"Blondie" was the first of two television series based on the comic strip of the same title created by Chic Young. The first of these aired on NBC-TV on January 4,1957 and was produced by Hal Roach Studios in association with King Features Syndicate. Although actress Penny Singleton had starred in most of the "Blondie" movies,the series starred Pamela Britton in the title role while Arthur Lake played Britton's husband Dagwood. The series produced 26 episodes until it was canceled on July 5,1957.
Fast forward eleven years later...after the first "Blondie" series was canceled.
CBS attempted to revive a new version of the classic Chic Young comic strip character that was also short-lived as well,but with a different cast. This new version titled "The New Blondie" ran for 14 episodes, in color and was produced by Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher along with Norman Abbott,the same producers who produced "Leave It To Beaver",and "The Munsters",were behind this series which was produced for King Features Syndicate in collaboration with Kayro Productions, MCA-TV/Universal Television for CBS-TV that ran from September 26,1968 until January 9, 1969. The executive producer for this series was Al Brodax.
The new version of "Blondie" starred Patricia Harty in the title role. Actor Will Hutchins(originally from the 1950's western series Sugarfoot)was cast as Blondie's husband Dagwood Bumstead,while actor Jim Backus played Mr. Dithers(Dagwood's boss at work)alongside at the time his real-wife Henny Backus,who played Cora Dithers. The series is also known for its opening scene,which featured the comic strip characters in animated form before transforming into the actors playing the characters, Like the 1957 version,this one would be short-lived due to some competition when the network put the show onto its tough Thursday night schedule opposite "Daniel Boone" and "The Flying Nun". Furthermore,television audiences were more into "Daniel Boone" than they were into "Blondie",and the show was canceled on January 9, 1969 after 14 episodes. The show that was brought in as a midseason replacement included repeated episodes of "Family Affair" the week of January 16, 1969.
