This program ran from 1950 to 1955. Most of its run was done in a 15 minute format, which was perfect for the subject matter at the time; not quite soap opera, yet not quite true dramatic fare. Indeed, it was something else at a time when television was really very new and still finding its way.
I lived in New York City at the time it debuted and was 10 years old. Like any other kid, I got out of school at 3 O'Clock and was home in time for other 15 minute fare produced for kids: "The Gabby Hayes Show", "Atom Squad" and the like. But the really good stuff (like "Tom Corbett Space Cadet" and "The Wild Bill Hickock Show") did not come on until 5:30 PM. And to boot, we only had 4 channels at our disposal.
So what was a kid with this incredibly hypnotic,new fangled gadget, TV, to do? Watch something else. So in time, I began to watch "Hawkins Falls."
First of all, this program, broadcast in the grainy black & white of the time, was (I realize today) a "true" depiction of mid 40's to early 50's suburban life in White American communities. And it was far more realistic than "Ozzie & Harriet", "Leave It to Beaver" or "The Donna Reed Show" would ever be.
More important, it was well acted by real looking character actors. And since it was live early television, the prop errors,dialog slips, missed cues and lines enhanced the 'its's happening now' effect.
The show began to grow on me and, believe it or not, in time, not only did I come to like it, but I developed and early pubescent crush on one of the main characters, Lorna, who was old enough to be my mother.
This was not an easy burden to carry in my neighborhood, because I was a young Black kid living in a Black area of New York City, called Harlem. And such thoughts were not openly spoken of in either the White or Black communities (even though I did grow up to marry a member of the White race).
So I kept my passion as secret from my friends as I did the fact that I was watching such a television show.
Nevertheless, in my adult life and memory, I know how good a show it was, and I only wish the people of today could view it and judge for themselves an America of their grandparents, long gone.
Unfortunately, there are not even any Kinescope copies of the show remaining. Too bad! A valuable piece of television history gone forever.
I lived in New York City at the time it debuted and was 10 years old. Like any other kid, I got out of school at 3 O'Clock and was home in time for other 15 minute fare produced for kids: "The Gabby Hayes Show", "Atom Squad" and the like. But the really good stuff (like "Tom Corbett Space Cadet" and "The Wild Bill Hickock Show") did not come on until 5:30 PM. And to boot, we only had 4 channels at our disposal.
So what was a kid with this incredibly hypnotic,new fangled gadget, TV, to do? Watch something else. So in time, I began to watch "Hawkins Falls."
First of all, this program, broadcast in the grainy black & white of the time, was (I realize today) a "true" depiction of mid 40's to early 50's suburban life in White American communities. And it was far more realistic than "Ozzie & Harriet", "Leave It to Beaver" or "The Donna Reed Show" would ever be.
More important, it was well acted by real looking character actors. And since it was live early television, the prop errors,dialog slips, missed cues and lines enhanced the 'its's happening now' effect.
The show began to grow on me and, believe it or not, in time, not only did I come to like it, but I developed and early pubescent crush on one of the main characters, Lorna, who was old enough to be my mother.
This was not an easy burden to carry in my neighborhood, because I was a young Black kid living in a Black area of New York City, called Harlem. And such thoughts were not openly spoken of in either the White or Black communities (even though I did grow up to marry a member of the White race).
So I kept my passion as secret from my friends as I did the fact that I was watching such a television show.
Nevertheless, in my adult life and memory, I know how good a show it was, and I only wish the people of today could view it and judge for themselves an America of their grandparents, long gone.
Unfortunately, there are not even any Kinescope copies of the show remaining. Too bad! A valuable piece of television history gone forever.