience, but the available studio was too small to hold an audience.[3] The setting was a radio station, a set at the Wanamaker Studios.

The 1948 show is not to be confused with a 15-minute show in 1951–52, also called Off the Record, aired from DuMont station WTTG in Washington, DC. This latter show, hosted by Art Lamb and Aletha Agee, featured singers lip-synching to current pop songs, and is on YouTube.[5]

## Preservation status

[edit]

As with most DuMont series, no episodes are known to exist.

## See also

[edit]

* List of programs broadcast by the DuMont Television Network
* List of surviving DuMont Television Network broadcasts
* 1948-49 United States network television schedule

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Zero Televised", Life magazine feature (November 22, 1948)
2. ^ Arthur Sainer, Zero Dances: A Biography of Zero Mostel p. 124
3. ^ a b Bob Leszczak, Single Season Sitcoms 1948-1979: A Complete Guide, p. 144
4. ^ DuMont historical website
5. ^ 1951–52 episode on YouTube

## Bibliography

[edit]

* David Weinstein, The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2004) ISBN 1-59213-245-6
* Alex McNeil, Total Television, Fourth edition (New York: Penguin Books, 1980) ISBN 0-14-024916-8
* Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows, Third edition (New York: Ballantine Books, 1964) ISBN 0-345-31864-1

## External links

[edit]

* DuMont historical website
* screengrab of Zero Mostel and Joey Faye on Off the Record (1948)