USA
/ NBC / x30m-e / November 4,
1951-April 27, 1952
The
only network soap opera to air
on Sundays, centered around
general store owner John Olcott,
his wife Alice, and their
daughter Evie, who had just
relocated from an unspecified
big city to the small town of
Fairmeadows when the show
started. The reason for their
move was a melancholy one; Johns
business partner had killed
himself after borrowing $250,000
of their firm's money and losing
it all in a craps game. John
hoped that he and his family
would be able to start afresh in
Fairmeadows, but since the
Olcotts resided in a soap opera,
they did not find their new home
a paradise, to say the least.
In March the sponsor of
Fairmeadows, U.S.A. announced
that it was cancelling the show.
In September 1952 the show
reappeared as a segment titled
"The House in the
Garden" on The Kate Smith
Hour. Matteson and Strongin
continued to play Alice and Evie,
Lauren Gilbert replaced Howard
St. John as John, Tom Taylor
played John and Alice s son, and
Monica Lovett played an older
daughter. On the debut Lovetts
character was in love with a
minister played by James
Vickery. The segment lasted less
than a season on the show.
Cast
John Olcott..... Howard
St. John
Alice Olcott.... Ruth Matteson
Evie Olcott..... Mimi Strongin
