The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theatre
The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theatre is a half-hour filmed American comedy series produced by Eddie Cantor and made at Ziv Television Programs, Inc. for first-run syndication. Cantor hosted and performed on each show. Thirty-nine episodes were produced and aired in 1955 before Cantor decided the show was too much for him to continue doing. Premise During November 1954, Cantor explained his idea for television success to columnist Erskine Johnson: "The size of TV screens demands intimacy, close-ups, and not more than half a dozen people on stage at the same time". This was an unusual mixed genre show, combining elements of comedy, variety and anthology. Each episode might have one or multiple guest stars, who would interact with Cantor before and after any sketches. (There were also supporting actors and extras). Some episodes had a single long sketch with an intermission, others had two or three short sketches, while a few dispensed with sketches for musical variety. The sketches were always light-hearted comedies, with Cantor sometimes performing in them alongside the guest star and supporting players. "I'm the host, but I get around" Cantor said. A typical show opened with a theater marquee displaying the shows name, the camera moving