**TV Reader's Digest ** is a 30-minute American television anthology drama series, which aired on ABC from January 17, 1955, to July 9, 1956. Its theme music was "Polonaise" from Act III of Eugene Onegin.

Format

Based on articles that appeared in Reader's Digest magazine, the episodes were true stories that were varied in their themes, plots, and content. Themes included crime, heroism, mystery, romance, and human interest.

Cast

Hugh Reilly was the initial host. He was succeeded by Gene Raymond in January 1956. Some of the actors who were cast in the episodes include Chuck Connors, Peter Graves, Lee Marvin, Claude Akins, Leon Askin, Jean Byron, John Howard, Vivi Janiss (as Mary Todd Lincoln in "How Chance Made Lincoln President"), Francis McDonald, Martin Milner, Jerry Paris, Gene Raymond, Max Showalter, and Michael Winkelman. Clint Eastwood made his first Western appearance as Lt. Wilson in the episode "Cochise, Greatest of the Apaches", which aired January 30, 1956.

Selected episodes

Production

Chester Erskine created the show and was the producer. William Beaudine, Harry Horner, and William Seiter were the directors. Episode writers included Frank Gruber, Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, and Cleveland Amory. Studebaker-Packard initially sponsored the program, but the company's financial problems caused that relationship to end. Erskine gained the rights to make the series after he went through every issue the magazine had published since 1928 to ensure that the TV series would reflect the magazine "as faithfully as possible". The show replaced Soldier Parade. It was broadcast on Mondays from 8 to 8:30 p.m. Eastern time.

Critical response

A review of the premiere episode in the trade publication Variety said that Erskine "appears to have successfully translated that human interest element that's made the Reader's Digest a literary phenom into television terms." It commended Gruber's writing and Beaudine's directing and described the cast as "excellent". J. P. Shanley, writing in The New York Times, found the December 5, 1955, episode ("The Sad Death of a Hero", about the 1925 Scopes trial) to be "an uninspired presentation." Shanley wrote, "Douglass Dumbrille was effective as the uncompromising Fundamentalist Bryan." Carl Benton Reid "had some impressive moments" as Darrow, the review said. The main negative factor was introduction of "a side issue" about a journalist covering the trial and a teacher who influenced her.