Emmys flashback to 1964: ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ dominates

Anthology series were popular in the 1960s with Rod Serling’s “The Twilight Zone”; the Master of Suspense’s “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,” “The Outer Limits” and “Bob Hope Presents Chrysler Theatre” numbering among top-rated shows.

The latter sounds like an oxymoron.  The veteran comic, who never met a joke he didn’t want to tell, as host of an anthology series? The Oscars yes, but joining the ranks of Serling and Hitchcock? Though it’s practically forgotten today, the series sponsored by the Chrysler Corporation ran from 1963-67 on NBC.  Episodes ranged from an adaptation of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s “One Day I the Life of Ivan Denisovich” to Hope entertaining the troops in Vietnam.

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The series attracted such stars as Ida Lupino, who also directed, Cliff Robertson, Rod Steiger, and Peter Falk; directors included Sam Peckinpah, Sydney Pollack, Stuart Rosenberg, and John Cassavetes.

The “Chrysler Theatre” was no stranger to Emmy Awards.The series would receive 12 Emmy nominations during its run; winning five. It earned the most nominations — seven — at the 16th Primetime Emmys held 60 years ago. Among these was outstanding program achievement in the field of drama. It won three at the ceremony hosted by Joey Bishop and E.G Marshall, which took place May 25, 1964: Albert Paulsen for outstanding performance by an actor in a supporting role; Shelley Winters for outstanding single performance by an actress in a leading role; and Rod Serling for outstanding writing achievement in drama, adaptation for “It’s Mental.”

“Chrysler Theatre” wasn’t the only anthology series that received multiple nominations. NBCs “The Richard Boone Show,” which only lasted one season, earned five nominations including drama series and continued performance by a lead actor for Boone. Does anybody remember NBC’s medical drama series “Doctors and the Nurses?” That series ran for three seasons and earned four acting nominations including for Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil and Carl Lee.

CBS’ classic comedy series “The Dick Van Dyke Show” was the big winner at the ceremony which aired on NBC receiving five Emmys including comedy series, lead actor for Dick Van Dyke, lead actress for Mary Tyler Moore, directing achievement for Jerry Paris and writing achievement for Carl Reiner, Sam Denoff and Bill Persky. CBS’ lauded legal eagle series “The Defenders” won the top dramatic series prize for the third year in a row; Jack Klugman took home his first Emmy for single performance in a leading role for “The Blacklist” episode of the series and scribe Ernest Kinoy won for writing achievement for the installment. Tom Gries won for outstanding directorial achievement in drama for the controversial “Who Do You Kill?” episode of CBS’ acclaimed but short-lived “East Side/West Side.”

Other big winners:  CBS’ “The Danny Kaye Show” was named outstanding program achievement in the field of variety; ABC’s “The Making of the President 1960” won Emmys for achievement in documentary programs as well as program of the year.

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