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Assignment Foreign Legion

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American TV anthology series (1957)

Assignment Foreign Legion is an American TV series that starred Merle Oberon. It ran on CBS from October 1, 1957, until December 24, 1957.

Premise

The series related activities of the French Foreign Legion during World War II. Oberon narrated episodes and played a newspaper correspondent in search of stories about the Foreign Legion.

Production

The show's producers were M. Smedley Aston and Anthony C. Bartlett. Directors included Don Chaffey, Michael McCarthy and Lance Comfort. Writers included Max Ehrlich. The series was filmed in Morocco, Algiers, England and Spain. Eventually it became too dangerous and filming was completed at Beaconsfield Studios in London. CBS Television Film Sales Inc. distributed the series.

Assignment Foreign Legion was broadcast on Tuesdays from 10:30 to 11 p.m. Eastern Time. Its average cost was $26,000 an episode. It was sponsored by P. Lorillard Company for Kent cigarettes. The trade publication Variety reported, "there was some worry" prior to Lorillard's taking on the show because it "may be too controversial, possibly alienating nationalistic Arabs." The program ended when Lorillard decided to move its sponsorship to Richard Diamond, Private Detective, which began on January 2, 1958.

Reception

Variety said "Stories, acting, and production are of good quality.

One week the show was among the top ten shows in Britain.

References

  1. "Merle Oberon Tells Story". The Canberra Times. Vol. 36, no. 10, 277. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 July 1962. p. 15. Retrieved 11 August 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present (4th ed.). New York, New York: Penguin Books USA, Inc. p. 64. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8.
  3. ^ Adams, Val (August 20, 1957). "Merle Oberon to Star on C.B.S. In TV Series of Foreign Legion". The New York Times. p. 53. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  4. ^ Hawes, William (December 26, 2001). Filmed Television Drama, 1952-1958. McFarland. p. 109. ISBN 978-0-7864-1132-0. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  5. "Stories Of The Foreign Legion". The Canberra Times. Vol. 36, no. 10, 289. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 28 July 1962. p. 7. Retrieved 11 August 2020 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. Ellett, Ryan (November 2, 2017). Radio Drama and Comedy Writers, 1928-1962. McFarland. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-4766-2980-3. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  7. Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle F. (June 24, 2009). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present. Random House Publishing Group. p. 85. ISBN 978-0-307-48320-1. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  8. "Earnings in Britain Cancel Out $100000 Investment". Variety. 14 November 1956. p. 36.
  9. "Pabst Weighs CBS Tuesday". Billboard. November 4, 1957. p. 3. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  10. "Assignment Foreign Legion". Variety. October 9, 1957. p. 29. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  11. Adams, Val (December 16, 1957). "A. B. C. Reverses Film Show Trend: Drops 'Date With Angels' for Live Betty White Program --C.B.S. Signs Fred Coe Producer Gets C.B.S Pact". The New York Times. p. 51. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  12. Review of series at Variety
  13. "Palladium Number 1". Variety. 27 February 1957. p. 31.

External links


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