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First Row Features

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First Row Features
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time1 hour
Original release
NetworkNickelodeon
ReleaseFebruary 1980 (1980-02)[1] –
January 1982 (1982-01)

First Row Features is an American anthology series that premiered on the television network Nickelodeon in February 1980[1] and continued to air until January 1982. It mainly carried British television films for children and family audiences, most of which were filmed in the 1950s–60s. It featured a claymation title sequence created in-house at Nickelodeon's temporary headquarters in Buffalo, New York. First Row Features was a predecessor to the similarly-formatted Special Delivery, which debuted later in the same year and eventually replaced it.

Overview

The program featured made-for-TV films from the United Kingdom, which were selected by employees at Nickelodeon.[2] In January 1982, the Gannett newspaper The Times described the show as a collection of "one hour feature films for children ranging from comedies and adventures to dramas and semi-documentaries."[3] Although most of the content on First Row Features had been filmed and released in Europe decades earlier, the films were marketed as new to U.S. viewers.[4] New films premiered on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. At the time of its creation, First Row Features was one of only five programs that were aired in a loop to fill the entire Nickelodeon schedule.[5] It was non-commercial and advertisements were never played between features.

Title Year of film Nickelodeon airdate Reference
Title sequence 1980 August 27, 1980 (1980-08-27) [6]
What Next? 1974 November 9, 1980 (1980-11-09) [7]
Cup Fever 1965 December 30, 1980 (1980-12-30) [8]
The Rescue Squad 1963 December 31, 1980 (1980-12-31) [8]
Anoop and the Elephant 1972 January 1, 1981 (1981-01-01) [8]
The Kid from Canada 1958 January 2, 1981 (1981-01-02) [8]
All at Sea 1969 January 10, 1981 (1981-01-10) [9]
Juvenile Justice Unknown July 12, 1981 (1981-07-12) [10]
Lone Wolf Unknown July 13, 1981 (1981-07-13) [11]
Mischief Unknown July 15, 1981 (1981-07-15) [11]
Operation Third Form 1966 July 17, 1981 (1981-07-17) [11]
The Hunch 1967 July 20, 1981 (1981-07-20) [12]
Adventure in the Hopfields 1954 August 5, 1981 (1981-08-05) [13]
Bungala Boys 1961 December 6, 1981 (1981-12-06) [14]
The Christmas Tree 1966 December 25, 1981 (1981-12-25) [15]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "At Last. Children's Programming That's Fit for Children". Toledo Blade. February 21, 1980. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
  2. ^ Ogilvy & Mather (1981). Ogilvy & Mather cable fact book. WPP plc.
  3. ^ "TV Times: Daytime Television". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana: Gannett Company. January 3, 1982.
  4. ^ "Some of this week's highlights". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon: Gannett Company. November 16, 1980. Nickelodeon: First Row Features. Enjoy many new and exciting features in November.
  5. ^ Hendershot, Heather (February 1, 2004). Nickelodeon Nation: The History, Politics, and Economics of America's Only TV Channel for Kids. New York University Press. p. 135. ISBN 0814736513.
  6. ^ "Wednesday Television". Galveston Daily News. Galveston, Texas: Southern Newspapers. August 27, 1980.
  7. ^ "Sunday, November 9". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Iowa City, Iowa: Gannett Company. November 8, 1980.
  8. ^ a b c d "Weekdays". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Iowa City, Iowa: Gannett Company. December 27, 1980.
  9. ^ "Saturday listings". Newspapers.com. McHenry, Illinois: The McHenry Plaindealer. January 9, 1981.
  10. ^ "Cable/Pay TV". Newspapers.com. Detroit, Michigan: Detroit Free Press. July 12, 1981.
  11. ^ a b c "Weekdays". Newspapers.com. Iowa City, Iowa: Iowa City Press-Citizen. July 11, 1981.
  12. ^ "Tele-Pulse schedule". Newspapers.com. McHenry, Illinois: The McHenry Plaindealer. July 17, 1981.
  13. ^ "More Wednesday Evening". Google News. Boca Raton, Florida: Boca Raton News. July 31, 1981.
  14. ^ "For the children". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York: Gannett Company. November 29, 1981.
  15. ^ "December 25/Friday". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio: Black Press. December 20, 1981.
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