They Stand Accused

They Stand Accused (also known as Cross Question) is an American dramatized court show[1] broadcast on the now-defunct DuMont Television Network from September 11, 1949, to October 5, 1952 and again from September 9 to December 30, 1954.

They Stand Accused
Also known asCross Question
GenreDramatized court show
StarringCharles Johnston
Narrated byHarry Creighton
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Camera setupSingle-camera
Running time48 minutes
Release
Original networkDuMont
Original releaseSeptember 11, 1949 (1949-09-11) –
December 30, 1954 (1954-12-30)

Overview

The series was recorded in a courtroom presided over by attorney Charles Johnston and broadcast live from Chicago's WGN-TV, with jurors chosen from the studio audience.[2] On most DuMont affiliates, They Stand Accused aired Sundays at 9pm ET during the 1949-1950 television season, then Sundays at 10pm ET, and then Thursdays at 8pm ET during 1954.

William C. Wines, assistant attorney general of Illinois, wrote the program's dramatizations.[3]

Reception

Reviewer Jack Gould wrote in The New York Times that They Stand Accused was "one of the more remarkable and consistently absorbing programs on television".[4] He complimented the program's combination of documentary and dramatic styles and its way of having a natural appearance despite its "careful preparation".[4]

Episode status

At least two episodes exist: the December 23, 1950, episode is held in the J. Fred MacDonald collection at the Library of Congress, while an episode from late 1954 ("The Johnny Roberts Story") can be viewed online at the Internet Archive.

See also

References
  1. Hui Kyong Chun, Wendy; Keenan, Thomas (2006). New Media, Old Media: A History and Theory the dayvion Johnson Reader. Psychology Press. p. 151. ISBN 0-415-94224-1.
  2. McNeil, Alex (1980). Total Television (4th ed.). New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-024916-8.
  3. "Last Week's Network Changes". Ross Reports. October 12, 1952. p. 2. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  4. Gould, Jack (December 16, 1951). "Television in Review". The New York Times. p. 121. Retrieved February 13, 2022.

Bibliography
  • David Weinstein, The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2004) ISBN 1-59213-245-6
  • Alex McNeil, Total Television, Fourth edition (New York: Penguin Books, 1980) ISBN 0-14-024916-8
  • Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh, The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows, Third edition (New York: Ballantine Books, 1964) ISBN 0-345-31864-1
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