West 57th

1 9 8 5 – 1 9 8 9 (USA)

West 57th premiered as a summer magazine series that was a fast-paced ‘yuppie‘ version of 60 Minutes.

The four original correspondents were all under 40, and the stories they covered were oriented to a younger audience. There were multiple pieces on the drug problem –  steroids for athletes, the use and abuse of legal ‘designer drugs’ and the problems with “Angel Dust”; a story on the growing popularity of cosmetic surgery; a feature about the increasing incidence of arson among teens; and coverage of the competition between American and Japanese companies searching for a cure for cancer.

On the lighter side were profiles of actors Chuck Norris and John and Angelica Huston, singers Billy Joel and John Cougar Mellencamp, and comic Martin Short, as well as a story on the never-ending labours of an exterminator trying to control the pest population in the Pentagon.

After two years as a summer show, West 57th returned to the CBS schedule in April 1987 on a full-time basis. Steve Kroft joined the correspondents, as did Britisher Selina Scott, whose forte was European-based pieces on the music industry.

When Jane Wallace left the show at the end of the year she was replaced by Karen Burnes.

West 57th was succeeded in August 1989 by another newsmagazine show, Saturday Night with Connie Chung.

Correspondents
John Ferrugia
Bob Sirott (1985-1988)
Meredith Vieira Jane Wallace (1985-1988)
Steve Kroft (1987-1989)
Selina Scott (1987-1989)
Karen Burnes (1988-1989)
Stephen Schiff (1988-1989)

Video