Medical Horizons
| Medical Horizons | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Documentary |
| Directed by | Fred Carney |
| Starring | Don Goddard (host) Quincy Howe |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Fred Carney |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | September 12, 1955 – March 5, 1956 |
Medical Horizons is a public affairs television series, focusing on advancements in medical technology, which aired on ABC from September 12, 1955 to March 5, 1956. The program, broadcast live, sometimes offered surgical scenes as well as information about new medical equipment.[1]
The series was hosted for the first four episodes by Quincy Howe. He was replaced by Don Goddard, later a temporary ABC News anchorman. Medical Horizons ran on Monday evenings from 9:30 to 10 p.m. Eastern. It aired opposite the CBS situation comedy December Bride, starring Spring Byington, and the NBC anthology series Robert Montgomery Presents.[2] After the 26-week prime time run, Medical Horizons switched to Sunday afternoons from September 1956 to June 9, 1957.[1]
Fred Carney was the producer and Robert "Bob" Foster was the director. Jay Raeben of the J. Walter Thompson agency was the writer. Ciba Pharmaceutical Products, in cooperation with the American Medical Association, sponsored the program.[3] The purpose of the program was to "bring to the attention of the public the contributions of the American health professions" (per "Cibascope," company newsletter, 1956).
Critical reception
A review of the November 14, 1955, episode in the trade publication Broadcasting found that broadcast lacking in interest. It began, "The dramatic and increasingly successful fight against tuberculosis managed to become a dull story ..."[3] The review also contained the comment, "Lines intended to reflect spontaneity instead came out as clumsy and plodding ..."[3]`