{{Short description|American TV detective drama (1957–1959)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox television | image = | image_size = | image_upright = | image_alt = | caption = | alt_name = | native_name = | genre = | creator = | based_on = | inspired_by = | developer = | writer =E. Jack Neuman | screenplay = | teleplay = | story = | director =John Peyser | creative_director = | presenter = | starring =Frank Lovejoy | judges = | voices = | narrator = | theme_music_composer ={{Plain list| *Harold Arlen * Johnny Mercer }} | music = | open_theme ="One for My Baby" | end_theme = | composer = | country =United States | language = | num_seasons = | num_series = | num_episodes =33 | num_specials = | list_episodes = | executive_producer = | producer ={{Plain list| *Don Sharpe *Warren Lewis}} | news_editor = | location = | cinematography = | animator = | editor = | camera = | runtime = | company = | budget = | network =NBC | first_aired = {{Start date|1957|07|02}} | released = | last_aired = {{End date|1958|06|24}} | related = }}'''''Meet McGraw''''' is an American television detective drama that was broadcast on NBC from July 2, 1957, to June 24, 1958.<ref name=tt>{{cite book|last1=McNeil|first1=Alex|title=Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present |date=1996|publisher=Penguin Books USA, Inc.|location=New York, New York|isbn=0-14-02-4916-8|page= 539|edition=4th}}</ref> Several months after it debuted, the title was changed to '''''Adventures of McGraw'''''.<ref name="mn" /> It was also shown in Canada on CBC Television and some independent stations.<ref name=canada>{{cite magazine |date=July 10, 1957 |page=27 |title='Meet McGraw' as P&G Canada Entry |magazine=Variety |url=https://archive.org/details/variety207-1957-07/page/n94/mode/1up |accessdate=June 15, 2023}}</ref> ABC began showing reruns of the program in the United States in November 1958. They ended on October 8, 1959.<ref name="brooks">{{cite book |last1=Brooks |first1=Tim |last2=Marsh |first2=Earle F. |title=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present |date=June 24, 2009 |publisher=Random House Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-307-48320-1 |page=879 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&dq=%22Meet+McGraw%22+Lovejoy&pg=PA879 |access-date=June 14, 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
==Background== Producer Don Sharpe said that the idea for the McGraw character came to him in 1954 while he was working in England, and it had no basis in any existing literary figure.<ref name=v>{{cite magazine |date=March 6, 1957 |page=22 |title=Don Sharpe's 'McGraw' Sale To P&G; Other Entries in Hopper |magazine=Variety |url=https://archive.org/details/variety206-1957-03/page/n21/mode/1up?view=theater |accessdate=June 15, 2023}}</ref> ''Four Star Playhouse'' broadcast "Meet McGraw" as an episode on February 25, 1954.<ref name="tt" /> In that episode, McGraw was "a hood with a price on his head" who helped people who for some reason could not go to the police.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Terrace |first1=Vincent |title=Encyclopedia of Television Pilots: 2,470 Films Broadcast 1937-2019, 2d ed. |date=January 17, 2020 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-3810-2 |page=304 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=69-_DwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Meet+McGraw%22+Lovejoy&pg=PA304 |access-date=June 14, 2023 |language=en}}</ref> ''Stage 7'' also had an episode featuring McGraw in March 1955.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bang |first1=Derrick |title=Crime and Spy Jazz on Screen, 1950-1970: A History and Discography |date=April 16, 2020 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-6747-8 |page=32 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=abTeDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Meet+McGraw%22+Lovejoy&pg=PA32 |access-date=June 14, 2023 |language=en}}</ref>
== Premise == The only main regular character was McGraw (played by Frank Lovejoy), who had no first name. He began each episode with the statement, "This is McGraw, just McGraw. It's enough of a name for a man like McGraw."<ref name="tt" />
McGraw was a loner, a tough man who did not carry a gun. He was "not officially a private detective", but "he accepted all sorts of dangerous jobs for pay."<ref name="brooks" /> Lovejoy said that he felt "quite strongly that a leading character in a present-day TV series who gets involved regularly in dangerous situations should solve them maturely, ethically and realistically."<ref name="mh">{{cite news |last1=Misurell |first1=Ed |title=The Actor Who Plays Himself |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-meet-mcgraw/126427779/ |access-date=June 15, 2023 |work=The Miami Herald |date=August 11, 1957 |page=Fun in Florida - 17|via = Newspapers.com }}</ref> Thus, when McGraw was confronted by someone holding a gun, he was likely to leap for safety rather than trying to take the weapon away.<ref name="mh" />
McGraw's loner nature meant that no matter how he might become involved with anyone during an episode, "at the end of each episode he moved on."<ref name=etcf>{{cite book |last1=Aaker |first1=Everett |title=Encyclopedia of Early Television Crime Fighters: All Regular Cast Members in American Crime and Mystery Series, 1948-1959 |date=2006 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-2476-4 |page=342 |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofea0000aake/page/342/mode/1up |access-date=June 15, 2023}}</ref>
==Episodes== {| class="wikitable" |+ Selected episodes of ''Meet McGraw'' |- ! Date !! Title |- | July 2, 1957 || "The New Orleans Story"<ref name="loc">{{cite book |title=3 Decades of Television: A Catalog of Television Programs Acquired by the Library of Congress, 1949-1979 |date=1989 |publisher=Washington, D.C. : United States Government Printing Office |isbn=978-0-8444-0544-5 |page=356 |url=https://archive.org/details/3decadesoftelevi0000libr/page/356/mo |access-date=June 15, 2023}}</ref> |- | April 22, 1958|| "Rare Perfume"<br/>(Alternate title: "The Disappearance"<ref name="loc"/> |}
== Schedule == The July debut of ''Meet McGraw'' was unusual, as new TV series customarily began in September or October. The trade publication ''Variety'' called the move a "calculated gamble".<ref name=gamble>{{cite magazine |date=June 19, 1957 |page=28 |title=Procter's Calculated Gamble |magazine=Variety |url=https://archive.org/details/variety207-1957-06/page/n179/mode/1up |accessdate=June 15, 2023}}</ref> Sponsor Procter & Gamble felt that the advance start would allow the show to accumulate an audience before competing shows began their seasons. ''Variety'' noted that because of Procter & Gamble's "traditional bellwether role in the industry as an innovator in new radio-TV time-buying techniques" the experiment would "be watched with considerable interest by the networks and agencies."<ref name="gamble" />
The NBC broadcasts were from 9 to 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesdays. Reruns on ABC were initially from 10 to 10:30 p.m. ET on Sundays. In January 1959 they were from 9:30 to 10 p.m. ET on Sundays. February - September 1959 episodes were shown from 10:30 to 11 p.m. ET on Sundays, and the October 1959 episodes were from 9 to 9:30 p.m. ET on Thursdays.<ref name="brooks" />
== Production == Warren Lewis and Sharpe were the producers.<ref name="dc">{{cite news |last1=Nichols |first1=Harold A. |title=Meet McGraw--Then Watch Him Unravel Mysteries |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/democrat-and-chronicle-meet-mcgraw/126428782/ |access-date=June 15, 2023 |work=Democrat and Chronicle |date=June 30, 1957 |location=New York, Rochester |page=5 F|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref> John Peyser was the director, and E. Jack Neuman was the writer.<ref name=vrev>{{cite magazine |date=July 10, 1957 |page=35 |title=Meet McGraw |magazine=Variety |url=https://archive.org/details/variety207-1957-07/page/n102/mode/1up |accessdate=June 15, 2023}}</ref> Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer wrote the program's theme, "One for My Baby".<ref name="tt" /> Thirty-three episodes were made in black-and-white,<ref name="etcf" /> filmed at Desilu studios in Hollywood.<ref name="mh" />
When Procter & Gamble decided to eliminate its Tuesday night programs, that ended the original run of the series even though "ratings were good".<ref name="mn">{{cite news |last1=Grace |first1=Arthur |title=Mr. McGraw Fine Fellow |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news/21331186/ |access-date=June 15, 2023 |work=The Miami News |date=January 28, 1958 |page=24|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref> ABC bought the films to show as reruns.<ref name="mn" />
==Critical response== A review in ''The New York Times'' described Lovejoy as "a competent actor" and added "He deserves much better than ''Meet McGraw''."<ref name="nytreview">{{cite news |title=TV Review: Frank Lovejoy Stars in 'Meet McGraw' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1957/07/03/archives/tv-review-frank-lovejoy-stars-in-meet-mcgraw.html |access-date=June 14, 2023 |work=The New York Times |date=July 3, 1957 |page=47|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
A newspaper article distributed by NEA noted that the program appealed to both men and women viewers, but for different reasons: "Male fans envy his lack of responsibilities, and he's fascinating to women who are probably thinking they'd like to corral him into more permanent surroundings."<ref>{{cite news |title=Frank Lovejoy Admits He's Appearing on TV for Money |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tribune-frank-lovejoy/126428429/ |access-date=June 15, 2023 |work=The Tribune |agency=NEA |date=August 17, 1957 |location=California, San Luis Obispo |page=10|via = Newspapers.com}}</ref>
Arthur Grace wrote in ''The Miami News'', "''Meet McGraw'' was weak in story lines but still a rewarding series thanks to Lovejoy's acting abilities and good dialogue."<ref name="mn" />
A ''Variety'' review of the first episode described it as "formula stuff".<ref name="vrev" /> It added that the story wasted the talents of the actors and the director.<ref name="vrev" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Meet McGraw}} Category:1957 American television series debuts Category:1959 American television series endings Category:1950s American crime drama television series Category:Black-and-white television shows Category:American detective television series Category:NBC crime dramas