Bonino (TV series)

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Bonino
Cast of the show.
Also known asI, Bonino
GenreSitcom
Created byThomas Phipps
Robert Alan Aurthur
Inspired byTwo for One by
Robert Alan Aurthur
StarringEzio Pinza
Theme music composerEzio Pinza
Ardon Cornwell
Country of originUnited States
No. of seasons1
No. of episodesUnknown; no more than 16
Production
ProducerFred Coe
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseSeptember 12 (1953-09-12) –
December 26, 1953 (1953-12-26)

Bonino is a thirty-minute ethnic situation comedy television series starring Ezio Pinza. Originating in the Hudson Theatre in New York City,[1] the program aired live on NBC from September 12 to December 26, 1953.[2] The show was also known as I, Bonino, an alternate title that many newspapers and columnists used in place of the official name when the series premiered.[3]

The inspiration for the series was a teleplay Robert Alan Aurthur wrote called Two for One, about a middle-aged widower who raises his children from a distance.[4] It had appeared on an early anthology series, Television Playhouse.[4]

Premise[edit]

Babbo Bonino (Ezio Pinza) retires as a traveling concert singer, so he can live at home and help raise his eight motherless children.[5][6] Columnist Erskine Johnson reported that the "Emphasis will be on human interest, situation comedy, and an occasional song".[7]

A storyline concerning the engagement and marriage of oldest daughter Doris Bonino, intended to play out over four months, had to be accelerated when actress Lenka Peterson became pregnant before the show's premiere.[fn 1][8]

Cast[edit]

The Bonino household

Others

Production[edit]

NBC announced the show would be on its fall schedule, with Pinza starring, in mid-August 1953.[12] The signing of Mary Wickes, Mike Kellin, and David Opatoshu to the cast was reported a few days later.[5] The projected budget for eight children proved expensive enough that producer Fred Coe reportedly considered cutting down the cast.[13] The solution was to turn two of the child characters (portrayed by Lucille Graygor and Paul Jonali) into non-speaking roles, essentially making them "extras" with much lower pay. Only six of Bonino's children would have speaking parts.[14] An additional expense dodge was that the oldest and youngest children, Edward and Andrew, did not appear until episodes 5 and 4 respectively.

Thomas Phipps and Robert Alan Aurthur created Bonino, and Aurthur was the program's writer. Fred Coe was the producer, and Gordon Duff was the director.[1] Donald Voorhees conducted the live orchestra for each episode.[5] The show's theme music was composed by Ezio Pinza and arranged by Ardon Cornwell.[15]

Response[edit]

After the premiere aired, Kay Gardella in the New York Daily News said that Pinza acquitted himself well as an actor, while "the first installment, while not brilliant, proved promising".[16] However, columnist Jack O'Brian felt the premiere episode was overburdened with comedy cliches, and that the series would stand or fall on Pinza's personal appeal.[17] Columnist Dwight Newton noted how similar were the first episode premises of Bonino and another new series called Make Room for Daddy; in each case a professional singer decides to stay home with the children he's been neglecting.[18]

Broadcast history[edit]

Bonino debuted at 8 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, September 12, 1953, just after Ethel and Albert and before Ted Mack's The Original Amateur Hour.[19] The starting date meant its premiere episode would go against the CBS summer replacement series The Larry Storch Show,[19] giving it a week's grace before the return of The Jackie Gleason Show.[20]

Since the show was broadcast live, stations on the NBC network in the Central and Mountain time zones saw it at 7 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively. Stations not on the network feed, including those in the Pacific time zone, received a kinescope copy a week later.

Bonino was sponsored by Philip Morris cigarettes and Lady Esther cosmetics.[21] It was replaced by a Spike Jones program.[22]

Episodes[edit]

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11TBAGordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurSeptember 12, 1953 (1953-09-12)
Bonino retires from touring to stay home and deal with family problems. Cast:[23]
12TBAGordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurSeptember 19, 1953 (1953-09-19)
Bonino meets the impoverished fiance of daughter Doris, and soon regrets being hostile. Cast:[24]
13TBAGordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurSeptember 26, 1953 (1953-09-26)
Bonino insists Martha take a vacation, causing an uproar when she decides to quit instead.[fn 4] Cast:[25]
14"The Rebellion of Andy Bonino"Gordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurOctober 3, 1953 (1953-10-03)
Bonino's youngest child rebells at having to start school. Cast:[26]
15"Jazz vs. Babbo"Gordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurOctober 10, 1953 (1953-10-10)
Trombonist Edward Bonino drives his father crazy with his college Dixieland band. Cast:[27]
16"Rusty's Girl"Gordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurOctober 17, 1953 (1953-10-17)
Bonino upsets his valet Rusty by saying his girl Charmaine can't sing. Cast:[28][29]
17TBAGordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurOctober 24, 1953 (1953-10-24)
Daughter Doris has plans to get married. Cast:[30]
18"Halloween Party"Gordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurOctober 31, 1953 (1953-10-31)
A visiting Countess tries to snare Bonino but is stymied by trick-or-treaters. Cast:[31]
19"Doris Marries"Gordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurNovember 7, 1953 (1953-11-07)
Emotional Bonino finds equanimity hard to maintain at daughter's wedding.[fn 5] Cast:[32]
110TBAGordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurNovember 14, 1953 (1953-11-14)
Bonino's new butler irks the household with his formality. Cast:[33]
111TBAGordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurNovember 21, 1953 (1953-11-21)
Teenager Jerry Bonino falls in love amidst much teasing from his siblings. Cast:[34]
112"Bonino Goes Duck Hunting"Gordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurNovember 28, 1953 (1953-11-28)
Young Carlo Bonino objects to his father killing ducks. Cast:[35]
113TBAGordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurDecember 5, 1953 (1953-12-05)
Two Bonino cousins from Italy think Bonino has become just a pop singer. Cast:[36]
114"Martha Comes Home From Vacation"Gordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurDecember 12, 1953 (1953-12-12)
Martha the housekeeper returns from her extended vacation. Cast:[37]
115"The Boninos Celebrate Christmas"Gordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurDecember 19, 1953 (1953-12-19)
A largely musical episode with the Bonino family singing carols. Cast:[38]
116"Farewell Party"Gordon DuffRobert Alan AurthurDecember 26, 1953 (1953-12-26)
(Final episode) The family gives a farewell party for Edward as he leaves to join the Marines. Cast:

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ She was much older than her character, and already a married mother with two children.
  2. ^ Harris may actually have played a snooty butler in a single episode on November 14, 1953.
  3. ^ Eisley most likely portrayed Doris Bonino's fiance, but there is no source to confirm this.
  4. ^ The genesis of this storyline was Mary Wickes being cast in White Christmas. Her character left on vacation and didn't return until the last three episodes.
  5. ^ The character of Doris leaves the show with this episode, returning only for the Christmas episode.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Leszczak, Bob (2012). Single Season Sitcoms, 1948-1979: A Complete Guide. McFarland. pp. 19–20. ISBN 9780786468126. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 165. ISBN 9780307483201. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  3. ^ Clark, Wilbur D. (September 12, 1953). "Ezio Pinza Becomes 'I, Bonino'". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b Foster, Bob (October 10, 1953). "Fred Coe; Writers Pal". The Times. San Mateo, California. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c "Ezio Pinza Will Be Star in New Fall TV Series". Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. August 23, 1953. p. 150 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Ezio Pinza Begins New Comedy Series on Television Tonight". The Memphis Press-Scimitar. Memphis, Tennessee. September 12, 1953. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Johnson, Erskine (August 20, 1953). "Hollywood Gossip". Public Opinion. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Lyons, Leonard (September 26, 1953). "Intrusion of Nature Forces Quick Shift in TV Script". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Clark, Wilbur D. (October 10, 1953). "Two Games on Video Today". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b c "The Bonino Family (photo caption)". The Newark Advocate. Newark, Ohio. October 3, 1953. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Butterfield, C. E. (October 17, 1953). "Radio and TV News". Evening Express. Portland, Maine. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Butterfield, C. E. "Three New TV Programs Set for Coming Season". Alabama Journal. Montgomery, Alabama. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Big Families Tough On TV Fathers, Too". Ventura County Star. Ventura, California. August 25, 1953. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Simpson, Peg (September 12, 1953). "Caesar and Coca Back Tonight on Show of Shows". The Post-Standard. Syracuse, New York – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Emerson, Faye (October 31, 1953). "Faye Emerson Writes About TV and Radio". The Albuquerque Tribune. Albuquerque, New Mexico. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Gardella, Kay (September 14, 1953). "What's On". Daily News. New York, New York. p. 205 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ O'Brian, Jack (September 14, 1953). "'My Husband' Best of New TV Shows". The South Bend Tribune. South Bend, Indiana. p. 15 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Newton, Dwight (October 3, 1943). "Day and Night with Radio and Television". San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. p. 16 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ a b "TV Programs for the Week". Flatbush Times. Brooklyn, New York. September 11, 1953. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ Inge, Gene (September 26, 1953). "TV and Radio". News-Pilot. San Pedro, California. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Sponsors Bow Out on 'Bonino'" (PDF). Billboard. November 14, 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  22. ^ "Spike Jones To Replace Pinza on NBC" (PDF). Billboard. December 26, 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  23. ^ Stretch, Bud (September 12, 1953). "Air Waves". Courier-Post. Camden, New Jersey. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Tonight's TV". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. September 19, 1953. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Radio - Television". The Rock Island Argus. Rock Island, Illinois. September 26, 1953. p. 20 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ Blackmer, Dave (October 10, 1953). "Tele-Views". The Capital Journal. Salem, Oregon. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "To Hear To See". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. October 10, 1953. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "To Hear To See". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. October 17, 1953. p. 21 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Television Highlights Tonight". Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Lancaster, Pennsylvania. October 17, 1953. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "TV Saturday Programs". Courier-Journal. Louisville, Kentucky. October 24, 1953. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "Complete Television Listings for Saturday". Detroit Free-Press. Detroit, Michigan. October 31, 1953. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "TV Radio Highlights". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Georgia. November 7, 1953. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "Saturday Radio-TV Tips". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. November 14, 1953. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ "Saturday Radio-TV Tips". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. November 21, 1953. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ "Saturday Showings". The Newark Advocate. Newark, Ohio. November 28, 1953. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ Tops, T. V. (December 12, 1953). "To Be Seen and Heard". The San Bernardino County Sun. San Bernardino, California. p. 29 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "Saturday Television Program". The Courier-Post. Camden, New Jersey. December 12, 1953. p. 9 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ Scheuer, Steven H. (December 19, 1953). "TV Key". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Brooklyn, New York. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.

External links[edit]

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