Meet Corliss Archer

Meet Corliss Archer entered the world in 1942 as a book by F. Hugh Herbert. The novel was about the misadventures of an attractive and manipulative, yet basically good-hearted, 15-year-old girl and her goofy next-door neighbor and beau, Dexter Franklin. The popular book spawned a radio serial (CBS, 1943-1955), a film (A Kiss for Corliss starring the teenaged Shirley Temple, 1949), a play, a comic book, and a TV series.

The television series debuted on CBS July 13, 1951 and ended its run on March 29, 1952. The show starred Lugene Sanders as Corliss, Bobby Ellis as her boyfriend Dexter Franklin, and Fred Shields and Frieda Inescourt as Corliss' parents Harry and Janet Archer. Frieda Inescourt was replaced by Irene Tedrow in 1952. The show was unique in that it was broadcast live to separate parts of the country on consecutive nights and, consequently, the cast was placed in the position of having to perform the same script twice.

This situation lasted from the series' debut July 1951 through September 1951; the following season, CBS consolidated its nationwide telecasts. The series reappeared in syndication for the 1954 season only and featured a new cast starring Ann Baker as Corliss and Bobby Ellis once again as Dexter Franklin. Along for the ride were John Eldredge and Mary Brian as Corliss' parents Harry and Janet Archer.