Shirley Booth as Our Miss Brooks? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Jude The Obscure · 04-03-2012, 09:49 AM

Just purchased some of the Our Miss Brooks radio show and the first/pilot show is of Shirley in the role! Wow, I never knew this.

Leslie Eckhardt · 04-03-2012, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jude The Obscure

Just purchased some of the Our Miss Brooks radio show and the first/pilot show is of Shirley in the role! Wow, I never knew this.

Shirley Booth was featured on a radio series in the 1940s called Duffy's Tavern, in which she played a sort of spinster named Miss Duffy. Ed Gardner, who was married (I believe) at the time to Ms. Booth was the star of this program, which was spun off into a Paramount comedy film in 1945. Ms. Booth did not appear in the film. When CBS was preparing Our Miss Brooks, it was planned that Ms. Booth would play the role. She did indeed do the pilot for the series, but decided against doing the series do to a difference of opinion as to how Connie Brooks should be portrayed. Reportedly the role was offered also to Lucille Ball, who decided instead to do My Favorite Husband, which led directly to the creation of I Love Lucy for TV. Eve Arden was finally offered the role, and the rest, they say, is history.

Marvo301 · 04-03-2012, 02:01 PM

Thanks for the history lesson! I always was under the impression the Eve Arden was the original and only Miss Connie Brooks!

Jude The Obscure · 04-04-2012, 06:35 PM

The first episode with Eve is basically a remake of the Shirley Booth pilot--Eve's energy gives it a whole different feel.

04-03-2012, 09:49 AM	#1
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,520	Shirley Booth as Our Miss Brooks? Just purchased some of the Our Miss Brooks radio show and the first/pilot show is of Shirley in the role! Wow, I never knew this.

04-03-2012, 02:01 PM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,453	Thanks for the history lesson! I always was under the impression the Eve Arden was the original and only Miss Connie Brooks!
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04-04-2012, 06:35 PM	#4
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,520	The first episode with Eve is basically a remake of the Shirley Booth pilot--Eve's energy gives it a whole different feel.