1952 – Shatner Year In Review

Welcome to the 1952 edition of the “Shatner Year In Review.” At the end of each year covered in the review posts I will provide a summary as it relates to Shatner and his career, as well as display some key entertainment statistics.

In 1952, Shatner graduated from McGill University (although he missed his convocation due to failing one of his math classes) with a Commerce degree. That summer, he was hired to be the assistant manager of a summer theater, the Mountain Playhouse. This theater put on a number of plays that depended on little scenery or sets. This meant usually “light comedies featuring a young guy…”

According to Shatner’s autobiography Up Till Now:

I was a terrible assistant manager. A disgrace to my commerce degree. I kept losing tickets and mixing up reservations, which were basically the only responsibilities I had. Actors were easily replaceable, but the survival of the theater depended on getting the ticket sales right. Most actors get hired; to save the theater I was fired into the cast. I began playing all those happy young man roles.

Shatner credits acting in these light comedies with helping him learn “how to act.” In fact he credits the audience with teaching him timing and other mannerisms (he had to wait for laughter to subside, he would learn to repeat things the audience seemed to like, etc.) associated with acting. Since he never had any formal acting lessons, he used this time and these experiences to build up his acting chops instead.

When the summer was over, the head of the Mountain Theater recommended him “to the Canadian National Repertory Theatre in Ottawa – as their assistant manager.” Again, his inability to focus on business led him straight into the the cast instead. There, he continued learning through doing.

And with the Rep especially, the fast pace of learning lines and performing meant that Shatner honed one of the skills that did him good all throughout his career: memorizing scripts. Shatner has always prided himself (and has frequently been praised by directors and producers) for being an actor that always shows up on time and knows his lines. It is here that Shatner begins to really understand that acting is a business, and it is a job…and to have longevity in an industry where the romance and allure can fade after awhile, you have to be able to do the nuts and bolts of the job to continue on.

So, no on-screen appearances this year. Shatner instead worked in the casts of various regional Canadian theater groups, getting exposure to the business and the players in it.

Stay tuned, gentle readers…we’re getting very very close to Shatner’s first big break!

Best Shatner Appearance of 1952: N/A
Worst Shatner Appearance of 1952: N/A

1952 – Selected Statistics

US President: Harry S. Truman
Canada Prime Minister: Louis St. Laurent

Top 10 Movies (USA Gross):

1. The Greatest Show on Earth
2. The Bad and the Beautiful
3. The Snows of Kilimanjaro
4. Ivanhoe
5. Singin’ in the Rain
6. Sailor Beware
7. Moulin Rouge
8. Hans Christian Andersen
9. Affair in Trinidad
10. Monkey Business

Best Picture of 1952: The Greatest Show on Earth

My favorite film of 1952 (of the ones listed above): Ummm…I’m honestly not sure I’ve ever seen any of these. Of course, I’ve seen bits and pieces of them, but I don’t think I’ve ever watched any of the above all the way through, so I’m just going to punt until next year.

Top 10 TV Programs (USA):

1. I Love Lucy
2. Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts
3. Arthur Godfrey and His Friends
4. Dragnet
5. Texaco Star Theater
6. The Buick Circus Hour
7. The Colgate Comedy Hour
8. Gangbusters
9. You Bet Your Life
10. Fireside Theatre

Biggest Hit Singles (USA):

1. “You Belong to Me” – Jo Stafford
2. “Here in My Heart” – Al Martino
3. “Auf Wiederseh’n Sweetheart” – Vera Lynn
4. “Delicado” – Percy Faith
5. “Wheel of Fortune” – Kay Starr

Best 1952 Song that I own: “Walking in the Sunshine” – Frank Sinatra
Runner up for Best 1952 Song that I own: “Quiet Village“- Les Baxter

Top Albums of 1952

1. Anthology of American Folk Music – Harry Smith
2. The Astaire Story – Fred Astaire
3. Hans Christian Andersen – Danny Kaye
4. With A Song In My Heart – Jane Froman
5. Jazz Concerto No. 2 – Benny Goodman

Best 1952 Album that I own: N/A

Further reading

The picture of Shatner at the Rep comes from a book that sounds like a great read, The Opening Act: Canadian Theatre History 1945-1953 by Susan McNicoll.

Buy it here and check out some more pictures from it here.