1 9 5 1 – 1 9 5 2 (USA)
30 minute episodes
This short-lived NBC drama series was the only network soap opera to air on Sundays.
The series centred around general store owner John Olcott (Howard St. John), his wife Alice (Ruth Matteson), and their daughters Mary (Hazel Dawn Jr) and Evie (Mimi Strongin), who had relocated to the small New England town of Fairmeadows from an unspecified big city after John’s business partner killed himself after borrowing $250,000 of their firm’s money and losing it all in a craps game.
Realising they were no longer wealthy, John hoped that he and his family would be able to start afresh in Fairmeadows. Their son, Jim (Tom Taylor) was away at law school.
The sponsor of Fairmeadows, USA announced in March 1952 that it was cancelling the show, but it reappeared in September 1952 as a daily 15-minute segment titled “The House in the Garden” on The Kate Smith Hour.
Ruth Matteson and Mimi Strongin returned in the roles of Alice and Evie, with Lauren Gilbert replacing Howard St. John as John. The segment lasted less than a season.
John Olcott
Howard St. John (1)
Lauren Gilbert (2)
Alice Olcott
Ruth Matteson
Mary Olcott
Hazel Dawn Jr
Evie Olcott
Mimi Strongin
Jim Olcott
Tom Taylor