Debbie Reynolds Show
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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TELEVISION 121 "DEATH OF A PRINCESS"- two-hour docudrama that in 1930 and carried it into TV in 1952, usually placing it in created a diplomatic flap, and a domestic one as well, priorto around 120 markets. Host for the first 12 yearswas Stanley its airing May 21, 1980 in the PBS series, World. The film Andrews, who was represented as the Old Ranger. Subse- attempted to illuminate the Middle East for Westerners quent host -narrators included Ronald Reagan, Robert Taylor through piecing together the story of a 19 -year -old Saudi and Merle Haggard. Production continued beyond 1975. Arabian princess who in 1977 was executed, along with her lover, for committing adultery. Under Islamic law, adultery is a capital crime. "DEBBIE REYNOLDS SHOW, THE"-anattempt by The furor began when the film aired in Britain and the NBC (1969) to establish a successor to Lucille Ball ina Netherlands, a few weeks before the U.S. showing. The situation comedy that followed the wacky lines of the various Saudis voiced objections to the British government, saying Lucy shows on CBS. Although Miss Reynolds had been given the film misrepresented the social, religious and judicial a two-year contract, the series ended a failure after 17 epi- systems of the country and was insulting, besides, to the sodes. Via Harmon Productions and Filmways, it featured heritage of Islam. The Saudi ambassador then calledupon Don Chastain, Patricia Smith, Tom Bosley and Bobby Riha. the U.S. State Department to block the showing in this country. Implicit were threats of breaking off diplomatic relations and suspending oil exports at the height of the "DECEMBER BRIDE"-popular CBS situation comedy energy crisis. (1954-59) which served as a vehicle for Spring Byington, Pressures on PBS began to mount, from Congressmen, who, portrayed an attractive widow living with her daughter Mobil Oil (a chief benefactor of public television) and at least and son-in-law. Featured were Frances Rafferty, Dean Miller, one unidentified philanthropic foundationall arguing that in Harry Morgan and Verna Felton. It produced a successful showing the film PBS would be going against the best spin-off, Pete and Gladys. It was via Desilu. interests of the United States. But PBS stood its ground, refusing to be censored, especially by a foreign government. Nevertheless, several public stations refused to carry the deCORDOVA, FRED-TV and motion picture producer program, including KUHT Houston, a city where oil inter- and director who since 1970 has been producer of Johnny ests are concentrated, and eight stations in South Carolina, Carson's Tonight show on NBC. In the 40s, deCordova was a home state of the Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, John C. film director at Warner Bros. and Universal; in the 50s he West. moved into television, winning one Emmy as producer of The episode received wide attention and debate in the The Jack Benny Show and another as director of The Burns and press, a fact which contributed greatly to the large audience Allen Show. He also directed My Three Sons for fouryears and for the broadcast. After the airing, the issues quicklyevapo- such other series as The George Gobel Show, Mr. Adams and Eve rated. Mobil did not withdraw its underwriting of public and December Bride. In all, before joining Tonightas successor television shows, the Saudis did not suspend oil shipments, to Rudy Tellez, he directed some 500 TV programs. and there was no move in Congress to end Federal support of the public broadcasting system. The film was a coproduction of WGBH Boston, ATV in "DEC. 6, 1971: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE PRESI- England and Telepictures Corp. It was written by British DENCY"-An NBC News special covering President journalist and filmmaker Anthony Thomas, in collaboration Nixon in a 15 -hour working day, reported by John Chancel- with David Fanning, the executive producer of World for lor.It was broadcast in December 1971 shortly after the WGBH. The script was taken from interviews conducted by filming. Although NBC considered it a news coup, others Thomas during 1978. Featured in the program were Paul found the timing of the flattering piece uncomfortably close Freeman, portraying a British journalist (apparently mod- to the election season of 1972. eled on Thomas) trying to dig out the story of theyoung princess and why she died, and Suzanne Abou Taleb, an Egyptian actress playing the princess. World was funded by DEF (DELAYED ELECTRONIC FEED)-Also known as the Ford Foundation and the German Marshall Fund. ABC/DEF, the newsfilm service syndicated by ABC News to After the U.S. showing, the film was aired on Israeli TV, subscribing affiliates for use in their local newscasts, at their whose signal reaches across borders to some 8 million Arabs. discretion. All the networks provide such a service to their affiliates for a nominal charge. The DEF material is sent out over the lines in the manner of a closed-circuit broadcast and "DEATH VALLEY DAYS"-long-running westernan- is taped by the stations, allowing them to select the items thology series owned and syndicated by U.S. Borax for its 20 suitable for their newscasts. The DEF feed consists of top Mule Team products. The sponsor started the series on radio national and foreign stories, as well as some that might be.