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Assignment Foreign Legion

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Assignment Foreign Legion is an American TV series that starred Merle Oberon.[1] It ran on CBS from October 1, 1957, until December 24, 1957.[2]

Premise

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The series related activities of the French Foreign Legion during World War II.[2] Oberon narrated episodes and played a newspaper correspondent in search of stories about the Foreign Legion.[3]

Production

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The show's producers were M. Smedley Aston and Anthony C. Bartlett.[4] Directors included Don Chaffey, Michael McCarthy and Lance Comfort.[5] Writers included Max Ehrlich.[6] The series was filmed in Morocco, Algiers,[4] England and Spain.[3] Eventually it became too dangerous and filming was completed at Beaconsfield Studios in London.[citation needed] CBS Television Film Sales Inc. distributed the series.[3]

Assignment Foreign Legion was broadcast on Tuesdays from 10:30 to 11 p.m. Eastern Time.[7] Its average cost was $26,000 an episode.[8] It was sponsored by P. Lorillard Company[9] for Kent cigarettes. The trade publication Variety reported, "there was some worry" prior to Lorillard's taking on the show because it "may be too controversial, possibly alienating nationalistic Arabs."[10] The program ended when Lorillard decided to move its sponsorship to Richard Diamond, Private Detective, which began on January 2, 1958.[11]

Reception

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Variety said "Stories, acting, and production are of good quality.[12]

One week the show was among the top ten shows in Britain.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Merle Oberon Tells Story". The Canberra Times. Vol. 36, no. 10, 277. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 July 1962. p. 15. Retrieved 11 August 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ a b McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 64. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
  3. ^ a b c Adams, Val (August 20, 1957). "Merle Oberon to Star on C.B.S. In TV Series of Foreign Legion". The New York Times. p. 53. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Hawes, William (December 26, 2001). Filmed Television Drama, 1952-1958. McFarland. p. 109. ISBN 978-0-7864-1132-0. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  5. ^ "Stories Of The Foreign Legion". The Canberra Times. Vol. 36, no. 10, 289. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 28 July 1962. p. 7. Retrieved 11 August 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ Ellett, Ryan (November 2, 2017). Radio Drama and Comedy Writers, 1928-1962. McFarland. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-4766-2980-3. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  7. ^ Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (June 24, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 85. ISBN 978-0-307-48320-1. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  8. ^ "Earnings in Britain Cancel Out $100000 Investment". Variety. 14 November 1956. p. 36.
  9. ^ "Pabst Weighs CBS Tuesday". Billboard. November 4, 1957. p. 3. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  10. ^ "Assignment Foreign Legion". Variety. October 9, 1957. p. 29. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  11. ^ Adams, Val (December 16, 1957). "A. B. C. Reverses Film Show Trend: Drops 'Date With Angels' for Live Betty White Program --C.B.S. Signs Fred Coe Producer Gets C.B.S Pact". The New York Times. p. 51. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  12. ^ Review of series at Variety
  13. ^ "Palladium Number 1". Variety. 27 February 1957. p. 31.
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