Mister Ed


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

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About

From Wikipedia:

Mister Ed is an American television situation comedy produced by Filmways[1] that first aired in syndication from January 5 to July 2, 1961 and then on CBS from October 1, 1961 to February 6, 1966. Mister Ed was the first series ever to debut as a midseason replacement.

The stars of the show are Mister Ed, an intelligent palomino American Saddlebred who could talk ("played" by gelding Bamboo Harvester and voiced by Allan Lane), and his owner, an eccentric and enormously klutzy architect named Wilbur Post (portrayed by Alan Young). Much of the program's humor stemmed from the fact Mister Ed would speak only to Wilbur, as well as Ed's notoriety as a troublemaker. According to the show's producer, Arthur Lubin, Young was chosen as the lead character because he "just seemed like the sort of guy a horse would talk to."[2] Lubin, a friend of Mae West, scored a coup by persuading the screen icon to guest star in one episode.

The horse that played Mister Ed for the pilot episode was a chestnut gelding.

Mr. Ed (1949-1970) was voiced by ex-B-movie cowboy star Allan "Rocky" Lane (speaking) and Sheldon Allman (singing, except his line in the theme song, which was sung by its composer, Jay Livingston).

Ed was voice-trained for the show by Les Hilton. Lane remained anonymous as the voice of Mister Ed, and the show's producers referred to him only as "an actor who prefers to remain nameless," though once the show became a hit, Lane campaigned the producers for credit, which he never received. The credits listed Mister Ed as playing "Himself"; however, his real name was Bamboo Harvester. Ed's stablemate, a quarter horse named Pumpkin, who was later to appear in the television series Green Acres, was also Ed's stunt double in the show.

Created by Walter R. Brooks

Directed by

Jus Addiss

Rodney Amateau

Arthur Lubin

John Rich

Ira Stewart

Alan Young

Starring

Alan Young

Connie Hines

Voices of Allan "Rocky" Lane

Theme music composer Ray Evans

Jay Livingston

Opening theme "Mr. Ed" by Jay Livingston

Composer(s) Jack Cookerly

Dave Kahn

Country of origin United States

Language(s) English

No. of seasons 6

No. of episodes 143

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Highlights
Ray Evans and Jay Livingston on writing the theme song for Mister Ed
00:50
Who talked about this show

Jay Livingston

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Ray Evans and Jay Livingston on writing the theme song for Mister Ed
05:07
Ray Evans and Jay Livingston on writing the theme song for Mister Ed
05:07

Larry Rhine

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Larry Rhine on writing for Mister Ed
05:07
Larry Rhine on the producers and guest stars of Mister Ed
02:54
Larry Rhine on the voice of Mister Ed, Allan "Rocky" Lane
01:41
Larry Rhine on Alan Young as Wilbur Post on Mister Ed, and the rest of the cast
01:16

Hazel Shermet

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Hazel Shermet on acting in Mister Ed
01:36

Robert Smigel

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Robert Smigel on being influenced by television shows like Mister Ed and the talking horse (which may have influenced his character "Triumph the Insult Comic Dog")
01:33

Ben Starr

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Ben Starr on how Mister Ed came about
04:39
Ben Starr on treating the character "Mister Ed" as a grown-up
01:31
Ben Starr on writing for Mister Ed
00:38
Ben Starr on production and the cast of Mister Ed
02:47
Ben Starr on why he left Mister Ed - to write movies
00:33
Ben Starr on working with George Burns and the other producers of Mister Ed
03:10

Alan Young

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Alan Young on the development of Mr. Ed
11:27
Alan Young on the sponsors of Mister Ed
01:42
Alan Young on various guest stars on Mister Ed, including Clint Eastwood and Mae West
06:26
Alan Young on the first episode of Mister Ed, and on how the show was received and picked up by CBS
04:23
Alan Young on finding the voice for "Mister Ed," and on how they made the horse talk
04:01
Alan Young on the end of Mister Ed, and on the continuing popularity of the show
03:02
Alan Young on Mister Ed transforming from pilot to series
03:31
Alan Young on his relationship with the horse "Mister Ed," and the supporting cast of the show
03:05
Alan Young on the writers of Mister Ed
01:57
Alan Young on the theme song for Mister Ed
01:09
Alan Young on a typical workweek on Mister Ed
04:10
Alan Young on his Mister Ed character "Wilbur Post"
02:43
Alan Young on Mister Ed guest-stars William Bendix, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and George Burns, who was also a producer
01:20
Alan Young on directing episode of Mister Ed
01:44

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