September 30, 1962 (1962-09-30) – May 26, 1963 (1963-05-26)
GE True (also known as General Electric True)[1] is a 33-episode, American anthology series sponsored by General Electric that aired from September 30, 1962,[2] until May 26, 1963, with repeats through September 1963. Telecast on CBS, the series presented stories, both published and unpublished, from the files of True magazine.[1] The series' executive producer was Jack Webb through his Mark VII Limited company; he also acted as host-narrator, directed several episodes, and acted in several episodes.[3]
Program overview
A representative of the publisher of True magazine met Jack Webb at a party in New York and suggested the magazine as a source of material.[3] Webb and others then researched the magazine's files for story ideas.[3] Stories were adapted for television primarily by head writer Harold Jack Bloom. More than half of the episodes were directed by William Conrad, who portrayed Matt Dillon on radio's Gunsmoke and was later the star of the CBS crime dramaCannon.
In an overview of the 1962 television season, Time noted:
Jack ("dum-de-dum-dum") Webb is back. This time he is retelling stories from the files of True magazine. The first one was set on a hospital ship off Okinawa, where a doctor (played by William Conrad) operated on a marine who had a live and sensitive shell in his body capable of blowing a six-foot hole in a steel deck. It was a hell of a moment, but Webb sank it. "At 1830 hours exactly," he intoned, "the operation began on a human bomb dead center in the circle of death." He hosts the program in an echo-chambered voice, while he stands beside the word TRUE, spelled out in block letters 22 feet high, or roughly 10 times as tall as Jack Webb.[4][a]
GE True aired at 9:30p.m. Sundays,[2] following The McCoys, a sitcom that had moved to CBS from ABC.[1]GE True aired a half-hour later than a predecessor series, General Electric Theater, hosted by Ronald Reagan, which had aired at 9p.m. from 1953 to 1962. Both The McCoys and GE True faced opposition from the highly rated Western series Bonanza on NBC.[1]
The show had a unique opening, of which there were at least two variants. Each opening featured a large "TRUE" sign, apparently several stories tall and shown at an oblique angle, initially in deep shadow. One variant began with Webb voicing "Good evening. Your host, General Electric." with a large GE logo displayed next to the TRUE sign.[5] Another variant lacked the GE logo, but included a superimposed quotation from Daniel Webster: "There is nothing so powerful as truth, and often nothing so strange."[6] Strong symphonic music was featured as part of a majestic opening theme. Webb walked alongside the TRUE sign and stated either "And this, is true" (GE logo variant) or simply "This is true". The sign became brightly lit and the camera changed to a direct view of Webb, who then introduced the episode.
The Webb-hosted short film Red Nightmare (1962) had similarities to the GE True episode "The Last Day", although the former was presented as fantasy via a dream sequence.
In February 1963, Webb succeeded William T. Orr as executive in charge of Warner Bros. Television, with Orr moving to the motion picture part of Warner Bros.[7] At the beginning of June 1963, it was reported that GE True would not continue.[8] Webb's role with Warner ended in December 1963.[9]
Reruns of GE True were later syndicated under the title True.[citation needed]
Courageous Wisconsin game warden Ernie Swift (James Best) faces the reprisal of organized crime after he tickets gangster Frank MacErlane (David McLean) for illegal fishing.[23]
In 1960, George Ellsworth (Charles Aidman), an official with the United States Embassy in Warsaw, Poland, is blackmailed through a romantic affair with a young woman named Erica (Erika Peters) into passing secret information to the communists at the height of the Cold War. He confessed his guilt despite the protection of diplomatic immunity. Karl Swenson and Parley Baer also appeared in this episode.[31]
23
"The Black-Robed Ghost"
William Conrad
Harold Jack Bloom & Maxine Robinson & John Robinson
March 10, 1963 (1963-03-10)
After a young female artist dies suddenly, an aunt (Josephine Hutchinson) reports seeing her outside their home.[32]
24
"Ordeal"
William Conrad
Harold Jack Bloom
March 17, 1963 (1963-03-17)
In New Orleans, an ex-convict (Chris Robinson) kills a police sergeant, then forces his way into an apartment where he holds a family of three (the father played by Kevin Hagen) hostage.[33]
25
"Pattern for Espionage"
William Conrad
Harold Jack Bloom
March 24, 1963 (1963-03-24)
In 1954, a U.S. Army colonel, Harvey Madison (Rex Reason), is approached by a former Russian comrade-in-arms to spy for the communists. Instead, he covertly cooperates with the FBI to uncover a spy ring operated by the Soviet Union. Anthony Eisley and Gregory Walcott also appeared in this episode.[34]
26
"The Tenth Mona Lisa"
William Conrad
Louis Morheim
March 31, 1963 (1963-03-31)
In 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia (Vito Scotti) steals the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in Paris, but is apprehended by a French detective when he attempts to sell the painting to an art dealer.[35]
In the series finale, John Quigley (Bing Russell), a Chicago mobster travels to Chihuahua, Mexico, where he robs the mint of $500,000 and kills seven men in the commission of the crime. Police Lieutenant Juan Garcia (Carlos Romero) tracks down Quigley and his three accomplices. Barbara Luna appears in this episode as Cotita.[45][46]
Guest stars
In addition to performers mentioned above, other notable persons who guest starred on GE True include:
