 |
The book, "Nat Hiken: King of the Half Hour," is a great look at a now-forgotten pioneer of broadcast comedy. Hiken is known today, if at all, for the "Sergeant Bilko," series in the mid-1950s, and the 1960s "Car 54, Where Are You?" What the book shows is Hiken's rise from a syndicated newspaper column to network radio, and then to early television. He was a terrific comedy writer and auteur. But as always, time and events conspire against such geniuses. Hiken was at the top of his game when early television production was centered in New York, Hiken's home base. When it moved to California (like it did in radio), the whole tenor of the format changed and Hiken was like a fish out of water. He also drove himself to an early grave by attempting to do it all in early television--write, produce, direct. The quality his shows displayed was too expensive for network tastes and the book is treasure trove of information on the various ways networks approached comedy shows in the early 1950s. There is lots on his early successes both in radio and television as well his eventual retirement from the scene. You could say the medium left him, not the other way around. There is lots in the book about Hiken's and his family's politics which I think did not add a whole lot of value although I can see the argument of how it affected his work. The descriptions of daily life in the NY television scene in the 1950s is priceless, a wonderful look at a wonderful era. I would recommend this book to anyone who remembers his shows and is interested in the history of early television broadcasting. I only wonder what Hiken would think of today's comedies, although I can guess.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Books
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on Books
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- You may also like
