December Bride

Next to I Love Lucy, December Bride was Desilu's most successful series in the 1950s. Running on Monday nights, following Lucy, it couldn't miss in the ratings. Spring Byington brought a sweet, lovable quality to Lily Ruskin, an older woman from Philadelphia who came to live with her daughter Ruth and son-in-law Matt. Far from being the stereotypical mother-in-law, Lily was an attractive older woman who would be a logical marriage choice for some handsome widower. Hence the title. After the first few shows, Lily was given a side-kick in the person of Hilda Crocker, memorably played by Verna Felton. The next-door neighbor was played by Harry Morgan as Pete Porter. The character of Pete was so popular that he was spun off with his heretofore unseen wife Gladys in Pete And Gladys after December Bride ended. I was surprised to learn that Pete And Gladys was not filmed at Desilu, but at Paramount (before Desilu merged with them). December Bride is not shown these days, but it was a quality sitcom with all the ingredients of a hit. The films languish in a vault, but perhaps someday it and Pete And Gladys will resurface for a new generation of viewers to discover.