What is “Mister Ed”?
A: Mister Ed is an American television sitcom.
Who was it produced by?
A: Filmways.
When did it air in syndication?
A: From January 5 to July 2, 1961, and then on CBS from October 1, 1961, to
February 6, 1966.
The show's title character is what?
A: A talking horse which originally appeared in short stories by Walter R.
Brooks.
Mister Ed is one of the few series to debut in
syndication and be what?
A: Picked up by a major network for prime time.
How many episodes were made?
A: 143.
All 143 episodes were filmed in what?
A: Black and white.
The Mister Ed show concept was derived from what?
A: A series of short stories by children's author Walter R. Brooks which
began with The Talking Horse in the September 18,
1937, issue of Liberty
magazine.
Brooks is best known for what?
A: The Freddy the Pig series of children's novels which feature talking
animals that interact with humans.
Arthur Lubin's secretary Sonia Chernus introduced him
to the Brooks stories and is credited with what?
A: Developing the concept for television.
The show's concept resembles that of what?
A: Francis the Talking Mule movies in which an equine character talks to
only one person, thus causing a variety of opportunities and frustrations.
The first six Francis films (1950–55) were directed by
whom?
A: Lubin.
He wanted to make a Francis television series but had
been unable to do what?
A: Secure the rights, so he optioned the Brooks' stories for television.
Who financed the pilot for Mister Ed?
A: Comedian George Burns, which was shot at his McCadden Studio in Hollywood
at a cost of $70,00.
Who played Wilbur?
A: Scott McKay.
Lubin was unable to sell the show to a network, so he
decided to do what?
A: Sell it into syndication first.
He managed to get single-sponsor identification for the
program on how many stations?
A: Over 100.
The show was recast with who in the lead?
A: Alan Young.
When did production begin?
A: In November 1960, although Lubin did not direct early episodes because he
was working in Europe on a film.
The first 26 episodes were received well enough for the
show to be picked up by whom?
A: CBS.
The title role of Mister Ed, a talking palomino, was
played by what?
A: Gelding Bamboo Harvester and voiced by former Western film actor Allan
Lane.
The role of Ed's owner, a genial but somewhat klutzy
architect named Wilbur Post, was played by whom?
A: Alan Young.
Where did the Posts live?
A: At 17230 Valley Spring Road in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles.
Many of the program's gags follow from Mister Ed's
tendency to talk only to whom?
A: Wilbur.
Who is the other main character throughout the series?
A: Wilbur's generally tolerant young wife, Carol (Connie Hines).
The Posts also have two sets of neighbors, to whom Ed
delights in what?
A: Making Wilbur appear as eccentric as possible.
They included the Addisons, Roger (Larry Keating) and
his wife Kay (Edna Skinner), who both appeared from the pilot episode until
what?
A: Keating's death in 1963; thereafter, Skinner continued appearing as Kay,
without mention of Roger's absence, until the neighbors were recast.