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'''''GE True''''' (also known as '''''General Electric True''''') is a 33-episode, American [[anthology series]] sponsored by [[General Electric]]. Telecast on [[CBS]], the series presented stories previously published in ''[[True (magazine)|True]]'' magazine. Articles from the magazine were adapted to television primarily by head writer [[Harold Jack Bloom]]; other writers included [[Gene Roddenberry]], who co-wrote one episode. [[Jack Webb]] produced and hosted the episodes during his stint as head of [[Warner Bros. Television]], through his [[Mark VII Limited]] company.
'''''GE True''''' (also known as '''''General Electric True''''')<ref name=stiff/> is a 33-episode, American [[anthology series]] sponsored by [[General Electric]] that aired from September 30, 1962,<ref name=pursuit/> until May 26, 1963, with repeats through September 1963. Telecast on [[CBS]], the series presented stories, both published and unpublished, from the files of ''[[True (magazine)|True]]'' magazine.<ref name=stiff/> The series' [[executive producer]] was [[Jack Webb]], during his stint as head of [[Warner Bros. Television]], through his [[Mark VII Limited]] company; he also acted as host-narrator, directed several episodes, and acted in several episodes.<ref name=theme/>

The series aired from September 30, 1962, until May 26, 1963, with repeats through September 1963.


==Program overview==
==Program overview==
A representative of the publisher of ''[[True (magazine)|True]]'' magazine met [[Jack Webb]] at a party in New York and suggested the magazine as a source of material.<ref name=theme/> Webb and others then researched the magazine's files for story ideas.<ref name=theme>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122529024/just-the-truth-maam-theme-of-new-ja/ |title='Just The Truth, Ma'am,' Theme Of New Jack Web Drama Series |newspaper=[[Santa Maria Times]] |page=2-B |date=September 22, 1962 |accessdate=April 8, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Stories were adapted for television primarily by head writer [[Harold Jack Bloom]]. More than half of the episodes were directed by [[William Conrad]], who portrayed [[Matt Dillon (Gunsmoke)|Matt Dillon]] on radio's ''[[Gunsmoke#Radio series (1952–1961)|Gunsmoke]]'' and was later the star of the CBS [[crime drama]] ''[[Cannon (TV series)|Cannon]]''.
⚫
The show had a unique opening, of which there were at least two variants. Each opening featured a large "TRUE" sign, apparently several stories tall and shown at an oblique angle, initially in deep shadow. One variant began with [[Jack Webb]] voicing "Good evening. Your host, [[General Electric]]." with a large GE logo displayed next to the TRUE sign.<ref>See "Code Name Christopher"</ref> Another variant lacked the GE logo, but included a superimposed quotation from [[Daniel Webster]]: "There is nothing so powerful as truth, and often nothing so strange."<ref>See "V-Victor 5"</ref> Strong symphonic music was featured as part of a majestic opening theme. Webb walked alongside the TRUE sign and stated either "And this, is true" (GE logo variant) or simply "This is true". The sign became brightly lit and the camera changed to a direct view of Webb, who then introduced the episode.


In an overview of the 1962 television season, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' noted:
In an overview of the 1962 television season, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' noted:


:Jack ("dum-de-dum-dum") Webb is back. This time he is retelling stories from the files of ''True'' magazine. The first one was set on a hospital ship off [[Okinawa]], where a doctor (played by [[William Conrad]]) operated on a marine who had a live and sensitive shell in his body capable of blowing a six-foot hole in a steel deck. It was a hell of a moment, but Webb sank it. "At 1830 hours exactly," he intoned, "the operation began on a human bomb dead center in the circle of death." He hosts the program in an echo-chambered voice, while he stands beside the word TRUE, spelled out in block letters 22 feet high, or roughly 10 times as tall as Jack Webb.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/vault/issue/1962-10-12/page/116/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=October 12, 1962 |volume=LXXX |issue=15 |page=100 |title=Show Business: The Retreads |via=time.com |accessdate=April 3, 2023}}</ref>{{efn|The final clause in the ''Time'' quote is unclear, as it suggests Webb's height was {{convert|2.2|ft|m}}—Webb was {{convert|5|ft|10|in}} tall.}}
:Jack ("dum-de-dum-dum") Webb is back. This time he is retelling stories from the files of ''True'' magazine. The first one was set on a hospital ship off [[Okinawa]], where a doctor (played by William Conrad) operated on a marine who had a live and sensitive shell in his body capable of blowing a six-foot hole in a steel deck. It was a hell of a moment, but Webb sank it. "At 1830 hours exactly," he intoned, "the operation began on a human bomb dead center in the circle of death." He hosts the program in an echo-chambered voice, while he stands beside the word TRUE, spelled out in block letters 22 feet high, or roughly 10 times as tall as Jack Webb.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://time.com/vault/issue/1962-10-12/page/116/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=October 12, 1962 |volume=LXXX |issue=15 |page=100 |title=Show Business: The Retreads |via=time.com |accessdate=April 3, 2023}}</ref>{{efn|The final clause in the ''Time'' quote is unclear, as it suggests Webb's height was {{convert|2.2|ft|m}}—Webb was {{convert|5|ft|10|in}} tall.}}


[[File:Jan Shepard GE True Gertie the Great 1963.JPG|thumb|left|Jan Shepard in "Gertie the Great", a ''GE True'' episode about a [[mallard duck]] in [[Milwaukee]], [[Wisconsin]], which captivates the community]]
[[File:Jan Shepard GE True Gertie the Great 1963.JPG|thumb|left|upright=.8|[[Jan Shepard]] in episode "Gertie the Great"]]


''GE True'' aired at 9:30{{nbsp}}p.m. Sundays, following the last season of the former [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] [[sitcom]], ''[[The Real McCoys]]'', starring [[Walter Brennan]] and [[Richard Crenna]], renamed on the CBS schedule as ''The McCoys''. ''GE True'' aired a half-hour later than a predecessor series, ''[[General Electric Theater]]'', hosted by [[Ronald Reagan]], which had aired at 9{{nbsp}}p.m. from 1953 to 1962.
''GE True'' aired at 9:30{{nbsp}}p.m. Sundays,<ref name=pursuit>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122525135/jack-webb-in-pursuit-of-truth/ |title=Jack Webb in Pursuit of Truth |newspaper=[[Press & Sun-Bulletin]] |location=[[Binghamton, New York]] |page=Ent. 3 |date=September 29, 1962 |accessdate=April 8, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> following the ''[[The Real McCoys|The McCoys]]'', a [[sitcom]] that had moved to [[CBS]] from [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]].<ref name=stiff>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-gazette-mail-webbs-tv-series-wil/122526534/ |title=Webb's TV Series Will Face Stiff Competition |first=Cynthia |last=Lowry |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |newspaper=[[Charleston Gazette-Mail]] |location=[[Charleston, West Virginia]] |page=9s |date=September 30, 1962 |accessdate=April 8, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> ''GE True'' aired a half-hour later than a predecessor series, ''[[General Electric Theater]]'', hosted by [[Ronald Reagan]], which had aired at 9{{nbsp}}p.m. from 1953 to 1962. Both ''The McCoys'' and ''GE True'' faced opposition from the highly rated [[Western (genre)|Western]] series ''[[Bonanza]]'' on [[NBC]].<ref name=stiff/>


⚫
The show had a unique opening, of which there were at least two variants. Each opening featured a large "TRUE" sign, apparently several stories tall and shown at an oblique angle, initially in deep shadow. One variant began with Webb voicing "Good evening. Your host, [[General Electric]]." with a large GE logo displayed next to the TRUE sign.<ref>See episode "Code Name Christopher"</ref> Another variant lacked the GE logo, but included a superimposed quotation from [[Daniel Webster]]: "There is nothing so powerful as truth, and often nothing so strange."<ref>See episode "V-Victor 5"</ref> Strong symphonic music was featured as part of a majestic opening theme. Webb walked alongside the TRUE sign and stated either "And this, is true" (GE logo variant) or simply "This is true". The sign became brightly lit and the camera changed to a direct view of Webb, who then introduced the episode.
Several episodes were directed by William Conrad, Marshal Matt Dillon on radio's ''[[Gunsmoke#Radio series (1952–1961)|Gunsmoke]]'' and later the star of the CBS [[crime drama]], ''[[Cannon (TV series)|Cannon]]''. Like its preceding program, ''The McCoys'', ''GE True'' faced opposition from the highly rated [[NBC]] [[Western (genre)|Western]] series, ''[[Bonanza]]''. Reruns of the series were subsequently syndicated under the title ''True''.


The Jack Webb-hosted short film ''[[Red Nightmare]]'' (1962) had similarities to the ''GE True'' episode "The Last Day", although the former was explicitly presented as fantasy via a [[dream sequence]].
The Webb-hosted short film ''[[Red Nightmare]]'' (1962) had similarities to the ''GE True'' episode "The Last Day", although the former was presented as fantasy via a [[dream sequence]].


Reruns of ''GE True'' were later syndicated under the title ''True''.
⚫
In 2013, the Jack Webb Fan Club of Los Angeles started a campaign to get the series released on DVD.{{cn|date=April 2023}}


⚫
In 2013, the Jack Webb Fan Club of Los Angeles started a campaign to get the series released on DVD.{{cn|date=April 2023}}
{{clear}}
{{clear}}


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{{Episode list
{{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 1 | Title = Circle of Death | DirectedBy=[[Jack Webb]] | WrittenBy=[[Dale Wasserman]]| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|9|30}}
| EpisodeNumber = 1 | Title = Circle of Death | DirectedBy=[[Jack Webb]] | WrittenBy=[[Dale Wasserman]]| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|9|30}}
| ShortSummary = During the [[Battle of Okinawa]], a doctor ([[William Conrad]]) operates on a [[United States Marine Corps|marine]] with a live [[Shell (projectile)|projectile shell]] in his body.
| ShortSummary = During the [[Battle of Okinawa]], a doctor ([[William Conrad]]) operates on a [[United States Marine Corps|marine]] with a live [[Shell (projectile)|projectile shell]] in his body.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-globe-democrat-jack-webb-true/122534503/ |title=Jack Webb 'True' Series Good Tv |first=Pete |last=Rahn |newspaper=[[St. Louis Globe-Democrat]] |page=5B |date=October 10, 1962 |accessdate=April 8, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 2 | Title = V-Victor 5 | DirectedBy=Robert M. Leeds | WrittenBy=[[Gene Roddenberry]] and [[Harold Jack Bloom]]|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|7}}
| EpisodeNumber = 2 | Title = V-Victor 5 | DirectedBy=Robert M. Leeds | WrittenBy=[[Gene Roddenberry]] and [[Harold Jack Bloom]]|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|7}}
| ShortSummary = In 1933, an off-duty police officer ([[Karl Held]]) attempts to apprehend five wanted criminals in [[Hell's Kitchen]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcCc-ZWlYb4 |title=G E True - V Victor Five Karl Held |via=[[YouTube]] |accessdate=April 4, 2023}}</ref>
| ShortSummary = In 1933, an off-duty police officer ([[Karl Held]]) attempts to apprehend five wanted criminals in [[Hell's Kitchen]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcCc-ZWlYb4 |title=G E True - V Victor Five Karl Held |via=[[YouTube]] |accessdate=April 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122534283/look-and-listen-column/ |title=Look and Listen (column) |first=Donald |last=Kirkley |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |page=14 |date=October 10, 1962 |accessdate=April 8, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 3 | Title = Harris Vs. Castro | DirectedBy=[[William Conrad]] | WrittenBy=Harold Jack Bloom|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|14}}
| EpisodeNumber = 3 | Title = Harris Vs. Castro | DirectedBy=[[William Conrad]] | WrittenBy=Harold Jack Bloom|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|14}}
| ShortSummary = Miami advertising executive Erwin Harris takes legal action against [[Fidel Castro]] to make good on an advertising contract.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/122535549/harris-vs-castro-story-of-unique-lega/ |title='Harris Vs. Castro' Story Of Unique Legal Conflict |newspaper=[[Napa Valley Register]] |page=3-A |date=September 29, 1962 |accessdate=April 8, 2023 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>
| ShortSummary =
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 4 | Title = Code Name: Christopher (Part 1) | DirectedBy=Jack Webb | WrittenBy=Otis Carney|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|21}}
| EpisodeNumber = 4 | Title = Code Name: Christopher (Part 1) | DirectedBy=Jack Webb | WrittenBy=Otis Carney|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|10|21}}
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| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 7 | Title = The Last Day | DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=John Joseph ([[John Furia Jr.]]) & Harold Jack Bloom| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|11|11}}
| EpisodeNumber = 7 | Title = The Last Day | DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=John Joseph ([[John Furia Jr.]]) & Harold Jack Bloom| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|11|11}}
| ShortSummary = What appears to be a typical American town is actually a Russian spy school.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KnvTJ_mghE |title=The Last Day - Jack Webb host - frightening cold war drama that is like a Twilight Zone episode |via=[[YouTube]] |accessdate=April 8, 2023}}</ref>
| ShortSummary = During the [[Cold War]], what appears to be a typical American town is actually a Russian spy school.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KnvTJ_mghE |title=The Last Day - Jack Webb host - frightening cold war drama that is like a Twilight Zone episode |via=[[YouTube]] |accessdate=April 8, 2023}}</ref>
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 8 | Title = Man With a Suitcase | DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=Harold Jack Bloom|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|11|18}}
| EpisodeNumber = 8 | Title = Man With a Suitcase | DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=Harold Jack Bloom|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1962|11|18}}
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| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 15 | Title = Defendant: Clarence Darrow |DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=Harold Jack Bloom| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|13}}
| EpisodeNumber = 15 | Title = Defendant: Clarence Darrow |DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=Harold Jack Bloom| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|13}}
| ShortSummary = [[Clarence Darrow]] ([[Tol Avery]]), the Chicago lawyer who later clashed with [[William Jennings Bryan]] in regard to the [[theory of evolution]], is accused in 1912 of having attempted to bribe a juror. Darrow argues passionately over legal procedures with his own lawyer, [[Earl Rogers]] ([[Robert Vaughn]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SyPXdCN7bY |title=G E TRUE: "DEFENDANT: CLARENCE DARROW" Jack Webb Narrator. 1-13-1963. (HD) |via=[[YouTube]] |accessdate=April 4, 2023}}</ref>
| ShortSummary = In 1912, [[Clarence Darrow]] ([[Tol Avery]]), the Chicago lawyer who later clashed with [[William Jennings Bryan]] over the [[theory of evolution]] at the [[Scopes trial]], is accused of having attempted to bribe a juror. Darrow argues passionately over legal procedures with his own lawyer, [[Earl Rogers]] ([[Robert Vaughn]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SyPXdCN7bY |title=G E TRUE: "DEFENDANT: CLARENCE DARROW" Jack Webb Narrator. 1-13-1963. (HD) |via=[[YouTube]] |accessdate=April 4, 2023}}</ref>
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 16 | Title = O.S.I. |DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=Harold Jack Bloom| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|20}}
| EpisodeNumber = 16 | Title = O.S.I. |DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=Harold Jack Bloom| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|1|20}}
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| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 22 | Title = Security Risk | DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=John Kneubuhl| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|3}}
| EpisodeNumber = 22 | Title = Security Risk | DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=John Kneubuhl| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|3}}
| ShortSummary = George Ellsworth ([[Charles Aidman]]), an official with the United States Embassy in [[Warsaw]], [[Poland]], in 1960, is blackmailed through a romantic affair with a young woman named Erica (Erika Peters) into passing secret information to the communists at the height of the [[Cold War]]. He confessed his guilt despite the protection of [[diplomatic immunity]]. [[Karl Swenson]] and [[Parley Baer]] also appeared in this episode.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVMpA_n_o_4 |title=G.E. TRUE: "SECURITY RISK" Charles Aidman, Erika Peters Guest Stars. 3-3-1963. (HD HQ 1080p) |via=[[YouTube]] |accessdate=April 4, 2023}}</ref>
| ShortSummary = In 1960, George Ellsworth ([[Charles Aidman]]), an official with the United States Embassy in [[Warsaw]], [[Poland]], is blackmailed through a romantic affair with a young woman named Erica (Erika Peters) into passing secret information to the communists at the height of the [[Cold War]]. He confessed his guilt despite the protection of [[diplomatic immunity]]. [[Karl Swenson]] and [[Parley Baer]] also appeared in this episode.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVMpA_n_o_4 |title=G.E. TRUE: "SECURITY RISK" Charles Aidman, Erika Peters Guest Stars. 3-3-1963. (HD HQ 1080p) |via=[[YouTube]] |accessdate=April 4, 2023}}</ref>
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 23 | Title = The Black Robed Ghost |DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=Harold Jack Bloom & Maxine Robinson & John Robinson| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|10}}
| EpisodeNumber = 23 | Title = The Black Robed Ghost |DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=Harold Jack Bloom & Maxine Robinson & John Robinson| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|10}}
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| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 26 | Title = The Tenth Mona Lisa | DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=Louis Morheim| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|31}}
| EpisodeNumber = 26 | Title = The Tenth Mona Lisa | DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=Louis Morheim| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|3|31}}
| ShortSummary = Italian farmer Vincenzo Perugia ([[Vito Scotti]]) in 1911 steals the ''[[Mona Lisa]]'' from the [[Louvre Museum]] in Paris, but is apprehended by a French detective when he attempts to unload the painting on an art dealer.
| ShortSummary = In 1911, [[Vincenzo Peruggia]] ([[Vito Scotti]]) steals the ''[[Mona Lisa]]'' from the [[Louvre Museum]] in Paris, but is apprehended by a French detective when he attempts to sell the painting to an art dealer.
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 27 | Title = Gertie The Great | DirectedBy=Robert M. Leeds | WrittenBy=Harold Jack Bloom| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|4|14}}
| EpisodeNumber = 27 | Title = Gertie The Great | DirectedBy=Robert M. Leeds | WrittenBy=Harold Jack Bloom| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|4|14}}
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| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 30 | Title = Heydrich (Part 1) | DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=John Kneubuhl & Harold Jack Bloom| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|5|5}}
| EpisodeNumber = 30 | Title = Heydrich (Part 1) | DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=John Kneubuhl & Harold Jack Bloom| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|5|5}}
| ShortSummary = Nazi chief of the [[Reich Security Main Office]], [[Reinhard Heydrich]], is [[Assassination of Reinhard Heydrich|assassinated by Czech resistance]], and [[Adolf Hitler]] takes [[Lidice massacre|revenge on a village]].
| ShortSummary = In 1942, Nazi chief of the [[Reich Security Main Office]], [[Reinhard Heydrich]], is [[Assassination of Reinhard Heydrich|assassinated by Czech resistance]], and [[Adolf Hitler]] takes [[Lidice massacre|revenge on a village]].
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| LineColor = 000 }} {{Episode list
| EpisodeNumber = 31 | Title = Heydrich (Part 2) | DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=John Kneubuhl & Harold Jack Bloom| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|5|12}}
| EpisodeNumber = 31 | Title = Heydrich (Part 2) | DirectedBy=William Conrad | WrittenBy=John Kneubuhl & Harold Jack Bloom| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1963|5|12}}
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==Guest stars==
==Guest stars==
In addition to the aforementioned, other notable persons who guest starred on ''GE True'' include:
In addition to performers mentioned above, other notable persons who guest starred on ''GE True'' include:
<!--alphabetically by last name-->
<!--alphabetically by last name-->
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
Line 176: Line 175:
* [[Werner Klemperer]]
* [[Werner Klemperer]]
* [[Robert Knapp (actor)|Robert Knapp]]
* [[Robert Knapp (actor)|Robert Knapp]]
* [[Sean McClory]]
* [[James Millhollin]]
* [[James Millhollin]]
* [[Mort Mills]]
* [[Mort Mills]]

Revision as of 00:49, 9 April 2023

GE True
A screenshot from the opening sequence
Also known asGeneral Electric True
GenreAnthology
Written byHarold Jack Bloom
Otis Carney
John Kneubuhl
Lou Morheim
Dean Riesner
Michael Zagor
Directed byWilliam Conrad
Robert M. Leeds
Jack Webb
Presented byJack Webb
Narrated byJack Webb
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes33 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerJack Webb
ProducerMichael Meshekoff
CinematographyDaniel L. Fapp
Bert Glennon
Carl E. Guthrie
Harold E. Stine
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time25 minutes
Production companiesWarner Bros. Television
CBS Television Network
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseSeptember 30, 1962 (1962-09-30) –
May 26, 1963 (1963-05-26)

GE True (also known as General Electric True)[1] is a 33-episode, American anthology series sponsored by General Electric that aired from September 30, 1962,[2] until May 26, 1963, with repeats through September 1963. Telecast on CBS, the series presented stories, both published and unpublished, from the files of True magazine.[1] The series' executive producer was Jack Webb, during his stint as head of Warner Bros. Television, through his Mark VII Limited company; he also acted as host-narrator, directed several episodes, and acted in several episodes.[3]

Program overview

A representative of the publisher of True magazine met Jack Webb at a party in New York and suggested the magazine as a source of material.[3] Webb and others then researched the magazine's files for story ideas.[3] Stories were adapted for television primarily by head writer Harold Jack Bloom. More than half of the episodes were directed by William Conrad, who portrayed Matt Dillon on radio's Gunsmoke and was later the star of the CBS crime drama Cannon.

In an overview of the 1962 television season, Time noted:

Jack ("dum-de-dum-dum") Webb is back. This time he is retelling stories from the files of True magazine. The first one was set on a hospital ship off Okinawa, where a doctor (played by William Conrad) operated on a marine who had a live and sensitive shell in his body capable of blowing a six-foot hole in a steel deck. It was a hell of a moment, but Webb sank it. "At 1830 hours exactly," he intoned, "the operation began on a human bomb dead center in the circle of death." He hosts the program in an echo-chambered voice, while he stands beside the word TRUE, spelled out in block letters 22 feet high, or roughly 10 times as tall as Jack Webb.[4][a]
Jan Shepard in episode "Gertie the Great"

GE True aired at 9:30 p.m. Sundays,[2] following the The McCoys, a sitcom that had moved to CBS from ABC.[1] GE True aired a half-hour later than a predecessor series, General Electric Theater, hosted by Ronald Reagan, which had aired at 9 p.m. from 1953 to 1962. Both The McCoys and GE True faced opposition from the highly rated Western series Bonanza on NBC.[1]

The show had a unique opening, of which there were at least two variants. Each opening featured a large "TRUE" sign, apparently several stories tall and shown at an oblique angle, initially in deep shadow. One variant began with Webb voicing "Good evening. Your host, General Electric." with a large GE logo displayed next to the TRUE sign.[5] Another variant lacked the GE logo, but included a superimposed quotation from Daniel Webster: "There is nothing so powerful as truth, and often nothing so strange."[6] Strong symphonic music was featured as part of a majestic opening theme. Webb walked alongside the TRUE sign and stated either "And this, is true" (GE logo variant) or simply "This is true". The sign became brightly lit and the camera changed to a direct view of Webb, who then introduced the episode.

The Webb-hosted short film Red Nightmare (1962) had similarities to the GE True episode "The Last Day", although the former was presented as fantasy via a dream sequence.

Reruns of GE True were later syndicated under the title True.

In 2013, the Jack Webb Fan Club of Los Angeles started a campaign to get the series released on DVD.[citation needed]

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Circle of Death"Jack WebbDale WassermanSeptember 30, 1962 (1962-09-30)
During the Battle of Okinawa, a doctor (William Conrad) operates on a marine with a live projectile shell in his body.[7]
2"V-Victor 5"Robert M. LeedsGene Roddenberry and Harold Jack BloomOctober 7, 1962 (1962-10-07)
In 1933, an off-duty police officer (Karl Held) attempts to apprehend five wanted criminals in Hell's Kitchen.[8][9]
3"Harris Vs. Castro"William ConradHarold Jack BloomOctober 14, 1962 (1962-10-14)
Miami advertising executive Erwin Harris takes legal action against Fidel Castro to make good on an advertising contract.[10]
4"Code Name: Christopher (Part 1)"Jack WebbOtis CarneyOctober 21, 1962 (1962-10-21)
In late 1942, a Marine Corps captain (Jack Webb) is sent to assist with the sabotage of a Nazi chemical plant in Norway.[11]
5"Code Name: Christopher (Part 2)"Jack WebbOtis CarneyOctober 28, 1962 (1962-10-28)
Conclusion; see above.
6"The Handmade Private"William ConradDean RiesnerNovember 4, 1962 (1962-11-04)
7"The Last Day"William ConradJohn Joseph (John Furia Jr.) & Harold Jack BloomNovember 11, 1962 (1962-11-11)
During the Cold War, what appears to be a typical American town is actually a Russian spy school.[12]
8"Man With a Suitcase"William ConradHarold Jack BloomNovember 18, 1962 (1962-11-18)
9"Mile Long Shot To Kill"William ConradHarold Jack BloomNovember 25, 1962 (1962-11-25)
During the Civil War, a Union Army officer develops a telescopic sight.[13]
10"Cheating Cheaters"Robert M. LeedsHarold Jack BloomDecember 2, 1962 (1962-12-02)
11"UXB (Unexploded Bomb)"Robert M. LeedsHarold Jack BloomDecember 9, 1962 (1962-12-09)
12"The Wrong Nickel"William ConradHarold Jack BloomDecember 16, 1962 (1962-12-16)
13"The Amateurs"William ConradDean RiesnerDecember 30, 1962 (1962-12-30)
14"Open Season"William ConradHarold Jack Bloom & Barry OringerJanuary 6, 1963 (1963-01-06)
James Best portrays the courageous Wisconsin game warden Ernie Swift, who faces the reprisal of the mob after he tickets gangster Frank MacErlane (David McLean) for illegal fishing.
15"Defendant: Clarence Darrow"William ConradHarold Jack BloomJanuary 13, 1963 (1963-01-13)
In 1912, Clarence Darrow (Tol Avery), the Chicago lawyer who later clashed with William Jennings Bryan over the theory of evolution at the Scopes trial, is accused of having attempted to bribe a juror. Darrow argues passionately over legal procedures with his own lawyer, Earl Rogers (Robert Vaughn).[14]
16"O.S.I."William ConradHarold Jack BloomJanuary 20, 1963 (1963-01-20)
17"Firebug"William ConradJohn KneubuhlJanuary 27, 1963 (1963-01-27)
Victor Buono plays Charles Colvin, a barber in Los Angeles, who is by night a pyromaniac. The United States Forest Service believes that one arsonist is causing a series of fires. The episode also stars Keith Andes and Arch Johnson.[15]
18"Little Richard"Jack WebbHarold Jack BloomFebruary 3, 1963 (1963-02-03)
19"Escape (Part 1)"William ConradLouis MorheimFebruary 10, 1963 (1963-02-10)
20"Escape (Part 2)"William ConradLouis MorheimFebruary 17, 1963 (1963-02-17)
21"The Moonshiners"William ConradJohn KneubuhlFebruary 24, 1963 (1963-02-24)
Walter Kopek (Gene Evans), an agent of the United States Treasury Department assumes an undercover role to halt a bootlegging operation in Florida, run by mobster Bill Munger (Robert Emhardt). James Griffith is cast in this episode as Stan Woolman.
22"Security Risk"William ConradJohn KneubuhlMarch 3, 1963 (1963-03-03)
In 1960, George Ellsworth (Charles Aidman), an official with the United States Embassy in Warsaw, Poland, is blackmailed through a romantic affair with a young woman named Erica (Erika Peters) into passing secret information to the communists at the height of the Cold War. He confessed his guilt despite the protection of diplomatic immunity. Karl Swenson and Parley Baer also appeared in this episode.[16]
23"The Black Robed Ghost"William ConradHarold Jack Bloom & Maxine Robinson & John RobinsonMarch 10, 1963 (1963-03-10)
24"Ordeal"William ConradHarold Jack BloomMarch 17, 1963 (1963-03-17)
25"Pattern for Espionage"William ConradHarold Jack BloomMarch 24, 1963 (1963-03-24)
In 1954, a United States Army colonel, Harvey Madison (Rex Reason), is approached by a former Russian comrade-in-arms to spy for the communists. Instead, he covertly cooperates with the FBI to uncover a spy ring operated by the Soviet Union. Anthony Eisley and Gregory Walcott also appeared in this episode.[17]
26"The Tenth Mona Lisa"William ConradLouis MorheimMarch 31, 1963 (1963-03-31)
In 1911, Vincenzo Peruggia (Vito Scotti) steals the Mona Lisa from the Louvre Museum in Paris, but is apprehended by a French detective when he attempts to sell the painting to an art dealer.
27"Gertie The Great"Robert M. LeedsHarold Jack BloomApril 14, 1963 (1963-04-14)
A mallard duck in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, captivates the community.
28"Black Market"Alan Crosland Jr.Michael ZagorApril 21, 1963 (1963-04-21)
29"Nitro"John PeyserHarold Jack Bloom & Les PineApril 28, 1963 (1963-04-28)
An employee of an electroplating business in Kansas City, Missouri, accidentally makes 9 US gallons (34 L) of nitroglycerin while mixing chemicals.[18][19]
30"Heydrich (Part 1)"William ConradJohn Kneubuhl & Harold Jack BloomMay 5, 1963 (1963-05-05)
In 1942, Nazi chief of the Reich Security Main Office, Reinhard Heydrich, is assassinated by Czech resistance, and Adolf Hitler takes revenge on a village.
31"Heydrich (Part 2)"William ConradJohn Kneubuhl & Harold Jack BloomMay 12, 1963 (1963-05-12)
Conclusion; see above.
32"Commando"William ConradMichael ZagorMay 19, 1963 (1963-05-19)
A safecracker (Sean McClory) is recruited to assist in a commando raid in Rome during World War II.[20]
33"Five Tickets to Hell"Robert M. LeedsHarold Jack Bloom & Richard HarbingerMay 26, 1963 (1963-05-26)
In the series finale, John Quigley (Bing Russell), a Chicago mobster travels to Chihuahua, Mexico, where he robs the mint of $500,000 and kills seven men in the commission of the crime. Police Lieutenant Juan Garcia (Carlos Romero) tracks down Quigley and his three accomplices. Barbara Luna appears in this episode as Cotita.

Guest stars

In addition to performers mentioned above, other notable persons who guest starred on GE True include:

Notes

  1. ^ The final clause in the Time quote is unclear, as it suggests Webb's height was 2.2 feet (0.67 m)—Webb was 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Lowry, Cynthia (September 30, 1962). "Webb's TV Series Will Face Stiff Competition". Charleston Gazette-Mail. Charleston, West Virginia. AP. p. 9s. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "Jack Webb in Pursuit of Truth". Press & Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. September 29, 1962. p. Ent. 3. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c "'Just The Truth, Ma'am,' Theme Of New Jack Web Drama Series". Santa Maria Times. September 22, 1962. p. 2-B. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Show Business: The Retreads". Time. Vol. LXXX, no. 15. October 12, 1962. p. 100. Retrieved April 3, 2023 – via time.com.
  5. ^ See episode "Code Name Christopher"
  6. ^ See episode "V-Victor 5"
  7. ^ Rahn, Pete (October 10, 1962). "Jack Webb 'True' Series Good Tv". St. Louis Globe-Democrat. p. 5B. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "G E True - V Victor Five Karl Held". Retrieved April 4, 2023 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ Kirkley, Donald (October 10, 1962). "Look and Listen (column)". The Baltimore Sun. p. 14. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "'Harris Vs. Castro' Story Of Unique Legal Conflict". Napa Valley Register. September 29, 1962. p. 3-A. Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "GE True 1962 Code Name Christopher - sabotaging Nazi A-bomb factory - Jack Webb". Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ "The Last Day - Jack Webb host - frightening cold war drama that is like a Twilight Zone episode". Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via YouTube.
  13. ^ "GE TRUE 1962 Mile Long Shot to Kill history of the telescopic rifle Civil War - Russell Johnson". Retrieved April 4, 2023 – via YouTube.
  14. ^ "G E TRUE: "DEFENDANT: CLARENCE DARROW" Jack Webb Narrator. 1-13-1963. (HD)". Retrieved April 4, 2023 – via YouTube.
  15. ^ "GE TRUE 1963 - Firebug - Victor Buono, Keith Andes - host Jack Webb - directed by William Conrad". Retrieved April 6, 2023 – via YouTube.
  16. ^ "G.E. TRUE: "SECURITY RISK" Charles Aidman, Erika Peters Guest Stars. 3-3-1963. (HD HQ 1080p)". Retrieved April 4, 2023 – via YouTube.
  17. ^ "PATTERN FOR ESPIONAGE 1963 - host Jack Webb, Rex Reason - true life story similar to I Led 3 Lives". Retrieved April 8, 2023 – via YouTube.
  18. ^ "Television Programs". The Kansas City Star. April 28, 1963. p. 6G. Retrieved April 5, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "G.E. TRUE 1963 Nitro hosted by Jack Webb - harrowing story of chemical plant accident". Retrieved April 5, 2023 – via YouTube.
  20. ^ "G.E. TRUE: "COMMANDO" Jack Webb Narrator , Sean McCory. 5-19-1963. (HD HQ 1080p)". Retrieved April 4, 2023 – via YouTube.

External links

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