Waterfront (1955 TV series)
Waterfront is a syndicated half-hour American television drama series that starred Preston Foster as the captain of the harbor tug Cheryl Ann. The series was filmed 1954-1955 by Roland Reed Productions, Inc., for the Ziv Company, in part on location at the Port of Los Angeles. Although Foster had been a Broadway, Vaudeville, and Hollywood actor since his 20's, he grew up in coastal cities in New Jersey, worked as a clerk for a shipping company when he was 20, and was an officer in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. He was quoted as insisting on authenticity where possible in the production.
Production
Preston Foster portrayed Captain John Herrick, a tugboat captain at Los Angeles Harbor, operating from Berth 14 in San Pedro, in 78 episodes, production of which concluded in 1955. It also starred Douglas Dick, Lois Moran, Willie Best[1] and Harry Lauter.
Stated Foster, “On Waterfront, I insisted that we use the real locale. We went down to Los Angeles harbor and got a lot of good background shots. The Coast Guard supplied the equipment we needed, and I even learned how to handle the tugboat myself.”
The actor left the program to make the pilot for a new program, “Test Pilot,” which, ultimately, did not make it into series production. Foster explained that the end of Waterfront was a financial decision.
“We’ve made 78 of them,” he said. “That’s enough for two years, including 26 weeks of reruns. The show is still riding high, and we could probably make more.
“But the profit is in the second runs. It’s important to sell them in the second-run market while the show’s popularity is high; you get a better price for them.
“Now is when the producers cash in on the investment. So far they haven’t made a profit. I’m the only one who has - because I was under salary.”[2]
Episodes
Season 1 (1954)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "The Skipper's Day" | John Brahm | Teleplay by : M. Bernard Fox and Jesse L. Lasky Jr. | August 21, 1954 |
| 2 | 2 | "Sunken Treasure Of San Pedro" | Phil Karlson | Teleplay by : Warren Wilson | August 28, 1954 |
| 3 | 3 | "Lighthouse" | Phil Karlson | Teleplay by : Robert J. Shaw | September 5, 1954 |
| 4 | 4 | "A New Whistle For The Cheryl Ann" | Hollingsworth Morse | Teleplay by : Warren Wilson | September 12, 1954 |
| 5 | 5 | "Cap'n Long John" | Hollingsworth Morse | Story by : Warren Wilson Teleplay by : Marjorie Hunt Pierson | September 19, 1954 |
| 6 | 6 | "Term Paper" | John Brahm | Teleplay by : M. Bernard Fox and Robert J. Shaw | September 26, 1954 |
| 7 | 7 | "Cap'n John's Dilemma" | Phil Karlson | Teleplay by : Arthur Hoerl | October 3, 1954 |
| 8 | 8 | "Family Problems" | Phil Karlson | Teleplay by : M. Bernard Fox, Eugene Ling, and Robert J. Shaw | October 10, 1954 |
| 9 | 9 | "Sea Bells" | John Brahm | Teleplay by : Norman Reilly Raine | 1954 |
| 10 | 10 | "Tug O'War" | Phil Karlson | Teleplay by : Charles Belden | 1954 |
| 11 | 11 | "Tailor-Made Trouble" | Hollingsworth Morse | Teleplay by : Burt Sims and Arthur Hoerl | 1954 |
| 12 | 12 | "Troubled Waters" | Phil Karlson | Teleplay by : Frank L. Moss and Lee Berg | 1954 |
| 13 | 13 | "The Rift" | Phil Karlson | Teleplay by : Lillie Hayward | 1954 |
| 14 | 14 | "First Mate" | Ted Post | Story by : Robert C. Dennis Teleplay by : Arthur Hoerl and Louis Vittes | 1954 |
| 15 | 15 | "Warehouse Incident" | Phil Karlson | Teleplay by : David Dortort | 1954 |
| 16 | 16 | "High Water" | Ted Post | Story by : Charles Belden Teleplay by : Charles Belden and Louis Vittes | 1954 |
| 17 | 17 | "Floating Mine" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Sidney Biddell and Frederic M. Frank | 1954 |
| 18 | 18 | "Fog Bound" | Phil Karlson | Teleplay by : Frank L. Moss and Lee Berg | 1954 |
| 19 | 19 | "Live Cargo" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : David Dortort | 1954 |
| 20 | 20 | "Cap'n Christopher" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : James O'Hanlon | 1954 |
| 21 | 21 | "Tension" | Ted Post | Story by : Adrian Spies Teleplay by : Arthur Hoerl and Louis Vittes | 1954 |
| 22 | 22 | "Back Wash" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Lillie Hayward | 1954 |
| 23 | 23 | "Diamonds In The Rough" | Ted Post | Story by : John Tucker Battle Teleplay by : John Tucker Battle, Louis Vittes, and Warren Wilson | 1954 |
| 24 | 24 | "The Long Beach Pier" | Ted Post | Story by : John Tucker Battle Teleplay by : John Tucker Battle, Louis Vittes, and Warren Wilson | 1954 |
| 25 | 25 | "Portia Of The Sea" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Frank L. Moss and Lee Berg | 1954 |
| 26 | 26 | "Anchors Of The Past" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Eugene Vale and Frank L. Moss | 1954 |
| 27 | 27 | "Driftwood" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Frank L. Moss and Lee Berg | 1954 |
| 28 | 28 | "Drawbridge Incident" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Sidney Biddell and Frederic M. Frank | 1954 |
| 29 | 29 | "Tuna Clipper" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Frederic M. Frank | 1954 |
| 30 | 30 | "The White Ducks" | Phil Karlson | Teleplay by : David Dortort | 1954 |
| 31 | 31 | "Star Bright" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Frank L. Moss | 1954 |
| 32 | 32 | "Harbor Piracy" | Phil Karlson | Teleplay by : David Lang | 1954 |
| 33 | 33 | "The Sea And Captain Taggart" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Bernie Giler | 1954 |
| 34 | 34 | "Ghost Tug" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Elizabeth Wilson | 1954 |
| 35 | 35 | "F.O.B. Vera Cruz" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Robert J. Shaw | 1954 |
| 36 | 36 | "Night At The Lighthouse" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : James O'Hanlon | 1954 |
| 37 | 37 | "Live Bait" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Jack Laird | 1954 |
| 38 | 38 | "Oil Island" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Douglas Morrow | 1954 |
| 39 | 39 | "Christmas In San Pedro" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Eugene Ling | 1954 |
Season 2 (1954-1955)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | 1 | "Fisherman's Fiesta" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Elizabeth Wilson | 1954 |
| 41 | 2 | "Yellow Flag" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Charles Belden and Frank L. Moss | 1954 |
| 42 | 3 | "Floating Bottle" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Endre Bohem and Louis Vittes | 1954 |
| 43 | 4 | "The Reluctant Guest" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Douglas Morrow | 1955 |
| 44 | 5 | "Homing Flight" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Endre Bohem and Louis Vittes | 1955 |
| 45 | 6 | "Farnum's Folly" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Bernie Giler, Endre Bohem, and Louis Vittes | 1955 |
| 46 | 7 | "Trial By Fire" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : David Dortort | 1955 |
| 47 | 8 | "Shipper, Beware" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Bernie Giler | 1955 |
| 48 | 9 | "Captain Without a Ship" | Frederick Stephani | Teleplay by : Frank L. Moss | 1955 |
| 49 | 10 | "The Man" | Ted Post | Story by : Curt Siodmak Teleplay by : John A. Kneubuhl | 1955 |
| 50 | 11 | "The Skipper and The Padre" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : James and Jean O'Hanlon | 1955 |
| 51 | 12 | "The Sea Rustler" | Frederick Stephani | Teleplay by : David Lang and Stan Jones | 1955 |
| 52 | 13 | "Shakedown Cruise" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : John Kneubuhl | 1955 |
| 53 | 14 | "Trestle Point" | Frederick Stephani | Teleplay by : David Dortort | 1955 |
| 54 | 15 | "The Search" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Douglas Morrow | 1955 |
| 55 | 16 | "The Artful Horse" | Paul Landres | Teleplay by : Endre Bohem and Louis Vittes | 1955 |
| 56 | 17 | "Tuna Bound" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Lee Perenchio and Violet Atkins | 1955 |
| 57 | 18 | "The Semi-Private Room" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Douglas Morrow | 1955 |
| 58 | 19 | "Beyond The Line" | Frederick Stephani | Teleplay by : Frank L. Moss | 1955 |
| 59 | 20 | "The Angel Louise" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Violet Atkins and Lee Perenchio | 1955 |
| 60 | 21 | "Stand By All Stations" | Paul Landres | Story by : Stan Jones Teleplay by : David Dortort | 1955 |
| 61 | 22 | "Ferry Boat Ride" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : John Kneubuhl | 1955 |
| 62 | 23 | "The Seal" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Douglas Morrow | 1955 |
| 63 | 24 | "Safe Harbor" | Paul Landres | Teleplay by : James and Jean O'Hanlon | 1955 |
| 64 | 25 | "The Race" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Douglas Morrow | 1955 |
| 65 | 26 | "The Rescue" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Douglas Morrow | 1955 |
| 66 | 27 | "Double Exposure" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Bernie Giler | 1955 |
| 67 | 28 | "Mike" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : John Kneubuhl | 1955 |
| 68 | 29 | "The Hideout" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Douglas Morrow | 1955 |
| 69 | 30 | "Captain For A Day" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Endre Bohem and Louis Vittes | 1955 |
| 70 | 31 | "Catalina Swim" | Paul Landres | Teleplay by : Lee Perenchio and Violet Atkins | 1955 |
| 71 | 32 | "Beached" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Bernie Giler | 1955 |
| 72 | 33 | "Red Label Cargo" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : John Kneubuhl | 1955 |
| 73 | 34 | "Sea Explorers" | Paul Guielfoyle | Teleplay by : Bernie Giler | 1955 |
| 74 | 35 | "Bait Cruise" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Violet Atkins and Lee Perenchio | 1955 |
| 75 | 36 | "The Yacht Race" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Douglas Morrow | 1955 |
| 76 | 37 | "Trouble Ship" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : David Dortort and Douglas Morrow | 1955 |
| 77 | 38 | "The Rivals" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : Douglas Morrow | 1955 |
| 78 | 39 | "Harbor Bound" | Ted Post | Teleplay by : David Dortort | 1955 |
References
- Terrace, Vincent (2011). Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010 (2nd ed.). Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. pp. 732–733. ISBN 978-0-7864-6477-7.
- Thomas, Bob, Associated Press columnist, On Hollywood Beat, “Foster Turns In Tug For Jet,” The Sun-Telegram, San Bernardino, California, Sunday 22 January 1956, Volume 9, Number 42, page 4.