1951 Sylvania Television Awards Explained

The 1951 Sylvania Television Awards were presented on November 8, 1951, at the Hotel Pierre in New York City.^[1] The awards were established earlier in 1951 by Sylvania Electric Products. Deems Taylor was the chairman of the judges committee.

The panel of 17 judges presented 12 awards as follows:^{[2] [3]}

• Best television revue -Your Show of Shows
• Best director - Max Liebman, Your Show of Shows
• Best actor in television- Sid Caesar
• Best actress in television - Imogene Coca
• Best use of film in television - Fireside Theatre
• Producer-director - Frank Wisbar, Fireside Theatre
• Writer - Arnold Belgard, Fireside Theatre
• Outstanding feat of television journalism - WPIX, New York City, for coordinating and producing pool telecasts of the Kefauver Committee hearings into organized crime
• Public service - WDSU, New Orleans, for first televising the Kefauver Committee hearings
• Best program planned as public service - Meet the Press, NBC
• Excellence as a moderator or master of ceremonies - John Charles Daly, What's My Line?
• Best program suitable for children - The Chicago Zoo Parade^[3]

The "grand award" was not awarded, as the committee found no program that measured up to its concept of "truly outstanding entertainment."^[1]

Notes and References

1. News: TV Awards Given. The New York Times. November 9, 1951. 34.
2. News: Sylvania Television Awards Include Sharp Comments. The Indianapolis Star (AP story). November 9, 1951. 24. Newspapers.com.
3. News: Caesar-Coca Team Wins TV Awards: Sylvania Prize Committee Praises Televising of Kefauver Hearings. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 9, 1951.