Author Meets the Critics, The


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About

From Wikipedia:

Author Meets the Critics was an American TV series which aired on NBC, ABC, and DuMont.

Broadcast history

Author Meets the Critics began as a mid-season replacement on NBC during April 1948, but moved to ABC in 1949. The show moved back to NBC in 1951, and then to DuMont from 10 January 1952 to 10 October 1954.

On the series, two critics debated a recently-published book, one in favor and the other against. Later, the author of the book appeared to face the critics.

John K. M. McCaffery was the moderator from 1948 to 1951. Faye Emerson had a brief stint as moderator in 1952, during which the show was moved to prime time. Virgilia Peterson was the moderator during the DuMont run from 1952 to 1954, when the show was aired Thursdays at 10pm EST.

The DuMont episodes of the show were produced by Phyllis Adams Jenkins, a pioneer in providing serious programming intended for daytime television audiences. She went on to produce other shows, including What's the Problem?, the daytime show Home starring Arlene Francis in the 1950s, and Dinah Shore’s daytime show in the 1960s.

On his show, Ernie Kovacs parodied it as "Author Heats the Critics," where the author attacks the critics, rather than the other way around.

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Who talked about this show

Ira Skutch

View Interview
Ira Skutch on the book discussion show Author Meets the Critics
00:41

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