TV series set in the Golden Age

[Brian Sheridan]

What is your favorite TV show set in the Golden Age? There has been much discussion of "Poriot", which is beautifully staged, acted and photographed.

But what about "Ellery Queen?" Or HBO's "Phillip Marlowe"? Does anyone remember the 1976's "City of Angels" with Wayne Rogers as a 1930's LA PI?
(www.thrillingdetective.com/axmin.html) There is also "Banyon." And AMC's "Remember WENN." And, of course, A&E's "Nero Wolfe."

 

[vintage68]

What would be the dates for the time period are you referring to?

For the thirties I'm a big fan of HBO's Carnivale....

 

[Brian Sheridan]

What would be the dates for the time period are you referring to?

Late 20's, 30's and 40's.

 

[vintage68]

For the 30's I really love HBO's series Carnivale set during the Great Depression.

For the early 40's I like Foyle's War about a British detective on the force. Michael Kitchen plays the lead, and the Brits really know how to do period drama....all episodes are now available on DVD.

 

[dhermann1]

Can't forget "The Untouchables" in this list.
I've been enjoying "Foyle's War" also.

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Tommy & Tuppence in Partners in Crime. My mod friends and I loved the 1920s fashions when this was first on in the 1980s, I'd watch a show and whip up a dress like hers to wear out the next day.

 

[Tomasso]

Jeeves & Wooster

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Do WWII TV shows count? Combat, Rat Patrol, Victory at Sea...heck even McHale's Navy and Hogan's Heroes!

 

[Smithy]

"Foyle's War". Or can I say "Piece of Cake", it was a mini-series after all?

"Reilly Ace of Spies" wasn't half bad either...

 

[jake_fink]

I'd love to City of Angels and (especially) Banyon again.

Brideshead Revisted comes to mind immediately.

 

[Tomasso]

"Reilly Ace of Spies" wasn't half bad either...

Ditto.

 

[Flivver]

There were a number of TV shows set in the 1920s-early 1930s that appeared in the 1959-1963 timeframe. It makes sense, people who were teens in the 1920s were in their 50s-60s during this time and were nostalgic for their youth.

Desilu's "The Untouchables" kicked it all off in the fall of 1959. This was quickly followed by two from Warner Brothers..."The Roaring Twenties" with Dorothy Provine and "Pete Kelley's Blues". I only occasionally watched "Pete Kelley's Blues" (probably because it was on too late) but I never missed "The Roaring Twenties". It was about two newspaper reporters in NYC who helped the cops chase gangsters. The show was notable for its use of period newsreel footage as backdrops.

For the Fall 1961 season, ABC introduced a sitcom set in the 1920s called "Margie". This was about the antics of a high school girl and her flapper best friend. It starred Cynthia Pepper. Not very period accurate, but fun to watch.

Another period TV show from a later period was "Homefront" which aired around 1990. As the title suggests, it was about what was going on at home during WWII. I remember it did a pretty good job of being period accurate.

 

[cookie]

1960s TV

Of course there was also the Eddie Cantor Show which had a connection with the 30s and 40s music halls. I remember that Dorothy Provine from my childhood addiction to TV. I seem to remember the "Roaring Twenties" went on for years Down Under.

 

[Brooksie]

Hello all, does anybody know the name of the mini series on the BBC about the two sisters who had a fashion house in the 1920's? People have told me I need to get ahold of it and watch it but now I can not remember the name of it.:eusa_doh:

Brooksie

 

[Lincsong]

There was a '40s themed television show on ABC in 1978-1979. I forgot the name, it was a comedy.

Also the first Wonder Woman episodes were in World War II.

 

[jake_fink]

There was a '40s themed television show on ABC in 1978-1979. I forgot the name, it was a comedy.

Also the first Wonder Woman episodes were in World War II.

Apple Pie? Set in 1930s dust bowl town with Rue Maclannahan, Dabney Coleman and Jack Guildford. A Norman Lear show that misfired.

The Waltons was on for a long time. I couldn't stand it even as a kid.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Hello all, does anybody know the name of the mini series on the BBC about the two sisters who had a fashion house in the 1920's? People have told me I need to get ahold of it and watch it but now I can not remember the name of it.:eusa_doh:

Brooksie

House of Elliott

I'll toss in another not mentioned so far - Mapp & Lucia

 

[jake_fink]

Paper Moon was a series for a half season or so... I think it was the same year as Planet of the Apes.

The HBO Philip Marlowe series in which Powers Boothe made such a good Marlowe was shot in LA and England and then entirely in Toronto. Most of the locations here (T.O) have been torn down or hopelessly remodeled. The show was often so-so, rarely as good as the idea, the theme music or the lead seemed to hint at.

 

[Brooksie]

House of Elliott

I'll toss in another not mentioned so far - Mapp & Lucia

Thanks Mike in Seattle!

Brooksie

 

[Brian Sheridan]

The HBO Philip Marlowe series in which Powers Boothe made such a good Marlowe was shot in LA and England and then entirely in Toronto. Most of the locations here (T.O) have been torn down or hopelessly remodeled. The show was often so-so, rarely as good as the idea, the theme music or the lead seemed to hint at.

That show had a awesome opening title sequence designed by the master himself, Maurice Binder. Binder did the titles for the Bond movies until he died and Danny Kleinman took over. Bond director Peter Hunt also directed many of the episodes.