Welcome to a new Wildcard Wednesday! This week we’re honoring Betty White’s 98th birthday — coming up on Friday — with a rarity offered exclusively to subscribers who comment below to alert me of their interest. Sticking with the new year’s ’50s theme here, I thought we’d go back to Betty White’s first national series, Life With Elizabeth, a cute husband/wife comedy that premiered on local live Los Angeles television in 1952 before a deal was made to film 65 half-hours for the first-run syndication market. These debuted nationally from 1953 to 1955.
You’ve likely seen episodes of the filmed series on cheap public domain releases — unlike the local live shows, they’re shot single-camera and without an audience — and you’ll notice that while the series can be classified as a situation comedy, given the sustaining characters, each installment includes three separate vignettes, making it something closer to sketch comedy than the sitcom genre’s typical efforts. (Incidentally, White’s first traditional half-hour sitcom — with one situation per week — was Date With The Angels, which premiered in 1957 and was indeed filmed using multiple cameras in front of a live audience. More here.)
Now, for subscribers, I’m offering access to a rare, original Life With Elizabeth script. It comes from Betty White’s personal collection and is dated June 18, 1953 — one of the live episodes broadcast in Los Angeles on KLAC. I would imagine that these individual vignettes were separated and reused when the show moved to film, but here’s the rare chance to not only read a piece of TV history, but also a piece of TV history that no longer exists. (Only one live show is known to survive.) So, let me know if interested — and happy 98th, Betty White!
Come back next week for another Wildcard! And stay tuned Monday for a musical theatre rarity!
I would love to have this!
Hi, Charlie! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I have emailed you at your gmail address.
I would love to see this script. Thanks and Happy 98th to Betty!
Hi, Jon! Thanks for reading and commenting.
Once again, your email has not appeared on my subscribers list for over six months. If this is an error — or even if it’s not — please re-confirm your subscription. I will not be able to send you anything, or answer any further requests, until this is remedied. Thanks!
This is such a wonderful treat! I would love to read this great piece of TV history!
Hi, Elaine! Thanks for reading and commenting.
I have emailed you at your yahoo address.