"The Millionaire" (1955) TV series 1955-1960

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | unknown

Release Date:

19 January 1955 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In this hit 1950's TV series, a millionaire indulges himself giving away one million dollars apiece to persons that he has never met.

Plot Keywords:

Anthology

Cast

Marvin Miller	...	Michael Anthony (206 episodes, 1955-1960)
Paul Frees	...	John Beresford Tipton / ... (206 episodes, 1955-1960)
Tido Fedderson	...	Nurse / ... (92 episodes, 1955-1960)

Also Known As:

If You Had a Million

Runtime:

30 min (205 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "SCTV Network 90: One on the Town (#1.1)" (1981)

Popular Fifties 'Formula' Show with a Message...

"The Millionaire" is a show unfairly forgotten, today; as popular in it's time as "Queen for a Day", "Private Secretary", and "Our Miss Brooks", it offered a premise that would serve as an inspiration for series as varied as "Magnum P.I,", "Fantasy Island", "Stairway to Heaven", and the current 'Reality TV' craze; top-notch casts in half-hour morality tales; and 'common sense' resolutions that would keep it an audience favorite for five seasons.

Produced for CBS by Don Fedderson Productions (who would also give America "My Three Sons" and "Family Affair"), an unseen millionaire (with obviously WAY too much free time), John Beresford Tipton (voiced by one of TV and film's best-known voice actors, Paul Frees), would dispatch his associate, the ever put-upon Michael Anthony (Marvin Miller, in his best-known role), carrying a tax-free cashier's check for a million dollars, made out to 'random' individuals, on condition that they never attempt to discover who sent it, or reveal where the money came from, except to their husband or wife.

With the frequently bemused Anthony as an observer, the new millionaires would run the gamut of possible scenarios, discovering, ultimately, that money can't buy happiness, but CAN provide a half-hour of frequently engrossing drama. Each episode would generally end with Anthony summarizing the recipient's 'lesson learned' to a satisfied Tipton.

With casts often featuring future 'stars', the series was wise without ever being overly 'preachy', with good direction and strong production values. Frequently lampooned by comedy shows of the period, "The Millionaire" ultimately would have the last laugh, outlasting most of them.

While an attempt to 'reinvent' the show would fail, in 1978, the original certainly qualifies as a TV 'classic'...