Books by Richard Irvin

The Big Valley, Burke's Law, The Rifleman, Zane Grey Theatre - these are just a few of the iconic series produced by Four Star Productions. This book covers all of the series produced and/or syndicated by Four Star from 1952 to 1989 as well as the many pilots the company made but were unable to sell. Topics include the first Western series created by legendary film director Sam Peckinpah, the first detective series with a female main character, the first, and perhaps only, ninety-minute game show pilot, and the one series that accounted for 70% of Four Star's revenue in 1969.Richard Irvin is the author of The Early Shows: A Reference Guide to Network and Syndicated Prime-Time Television Series from 1944 to 1949, Forgotten Laughs: An Episode Guide to 150 TV Sitcoms You Probably Never Saw, and Spinning Laughter: Profiles of 111 Proposed Comedy Spin-offs and Sequels that Never Became a Series - all from Bear Manor Media.

The Big Valley, Burke's Law, The Rifleman, Zane Grey Theatre - these are just a few of the iconic series produced by Four Star Productions. This book covers all of the series produced and/or syndicated by Four Star from 1952 to 1989 as well as the many pilots the company made but were unable to sell. Topics include the first Western series created by legendary film director Sam Peckinpah, the first detective series with a female main character, the first, and perhaps only, ninety-minute game show pilot, and the one series that accounted for 70% of Four Star's revenue in 1969.Richard Irvin is the author of The Early Shows: A Reference Guide to Network and Syndicated Prime-Time Television Series from 1944 to 1949, Forgotten Laughs: An Episode Guide to 150 TV Sitcoms You Probably Never Saw, and Spinning Laughter: Profiles of 111 Proposed Comedy Spin-offs and Sequels that Never Became a Series - all from Bear Manor Media.

Bette Davis as a madam. Orson Welles hosting The Twilight Zone. Mae West voicing a cartoon character. Shirley Temple playing a social worker. While Hollywood stars like Lucille Ball, Loretta Young and Donna Reed successfully transitioned to television in its early days, many others tried and failed to become TV regulars. Drawing on contemporary interviews and other sources, this book profiles more than 50 actors--including Joan Crawford, Barbara Stanwyck, Gary Cooper, Alan Ladd and Buster Keaton--and their unsuccessful pilots and short-lived series roles.