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KRAFT TELEVISION THEATRE: PATTERNS (TV)

Summary

One in this series of live dramas presented by Kraft. Rod Serling wrote this three-act play, which depicts the brutal environment of corporate culture as a young businessman is hired in order to effect the slow replacement of an older, overworked executive. The action begins early one morning as the secretaries at Ramsie and Company begin to gossip about the company's new executive, Fred Staples. Intimately concerned about the day's excitement is Marge Fleming, secretary to Andy Sloane. Rumor has it that Sloane is on his way out and that Staples was hired to replace him. The rumor is confirmed at a board meeting at which Mr. Ramsie, president of the company, publicly upbraids Sloane's ideas but compliments Staples on his lack of ideas. A month later, Sloane and Staples have been working together and have become close. After a candid talk with Miss Fleming, Staples begins to look out for Sloane. The two work hard to complete their department's yearly report, Staples taking over much of the load the older man can no longer handle. The plot comes to a climax at a company dinner party at which Fran Staples provides Mr. Ramsie with an advance copy of the finished report, informing him that all of the ideas it contains came from her husband. Although he attempts to inform Ramsie that the report was a joint effort, Staples is sidetracked when Ramsie confirms that he was hired to be Sloane's replacement. When Ramsie accuses Sloane of falsely putting his name to the report the next day in a board meeting, Sloane backs down from the domineering president. As they leave the meeting, Sloane keels over with a heart attack. Staples confronts Ramsie later that afternoon. Nevertheless, patterns can be stronger than people. Commercials deleted. Includes a public service announcement.

Details

  • NETWORK: NBC
  • DATE: January 12, 1955 9:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 0:54:11
  • COLOR/B&W: B&W
  • CATALOG ID: T78:0132
  • GENRE: Drama
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Business - Drama; Executives - Conduct of life - Drama
  • SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1947-1958
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV - PSA - March of Dimes

CREDITS

  • Fielder Cook … Producer , Director
  • Rod Serling … Writer
  • Charles Stark … Announcer
  • Joanna Roos … Cast, Miss Lanier
  • Jack Arthur … Cast, Starter
  • Victoria Ward … Cast, Miss Stevens
  • Elizabeth Montgomery … Cast, Ann Evans
  • Sybil Baker … Cast, Telephone Operator
  • Shirley Standlee … Cast, Miss Hill
  • Everett Sloane … Cast, Mr. Ramsie
  • Richard Kiley … Cast, Fred Staples
  • June Dayton … Cast, Fran Staples
  • Elizabeth Wilson … Cast, Marge Fleming
  • Theodore Newton … Cast, Mr. Gordon
  • Ed Begley … Cast, Andy Sloane
  • Jack Livesey … Cast, Mr. Jamieson
  • Ronnie Welsh … Cast, Paul Sloane
  • Ton Charles … Cast
  • Ron Harper … Cast
  • Victor Harrison … Cast
  • Helen Ludlom … Cast
  • Joseph MacCauley … Cast
  • Al Morgen … Cast
  • Douglas Rutherford … Cast
  • Chuck Wallace … Cast