Bachelor Father (American TV series)
Bachelor Father is an American sitcom starring John Forsythe, Noreen Corcoran and Sammee Tong. The series first premiered on CBS in September 1957 before moving to NBC for the third season in 1959. The series' fifth and final season aired on ABC. A total of 157 episodes were aired. The series was based on "A New Girl in His Life", which aired on General Electric Theater on May 26, 1957.[1]
| Bachelor Father | |
|---|---|
 Noreen Corcoran and John Forsythe, 1961 | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Starring | John Forsythe Noreen Corcoran Sammee Tong Jimmy Boyd Bernadette Withers |
| Theme music composer | Dave Kahn (1957–1958) Melvyn Lenard Gordon (1957–1958) Jeff Alexander (1958–1959) Larry Ornstein (1958–1959) Johnny Williams (1959–1960) Conrad Salinger (1960–62) |
| Opening theme | "Bachelor Father Serenade" (1957–1958) "Bachelor Father Theme" (1958–1959) "Bachelor Father Theme" (1959–1960) "Bentley's Theme" (1960–62) |
| Composer | Stanley Wilson |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 157 |
| Production | |
| Producers | Harry Ackerman (1957–1958) Everett Freeman (1958–1962) Robert Sparks |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 30 mins. |
| Production companies | Bachelor Productions Revue Studios |
| Distributor | MCA TV |
| Release | |
| Original network | CBS (1957–1959) NBC (1959–1961) ABC (1961–1962) |
| Picture format | Black-and-white |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | September 15, 1957 – September 25, 1962 |
| Chronology | |
| Related shows | General Electric Theater |
Guest star Eddie "Rochester" Anderson and John Forsythe
Bachelor Father is the only primetime series ever to run in consecutive years on the three major television networks (ABC, CBS and NBC).[2]
Overview
Bachelor Father follows the adventures of Bentley Gregg, a wealthy bachelor attorney living in Beverly Hills who assumes the responsibility of raising his niece, Kelly (Noreen Corcoran), after her parents die in an automobile accident.[2] Other members of the cast included houseboy Peter Tong (Sammee Tong), teenage neighbor and Kelly's on and off boyfriend, Howard Meechum (Jimmy Boyd), Kelly's best friend, Ginger Farrell (Bernadette Withers) and Jasper, the dog.[2] Withers appeared in 51 episodes from 1957-1962; Boyd in 37 from 1958-1962. Plots center on Bentley's adjustments to his new role as an adoptive parent, his search for the right woman to share his life,[2] Kelly facing the usual problems of adolescence and young adulthood and her ritual of passage from high school to college and Peter's misadventures with his family, love life and financial schemes.
Asian rights activist Guy Aoki has praised the show for prominently featuring Asian actors and storylines, including "feisty" comedian Sammee Tong and Victor Sen Yung, the scheming "Uncle Charlie", "a slick, Americanized character. I thought it was great that way back in the ’50s, audiences saw a Chinese American who acted just like anyone else."[3]
The program's final season storylines led to Kelly's impending marriage to Bentley's junior partner Warren Dawson (Aron Kincaid).[4] The two met, became engaged, interacted with other couples and even met Dawson's parents (who flew in from New York on short notice), all in a span of three episodes. Without mention or explanation, Kincaid's character was dropped after four episodes and by the series finale, Kelly is seeing a different man with no marriage plans. Meechum (Boyd) appears in several Season 5 episodes, but he is never developed as a serious romantic interest for Kelly. As the series was canceled after 157 episodes, Bachelor Father did not have a formal series finale.
Primary cast
According to John Forsythe, the Bentley Gregg character was based on two well-known Beverly Hills bachelors at the time. He combined their names and used it for the character's in the program. Because of the implication in the program of Gregg's aversion to marriage, no serious thoughts were given to casting a 'regular' or steady woman for him. Instead, Gregg is forever dating different women with only a handful ever getting a 'second' date with him.
Forsythe noted that casting the main characters took considerable effort. Then actor (and future California governor and United States president) Ronald Reagan, who hosted General Electric Theater from 1954-1962, suggested Corcoran for the role, believing her to be a 'typical teenager' and closer to what a normal 13-year-old was like, and Forsythe agreed. Corcoran was already an experienced actress with movie and television roles to her credit. She was 18 years old when the program left the air and had virtually 'grown up' into a young woman during the show's five-year run.
Casting Bentley Gregg's houseboy was difficult as well. Sammee Tong was cast based primarily on his experience as a stand-up comedian. Forsythe believed much of the program's success resulted from the interaction between Tong and himself and that Tong had great comic timing. He also stated that Tong's character was unique for the time and that he was not the "typical" Asian house servant. Forsythe insisted on Tong being a major character on the program. Several of the program plots center around Tong, many dealing with his attempts to improve his position in life. Although none ever pan out (much like Bentley or Kelly) he does develop as a character through the life of the program.
Kelly's (Noreen Corcoran) best friend was Ginger, played by Bernadette Withers.[5]
Guest stars
Among the series guest stars were Edgar Bergen, Bill Bixby, Billy Gray, Ryan O'Neal, Frankie Laine, Mary Tyler Moore and singer Patti Page. Eddie Anderson, who portrayed "Rochester" on The Jack Benny Show, reprised his role in the Season 5 episode, "Pinch That Penny". Besides the 'Benny' link, the series had connections to The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show as Harry Von Zell appeared in five season three episodes as Bentley Gregg's friend and next-door neighbor. The Burns' son, Ronnie Burns, appeared on two episodes, as well. Fifteen-year-old Linda Evans also appeared in a guest spot on the series as one of Kelly's friends. Evans and Forsythe later starred in the primetime soap opera Dynasty together.[6]
Other guest stars include:
- Jack Albertson
- Eddie "Rochester" Anderson
- Frank Bank
- Jack Benny
- June Blair
- Whitney Blake
- Jean Carson
- Donna Douglas
- Barbara Eden
- Cheryl Holdridge
- Arlene Howell
- Charles Lane
- Sue Ane Langdon
- Cherylene Lee
- Jenny Maxwell
- Gisele MacKenzie
- Ann McCrea
- Howard McNear
- Joyce Meadows
- Joanna Moore
- Dean Reed
- Evelyn Scott
- Vito Scotti
- Olan Soule
Broadcast history
The series' pilot episode, "A New Girl in His Life", originally aired on General Electric Theater on May 26, 1957.[1] The series was first telecast on CBS on September 15, 1957.[2] It originally aired on Sunday evenings on alternating weeks with The Jack Benny Program (Benny guest starred on one episode) opposite NBC's Sally and ABC's Maverick with James Garner.[7] The show moved to NBC as a weekly series on Thursday nights in June 1959 (the Summer 1959 run on NBC were reruns of previous CBS episodes) and concluded its run on that network in September 1961.[8] The series then moved on to ABC on Tuesday nights in 1961 for its final season. The last "first run" episode (the 157th unique episode) aired on June 26, 1962, with reruns filling the remainder of the summer.[2]
Bachelor Father is the only series to ever run in consecutive seasons on all three major TV networks of the time (ABC, CBS and NBC). On November 22, 1963, a re-run episode of Bachelor Father was airing on several NBC affiliates in the Eastern Time Zone, Don Pardo broke in at 1:45 PM EST with the first bulletin of the shooting of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas.
Episodes
Season 1 (1957–58)
20 Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Bentley and the P.T.A." | Jerry Hopper | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | September 15, 1957 | |
| After her parents die in an automobile accident, wealthy bachelor lawyer Bentley Gregg (John Forsythe) has legal custody of his teenage niece Kelly (Noreen Corcoran). Bentley has a date with a beautiful movie starlet named Angela Giovanni, who is also a very important and valuable client. Because he is worried Kelly may be sick, Bentley is late for the date and Angela slams the door in his face. He manages to get a second date, but then finds out it's on the same night he is to attend a P.T.A. meeting. Bentley plans to go to the meeting and duck out soon after to make his date. However, things don't go as planned. But thanks to Kelly, Bentley gets Angela to sign a contract. Alice Backes as Vickie. Madge Blake as Mrs. Bowman. Mary Field as PTA Spokeswoman. Paul Maxey as Doctor. Florida Friebus as Mrs. Banks. Almira Sessions as Cleaning Woman. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Bentley Versus the Girl Scouts" | Jerry Hopper | Jerry Davis & Howard Leeds | September 29, 1957 | |
| Despite a late night, Bentley agrees to drive Kelly to her Pathfinder Outing meeting place. Kelly wants him to meet their leader, Marilyn Hesselroth (Diane Brewster). Bentley makes a play for Marilyn, but she shoots him down fast. He drives out to the camp site and tries to woo Marilyn again. She puts him to work chopping wood and digging holes. That evening Bentley has his houseboy Peter (Sammee Tong) bring out a table, chairs and fancy meal to the campsite. Bentley invites her to dinner the next evening. Kelly tells Bentley that she thinks Marilyn is in love with him even though she's already engaged. Bentley comes up with a plan to hopefully discourage Marilyn. Bernadette Withers as 'Troup Leader' Grabowski. June Blair as Woman #1. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Uncle Bentley and the Lady Doctor" | Jerry Hopper | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | October 13, 1957 | |
| Bentley has been trying for weeks to get Kelly to clean her room and keep it clean. Secretary Vickie tells Bentley that maybe she's doing it for attention and suggests talking to a child psychiatrist. Bentley meets Dr. Barbara Ruskin (Mary Webster), who happens to be quite beautiful. After getting some advice about Kelly, Bentley makes a play for the Doctor, but he doesn't get far. Bentley still loses his temper with Kelly and goes to see Dr. Ruskin again. She says if he can resolve the thing with Kelly by Saturday, she'll go out with him. At first it seems as though Bentley's plan isn't working, but in the end, Kelly understands. Bentley has his date with Barbara and finds out she may have had a hand in Bentley's success. Mary Field as Mrs. Hartman. Cheryl Miller as Nancy. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "A Date with Kelly" | Jerry Hopper | Jerry Davis & Howard Leeds | October 27, 1957 | |
| Adrian Benson (Shirley Patterson), an old acquaintance of Bentley's is in town. Bentley calls her up for a date that evening, but she is unavailable. Kelly overhears and says she wishes she could go on a date like the one Bentley promised Adrian. Bentley tells Kelly he will take her out that evening. She is very excited and makes plans to look very nice for the date. Later, Adrian shows up at Bentley's office and tells him that it turns out she is free for this evening. Forgetting his date with Kelly, he leaves with Adrian. Peter finds out and has to tell Kelly, who is now heartbroken. Peter gets a hold of Bentley and tells him how upset Kelly is. Bentley tells Adrian he has to leave. Adrian is now angry and doesn't want him to call her. Bentley apologizes to Kelly, but she is still upset. The next day, Peter promises Kelly that Bentley will take her out that night. Adrian agrees to go out with Bentley that evening. Peter calls Bentley and now Bentley must cancel his date with Adrian, again. Kelly and Bentley go on a wonderful date. When they get home, they find Adrian there because Kelly called her earlier. Bentley and Adrian then go out. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Uncle Bentley and the Aunts" | Jerry Hopper | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | November 10, 1957 | |
| Kelly hopes to be voted into the Lucky 13 Club, as all her friends are in it. However, one of the girls voted against her and Kelly doesn't get in. Bentley invites three of the girls from the club to lunch in hopes of finding out why Kelly wasn't voted in. He learns that the girl who voted against Kelly has an aunt who dislikes him. But the girls won't tell Bentley the name of the woman. It turns out Bentley has dated six of the girls aunts. So, he goes through the list hoping to find the one, but none of them are it. It turns out that the aunt is Martha (Mabel Albertson), a lawyer he has a case against. Martha says she will talk to her niece. When Bentley tells Kelly the good news, Kelly says she's been in the club for two days. Bernadette Withers as Ginger Farrell. Jean Moorhead as Cynthia. Jana Lund as Gladys. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "Bentley and the Revolving Housekeepers" | Jerry Hopper | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | November 24, 1957 | |
| Bentley feels that Kelly could benefit from some female supervision. He wants to hire a lady housekeeper, much to Peter's chagrin. Bentley sees Mr. Saunders (Joseph Kearns) at the domestics agency. First a Mrs. Barker (Florida Friebus) arrives. Peter and Kelly have the house full of various animals and Mr. Barker leaves quickly. Then a Mrs. Farrell (Edith Evanson) arrives. Bentley's date Patty Robbins (Barbara Eden) comes by. Turns out Patty knows Mrs. Farrell and they spend the evening reminiscing, ruining Bentley's date. Mrs. Farrell has Bentley eating foods he doesn't like and she puts a damper on his poker game with the guys. Mrs. Carter, Kelly's principal, tells Bentley that Kelly had been doing so well, but lately just doesn't seem to be the same. Fortunately for Bentley, Mrs. Farrell decides to work for a family with a little baby. William Kendis as Red. Tommy Farrell as Cecil. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "Uncle Bentley Keeps His Promise" | Jerry Hopper | Jay Sommers & Don Nelson | December 8, 1957 | |
| Kelly is having her first party at the house since she moved in. Kelly brags to her friends Helen and Marcia about all the famous people Bentley knows. Helen asks if he could get teen singing star Ronny Mann to come to Kelly's party tomorrow. Kelly brags and says yes he can. Bentley tells Kelly he will see what he can do. He makes several unsuccessful attempts to talk to Ronnie. Bentley then runs into a mustache disguised Ronnie in the park. Not knowing it really is Ronnie, Bentley asks if he would like to impersonate Ronnie at Kelly's party. Ronnie agrees. The girls at the party are all excited to see Ronnie and he sings for them. Bentley comes to realize it really is Ronnie Mann. Herb Vigran as Manager. Joby Baker as Boy at Stage Door. Bill Erwin as Security Guard. Phil Arnold as Telegraph Messenger. Joan Freeman as Girl #1. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Bentley and the Baby Sitter" | Jerry Hopper | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | December 22, 1957 | |
| Kelly has her first baby-sitting job for that evening. Bentley thinks she's too young and he doesn't want her to do it, but he says O.K. Bentley has a date with Doris Winslow (Lisa Davis), but all he can do is worry about Kelly. He stops by the Logan house only to find everything is fine. Mrs. Logan lets her female friends know that Kelly's uncle is a handsome bachelor and he stops by to check on Kelly. Suddenly, Kelly's babysitting service is fully booked. Bentley learns that the women hire Kelly just to get a chance to meet him. Some are single mothers and others just pretend to have children. Bill Erwin as Mr. Logan. Ricky Kelman as Jimmy Logan. | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Bentley and the Talent Contest" | Jerry Hopper | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | January 5, 1958 | |
| Bentley wants Kelly to appear in the talent show, but Kelly says she really doesn't do anything that well. Kelly decides to be an usherette instead. Bentley visits Miss Gilman (Kathleen Case), the ballet instructor, and sees that Kelly isn't as good as the other students. He then sees Miss Lindstrom (Elvia Allman), the piano teacher, and gets the same impression. Peter helps Kelly to work up a comedy routine of impressions of celebrities reciting "Mary had a Little Lamb." As Groucho, Kelly wiggles her duct tape eyebrows during each line. As Edward G. Robinson, Kelly talks out of one side of her mouth and adds the word "see" and "nyah" to the end of each line. Her Marilyn Monroe wears a boa and sighs at the end of each line. Kelly decides to still be an usherette, and Bentley tells her that he'll support her no matter what. A girl who had stolen Kelly's Marilyn Monroe nursery rhyme act, wins first prize. Before everyone leaves, the emcee (Shirley Mitchell) announces that there is also a trophy for the most popular student as chosen by the other students. Kelly wins that, to the delight of Bentley and Peter. Les Tremayne as Ralph Parker. Bartlett Robinson as Phil Corey. Cindy Carol as Karen. | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Bentley, the Homemaker" | Jerry Hopper | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | January 19, 1958 | |
| Bentley has been busy just about every evening. He finds out from Peter that Kelly is spending every evening with the Fuller family down the street. Kelly tells Bentley how much fun she has at the Fuller house and how nice Mr. Fuller is. Feeling he is neglecting her, Bentley makes plans to spend the evening with Kelly. But time with Kelly gets cut short when old friend Harry McKey (Gordon Jones) comes by with two women. Kelly says she doesn't mind and she'll just go to the Fuller's. Jack Benny comes by Bentley's office for some legal advice. Bentley arranges a surprise outing with Jack and Kelly to Disneyland. The morning of the outing, Bentley learns Kelly went clam digging with the Fullers. Bentley speaks with Mrs. Fuller and finds out he has nothing to worry about as far as Kelly is concerned. | ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "Bentley and His Junior Image" | Jerry Hopper | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster Based on a story idea by Lydia Nathan | February 2, 1958 | |
| Kelly's 13-year-old friend Helen Parker has a date with a 16 year old boy and Helen's dad doesn't like the idea. Kelly asks Bentley's opinion on whether Helen should date an older boy. Bentley says he has complete confidence in Helen's judgement. Bentley pleads Helen's case with her father Ralph Parker, but Ralph is still against it. Bentley runs into Matt Finletter (Francis DeSales). Matt tells him how his 15-and-a-half-year-old son is a younger version of Bentley. Helen tells Kelly she has a boy for her so they could double date. Ralph calls Bentley and tells him if Kelly double dates with Helen, then he has no problem with it. Bentley learns that Kelly's date is Matt Finletter, Jr. He is now a bundle of nerves over Kelly's date and he cuts short his date with Carol Spencer (Barbara Darrow). Bentley runs into Matt Jr.'s mother, Mary Finletter (Marian Marsh), who was also checking up on the date. Mary tells him this is Matt Jr.'s first date as well and he shouldn't worry about how Matt Sr. described his son. Charlie Cantor as Harry. Pamela Baird as Nancy. | ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "Uncle Bentley Loans Out Peter" | Jerry Hopper | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | February 16, 1958 | |
| Bentley is dating Liza Lane, a stage actress, who is about to do her first motion picture. She is a little afraid of that, plus she is moving from a hotel to her new house. Liza asks Bentley if she could borrow Peter for a couple days to make the adjustment. Bentley reluctantly agrees. Peter is not thrilled about the idea. He knows that Bentley and Kelly will be lost without him. After two days, everyone is glad to have Peter back and Bentley says he will never lend him out again. However, because of a situation Bentley can't get out of, he is talked into lending Peter to Liza again. When at Liza's, Peter says he won't go back and lets it slip that Bentley has a date with a Linda Donnally. Liza is furious and has a plan to get back at Bentley for his lies. She hires a clumsy butler named Henry (Vince Barnett) for Bentley to sabotage his dinner date with Linda. Jackie Kelk as Jerry. | ||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Bentley and the Social Worker" | Jerry Hopper | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | March 2, 1958 | |
| Bentley wants Kelly to love him, so he has a hard time disciplining her. He asks his friend Phil Corey's advice. Phil says Bentley should become Kelly's legal guardian, then he wouldn't feel so guilty. Judge Ruddick (Leslie Bradley) tells Bentley that because of his bachelor status, he must first undergo an investigation by a social worker. Kelly is thrilled about the idea of Bentley gaining guardianship. She agrees to do whatever she can to impress the social worker. Myra Carter (Joyce Meadows), the social worker, finally arrives. After Myra leaves, Bentley is sure he passed the inspection. He celebrates by having a poker game with his friends. During the game, Myra returns, as she left her notebook there. Bentley goes to see Myra the next morning at her office, to tries and explain things. Myra tells him that he will be awarded guardianship. Kathleen Case as Marge Barkman. Hal Riddle as Frank. Larri Thomas as Secretary. | ||||||
| 14 | 14 | "A Sister for Kelly" | Andrew McCullough | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | March 16, 1958 | |
| Bentley laments how many of his friends are always trying to get him married. Kelly and Ginger plot to have Bentley and Ginger's mom meet, fall in love, and get married. Then they could be sisters. Bentley knows that Kelly is trying to set him up with someone, but he doesn't know who. That is until he goes to a restaurant with Kelly and sees Ginger's mother Louise Farrell (Catherine McLeod) there. He finds out that Louise also knows what the girl's plan is. Bentley and Louise play along for the evening. Bentley does date Louise several times. Peter lets Kelly know in a subtle way that Bentley doesn't love Louise. Bentley wants to find a way to let Louise know he's not interested in marriage. Turns out Louise has a man in New York she is interested in. The girls now try to break up Bentley and Louise, only to happily find out there are no marriage plans. Leon Belasco as Violinist. Frank Richards as Mechanic. William Bakewell as Man #1. | ||||||
| 15 | 15 | "Waiting Up for Kelly" | Jerry Hopper | Phil Leslie | March 30, 1958 | |
| Kelly has a date to go to a party with a boy named Jack Corey. Bentley's a little concerned and asks her to be home on time. He was going to go out on a date with Laura Logan (Penny Edwards), but decides to stay at the house with her. Bentley starts to worry when Kelly is late. He drives over to Jack's house to talk with his father, Matt Corey (Whit Bissell). When he gets there, Bentley finds out that Jack has been home for awhile. Jack says that Kelly left early with the Rymer twins. Bentley goes to that house and speaks with the housekeeper (Hope Summers). She says the family left for Palm Springs. Bentley goes home to look for an address book and finds Kelly in her bed. She apparently got into the house through her bedroom window without anyone noticing. Frances Bergen as Marcia Sutherlee. Kathryn Card as Mrs. Logan. | ||||||
| 16 | 16 | "Woman of the House" | Andrew McCullough | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | April 13, 1958 | |
| 17 | 17 | "Peter Falls in Love" | Don Taylor | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | April 27, 1958 | |
| 18 | 18 | "Bentley's Prospective Son-In-Law" | John Newland | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | May 11, 1958 | |
| 19 | 19 | "Bentley's Clubhouse" | David Butler | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | May 25, 1958 | |
| 20 | 20 | "Uncle Bentley and the Matchmaker" | Jerry Hopper | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | June 8, 1958 | |
Season 2 (1958–59)
20 Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 1 | "Bentley and the Finishing School" | John Newland | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | September 14, 1958 |
| 22 | 2 | "Parent's Night" | John Newland | Jerry Davis & Alfred Lewis Levitt* | September 28, 1958 |
| 23 | 3 | "Bentley Leads a Dog's Life" | John Newland | Arthur Alsberg (s/t) & Nate Monaster (s) & Ben Starr (t) | October 12, 1958 |
| 24 | 4 | "Bentley and the Teenage Siren" | John Newland | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | October 26, 1958 |
| 25 | 5 | "Bentley & Peter's Teacher" | Sidney Lanfield | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | November 9, 1958 |
| 26 | 6 | "Bentley and the Wedding Bells" | Sidney Miller | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | November 23, 1958 |
| 27 | 7 | "Kelly's Mad Crush" | John Newland | Arthur Alsberg & Ben Starr | December 7, 1958 |
| 28 | 8 | "Bentley's Big Case" | John Newland | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | December 21, 1958 |
| 29 | 9 | "Bentley's Economy Wave" | John Newland | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | January 4, 1959 |
| 30 | 10 | "Decisions, Decisions" | John Newland | Jerry Davis & Alfred Lewis Levitt* (t) Bill Freedman & Larry Rhine (s) | January 18, 1959 |
| 31 | 11 | "Bentley and the Kleptomaniac" | John Newland | Laurence Marks & Milton Pascal | February 1, 1959 |
| 32 | 12 | "A Phone for Kelly" | Bretaigne Windust | Arthur Alsberg & Ben Starr | February 15, 1959 |
| 33 | 13 | "Bentley, the Star Maker" | John Newland | Arthur Alsberg & Nate Monaster | March 1, 1959 |
| 34 | 14 | "Bentley the Proud Father" | Earl Bellamy | Arthur Alsberg & Ben Starr | March 15, 1959 |
| 35 | 15 | "Bentley's Aunt Caroline" | John Newland | Arthur Alsberg & Ben Starr | March 29, 1959 |
| 36 | 16 | "Bentley, Man of Steel" | Earl Bellamy | Jerry Davis & Alfred Lewis Levitt* | April 12, 1959 |
| 37 | 17 | "Bentley and the Motorcycle" | Don Taylor | Arthur Alsberg & Ben Starr | April 26, 1959 |
| 38 | 18 | "Bentley, the Organizer" | Don Taylor | Arthur Alsberg & Ben Starr | May 10, 1959 |
| 39 | 19 | "Bentley and the Beauty Contest" | Bretaigne Windust | Arthur Alsberg & Ben Starr (s) Jerry Davis (t) | May 24, 1959 |
| 40 | 20 | "Bentley, the Hero" | Don Taylor | Arthur Alsberg & Ben Starr | June 7, 1959 |
* Because of the Hollywood Blacklist, Alfred Lewis Levitt was credited as "Tom August".
Season 3 (1959–60)
37 Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 1 | "Peter Meets His Match" | Sidney Lanfield | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | September 17, 1959 |
| 42 | 2 | "Bentley and the Dog Trainer" | Bretaigne Windust | Everett Freeman & William Raynor | September 24, 1959 |
| 43 | 3 | "The Case Against Gisele" | Sidney Lanfield | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | October 1, 1959 |
| 44 | 4 | "Bentley and the Gullible Guitarist" | Sidney Lanfield | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | October 8, 1959 |
| 45 | 5 | "Kelly's Idol" | Bretaigne Windust | Laurence Marks & William Raynor | October 15, 1959 |
| 46 | 6 | "East Meets West" | Sidney Lanfield | Jerry Davis & David R. Schwartz | October 22, 1959 |
| 47 | 7 | "Bentley and Grandpa Ling" | Sidney Lanfield | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | October 29, 1959 |
| 48 | 8 | "Kelly: The Golddigger" | Norman Abbott | Mel Diamond & John Kohn | November 5, 1959 |
| 49 | 9 | "The Rescue of Rufus" | Sidney Lanfield | Cynthia Lindsay & Leo Townsend | November 12, 1959 |
| 50 | 10 | "A Key for Kelly" | Sidney Lanfield | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | November 19, 1959 |
| 51 | 11 | "Bentley's Double Play" | Sidney Lanfield | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | November 26, 1959 |
| 52 | 12 | "Bentley and the Brainy Beauty" | Sidney Lanfield | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | December 3, 1959 |
| 53 | 13 | "Bentley Plays Cupid" | Sidney Lanfield | Jerry Davis & Howard Leeds | December 10, 1959 |
| 54 | 14 | "Kelly's Secret" | Bretaigne Windust | Martin Ragaway | December 17, 1959 |
| 55 | 15 | "Bentley Goes to Washington" | Bretaigne Windust | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | December 24, 1959 |
| 56 | 16 | "Kelly, the Politician" | Bretaigne Windust | Henry Sharp | December 31, 1959 |
| 57 | 17 | "Bentley: The Gentleman Farmer" | Bretaigne Windust | Arthur Alsberg & William Raynor | January 7, 1960 |
| 58 | 18 | "Bentley and the Combo" | Sidney Miller | Phil Davis, Laurence Marks & William Raynor | January 14, 1960 |
| 59 | 19 | "Bentley and the Bartered Bride" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher, James Hong, Alan Lipscott & Eleanor Middleton (s) | January 21, 1960 |
| 60 | 20 | "The Blonde Issue" | Sidney Miller | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | January 28, 1960 |
| 61 | 21 | "Bentley and the Majorette" | Sidney Miller | Keith Fowler (t) & David R. Schwartz (s/t) | February 4, 1960 |
| 62 | 22 | "Bentley, the Model Citizen" | Sidney Miller | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | February 18, 1960 |
| 63 | 23 | "The Fishing Trip" | Richard Kinon | Arthur Alsberg & Mel Diamond | February 25, 1960 |
| 64 | 24 | "The Fortune Cookie Caper" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | March 3, 1960 |
| 65 | 25 | "Kelly and the College Man" | Ezra Stone | Arthur Alsberg & Mel Diamond | March 10, 1960 |
| 66 | 26 | "Kelly: The Career Woman" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | March 17, 1960 |
| 67 | 27 | "Bentley's New House" | Bretaigne Windust | Arthur Alsberg & Joseph Quillan | March 24, 1960 |
| 68 | 28 | "Bentley, the Stage Mother" | Norman Abbott | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | April 7, 1960 |
| 69 | 29 | "The Woman's Angle" | Earl Bellamy | Arthur Alsberg, Keith Fowler & Joseph Quillan | April 14, 1960 |
| 70 | 30 | "Bentley Meets the Perfect Woman" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | April 21, 1960 |
| 71 | 31 | "Bentley and the Travel Agent" | Earl Bellamy | Arthur Alsberg & Mel Diamond | April 28, 1960 |
| 72 | 32 | "The Very Friendly Witness" | Norman Abbott | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | May 5, 1960 |
| 73 | 33 | "Bentley and the Blood Bank" | Earl Bellamy | Arthur Alsberg, Mel Diamond & Joseph Quillan | May 12, 1960 |
| 74 | 34 | "A Man of Importance" | Earl Bellamy | Arthur Alsberg & Mel Diamond | May 19, 1960 |
| 75 | 35 | "Bentley and the Beach Bum" | Earl Bellamy | Arthur Alsberg & Mel Diamond | May 26, 1960 |
| 76 | 36 | "Where There's a Will" | Bretaigne Windust | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | June 2, 1960 |
| 77 | 37 | "Bentley's Birthday Gift" | Earl Bellamy | Everett Freeman & Sam Locke | June 9, 1960 |
Season 4 (1960–61)
40 Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | 1 | "Jasper the Second" | Earl Bellamy | Everett Freeman | September 15, 1960 |
| 79 | 2 | "Kelly Learns to Drive" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | September 22, 1960 |
| 80 | 3 | "Trial Separation" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | September 29, 1960 |
| 81 | 4 | "Mystery Witness" | Earl Bellamy | Lou Derman | October 6, 1960 |
| 82 | 5 | "A Crush on Bentley" | Earl Bellamy | Everett Freeman | October 13, 1960 |
| 83 | 6 | "Peter Gets Jury Notice" | Earl Bellamy | Everett Freeman & Danny Simon | October 20, 1960 |
| 84 | 7 | "Hilda the Jewel" | Earl Bellamy | Lou Derman & Mel Diamond | October 27, 1960 |
| 85 | 8 | "It Happens in November" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose (t) Helen Mandel (s) | November 3, 1960 |
| 86 | 9 | "How to Catch a Man" | Earl Bellamy | Mel Diamond & Mel Tolkin | November 10, 1960 |
| 87 | 10 | "Kelly, the Matchmaker" | Earl Bellamy | Arthur Alsberg & Mel Diamond | November 17, 1960 |
| 88 | 11 | "Bentley Cracks the Whip" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | November 24, 1960 |
| 89 | 12 | "Bentley and the Big Board" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | December 1, 1960 |
| 90 | 13 | "Dear Bentley" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | December 15, 1960 |
| 91 | 14 | "Bentley and the Lost Chord" | Earl Bellamy | Danny Simon | December 22, 1960 |
| 92 | 15 | "Ginger's Big Romance" | Earl Bellamy | Keith Fowler & Ralph Goodman | December 29, 1960 |
| 93 | 16 | "Bentley the Angel" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | January 5, 1961 |
| 94 | 17 | "Bentley and the Woodpecker" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | January 12, 1961 |
| 95 | 18 | "Bentley Goes to Europe" | Earl Bellamy | Keith Fowler & Everett Freeman | January 19, 1961 |
| 96 | 19 | "The Greggs in Rome" | Earl Bellamy | Keith Fowler & Everett Freeman | January 26, 1961 |
| 97 | 20 | "The Greggs in London" | Earl Bellamy | William Raynor & Myles Wilder | February 2, 1961 |
| 98 | 21 | "The Greggs in Paris" | Earl Bellamy | Howard Leeds | February 16, 1961 |
| 99 | 22 | "Encore in Paris" | Earl Bellamy | Robert Pirosh | February 23, 1961 |
| 100 | 23 | "There's No Place Like Home" | Earl Bellamy | William Raynor & Myles Wilder | March 2, 1961 |
| 101 | 24 | "Bentley Swims Upstream" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | March 9, 1961 |
| 102 | 25 | "A Man Among Men" | Earl Bellamy | William Raynor & Myles Wilder | March 16, 1961 |
| 103 | 26 | "Peter's China Doll" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | March 23, 1961 |
| 104 | 27 | "Bentley and the Counterspy" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | March 30, 1961 |
| 105 | 28 | "Peter Plays Cupid" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | April 6, 1961 |
| 106 | 29 | "Bentley and the Great Debate" | Earl Bellamy | Charles R. Marion | April 13, 1961 |
| 107 | 30 | "Bentley and the Nature Girl" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | April 20, 1961 |
| 108 | 31 | "Bentley's Mad Friends" | Earl Bellamy | Keith Fowler & Everett Freeman | April 27, 1961 |
| 109 | 32 | "Hilda Rides Again" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | May 4, 1961 |
| 110 | 33 | "Kelly's Charge Account" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | May 11, 1961 |
| 111 | 34 | "Bentley Builds a Pool" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | May 18, 1961 |
| 112 | 35 | "Bentley Slays a Dragon" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | May 25, 1961 |
| 113 | 36 | "A Favor for Bentley" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | June 1, 1961 |
| 114 | 37 | "Kelly Gets a Job" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | June 8, 1961 |
| 115 | 38 | "Kelly's Tangled Web" | Earl Bellamy | John Elliotte (s/t) & Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott (t) | June 15, 1961 |
| 116 | 39 | "Bentley's Barbecue" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | June 22, 1961 |
| 117 | 40 | "Drop That Calorie" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | July 6, 1961 |
Season 5 (1961–62)
40 Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 118 | 1 | "Kelly's Graduation" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | September 21, 1961 |
| 119 | 2 | "The King's English" | Earl Bellamy | Dan Beaumont | October 3, 1961 |
| 120 | 3 | "Rush Week" | Greg Garrison | Jess Carneol & Kay Lenard | October 10, 1961 |
| 121 | 4 | "Kelly and the Freethinker" | John Newland | Sheridan Gibney | October 17, 1961 |
| 122 | 5 | "A Party for Peter" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | October 24, 1961 |
| 123 | 6 | "Never Steal an Owl" | Earl Bellamy | George Carleton Brown & Frank Gill Jr. | October 31, 1961 |
| 124 | 7 | "Bentley's Catered Affair" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | November 7, 1961 |
| 125 | 8 | "The House at Smuggler's Cove" | Earl Bellamy | Calvin Clements Sr. (t) Dick Conway & Roland MacLane (s/t) | November 14, 1961 |
| 126 | 9 | "Peter's Punctured Wedding" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | November 21, 1961 |
| 127 | 10 | "Star Light, Star Not So Bright" | Earl Bellamy | Jim Allen & R.S. Allen | November 28, 1961 |
| 128 | 11 | "Bentley and the Timeclock" | Earl Bellamy | Jim Allen & R.S. Allen (t) Elroy Schwartz (s/t) & Glenn Wheaton (s/t) | December 5, 1961 |
| 129 | 12 | "Birth of a Song" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | December 12, 1961 |
| 130 | 13 | "Deck the Halls" | Stanley Z. Cherry | Jim Allen & R.S. Allen | December 19, 1961 |
| 131 | 14 | "The Law and Kelly Gregg" | Stanley Z. Cherry | Jim Allen & R.S. Allen | December 26, 1961 |
| 132 | 15 | "How to Throw Your Voice" | Earl Bellamy | Shirley Gordon | January 2, 1962 |
| 133 | 16 | "Kelly the Yes Man" | Stanley Z. Cherry | Dan Beaumont & Ben Starr | January 9, 1962 |
| 134 | 17 | "Gold in Them Hills" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | January 16, 1962 |
| 135 | 18 | "How Howard Won His C" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | January 23, 1962 |
| 136 | 19 | "Pinch That Penny" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | January 30, 1962 |
| 137 | 20 | "Blossom Comes to Visit" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | February 6, 1962 |
| 138 | 21 | "Bentley and the Homebody" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | February 13, 1962 |
| 139 | 22 | "Summer Romance" | Earl Bellamy | Sheridan Gibney | February 20, 1962 |
| 140 | 23 | "The Hong Kong Suit" | Earl Bellamy | Hannibal Coons & Charles R. Marion | February 27, 1962 |
| 141 | 24 | "Will Success Spoil Jasper?" | Hollingsworth Morse | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | March 6, 1962 |
| 142 | 25 | "Strictly Business" | Earl Bellamy | Dan Beaumont, Larry Williams & Maggie Williams | March 13, 1962 |
| 143 | 26 | "On the Old Camp Ground" | Abby Berlin | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | March 20, 1962 |
| 144 | 27 | "A Visit to the Bergens" | Earl Bellamy | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | March 27, 1962 |
| 145 | 28 | "The Richest Cat" | Earl Bellamy | Sloan Nibley | April 3, 1962 |
| 146 | 29 | "The Twain Shall Meet" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | April 10, 1962 |
| 147 | 30 | "Bentley Goes to Bat" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | April 17, 1962 |
| 148 | 31 | "Kelly's Engagement" | Earl Bellamy | William Raynor & Myles Wilder | April 24, 1962 |
| 149 | 32 | "Kelly, the Home Executive" | Earl Bellamy | Jim Allen, R.S. Allen & Mel Diamond | May 1, 1962 |
| 150 | 33 | "Blossom Time at the Greggs" | Hollingsworth Morse | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | May 8, 1962 |
| 151 | 34 | "What Men Don't Know" | Hollingsworth Morse | George Carleton Brown & Frank Gill Jr. | May 15, 1962 |
| 152 | 35 | "Marry Thy Neighbor" | Hollingsworth Morse | Seaman Jacobs & Si Rose | May 22, 1962 |
| 153 | 36 | "Bentley Takes It Easy" | Earl Bellamy | Mel Diamond (t) & Seaman Jacobs (s/t) & Si Rose (s/t) | May 29, 1962 |
| 154 | 37 | "Boys Will Be" | Earl Bellamy | Jess Carneol (s/t) & Kay Lenard (s/t) & Larry Rhine (t) | June 5, 1962 |
| 155 | 38 | "Divided House" | Earl Bellamy | Mel Diamond | June 12, 1962 |
| 156 | 39 | "Peter, the Medicine Man" | Earl Bellamy | Everett Freeman & Larry Rhine | June 19, 1962 |
| 157 | 40 | "Curfew Shall Not Ring Tonight" | Earl Bellamy | Bob Fisher & Alan Lipscott | June 26, 1962 |
Production notes
Bachelor Father was filmed at Revue Studios. It was primarily sponsored by American Tobacco (Tareyton cigarettes) and American Home Products Corporation (Anacin, Dristan and Chef Boyardee) throughout its original run.[8] The series was produced by Forsythe's "Bachelor Productions" in association with MCA's Revue Studios.[9] Bachelor Father pilot and broadcast season were produced by Harry Ackerman, who left Revue/MCA after the first season to produce other sitcoms like Hazel, Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie for Screen Gems/Columbia. He was later replaced by Everett Freeman for the rest of the show's run.[10]
Syndication
Reruns of Bachelor Father were syndicated on the Retro Television Network until October 2011. The show then began airing on Antenna TV, but remained off schedule from January 2015 to January 2022.
References
- McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). Penguin Books. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-1402-4916-3.
- Terrace, Vincent (1980). Complete Encyclopedia of Television Programs (1947 - 1979). Cranbury, New Jersey: A. S. Barnes and Co. pp. 39–40. ISBN 978-0-4980-2488-7.
- Aoki, Guy (July 10, 2014). "Into The Next Stage: Rediscovering Sammee Tong in 'Bachelor Father'". Rafu Shimpo. Los Angeles. Retrieved 2022-03-20.
- "On 'Bachelor Father' Kelly Gains TV Fiancee". The Tuscaloosa News. April 22, 1962. p. 16. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (June 28, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946 – Present (1st ed.). Random House. p. 96. ISBN 978-0-3074-8320-1.
- Buck, Jerry (August 3, 1981). "'Dynasty' Surprises Linda Evans". The Hour. Norwalk, Connecticut. p. 16. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
- "'Bachelor Father' Gains Niche Among TV's Top 20 Shows". The Tuscaloosa News. April 17, 1960. p. 16. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
- Robinson, Johnny (March 20, 1959). "Video Version". Lewiston Evening Journal. p. 12. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
- Balio, Tino, ed. (December 17, 2013). Hollywood in the Age of Television. Routledge. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-3179-2915-4.
- Heldenfels, R D (October 2, 1986). "Albany-Born Producer Ackerman Is Well-Placed On Television Dial". Schenectady Gazette. p. 23. Retrieved March 19, 2015.
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