Alan Young

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Lore & Background

Young had his first television program on the West Coast beginning on March 14, 1950, and the network version of The Alan Young Show debuted on CBS on April 6, 1950, as a variety, sketch comedy show. Each program typically contained a monologue, one or two songs by a vocalist and two skits. The show went on hiatus after its March 27, 1952, episode. When it returned for its final season on February 15, 1953, the tone and format of the show changed into the more conventional sitcom, with Young playing a bank teller. The show alternated weeks with Ken Murray's The Ken Murray Show under the title Time to Smile. In the last two weeks of the season, the format returned to its earlier style, but it was cancelled at the end of the season. It ended on June 21, 1953. In 1951, The Alan Young Show received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series, and Young won the Best Actor Emmy Award. Regulars on the first version included Polly Bergen (in her national TV debut), Ben Wright, Joseph Kearns, Mabel Paige, Phillips Tead and the Lud Gluskin Orchestra. Nina Bara was also a featured comedienne. On the second version, Dawn Addams played Young's girlfriend and Melville Faber portraying his son. John Heistand was the announcer. Lud Gluskin directed the orchestra. Ralph Levy and Dick Linkroum produced and directed, and Joe Connolly and Bob Mosher produced and wrote for the program. Alan Dinehart and Edward Bernds also directed. Other writers included Young, Leo Solomon, Dave Schwartz, Nate Monaster, and Stanley Shapiro.

Reader's Guide

A review of the first three CBS episodes in The New York Times said that Young "had some excellent sketches" in the first two, "But on the third show, when his writers let him down, Mr. Young was at very loose ends ..." The review complimented Young's "sense of timing in the delivery of his lines" but added that his "dependence on the script is also evident in his repetitive opening monologues, which are apt to seem forced." The production, props, and settings received compliments. A review of the program's September 28, 1950, episode in the trade publication Billboard called Young "one of the most original performers in video". However, the reviewer questioned the use of two long skits when Young's work came across better in shorter segments. Ilene Woods is listed as a cast member as Singing Neighbor.

Did You Know?

• The Alan Young Show began on NBC Radio on June 28, 1944, as a summer replacement for Eddie Cantor's program.
• Young's character on the radio show was described as 'a bashful young man'.
• The television version of The Alan Young Show won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety Series in 1951, and Young won the Best Actor Emmy Award that same year.
• Polly Bergen made her national TV debut as a regular on the first television version of The Alan Young Show.
• A Billboard review of the September 28, 1950 episode called Young 'one of the most original performers in video'.

From a Footballer's Son to a Manchester Comedian

His own autobiography later revealed the pressure of being expected to become a footballer despite what he called his "puppy fat," as well as painful school memories including being picked last for teams and his father forcing him to cut off a friend. He settled first in Chorlton-cum-Hardy and later in Stretford, a neighbourhood he credits as a wellspring for his material. For five years he balanced a call-centre job with late-night sets on the local comedy circuit before finally committing to comedy full-time.

A Television Career Built on Variety and Chat

Carr's television trajectory moved steadily from guest spots to headline hosting.

Radio, Recognition, and Life Beyond the Stage

On the awards front, Carr has collected three British Comedy Awards, two National Television Awards, and two BAFTA TV Awards, a tally that underscores his broad appeal across formats.