The Marriage

"For the play by Nikolai Gogol, see The Marriage (play). If you are looking for the opera by Bohuslav Martinů, see The Marriage (opera)."

"The Marriage" was the first prime-time network television series to be broadcast regularly in color. ["News of TV and Radio," "New York Times", June 20, 1954, p. X11. The daytime programs "The World Is Yours" (1951) and "Modern Homemakers" (1951) were the first network television series broadcast in color.] It was a situation comedy broadcast live by NBC in the summer of 1954, and starred real-life couple Hume Cronyn (who also produced the show) and Jessica Tandy as a New York lawyer and his wife with two children, played by Susan Strasberg and Malcolm Brodrick. ["'The Marriage' Makes Its Television Debut," "New York Times", June 27, 1954, p. X13.]

The half-hour show, written by Ernest Kinoy, debuted on July 8, 1954, ["Tiny Microphone for TV Displayed", "New York Times", July 2, 1954, p. 15. The premiere was originally scheduled for July 1, but was cancelled at the last moment due to Jessica Tandy's illness.] originating from the Colonial Theatre in New York City, NBC's color television production facility. The television series was adapted from an NBC radio series of the same title, also starring Cronyn and Tandy and written by Kinoy, that ran from October 1953 to February 1954. The television show was directed by Jack Garfein and Marc Daniels. ["Director Leaves 'Marriage' Series," "New York Times", July 20, 1954, p. 17.]

The "New York Times" television critic called the show "new and different and delightful," and wrote, "'The Marriage' is a sparkling, crisp portrayal of some charming people." ["Television in Review: 'Marriage'," "New York Times", July 19, 1954, p. 25.] The "Washington Post" called it among the best of the summertime replacement series, praising its "adult approach to situation comedy," with believable situations and intelligent characters. [Lawrence Laurent, "It's Not the Heat; It's the Replacements," "Washington Post", Aug. 29, 1954, p. T3.]

The show was suspended after August 19, when Cronyn and Tandy left to tour on stage. There was talk in late 1954 of resuming the series, but it did not happen. ["'The Marriage' May Be Resumed," "New York Times", Dec. 8, 1954, p. 51. "TV Comedy Show Tries Psychology," "New York Times", Dec. 14, 1954, p. 50.]

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