Originally scheduled to be called The Eddie Mayehoff Show but changed at the last minute, Doc Corkle aired on NBC right before The Colgate Comedy Hour on Sunday nights, premiering on 5 October 1952.
Eddie Mayehoff (formerly the host of one of TV’s earliest variety shows, Hour Glass) played friendly neighbourhood dentist “Doc” Ambrose Corkle who had a relatively successful dental practice but was always flat broke.
Doc’s dad, “Pop” Corkle, was played by Chester Conklin (one of the original Keystone Kops).
Other characters included Doc’s zany, trouble-inciting stepsister Melinda (Billie Burke), his wealthy widowed sister Nellie (Hope Emerson), Nellie’s son Winfield Dill – known as “Dilly” (Arnold Stang) and Doc’s daughter Laurie (Connie Marshall).
The sponsor, Reynolds Aluminum, was so disappointed with the show that they abruptly pulled out after only two weeks and the show was instantly cancelled. The final episode screened on 19 October 1952.
The timeslot was hurriedly filled by another Reynolds Aluminum show, Mr Peepers, which had just completed a successful summer run on NBC and quickly went back into production.
Since Doc Corkle initially had a 39-week contractual commitment, Mayehoff negotiated a settlement of $50,000 upon its cancellation.
Other characters included Doc’s zany, trouble-inciting stepsister Melinda (Billie Burke), his wealthy widowed sister Nellie (Hope Emerson), Nellie’s son Winfield Dill – known as “Dilly” (Arnold Stang) and Doc’s daughter Laurie (Connie Marshall).
