ABC Stage 67(1966)

ABC Stage 67 is an anthology series that aired on ABC from September 1966 to May 1967, presenting 26 weekly installments of dramas, variety shows, documentaries, and original musicals. The premiere featured Murray Schisgal's The Love Song of Barney Kempinski, directed by Stanley Prager and starring Alan Arkin as a man savoring his final hours of bachelorhood in New York City. Arkin earned an Emmy nomination for his performance. The series attracted major talent including Petula Clark, Bobby Darin, Laurence Olivier, Albert Finney, Peter Sellers, David Frost, and Jack Paar. Despite its cultural ambitions and prestigious guest stars, ABC Stage 67 struggled against competing programs like I Spy and The Dean Martin Show, ultimately failing to find an audience. The final episode, an adaptation of Jean Cocteau's The Human Voice starring Ingrid Bergman, aired in May 1967. The series was produced at the former Monogram Studios backlot in Los Angeles, later sold to KCET.