1 9 5 5 (USA)
13 x 30 minute episodes
The small New York town of Pearl River (population 12,000) is the setting. It is here that Pearson Norby (David Wayne), the newly-elected vice president of small loans at the First National Bank, lives with his wife Helen (Joan Lorring) and their children Diane (Susan Hallaran) and Hank (Evan Elliott).
Bobo (Jack Warden) and his wife Maureen (Maxine Stuart) are their neighbours.
Pearson (his wife calls him “Pearce”, most others call him simply “Norby”) is an easy-going, kind-hearted man and stories relate the events in his life as he struggles to cope with the problems he encounters at home and at work.
Other staff at the bank include the switchboard operator Wahleen Johnson (Janice Mars), Mr Rudge the bank efficiency expert (Ralph Dunn) who has the employees bring in their own fountain pens and ink to allay costs, and Maude Endless (Carol Veazie) the stuffy but kindly bank president.
The biggest slacker at the bank is Oliver Wendell Prue (Lamont Johnson), the Vice President of the bank and nephew of Mrs Endless.
Norby was the first weekly show in television history to be broadcast in colour from its inception (though very few viewers had colour sets in 1955). Perhaps the fact that the sponsor for the NBC show was Eastman Kodak had something to do with it.
Pearson Norby
David Wayne
Helen Norby
Joan Lorring
Diane Norby
Susan Hallaran
Hank Norby
Evan Elliott
Wahleen Johnson
Janice Mars
Mr Rudge
Ralph Dunn
Maude Endless
Carol Veazie
Oliver Wendell Prue
Lamont Johnson
Bobo
Jack Warden
Maureen
Maxine Stuart
