The Imogene Coca Show

Overview

The Imogene Coca Show is a half-hour NBC television series starring Imogene Coca in both situation comedy and variety show formats. The program debuted on October 2, 1954, after the ending of Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, on which Coca had been a popular regular performer. The first two episodes of The Imogene Coca Show center upon the difficulties of a television star starting a new series. Her co-stars were Billy DeWolfe and Ruth Donnelly. The program became a variety show in its third episode, with standard songs, comedy sketches, and weekly guest stars. Then in February 1955, Coca was cast as a newlywed with a husband and two lively neighbors, Helen and Harry Milliken, portrayed, respectively, by Bibi Osterwald and David Burns. Eight years thereafter in the 1963-1964 season, Coca was cast in another NBC situation comedy, Grindl, about the wacky life of a maid working for an employment agency. The Imogene Coca Show aired on Saturday evenings at 9 p.m. EST preceding The Jimmy Durante Show and opposite Two for the Money on CBS. ABC aired Saturday evening boxing at the time. The program was telecast from New York City. It ended after a single season.