Hollywood Opening Night

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An anthology series of the early 1950s. It was broadcast by CBS from 1951 to 1952, with episodes typically re-using stories from the earlier television series "Stars Over Hollywood". Then NBC broadcast the series from 1952 to its finale in 1953. Instead of filmed episodes, the NBC version used live broadcasts from the NBC studios in Burbank, California. The well-known gossip columnist Jimmie Fidler served as the regular host for NBC. The series featured the television debuts of then-popular actresses Ethel Barrymore, Dorothy Lamour, and Gloria Swanson. The series suffered from poor ratings, because it was broadcast in direct competition with the hit sitcom "I Love Lucy". It was eventually canceled, despite Fidler's protests that it would get better ratings if broadcast at any other point.