Syndicated Television

Here is an excellent reference book on “first run” syndication—the distribution of programs either made exclusively for non-network play, or of programs intended for network telecasts but ultimately making their debuts in syndication. Bringing together information not easily found, this work covers the classics such as Sea Hunt, Highway Patrol, The Merv Griffin Show and the Muppet Show, as well as such once-popular but now obscure productions as China Smith, Ripcord and The Littlest Hobo. Coverage goes back to 1947 and the book includes a number of series ignored in other works.
The first section is an overview of the concept of syndication from its earliest application in the newspaper world to the attempt by Fox Television to become a fourth network. The next four sections each cover ten years of syndication, listing the shows (with full background—who produced them and why, who liked them and why, etc.) alphabetically by title under the following genres: Adventure/Mystery, Children’s, Comedy, Drama, Game/Quiz, Informational, Music/Variety, Religious, Sports, Talk/Interview, Travel/Documentary, Westerns, and Women’s.

Hal Erickson is the author of numerous media-related books and was for many years a primary editor of the All-Movie Guide website. He lives and works in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Hal Erickson
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 432
Bibliographic Info: bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2001[1989]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-1198-6
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1381-9
Imprint: McFarland

“useful…recommended”—Booklist; “full of information…worthwhile”—Library Journal; “informative and entertaining”—Choice; “an excellent source of trivia…definitely fascinating”—ARBA; “excellent…highly recommended”—Classic Images; “you’ll be amused as well as informed”—Filmfax; “quick reference for every TV junky”—Public Library Quarterly; “well written and researched…recommend[ed]”—The TV Collector; “chock full of facts”—Movie Collector’s World “entertaining and useful…recommended”—Preview; “indepth information”—Video; “comprehensive”—TV Journal & Entertainment Magazine; “amazing…great for browsing…enjoyable”—The Villadom Times; “a must-read”—Ashe Mountain Times.