# American Inventory

American Inventory is a thirty-minute weekly filmed educational series that first aired as a summer replacement Sunday nights during 1951 on NBC. It was funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation with NBC donating the broadcast time and facilities. The series incorporated panel discussions, lectures from experts, film of activities and events taking place out of the studio, and occasional in-studio dramatic scenes. It was an ambitious project, the first educational series produced and broadcast by a network.

## Premise

Described as "adult education", the goal was to provide information to Americans about their own history and resources and issues facing them as a society. The first summer series would focus on social and economic questions. Later seasons would explore natural sciences and humanities. Many of the first episodes focused on contrasting life in authoritarian states, principally the Soviet Union, with the United States. Many episodes had a one-time host or narrator; there was no continuing position. Opening titles and closing credits were subdued, amounting to little more than one title card for the former and four or five for the latter; there was no "credit crawl". Guests were introduced orally on camera at beginning and end; only the principal crew were in the end credits.
Beginning in the summer of 1952 a new type of episode was featured, in which various professions were examined in a dramatised setting, under the collective title of "American Gallery". The following year NBC announced the show would now provide "Education and Entertainment", with an emphasis on dramas and musical performances. The musical emphasis trailed off in the spring of 1954; by the last season (1955) the series schedule was heavy with business-friendly anthology stories.

## Production

NBC was responsible for the content and supplied the production crew for creating the episodes. The NBC studio in Spanish Harlem was used, but episodes were also produced in other cities, such as Chicago where a mass Civil Defense exercise was recorded. The show's creator and producer was William "Bill" Hodapp from Louisville, Kentucky. He was executive producer at Teleprograms, Inc, which produced the show for NBC. According to one newspaper article, about 500 people were involved in staging each episode of the series. Visual effects more associated with movies than early television were created in the NBC studio. The production team was not concerned with smooth-flowing dialogue or actions, leading some to believe the show was aired live. There was often no film editor credited, and the show exhibited a feeling of having been shot once with minimal rehearsal.
The show began with an order for thirteen episodes, rather than the full 39 associated with season-driven series. Near the end of airing that first order the Sloan Foundation asked for more episodes. By late February 1952 the Sloan Foundation committed $140,000 for a second set of 39 episodes. The network broadcast took long breaks during the summer of 1952 while producer Bill Hodapp travelled to Europe with three camera crews for research and footage for upcoming shows. By the time the 75th episode aired during February 1953, the Sloan Foundation announced it had ordered another 39 episodes.
According to columnist John Crosby, one episode was filmed and broadcast in color on March 28, 1954. New production of the show ceased in April 1954 for up to five months when Hodapp left as producer, leaving NBC still owing the Sloan Foundation thirty-two episodes for the fourth season. After the fourth season finished up in March 1955, production again ceased until the short fifth season resumed in late summer of that year.

## Response

Critical response to the first episode ranged from discouraging to equivalence. Larry Wolters from the Chicago Tribune felt it was too analytical and dry, lacked inspiration and a proper ending. Ben Gross from the Daily News judged "although this promises to be a most interesting and worthwhile series, the opening episode was in no way superior to the average documentary". The Boston Globe reviewer also thought the first episode was "too abstract". However, the fourth episode, a panel discussion among health and emergency workers, filmed amid a massive Civil Defense exercise simulating a nuclear strike in the Chicago area, provoked a re-evaluation from the Boston Globe: "...the show was an excellent documentary, very well produced and guided by Clifton Utley".
Critical appreciation grew as the series went on. The show won an award from the Institute of Education, an annual conference at Ohio State University, during June 1952. Reviewer Bill Coleman at The Tablet called it a "worthwhile program which didn't get all the publicity it should have" in its debut season. The New York Times said American Inventory should be praised for its courage in devising new formats for presenting educational material almost every week, while acknowledging it sometimes didn't work.

## Broadcast history

Broadcast of the show began Sunday, July 1, 1951, at 7 pm Eastern time. Coverage was at first limited to the NBC network east of the Mississippi river. Some stations in Texas had a two week delay in their viewing the premiere while AT&T technicians hooked broadcasting towers up to the private network lines. Gradually coverage expanded to the rest of the country, with subscribing stations not yet connected to the network receiving film reels. By October 1951 there were 63 stations receiving the series. Because it was a filmed series, not live, stations had the option to run it at different times, rather than accept the network feed. During the summer of 1951, NBC switched the network broadcast to 1:30 pm Eastern time. At the end of March 1952 there was a two week hiatus during which repeats of earlier programs were broadcast. There was a monthlong hiatus for the network broadcast during June 1952, followed by two new episodes then another monthlong break until early August. Meanwhile, the network kept moving the broadcast time every few months, from afternoons to evenings and back again.
A six-month hiatus of new broadcasts occurred from April through mid-September 1954 after creator-producer Bill Hodapp left the show. Another break occurred in April 1955 when NBC removed American Inventory from its Sunday schedule. It was brought back for a single broadcast on May 22, 1955, but remained off the air until September 18, 1955.
The final show of the series was first broadcast December 25, 1955. However, many stations hadn't yet run thru their inventory of episodes. There was a sharp fall-off of stations carrying the show in January 1956, followed by a long decrease thru May 1956. The last station that ran the show was KFAR-TV in Fairbanks, Alaska, where it aired thru December 1956.

## Episodes

The tables below are separated into "seasons" by either production orders from the Sloan Foundation (where known) or long breaks in the broadcasting schedule. Its unknown if there was any acknowledgement of seasonal debuts or distinctions on the show. Original air date is for the network feed; some stations were two weeks or more behind in their broadcasts. "Guests" is used in place of "Cast" except where the episode was known to be dramatised.

### Season 1 (1951-52)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 1 | 1 | "American Testament" | Unknown | Wade Arnold | July 1, 1951 (1951-07-01) |
| Hostess Gladys Swarthout performs Sing, America. Guests speak about their faith in America to film accompaniment. Guests: Charles F. Kettering, Samuel Liebowitz, Gertrude Grover (housewife), Jackie Robinson ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "What Ever Happened to the Dollar?" | Unknown | Budd Fishel | July 8, 1951 (1951-07-08) |
| A "living newspaper" and ballet dancer Dorothy Jarnac provide motion to sequences of speakers talking about inflation from 1930 through to 1951. Guests: ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "The Waste in Crime" | Unknown | Unknown | July 15, 1951 (1951-07-15) |
| Labelled by NBC as a "Kefauver type investigation", it explored the role of everyone in crime and corruption. Guests: ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Would There Be Panic If Atom Bombs Fell on This Country?" | Unknown | Unknown | July 22, 1951 (1951-07-22) |
| Clifton Utley narrates as guests discuss civil defense and medical emergency questions, amid a massive Civil Defense exercise in Chicago. Guests: J. V. Sidney, Dr. Ozro Woods, Dr. A. C. Ivy ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Behind the Iron Curtain" | Unknown | Unknown | July 29, 1951 (1951-07-29) |
| Four Soviet refugees and four US citizens have a panel discussion. Guests: Yuri Glassov (teacher), Dr. Vasili Fursin, Lillia Bitak (librarian), Boris Tavolga (actor); Ada Siegel moderates and translates; Dr. Frederick S. Dick, Anne Seymour, Wycliffe McCracken (teacher) ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "The Early Years" | Unknown | Unknown | August 5, 1951 (1951-08-05) |
| Examination of parent-child interactions. Guests: Dr. Myrtle McGraw ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "The Middle Years" | Unknown | Unknown | August 12, 1951 (1951-08-12) |
| Parents adjust to the "empty nest". Guests: Dr. Lena Levine ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "The Later Years" | Unknown | Unknown | August 19, 1951 (1951-08-19) |
| Problems affecting people as they age. Guests: Dr. Louis I. Dublin ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Opportunity Unlimited" | Unknown | Unknown | August 26, 1951 (1951-08-26) |
| Achievements in science and industry drive opportunity for young Americans. Guests: Kenneth Nelson, John Reedy ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "U.S. Dieway Number One" | Unknown | Unknown | September 2, 1951 (1951-09-02) |
| Ways to reduce auto accidents. Guests: ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "That Men May Know" | Unknown | Unknown | September 9, 1951 (1951-09-09) |
| How authoritarian governments force confessions from the innocent. Guests: ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "Previews of Progress" | Unknown | Unknown | September 16, 1951 (1951-09-16) |
| A "scientific stage show" presented by General Motors is the subject. Guests: John Reedy ||||||
| 13 | 13 | "Honor in Our Colleges" | Unknown | Unknown | September 23, 1951 (1951-09-23) |
| Panel discussion in the wake of a cheating scandal at West Point. Guests: Mildred McAfee Horton, Bo McMillin, John Daly ||||||
| 14 | 14 | "The Control of Climate" | Unknown | Unknown | September 30, 1951 (1951-09-30) |
| Scientist from General Electric does lab demonstrations of climate control. Guests: Dr. Vincent Schaefer ||||||
| 15 | 15 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | October 7, 1951 (1951-10-07) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 16 | 16 | "Another American Revolution" | Unknown | Unknown | October 14, 1951 (1951-10-14) |
| Story of Eli Whitney's mass production methods. Guests: ||||||
| 17 | 17 | "Drawing Conclusions" | Unknown | Unknown | October 21, 1951 (1951-10-21) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 18 | 18 | "The Greener Grass" | Unknown | Unknown | October 28, 1951 (1951-10-28) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 19 | 19 | "Medical Education, 1951" | Unknown | Unknown | November 4, 1951 (1951-11-04) |
| Documents medical training including film of a heart operation. Guests: Hospital staff and paitents ||||||
| 20 | 20 | "The Peaceful Atom" | Unknown | Unknown | November 11, 1951 (1951-11-11) |
| Peaceful use of atomic energy in farming, medicene, and industry. Guests: ||||||
| 21 | 21 | "Thanksgiving 1951" | Unknown | Unknown | November 18, 1951 (1951-11-18) |
| Documents refugees from other countries now in America. Guests: ||||||
| 22 | 22 | "One in Twelve" | Unknown | Unknown | November 25, 1951 (1951-11-25) |
| Dramatized jury deliberation illustrates the justice system. Cast: ||||||
| 23 | 23 | "Aerial Railroad Tracks" | Unknown | Unknown | December 2, 1951 (1951-12-02) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 24 | 24 | "Leaders of Our Choice" | Unknown | Unknown | December 9, 1951 (1951-12-09) |
| Dramatized story of union members voting out an unsuitable leader. Cast: ||||||
| 25 | 25 | "Economics of Gambling" | Unknown | Unknown | December 16, 1951 (1951-12-16) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 26 | 26 | "A Christmas Journey" | Unknown | Unknown | December 23, 1951 (1951-12-23) |
| Dance fantasy of what people really want for Christmas, performed by Wisconsin dancers. Cast: Robin Gregory, Mary Hinkson, Matt Turney, Muriel Levinsohn Cole, Marion Lawrence, Sue Hackes ||||||
| 27 | 27 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | December 30, 1951 (1951-12-30) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 28 | 28 | "The Eisenhower Mission" | Unknown | Unknown | January 6, 1952 (1952-01-06) |
| The founding of SHAPE, NATO's military command headquarters. Guests: ||||||
| 29 | 29 | "The American Scene" | Unknown | Unknown | January 13, 1952 (1952-01-13) |
| The country as revealed through art. Guests: ||||||
| 30 | 30 | "Present Danger" | Unknown | Unknown | January 20, 1952 (1952-01-20) |
| Panel discussion on state of Korean War. Guests: ||||||
| 31 | 31 | "The You in UNESCO" | Unknown | Unknown | January 27, 1952 (1952-01-27) |
| Playwright reports on his world trip to highlight human rights thru drama. Guests: Paul Green ||||||
| 32 | 32 | "A Letter Home" | Unknown | Unknown | February 3, 1952 (1952-02-03) |
| G.I. stationed in Europe reports on his life there. Guests: ||||||
| 33 | 33 | "Postmark: USA" | Unknown | Unknown | February 10, 1952 (1952-02-10) |
| Father writes to G.I. son stationed overseas. Guests: ||||||
| 34 | 34 | "Saving" | Unknown | Unknown | February 17, 1952 (1952-02-17) |
| Popular puppet act Kukla, Fran, and Ollie talk about the value of saving. Guests: Fran Allison, Burr Tillstrom (voice only) ||||||
| 35 | 35 | "Every Man" | Unknown | Unknown | February 24, 1952 (1952-02-24) |
| Program to highlight National Brotherhood Week. Guests: ||||||
| 36 | 36 | "The Truth about Science Fiction" | Unknown | Unknown | March 2, 1952 (1952-03-02) |
| This was about the possibility of space travel, not the literary genre. Guests: ||||||
| 37 | 37 | "Our Stake in Europe" | Unknown | Unknown | March 9, 1952 (1952-03-09) |
| Panel discussion about US commitment to Europe. Guests: John J. McCloy, Jean Monnet, John J. Sparkman, Henry Cassidy ||||||

### Season 2 (1952-53)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 38 | 1 | "The Road to Mental Health" | Unknown | Unknown | March 30, 1952 (1952-03-30) |
| Millions of Americans were believed to be suffering from mental afflictions. Guests: ||||||
| 39 | 2 | "Your Insurance Dollar" | Unknown | Unknown | April 6, 1952 (1952-04-06) |
| Dramatised presentation using puppets to highlight economic importance of insurance. Cast: Remo Bufano Marionettes ||||||
| 40 | 3 | "Biography Book" | Unknown | Unknown | April 13, 1952 (1952-04-13) |
| Dramatised account of botanist George Washington Carver. Cast: Canada Lee (Carver), Canada Lee Jr. (Tuskegee student) ||||||
| 41 | 4 | "Star-Crossed" | Unknown | Unknown | April 20, 1952 (1952-04-20) |
| "Folk Opera" version of Romeo and Juliet, set in the Kentucky hills, composed by John Jacob Niles. Cast: Kenneth Nelson (Rome Morgan), Vera Massey (Julie Cunliff). ||||||
| 42 | 5 | "The Whistle at Eaton Falls" | Unknown | Unknown | April 27, 1952 (1952-04-27) |
| Adaption of The Whistle at Eaton Falls about labor and management issues. Cast: ||||||
| 43 | 6 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | May 4, 1952 (1952-05-04) |
| Radioactive isotopes used in medicine are shown at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Guests: ||||||
| 44 | 7 | "The College of Free Europe" | Unknown | Unknown | May 11, 1952 (1952-05-11) |
| Film of the newly created Overseas University in Europe. Guests: ||||||
| 45 | 8 | "The Election of Abraham Lincoln" | Unknown | Unknown | May 18, 1952 (1952-05-18) |
| A prospective pilot for a series on Lincoln compares elections of 1860 and 1952. Cast: Crahan Denton (Lincoln) ||||||
| 46 | 9 | "Safety in Numbers" | Unknown | Unknown | May 25, 1952 (1952-05-25) |
| Musical comedy conveys ideas for staying safe on the highway. Cast: ||||||
| 47 | 10 | "The Lawyer" | Unknown | Unknown | June 29, 1952 (1952-06-29) |
| The show returned from a four week break to feature a short play, the first in the "American Gallery". Cast: Michael Strong, Pat Englund, Robert Ludlum, Jon Richards ||||||
| 48 | 11 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | July 6, 1952 (1952-07-06) |
| Panel discussion about what goes on during American political conventions. Guests: Theodore Granik (moderator), Everett Dirksen, Paul Douglas ||||||
| 49 | 12 | "Cop on the Beat" | Unknown | Howard Whitman | August 10, 1952 (1952-08-10) |
| Dramatised story about beat cops being replaced by patrol cars leading to rise in local hoodlums. Cast: Howard Whitman (narrator) ||||||
| 50 | 13 | "Helping People Abroad" | Unknown | Unknown | August 17, 1952 (1952-08-17) |
| How the American Express Company works to help tourists in Europe. Guests: ||||||
| 51 | 14 | "What Makes Us Tick?" | Unknown | Unknown | August 24, 1952 (1952-08-24) |
| An informal cocktail party setting allowed for a question and answer session on the New York Stock Exchange. Guests: John McCaffery (host), Mary Roebling, Harry Comer (stock broker), Leora Dana, Frank Gallop ||||||
| 52 | 15 | "Friend of the Worker" | Unknown | Unknown | August 31, 1952 (1952-08-31) |
| How working conditions differ between East Berlin and West Berlin. Guests: ||||||
| 53 | 16 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | September 7, 1952 (1952-09-07) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 54 | 17 | "Freedom for Information" | Unknown | Unknown | September 14, 1952 (1952-09-14) |
| Panel discussion from National Press Club with editors and bureau chiefs. Guests: Lockwood Doty (moderator), Russell Wiggins, Clark Mollenhoff, Kenneth Dixon, Carroll Binder, Col. Edward M. Kirby, George Sandeffer ||||||
| 55 | 18 | "Foreign Students in the U.S." | Unknown | Unknown | September 21, 1952 (1952-09-21) |
| Poorly received episode was solely about foreign students at MIT. Guests: George Barnes (narrator) ||||||
| 56 | 19 | "Why Wait for a Million" | Unknown | Unknown | September 28, 1952 (1952-09-28) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 57 | 20 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | October 5, 1952 (1952-10-05) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 58 | 21 | "Unfinished Rainbows" | Unknown | Unknown | October 12, 1952 (1952-10-12) |
| Story of a young inventor's perseverance. Cast: Alan Ladd ||||||
| 59 | 22 | "The Opening of a Door" | Unknown | Unknown | October 19, 1952 (1952-10-19) |
| Dramatised tale about the Community Chest Red Feather campaign. Cast: ||||||
| 60 | 23 | "Another Look at the Atom" | Unknown | Unknown | October 26, 1952 (1952-10-26) |
| The show goes inside an atomic power plant. Guests: ||||||
| 61 | 24 | "Community Theater" | Unknown | Unknown | November 2, 1952 (1952-11-02) |
| A look at community theater thru the Cleveland Play House. Guests: ||||||
| 62 | 25 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | November 9, 1952 (1952-11-09) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 63 | 26 | "Let's Go, America" | Unknown | Unknown | November 16, 1952 (1952-11-16) |
| Railroads in America, as seen by a young girl travelling 8500 miles by rail. Guests: Mary Lee Dearring ||||||
| 64 | 27 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | November 23, 1952 (1952-11-23) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 65 | 28 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | November 30, 1952 (1952-11-30) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 66 | 29 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | December 7, 1952 (1952-12-07) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 67 | 30 | "Joy in Singing" | Unknown | Unknown | December 14, 1952 (1952-12-14) |
| New methods for teaching singing are demonstrated at Town Hall in Manhattan. Guests: ||||||
| 68 | 31 | "A Decision at Christmas" | Unknown | Unknown | December 21, 1952 (1952-12-21) |
| Dramatised story. Cast: ||||||
| 69 | 32 | "Social Security" | Unknown | Unknown | December 28, 1952 (1952-12-28) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 70 | 33 | "Private American Investments Abroad" | Unknown | Unknown | January 4, 1953 (1953-01-04) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 71 | 34 | "What Is It?" | Unknown | Unknown | January 11, 1953 (1953-01-11) |
| Quiz show format is adopted for inventions that have changed the country. Guests: ||||||
| 72 | 35 | "Council of Europe" | Unknown | Unknown | January 18, 1953 (1953-01-18) |
| Panel discussion on what the Council of Europe means for Americans. Guests: ||||||
| 73 | 36 | "Your Credit's Good" | Unknown | Unknown | January 25, 1953 (1953-01-25) |
| Development of monetary and credits systems up to current day. Guests: ||||||
| 74 | 37 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | February 1, 1953 (1953-02-01) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 75 | 38 | "The Schuman Plan" | Unknown | Unknown | February 8, 1953 (1953-02-08) |
| Footage filmed in Europe. Guests: ||||||
| 76 | 39 | "The Michigan Heart" | Unknown | Unknown | February 15, 1953 (1953-02-15) |
| A mechanical heart kept sixteen year-old patient alive during valve repair surgery. Guests: Charles Moses (patient), Dr. F. D. Dodrill (inventor) ||||||

### Season 3 (1953-54)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 77 | 1 | "American Tourist" | Unknown | Unknown | February 22, 1953 (1953-02-22) |
| Travelogue of film shot in Western Europe by NBC camera crew. Guests: ||||||
| 78 | 2 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | March 1, 1953 (1953-03-01) |
| Another American Gallery story, this time about the family doctor. Cast: ||||||
| 79 | 3 | "The Atom in Industry" | Unknown | Unknown | March 8, 1953 (1953-03-08) |
| Scientist from General Electric discusses uses of atomic energy. Guests: Dr. Kenneth Kingdon ||||||
| 80 | 4 | "Value of Art as Therapy" | Unknown | Unknown | March 15, 1953 (1953-03-15) |
| Artists in several media discuss healing power of art. Guests: Milton Caniff ||||||
| 81 | 5 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | March 22, 1953 (1953-03-22) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 82 | 6 | "Cancer, A Research Story" | Unknown | Unknown | March 29, 1953 (1953-03-29) |
| State of cancer research with five experts; included child leukemia patient who died a week before show aired. Guests: Dr. Charles S. Cameron (narrator), Bruce H. Knight (patient), Dr. Louis Finkelstein ||||||
| 83 | 7 | "Linneaus" | Unknown | Unknown | April 5, 1953 (1953-04-05) |
| This was a drama about the 18th Century Swedish botanist, Carl von Linne. Cast: ||||||
| 84 | 8 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | April 12, 1953 (1953-04-12) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 85 | 9 | "How to Get Rich" | Unknown | Unknown | April 19, 1953 (1953-04-19) |
| This was about how the country became wealthy compared to other nations. Guests: ||||||
| 86 | 10 | "Live and Let Live" | Unknown | Unknown | April 26, 1953 (1953-04-26) |
| Human internal organs are shown in motion through a fluoroscope. Guests: ||||||
| 87 | 11 | "What Is It?" | Unknown | Unknown | May 3, 1953 (1953-05-03) |
| The second episode with this title and quiz show format on American inventions. Guests: Roland Young ||||||
| 88 | 12 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | May 10, 1953 (1953-05-10) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 89 | 13 | "Our Merchant Marine" | Unknown | Unknown | May 17, 1953 (1953-05-17) |
| How the service operates and its value for the country. Guests: ||||||
| 90 | 14 | "Road to Television" | Unknown | Unknown | May 24, 1953 (1953-05-24) |
| Students at Columbia University trace the development of television. Guests: ||||||
| 91 | 15 | "Highway Safety" | Unknown | Unknown | May 31, 1953 (1953-05-31) |
| The Sloan Foundation presents awards for highway safety at its annual conference. Guests: ||||||
| 92 | 16 | "Education by Television" | Unknown | Unknown | June 7, 1953 (1953-06-07) |
| Panel discussion on using television for education. Guests: Gilbert Seldes (moderator), Justin Miller, Charles R. Farnsley, Sigmund Spaeth, Dr. I. Keith Tyler ||||||
| 93 | 17 | "Crossroads, U.S.A." | Unknown | Unknown | June 14, 1953 (1953-06-14) |
| Presentation advising young students to major in science and engineering. Guests: Charles F. Kettering, John Reedy, Bill Cobb ||||||
| 94 | 18 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | June 21, 1953 (1953-06-21) |
| Highlights of the past season's episodes before long summer break. Guests: Bill Hodapp ||||||
| 95 | 19 | "American Song" | Unknown | Unknown | September 13, 1953 (1953-09-13) |
| Series resumed after summer break with a history of popular American songs. Guests: Sigmund Spaeth, Betty Johnson ||||||
| 96 | 20 | "Your Auto I.Q." | Unknown | Unknown | September 20, 1953 (1953-09-20) |
| Another quiz show format episode, this time on old automaobiles. Guests: Faye Emerson ||||||
| 97 | 21 | "Space Travel" | Unknown | Unknown | September 27, 1953 (1953-09-27) |
| Inventor and author discusses the possibility of space travel. Guests: Will Jenkins ||||||
| 98 | 22 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | October 4, 1953 (1953-10-04) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 99 | 23 | "Report from Three Cities" | Unknown | Unknown | October 11, 1953 (1953-10-11) |
| How the Bronx, Chicago, and Baltimore each handled a civic emergency. Guests: ||||||
| 100 | 24 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | October 18, 1953 (1953-10-18) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 101 | 25 | "The Story of Dorothy Sprague" | Unknown | Unknown | October 25, 1953 (1953-10-25) |
| The role of women's auxiliaries in hospitals is examined. Guests: ||||||
| 102 | 26 | "American Song" | Unknown | Unknown | November 1, 1953 (1953-11-01) |
| Spirituals, blues, and jazz songs with vocalist, piano, and an academic. Guests: Ethel Waters, Reginald Beane (pianist), Sigmund Spaeth ||||||
| 103 | 27 | "From Out of Darkness" | Unknown | Unknown | November 8, 1953 (1953-11-08) |
| Drama produced in Chicago, it examines failure of a marriage due to mental health issues. Cast: ||||||
| 104 | 28 | "American Fair" | Unknown | Unknown | November 15, 1953 (1953-11-15) |
| Film of the New York State Fair from August 1953. Guests: ||||||
| 105 | 29 | "Some Things to Be Thankful for" | Unknown | Unknown | November 22, 1953 (1953-11-22) |
| Thanksgiving with the actor and his family. Guests: Eddie Albert, Margo Albert, Edward Albert ||||||
| 106 | 30 | "The Social Worker" | Unknown | Unknown | November 29, 1953 (1953-11-29) |
| Another in the series of American Gallery dramas. Cast: ||||||
| 107 | 31 | "Those Extra Years" | Unknown | Unknown | December 6, 1953 (1953-12-06) |
| The individual problems arising from Americans living longer. Guests: ||||||
| 108 | 32 | "The Teacher" | Unknown | Unknown | December 13, 1953 (1953-12-13) |
| Follows the training of an elementary school teacher. Guests: Frances Horwich (narrator) ||||||
| 109 | 33 | "American Carols" | Unknown | Unknown | December 20, 1953 (1953-12-20) |
| Christmas carols in America, from Colonial times on. Guests: Sigmund Spaeth, Chorus ||||||
| 110 | 34 | "Highlights Show" | Unknown | Unknown | December 27, 1953 (1953-12-27) |
| Highlights of three recent episodes: The Teacher, American Fair, and The Story of Dorothy Sprague. Guests: ||||||
| 111 | 35 | "The Library" | Unknown | Unknown | January 3, 1954 (1954-01-03) |
| Panel discussion of library services in American communities. Guests: Cornelia Otis Skinner, William S. Dix, Ralph Beals (NYPL), Florence Ludington (ALA President) ||||||
| 112 | 36 | "Time on Our Hands" | Unknown | Unknown | January 10, 1954 (1954-01-10) |
| Modern leisure activities including hobbies, crafts, and arts. Guests: ||||||
| 113 | 37 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | January 17, 1954 (1954-01-17) |
| National Printing Week and Benjamin Franklin are celebrated. Guests: ||||||
| 114 | 38 | "The Country Editor" | Unknown | Unknown | January 24, 1954 (1954-01-24) |
| American Gallery drama about small-town newspaper editor Ellsworth Coe. Cast: Russell Hardie (Coe) ||||||
| 115 | 39 | "American Folk Music" | Unknown | Unknown | January 31, 1954 (1954-01-31) |
| Origins of American folk music is discussed and shown in performances. Guests: John Jacob Niles (host), Sonny Terry, Cisco Houston, Lolita Cuevas ||||||

### Season 4 (1954-55)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 116 | 1 | "Schools" | Unknown | Unknown | February 7, 1954 (1954-02-07) |
| Panel discussion on building new public schools. Guests: Henry Cassidy (moderator), Ralph W. Gwinn, Walter Cocking, Lawrence Perkins, Archibald D. Shaw, Donald V. Buttenheim ||||||
| 117 | 2 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | February 21, 1954 (1954-02-21) |
| Program focusing on the Chicago Field Museum. Guests: ||||||
| 118 | 3 | "A Look at the Future" | Unknown | Unknown | February 28, 1954 (1954-02-28) |
| New developments in science and industry are discussed. Guests: ||||||
| 119 | 4 | "America's Faith" | Unknown | Unknown | March 7, 1954 (1954-03-07) |
| Prominent people discuss the importance of faith in their lives. Guests: Peggy Wood, Conrad Hilton ||||||
| 120 | 5 | "Careers for Youth" | Unknown | Unknown | March 14, 1954 (1954-03-14) |
| High school students quiz guests about careers. Guests: Millicent C. McIntosh, Charles H. Sawyer, William Briston, Col. Oliver J. Troster ||||||
| 121 | 6 | "The Public Health Officer" | Unknown | Unknown | March 21, 1954 (1954-03-21) |
| American Gallery drama about an officer in the PHSCC. Cast: ||||||
| 121 | 7 | "Botanical Gardens" | Unknown | Unknown | March 28, 1954 (1954-03-28) |
| Plant diversity and uses for gardening, farming, and aesthetics. Guests: ||||||
| 122 | 8 | "The Small College" | Unknown | Unknown | September 19, 1954 (1954-09-19) |
| The importance of small liberal arts colleges to America. Guests: ||||||
| 123 | 9 | "The Modern Farmer" | Unknown | Unknown | September 26, 1954 (1954-09-26) |
| Future Farmers of America and 4-H clubs contribution to the farming profession. Guests: ||||||
| 124 | 10 | "The Convention Story" | Unknown | Unknown | October 3, 1954 (1954-10-03) |
| Husband brings wife along to a business convention. Guests: ||||||
| 125 | 11 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | October 10, 1954 (1954-10-10) |
| The ways in which local banks aid their communities. Guests: ||||||
| 126 | 12 | "From Kitty Hawk" | Unknown | Unknown | October 17, 1954 (1954-10-17) |
| A history of American aviation. Guests: ||||||
| 127 | 13 | "New Hope for Cancer Research" | Unknown | Unknown | October 24, 1954 (1954-10-24) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 128 | 14 | "Heaven on Earth" | Unknown | Unknown | October 31, 1954 (1954-10-31) |
| Dramatised story of insurance scam preying on older men. Cast: ||||||
| 129 | 15 | "The Mousetrap" | Unknown | Unknown | November 7, 1954 (1954-11-07) |
| Craftsman refuses to innovate until forced by competition. Cast: Elliott Reid, Cliff Carpenter, Russell Hicks ||||||
| 130 | 16 | "City in Distress" | Unknown | Unknown | November 14, 1954 (1954-11-14) |
| A city suffers a financial crisis. Guests: ||||||
| 131 | 17 | "The Island of Langerhans" | Unknown | Unknown | November 21, 1954 (1954-11-21) |
| Frederick G. Banting and the discovery of insulin. Guests: ||||||
| 132 | 18 | "The Last Mail" | Unknown | Unknown | November 28, 1954 (1954-11-28) |
| A former soldier searches for a lost letter. Guests: Frank C. Baxter, Pat Harrington ||||||
| 133 | 19 | "Horizons of Hope" | Unknown | Unknown | December 5, 1954 (1954-12-05) |
| The first fully-animated episode is about progress in fighting Cancer. ||||||
| 134 | 20 | "Red Alert" | Unknown | Unknown | December 12, 1954 (1954-12-12) |
| Role of ground spotters in early detection of hostile aircraft. Guests: ||||||
| 135 | 21 | "Men of the Forest" | Jackie Cooper | Unknown | December 19, 1954 (1954-12-19) |
| Drama of dispute between cattle rancher and forest ranger. Cast: John O'Hara, Mary Lou Taylor, Joe Brown Jr. ||||||
| 136 | 22 | "In the Silent House" | Unknown | Unknown | December 26, 1954 (1954-12-26) |
| Dramatised life of deaf-blind poet Laura Bridgman. Cast: ||||||
| 137 | 23 | "The 13 Millions" | Unknown | Unknown | January 2, 1955 (1955-01-02) |
| The increasing number of over 65 year-olds in America. Guests: ||||||
| 138 | 24 | "Start Counting Slowly" | Unknown | Unknown | January 9, 1955 (1955-01-09) |
| Dramatised story about artificial respiration during surgery. Cast: ||||||
| 139 | 25 | "The Right Man" | Unknown | Unknown | January 16, 1955 (1955-01-16) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 140 | 26 | "The Willing and the Able" | Unknown | Unknown | January 23, 1955 (1955-01-23) |
| Dramatised story of disabled man striving to earn a living. Cast: Martin Balsam, Donald Buka, Santos Ortega ||||||
| 141 | 27 | "Tilly, Get Down From Your Wagon" | Unknown | Unknown | January 30, 1955 (1955-01-30) |
| Dramatised story of trying to make a living as a writer. Cast: ||||||
| 142 | 28 | "The Beautiful Endurance" | Unknown | Unknown | February 6, 1955 (1955-02-06) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 143 | 29 | "This Business of Living" | Unknown | Unknown | February 13, 1955 (1955-02-13) |
| Dramatised story of student nurse reconsidering her profession. Cast: Lori March ||||||
| 144 | 30 | "The Doodlebrain" | Unknown | Unknown | February 20, 1955 (1955-02-20) |
| Dramatised story of the value of creative innovation. Cast: ||||||
| 145 | 31 | "Drop Out" | Unknown | Unknown | February 27, 1955 (1955-02-27) |
| How teachers can reach the problem student. Guests: ||||||
| 146 | 32 | "The Human Equation" | Unknown | Unknown | March 6, 1955 (1955-03-06) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 147 | 33 | "Everybody's Business" | Unknown | Unknown | March 13, 1955 (1955-03-13) |
| Dramatised story of a young couple's success as small investors in the stock market. Cast: ||||||
| 148 | 34 | "Cause for Alarm" | Unknown | Unknown | March 20, 1955 (1955-03-20) |
| Dramatised story about handling juvenile delinquencey by providing work training. Cast: ||||||
| 149 | 35 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | March 27, 1955 (1955-03-27) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 150 | 36 | "Second Chance" | Unknown | Unknown | May 22, 1955 (1955-05-22) |
| Drama about a mayor who overenforces traffic laws after a hit-and-run. Cast: ||||||

### Season 5 (1955)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 151 | 1 | "Roadblock" | Unknown | Edgar Marvin | September 18, 1955 (1955-09-18) |
| Drama about retired doctor's campaign against development in a small town. Cast: Wendell Holmes ||||||
| 152 | 2 | "The Days Grow Long" | Unknown | Unknown | September 25, 1955 (1955-09-25) |
| Drama about caring for the elderly. Cast: Carmen Mathews, Nelson Olmsted, P. J. Kelly ||||||
| 153 | 3 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | October 2, 1955 (1955-10-02) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 154 | 4 | "Middle Ground" | Unknown | Unknown | October 9, 1955 (1955-10-09) |
| Drama about mediator who helps settle trucker's strike. Cast: Luis van Rooten ||||||
| 155 | 5 | "The Square Peg" | Unknown | Unknown | October 16, 1955 (1955-10-16) |
| Drama about son's career choice angering father. Cast: ||||||
| 156 | 6 | "Routine Emergency" | Unknown | Unknown | October 23, 1955 (1955-10-23) |
| Administrator and surgeon put aside differences to help child patient. Cast: ||||||
| 157 | 7 | "Majority of One" | Unknown | Unknown | October 30, 1955 (1955-10-30) |
| Drama about science vs. humanities in a college. Cast: Martyn Green, Ethel Wilson ||||||
| 158 | 8 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | November 6, 1955 (1955-11-06) |
| Guests: ||||||
| 159 | 9 | "The Sun Watchers" | Unknown | Unknown | November 13, 1955 (1955-11-13) |
| Drama about long range weather forecasting. Cast: Biff McGuire, Pat Bosley ||||||
| 160 | 10 | "The Ounce and the Pound" | Unknown | Unknown | November 20, 1955 (1955-11-20) |
| Drama about an educator raising awareness of mental health issues in small town. Cast: Cliff Carpenter ||||||
| 161 | 11 | TBA | Unknown | Unknown | November 27, 1955 (1955-11-27) |
| Guests ||||||
| 162 | 12 | "Calculated Risk" | Unknown | Unknown | December 4, 1955 (1955-12-04) |
| Drama about a small business. ||||||
| 163 | 13 | "In These Hands" | Unknown | Edgar Marvin | December 11, 1955 (1955-12-11) |
| Drama about inner thoughts of surgical team during an operation. Cast: House Jameson, John Larkin, Patricia Wheel, Leon Janney, Charme Allen, Tom Collins, Beverley Lawrence, James Stephens, Tom Holland, Roy Fant ||||||
| 164 | 14 | "Survival of the Fittest" | Unknown | Unknown | December 18, 1955 (1955-12-18) |
| Drama about ethics and responsibility of a business owner. Cast: ||||||
| 165 | 15 | "Christmas Belongs to Children" | Unknown | Unknown | December 25, 1955 (1955-12-25) |
| (Final episode) Marionettes tell story about the holiday in a typical community. Cast: Margot Moppets ||||||