The 13th Emmys Evaluated (1961)

Raymond Burr, Barbara Stanwyck, and Fred Astaire at the 13th Emmy Awards in 1961

Welcome to “Emmys Evaluated,” a series that looks at the nominations and wins in the television industry’s foremost awards ceremony and performs some revisionist history to retroactively pick the winners from the categories and nominees the The Television Academy selected.

Following in the footsteps of the 12th Emmy Awards, the 13th were a smaller affair than the ceremonies leading up to the end of the 1950s. The 1961 event, recognizing the best in television of 1960, was slightly bigger than the previous years’. The number of major categories were brought up a bit more, from 15 to 17. The number of nominees for many of them were still kept to a minimum, and it’s not quite clear what the actual scope of the event looked like compared to the extent of its awards. Like most Emmy Awards up to this point, no or not much of a recorded broadcast are easily accessible. For the 13th Emmys, the scraps I could find are the introduction to the show (in audio form only), featuring Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear, and Barbara Stanwyck accepting her award for best actress. But unlike the 12th Emmys, more survive from this 13th crop of nominees, making the exploration of it and this piece a deeper experience.

But although more nominees survive, some major ones do not (or are not readily available online). For example, HALLMARK HALL OF FAME was the most nominated and awarded show of the night, on the strength of its “Macbeth” production. Starring Maurice Evans and Judith Anderson, this was the second time the series had brought the Shakespeare play to TV with these classically trained actors. Unlike the 1954 adaptation, and not to be confused with an Australian TV production also aired in 1960, this five-time winner (it received an award for every category it was nominated for) isn’t around beyond hard-to-find bootlegs. But it was so prestigious, in fact, that this “Macbeth” was filmed in color and was reportedly the most expensive TV episode yet produced; it was even released theatrically in Europe.

In any event, the 13th Emmy Awards were held on May 16, 1961 at the Moulin Rouge Nightclub in Los Angeles, and were hosted by Dick Powell. The show over which Powell presided didn’t have a ton of big snubs, but the biggest was ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS, which was still going strong in my opinion.

Now, though, I’ll mark with an * the actual winner, bold my pick at the top of the list, and rank in order of my enjoyment from there. I’ve denoted shows or episodes that I couldn’t really track down online (specifically for the year for which they were eligible for this ceremony) with a ~.

Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Humor

• THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW
• THE FLINTSTONES
• THE JACK BENNY PROGRAM*
• THE BOB HOPE SHOW
• CANDID CAMERA

THE FLINTSTONES made history at the 13th Emmy Awards as the first animated show to be nominated for one of the two broad, major series categories (comedy or drama). And it was important, as a highly successful primetime animated series that both children and adults could enjoy. Indeed, as a child, I enjoyed it, and after a complete watch through a year or two ago, I can say that I enjoy it as an adult. However, it doesn’t match the comedy writing or general sense of good nature that runs through THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW. I must admit that I’ve recently formed a stronger nostalgic and emotional attachment to the rural comedy; it was one of my late grandma’s favorite shows. Like many sitcoms, THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW’s quality varied in recent years, but especially with its first season nominated here, it is wonderful, lighthearted fare. These two newcomers are more enjoyable than the still great JACK BENNY PROGRAM, which actually took home the award. Its titular star is generally funnier than Bob Hope (although I’m not one of those Hope Haters), and its regular series of episodes is better than 1960’s installments of specials branded as THE BOB HOPE SHOW. Hope’s TV presence is a decent mix of monologues, sketches, and musical numbers. All of these programs are more investing than the classic hidden camera show CANDID CAMERA, which is interesting as the instigator of a pervasive format, but is not wholly funny all the time.

Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Drama

• THE TWILIGHT ZONE
• NAKED CITY
• THE UNTOUCHABLES
• “Macbeth” — HALLMARK HALL OF FAME*~
• “Sacco-Vanzetti Story” (NBC SUNDAY SHOWCASE)~

THE TWILIGHT ZONE is one of my favorite TV shows of all time, not just of the era in which it was produced, so it definitely overtakes the more dated dramas NAKED CITY and THE UNTOUCHABLES. Rod Serling’s seminal sci-fi/fantasy/horror anthology show was still fusing incredibly cool, genre high concepts with greater commentary and morals in its second season. Indeed, THE TWILIGHT ZONE never fully dipped into mediocrity during its run, even in the overlooked or maligned hour-long season. Meanwhile, NAKED CITY had deteriorated a bit with some cast changes, although its cinematic crime stories were still better than much else in the genre at the time, including THE UNTOUCHABLES. This Prohibition period piece was also more cinematic and compelling than a lot its peers, but it quickly became a bit sillier than the grittiness it presented in its earliest episodes.

Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Variety

• BELAFONTE, NEW YORK 19
• AN HOUR WITH DANNY KAYE
• ASTAIRE TIME*
• THE GARRY MOORE SHOW
• THE JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW

Many of the nominees for this category exist in fragmentary form. That goes for my favorite, BELAFONTE, NEW YORK 19, and to an extreme amount. I was only able to find one musical number with Harry Belafonte and his all-black supporting cast, but it was so lively and catchy and fun that I can’t imagine I wouldn’t love the full special. It narrowly overtook AN HOUR WITH DANNY KAYE, however, which opened with a clever, meta sketch that brought movie star Danny Kaye into the world of television. ASTAIRE TIME was Fred Astaire’s continuation of TV success, and while his skills are readily apparent, perhaps the novelty of Belafonte and Kaye’s debut in TV Land resonated more strongly with me. THE GARRY MOORE SHOW is a classic variety show of the time, with enjoyable sketches and musical numbers, but it feels run-of-the-mill compared to the aforementioned specials. Finally, Jack Paar’s TONIGHT SHOW is a bit of a strange beast. Paar’s run, although episodes do not survive in great numbers, is semi-legendary, but of what I was able to see, it was a bit too lowkey. It is unique for its time, but it doesn’t compare with the production value and “big show business” feel of the rest of the nominees.

Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Children’s Programming

• THE SHIRLEY TEMPLE SHOW
• THE HUCKLEBERRY HOUND SHOW
• “Aaron Copland Birthday Party” — YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONCERTS*
• CAPTAIN KANGAROO~
• THE SHARI LEWIS SHOW~

Shirley Temple came to television hosting her titular show of episodic adaptations of classic children’s stories. One 1960 episode in particular, “Winnie-the-Pooh,” featured Bil Baird’s Marionettes to great effect. I love puppets and such! The productions are cheesy, but heartwarming and artful in their own way, so they feel a bit more special than THE HUCKLEBERRY HOUND SHOW, which is still a classic Hanna-Barbera cartoon. YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONCERTS was a series hosted by Leonard Bernstein about classical music, and it’s educational and interesting for sure. But of course, it’s a bit more boring than puppets and cartoons.

Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Public Service

• NBC WHITE PAPER
• CBS REPORTS
• PROJECT XX
• WINSTON CHURCHILL: THE VALIANT YEARS
• THE TWENTIETH CENTURY*~

I was actually very impressed with NBC WHITE PAPER and CBS REPORTS this year, which were the deep-dive, documentary series for the respective networks. This was actually the most difficult category to pick a winner for, because of a particular episode for each show. “Sit-In” was an installment of NBC WHITE PAPER focused on the Civil Rights Movement, and it is impressive for its inclusion of “both sides.” I don’t mean to say that the racists necessarily deserve a voice, and the purported objectivity facing these issues has led to many problems in recent years, but the absolute venom and stupidity in the racist whites’ statements are a clear contrast to the principles, humanity, and intelligence of the black interviewees. It’s an impressive documentary, only slightly more impressive than CBS REPORTS’ “Harvest of Shame.” It also deals with race, by association, as it investigates labor and living conditions for poor migrant workers. These two reports are among the best works of investigative journalism I’ve seen on TV up to this point, so they are to be commended. The retrospective history of PROJECT XX, which focused on big 20th century moments, is interesting, and WINSTON CHURCHILL: THE VALIANT YEARS reveals some intriguing facts, while falling into the trap of worshiping Churchill.

The Program of the Year

• AN HOUR WITH DANNY KAYE
• ASTAIRE TIME
• 1960 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING CONVENTIONS
• “Macbeth” — HALLMARK HALL OF FAME*~
• “Sacco-Vanzetti Story” (NBC SUNDAY SHOWCASE)~

This single episode or special category was relatively weak, at least in the light of the missing “Macbeth” and “Sacco-Vanzetti Story,” the latter a dramatized version of the, well, real-world Sacco-Vanzetti story. But for the reasons already listed above, AN HOUR WITH DANNY KAYE is better than ASTAIRE TIME. They’re certainly more entertaining than the admittedly historically important 1960 PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATING CONVENTIONS, which are today of course a bit staid.

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Series (Lead)

• Robert Stack — THE UNTOUCHABLES
• Raymond Burr — PERRY MASON*
• Jackie Cooper — HENNESEY~

HENNESEY is around, but I couldn’t track down a 1960 episode. In any event, both Robert Stack and Raymond Burr play their brooding men who work a bit outside and with the law well enough. But Stack takes the edge with the leadership of his supporting cast, while Burr still plays Perry Mason’s cleverness with a somewhat sly manner.

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead)

• Barbara Stanwyck — THE BARBARA STANWYCK SHOW*
• Loretta Young — THE LORETTA YOUNG SHOW
• Donna Reed — THE DONNA REED SHOW

Movie star Barbara Stanwyck finally took to television with her titular anthology show, which was actually similar in format to THE LORETTA YOUNG SHOW. I think I like Barbara Stanwyck more than Loretta Young anyways (although of course I love them both), but there is also something to be said for the novelty of THE BARBARA STANWYCK SHOW, while Young’s program was heading into its eighth and final season. Both of these dramas are immensely more interesting than the bland family sitcom THE DONNA REED SHOW, although Reed’s matriarch is not bad or annoying; just not as compelling or varied as the women Stanwyck and Young were able to play.

Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor or Actress in a Series

• Don Knotts — THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW*
• Barbara Hale — PERRY MASON
• Abby Dalton — HENNESEY~

Don Knotts is one of the great comedic character actors, and there’s a reason why Barney Fife really became the face of THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW over its titular star. He was a great favorite of my grandma, who always laughed when Barney got up to his silly antics. And for my part, Knotts makes me laugh too. He is certainly more memorable and electric than Barbara Hale’s adequate secretary character. Knotts is great regardless, but he also had immensely more to work with than Hale.

Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor or Actress in a Single Program

• Roddy McDowall — “Our American Heritage: Not without Honor” (NBC SUNDAY SHOWCASE)*~
• Charles Bronson — “Memory in White” (GENERAL ELECTRIC THEATRE)~
• Peter Falk — “Cold Turkey” (THE LAW AND MR. JONES)~

None of these nominees are still around, but I would have loved to see Peter Falk (of COLUMBO [1968–2003] fame). Charles Bronson was also a cool dude.

Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

• Ed Wynn — “The Man in the Funny Suit” (DESILU PLAYHOUSE)
• Cliff Robertson — “The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon” (THE UNITED STATES STEEL HOUR)
• Maurice Evans — “Macbeth” (HALLMARK HALL OF FAME)*~

I was kind of floored by the premise of “The Man in the Funny Suit,” an episode of DESILU PLAYHOUSE. It’s pretty meta. It follows the production of PLAYHOUSE 90’s “Requiem for a Heavyweight” from 1956, which also won big at the 9th Emmy Awards. That show was directed by Ralph Nelson, written by Rod Serling, and notably starred father and son Ed and Keenan Wynn in supporting roles. Ed was a legendary vaudevillian and Keenan was a dramatic actor who kind of lived in his father’s shadow. And that was made clear by “The Man in the Funny Suit” which, remarkably, starred all these people playing themselves. The Wynns kind of aired their dirty laundry through a fictionalized account of their first time working together, and Ed’s difficulty in playing a “straight,” dramatic role. But despite the rehearsal difficulty, Ed turned in a wonderful part for “Requiem.” And he did so again, playing himself, in “The Man in the Funny Suit.” It is certainly not as compelling, and not quite as well acted, but the production is really impressive. “The Two Worlds of Charlie Gordon,” on the other hand, was an adaptation of the short story version of “Flowers for Algernon” (1959). Its star, Cliff Robertson, would reprise the role of Charly Gordon, and winning an Oscar for it, for the movie CHARLY (1968). “Flowers for Algernon,” I believe, is a lauded story for a reason, and the UNITED STATES STEEL HOUR version is good. It just isn’t quite as smoothly acted as “The Man in the Funny Suit.”

Outstanding Single Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

• Ingrid Bergman — TWENTY-FOUR HOURS IN A WOMAN’S LIFE
• Elizabeth Montgomery — “The Rusty Heller Story” (THE UNTOUCHABLES)
• Judith Anderson — “Macbeth” (HALLMARK HALL OF FAME)*~

Hollywood legend Ingrid Bergman came to television with the TV movie TWENTY-FOUR HOURS IN A WOMAN’S LIFE, which actually wasn’t tied to any of the anthology shows. It’s a middling production, adapted from Stefan Zweig’s novella TWENTY-FOUR HOURS IN THE LIFE OF A WOMAN (1927). Bergman is not her best here, but her incredible talent still carries anything worthwhile in the movie. Her performance is more notable, however, than Elizabeth Montgomery’s in THE UNTOUCHABLES episode “The Rusty Heller Story.” Montgomery’s titular villainess is interesting, and the episode is actually one of THE UNTOUCHABLES’ best, but in this case, Bergman is the untouchable one.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy

• Jack Shea, Dick McDonough — THE BOB HOPE SHOW
• Sheldon Leonard — THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW*
• Peter Tewksbury — MY THREE SONS

As ever, “directorial achievements in comedy” for TV are definitely in the tradition of the invisible Hollywood style. I don’t know how to commend directing for sitcoms, especially, which is the case for Sheldon Leonard and THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW and Peter Tewksbury and MY THREE SONS. It’s worth noting that in 1960, THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW aired an episode that served as a backdoor pilot for THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, in which Thomas’ character gets arrested by Griffith’s for speeding through town. It is also worth noting that the incredibly long-running MY THREE SONS, starring Fred MacMurray, began in 1960 and would end in 1972. But it’s a marginal family sitcom. In any event, the efforts of Jack Shea and Dick McDonough in making the variety special of THE BOB HOPE SHOW feel like a big to-do resulted in the most exceptional direction.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama

• Ralph Nelson — “The Man in the Funny Suit” (DESILU PLAYHOUSE)
• George Schaefer — “Macbeth” (HALLMARK HALL OF FAME)*~
• Sidney Lumet — “Sacco-Vanzetti Story” (NBC SUNDAY SHOWCASE)~

Ralph Nelson’s direction of “The Man in the Funny Suit,” which also concerned his direction of “Requiem for a Heavyweight,” competently covered the meta content and coaxed out natural performances from people playing themselves, which can sometimes be more difficult. Even though his work is the sole surviving one nominated here, it is praiseworthy regardless.

Outstanding Writing Achievement in Comedy

• Sherwood Schwartz, Dave O’Brien, Al Schwartz, Martin Ragaway, Red Skelton — THE RED SKELTON SHOW*
• Charles Stewart, Jack Elinson — THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW
• Richard Baer — HENNESEY~

I’m actually not a huge fan of THE RED SKELTON SHOW, even as I recognize its star’s legendary comedic status, but the clever integration of guest stars into its sketches is funnier than the rote “angry dad” routine that had defined THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW for years.

Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama

• Rod Serling — THE TWILIGHT ZONE*
• Reginald Rose — “Sacco-Vanzetti Story” (NBC SUNDAY SHOWCASE)~
• Dale Wasserman — “The Lincoln Murder Case” (THE DUPONT SHOW OF THE MONTH)~

Although it was part of season one, my favorite TWILIGHT ZONE episode “The Big Tall Wish” aired in 1960. It was notable for its matter-of-fact inclusion of a mostly all-black cast, and also for the magic sentimentalism of its washed-up boxer story. “The Big Tall Wish” is just one of many great scripts penned by Serling for THE TWILIGHT ZONE, and even if its competitors survived, I can’t imagine I wouldn’t pick it anyways.

Outstanding Writing Achievement in the Documentary Field

• Fred W. Friendly, David Lowe, Edward R. Murrow — “Harvest of Shame” (CBS REPORTS)
• Victor Wolfson — WINSTON CHURCHILL: THE VALIANT YEARS*
• Arthur Barron, Al Wasserman — “The U-2 Affair” (NBC WHITE PAPER)~

The NBC WHITE PAPER episode I was able to track down, “Sit-In,” was unfortunately not nominated for this category; instead, the missing “U-2 Affair” was. With NBC WHITE PAPER’s omission, it was easy to choose CBS REPORTS’ “Harvest of Shame,” which was also notably Edward R. Murrow’s last production for the network. He would leave to serve as the head of the United States Information Agency under President John F. Kennedy. Anyways, the “truth to power” ethos behind “Harvest of Shame” is certainly more compelling than the near-propaganda of WINSTON CHURCHILL: THE VALIANT YEARS.

1960 television brought in a number of shows that I still hold dear in my heart, and I think the 13th Emmy Awards generally reflected them. However, I only aligned with The Television Academy of 1961 five of 17 times, a 29 percent agreement rate. That’s helped along by the domination of “Macbeth” and its subsequent MIA status 61 years later, but also because even as the Academy was nominally recognizing many of the shows I thought were good or great from the time, it wasn’t necessarily fully awarding them. In my book, there was a three-way tie for biggest winner with two awards each, split between THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, THE TWILIGHT ZONE, and DESILU PLAYHOUSE (because of “The Man in the Funny Suit”). Today, those first two still resonate with me in a deeper way, and of course, I’ve mentioned that the latter was the best program TV had yet produced. THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW wasn’t quite that, even in the comedy field, but it is certainly a comforting experience.