I Married Joan is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from 1952 to 1955. It stars actress Joan Davis as the manic, scatterbrained wife of a mild-mannered community judge (Jim Backus).[1][2]

I Married Joan
I Married Joan intro screen
GenreSitcom
StarringJoan Davis
Jim Backus
Theme music composerRichard Mack
Opening theme"I Married Joan"
ComposerRoger Wagner Chorale
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes98
Production
Executive producersJoan Davis
James Bank
ProducersP. J. Wolfson
Richard Mack
Running time25 minutes
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseOctober 15, 1952 (1952-10-15) –
March 23, 1955 (1955-03-23)

Synopsis

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Joan Davis and Jim Backus

The show, whose syndicated opening makes the claim "America's favorite comedy show, starring America's queen of comedy, Joan Davis, as Mrs. Joan Stevens" focused on a married couple, Joan and Bradley Stevens. I Married Joan's trademark was broad physical slapstick, with Joan Stevens portrayed as bright but somewhat childlike and given to misunderstanding. Virtually every episode had a plot which provided star Davis with a setup for at least one scene of over-the-top physical comedy.

Davis's real-life daughter, Beverly Wills, was a regular cast member for several months of the show's second season, portraying Joan's sister, Beverly Grossman. Early installments began with Backus, as Judge Stevens in chambers, recalling how one of his wife's madcap mishaps paralleled the problems of a couple seeking a divorce; this was followed by the unfolding of the episode, which ended back in chambers with Judge Stevens summing up his tale for the now-reconciled couple. This wraparound scenario was abandoned after a handful of episodes.

Sponsored by General Electric (original network openings extolled the virtues of the sponsor's products rather than those of its star), I Married Joan was aimed at the viewers who watched I Love Lucy, which had debuted the previous year and was already television's top-rated situation comedy; it was considered by many as an I Love Lucy knock-off and not seen favourably in comparison.[1] I Love Lucy and I Married Joan even employed the same director in each show's first season, Marc Daniels.

NBC scheduled I Married Joan Wednesdays at 8:00 ET against the first half of Arthur Godfrey and His Friends on CBS for the entirety of its three-season run. The show performed marginally during its first year, but enjoyed a surge in the Nielsen ratings during its second season in the wake of Godfrey's firing of Julius LaRosa and the resultant negative publicity.

In its third year, I Married Joan withered against the additional competition of ABC's new top-rated hit Walt Disney's Disneyland and was canceled, airing its last first-run episode on March 23, 1955.[citation needed] Although Davis' personal health problems have also been cited as a reason for the show's cancellation, she was seen performing robust physical comedy as a guest star on variety series, years after her own show ended.

Cast

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Actor Role
Joan Davis Joan Stevens
Jim Backus Bradley Stevens
Hope Emerson Minerva Parker (pilot only)
Elvia Allman Aunt Vera
Sandra Gould Mildred Webster
Beverly Wills Beverly Grossman
Hal Smith Charlie Henderson
Geraldine Carr Mabel Henderson
Wally Brown Wally
Sally Kelly Sally
Sheila Bromley Janet Tobin
Dan Tobin Kerwin Tobin

Episode list

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Season 1: 1952–53

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Pilot"Philip RappPhil Sharp & Arthur StanderOctober 15, 1952 (1952-10-15)
22"Career"Hal WalkerPhil Sharp & Arthur StanderOctober 22, 1952 (1952-10-22)
33"Ballet"Hal WalkerPhil Sharp & Arthur StanderOctober 29, 1952 (1952-10-29)
44"Jitterbug"Hal WalkerRichard Powell, Phil Sharp & Arthur StanderNovember 5, 1952 (1952-11-05)
55"Crime Panel"Hal WalkerPhil Sharp, Arthur Stander & Frank TarloffNovember 12, 1952 (1952-11-12)
66"Brad's Class Reunion"Marc DanielsPhil Sharp & Arthur StanderNovember 19, 1952 (1952-11-19)
77"Hunting"Marc DanielsPhil Sharp & Arthur StanderNovember 26, 1952 (1952-11-26)
88"Joan's Curiosity"Marc DanielsPhil Sharp, Arthur Stander & Frank TarloffDecember 3, 1952 (1952-12-03)
99"Birthday"Marc DanielsPhil Sharp, Arthur Stander & Frank TarloffDecember 10, 1952 (1952-12-10)
1010"Bazaar Pie"Marc DanielsPhil Sharp, Arthur Stander & Frank TarloffDecember 17, 1952 (1952-12-17)
1111"Dreams"Ezra StoneUnknownDecember 24, 1952 (1952-12-24)
1212"Acrobats"Ezra StoneUnknownDecember 31, 1952 (1952-12-31)
1313"Bad Boy"Ezra StoneUnknownJanuary 7, 1953 (1953-01-07)
1414"Circumstantial Evidence"UnknownUnknownJanuary 14, 1953 (1953-01-14)
1515"Uncle Edgar"Marc DanielsRichard Powell, Sol Saks & Arthur StanderJanuary 21, 1953 (1953-01-21)
1616"Moosehead"Marc DanielsUnknownJanuary 28, 1953 (1953-01-28)
1717"Fireman"UnknownArthur Stander, Ben Starr & Frank TarloffFebruary 4, 1953 (1953-02-04)
1818"Memory"UnknownUnknownFebruary 11, 1953 (1953-02-11)
1919"Draft Board"UnknownUnknownFebruary 18, 1953 (1953-02-18)
2020"Opera"Marc DanielsUnknownFebruary 25, 1953 (1953-02-25)
2121"Shopping"UnknownUnknownMarch 4, 1953 (1953-03-04)
2222"The Stamp"Marc DanielsArthur Stander, Ben Starr & Frank TarloffMarch 11, 1953 (1953-03-11)
2323"Little Girl"UnknownUnknownMarch 18, 1953 (1953-03-18)
2424"Diet"Marc DanielsArthur Stander, Ben Starr & Frank TarloffMarch 25, 1953 (1953-03-25)
2525"Model"Marc DanielsArthur Stander, Ben Starr & Frank TarloffApril 1, 1953 (1953-04-01)
2626"Lateness"Marc DanielsSherwood Schwartz, Arthur Stander & Frank TarloffApril 8, 1953 (1953-04-08)
2727"Eviction"UnknownUnknownApril 15, 1953 (1953-04-15)
2828"The Recipe"Marc DanielsSherwood Schwartz & Arthur StanderApril 22, 1953 (1953-04-22)
2929"Repairs"Marc DanielsSherwood Schwartz & Arthur StanderApril 29, 1953 (1953-04-29)
3030"Secrets"UnknownUnknownMay 6, 1953 (1953-05-06)
3131"The Artist Show"John RichJesse Goldstein, Sherwood Schwartz & Phil SharpMay 13, 1953 (1953-05-13)
3232"The Threat"UnknownUnknownMay 20, 1953 (1953-05-20)
3333"Country Club"Marc DanielsSherwood Schwartz & Arthur StanderMay 27, 1953 (1953-05-27)
3434"Theatrical Can-Can"Marc DanielsSherwood Schwartz & Arthur StanderJune 3, 1953 (1953-06-03)
3535"Neighbors"Ezra StoneUnknownJune 10, 1953 (1953-06-10)
3636"Talent Scout"Ezra StoneUnknownJune 17, 1953 (1953-06-17)
3737"Honeymoon"Ezra StoneUnknownJune 24, 1953 (1953-06-24)
3838"Business Executive"Marc DanielsBob Fisher, Alan Lipscott & Arthur StanderJuly 1, 1953 (1953-07-01)
3939"Broken Toe"Ezra StoneUnknownJuly 8, 1953 (1953-07-08)

Season 2: 1953–54

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleOriginal air date
401"Brad's Moustache"October 14, 1953 (1953-10-14)
412"First Lie"October 21, 1953 (1953-10-21)
423"Furniture Quick Changes"October 28, 1953 (1953-10-28)
434"Sister Pat"November 4, 1953 (1953-11-04)
445"Tropical Fish"November 11, 1953 (1953-11-11)
456"Culinary Nightmare"November 18, 1953 (1953-11-18)
467"Initiation"November 25, 1953 (1953-11-25)
478"Bev's Boyfriend"December 2, 1953 (1953-12-02)
489"Lost Check"December 9, 1953 (1953-12-09)
4910"The Shotgun"December 16, 1953 (1953-12-16)
5011"The Musical"December 23, 1953 (1953-12-23)
5112"Double Wedding"December 30, 1953 (1953-12-30)
5213"Superstition"January 6, 1954 (1954-01-06)
5314"Barbecue"January 13, 1954 (1954-01-13)
5415"Mothers-in-Law"January 20, 1954 (1954-01-20)
5516"Mabel's Dress"January 27, 1954 (1954-01-27)
5617"Monkeyshines"February 3, 1954 (1954-02-03)
5718"Bev's Mistaken Marriage"February 10, 1954 (1954-02-10)
5819"Missing Witnesses"February 17, 1954 (1954-02-17)
5920"Anniversary Memo"February 24, 1954 (1954-02-24)
6021"Dented Fender"March 3, 1954 (1954-03-03)
6122"Mountain Lodge"March 10, 1954 (1954-03-10)
6223"Home of the Week"March 17, 1954 (1954-03-17)
6324"Pop Retires"March 24, 1954 (1954-03-24)
6425"Changing Houses"March 31, 1954 (1954-03-31)
6526"Jealousy"April 7, 1954 (1954-04-07)
6627"Get Rich Quick"April 14, 1954 (1954-04-14)
6728"Masquerade"April 21, 1954 (1954-04-21)
6829"The Milkman Cometh"April 28, 1954 (1954-04-28)
6930"Predictions"May 19, 1954 (1954-05-19)
7031"Brad's Initiation"June 9, 1954 (1954-06-09)
7132"Confidence"June 23, 1954 (1954-06-23)
7233"Joan's Haircut"July 7, 1954 (1954-07-07)

Season 3: 1954–55

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleOriginal air date
731"New House"September 29, 1954 (1954-09-29)
742"Party Line"October 6, 1954 (1954-10-06)
753"Wall Safe"October 13, 1954 (1954-10-13)
764"Alienation of Affections"October 20, 1954 (1954-10-20)
775"Bombay Duck"October 27, 1954 (1954-10-27)
786"Clothes Budget"November 3, 1954 (1954-11-03)
797"Dancing Lessons"November 10, 1954 (1954-11-10)
808"Two Saint Bernards"November 17, 1954 (1954-11-17)
819"Manhole Cover"November 24, 1954 (1954-11-24)
8210"The Farm"December 1, 1954 (1954-12-01)
8311"Home Movies"December 8, 1954 (1954-12-08)
8412"Big Louie's Parole"December 15, 1954 (1954-12-15)
8513"Crazy Toes Smith"December 22, 1954 (1954-12-22)
8614"Joan the Matchmaker"December 29, 1954 (1954-12-29)
8715"The Wedding"January 5, 1955 (1955-01-05)
8816"The Maid"January 12, 1955 (1955-01-12)
8917"Money in the Shotgun"January 19, 1955 (1955-01-19)
9018"Eye Glasses"January 26, 1955 (1955-01-26)
9119"The Allergy"February 2, 1955 (1955-02-02)
9220"Lieutenant General"February 9, 1955 (1955-02-09)
9321"The Letter"February 16, 1955 (1955-02-16)
9422"Ladies Prison"February 23, 1955 (1955-02-23)
9523"The Lady and the Prizefighter"March 2, 1955 (1955-03-02)
9624"How to Win Friends"March 9, 1955 (1955-03-09)
9725"The Cowboy"March 16, 1955 (1955-03-16)
9826"The Jail Bird"March 23, 1955 (1955-03-23)

Release

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Syndication

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In the early 1980s, the series was rerun by the CBN cable network in a late-night block that included another TV sitcom, Gale Storm's series My Little Margie. The series was also aired on ION Television, and on the HOT (History of Television) network in New York (WKOB 42.4) and Dallas (KODF 26 and K31GL 31.3). The series currently (as of 2018) runs on AMGTV, also in a block with My Little Margie. Beginning in March 2018, the series began a weekday morning run on the Decades network.

Home media

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Since 2004, VCI Entertainment has released 5 volumes of various episodes from different seasons on budget DVD compilations.

Other media

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BearManor Media published a biography about Joan Davis, which includes a chapter dedicated to I Married Joan. Episodes of the series have been screened at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention held annually in Aberdeen, Maryland.

References

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  1. ^ a b Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; McNeilly, Donald (2007). Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America. Psychology Press. p. 297. ISBN 978-0-415-93853-2.
  2. ^ Falk, Patricia; Hunker, Stefanie (January 20, 2010). Cataloguing Outside the Box: A Practical Guide to Cataloguing Special Collections Materials. Elsevier. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-78063-026-7.
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