BBC’S 50TH BIRTHDAY

Smith’s tribute to BBC television made for nostalgic reading. However, a couple of corrections should be noted: both “I Love Lucy” and “Gunsmoke” were originally imported by Britain’s commercial network. Also, the formula of “What’s My Line?” was imported but not the American series itself.

The BBC did, however, take “The Lucy Show” in 1963, plus a couple of other series that underwent title changes, namely, “Sugarfoot,” which became “Tenderfoot,” and the cartoon show “Top Cat,” which was re-named “Boss Cat.”

However, the longest-running U.S. favorite has to be Phil Silver’s series of “Sgt. Bilko” shows. The BBC still plays them today in amazingly pristine prints and recently began showing the first two seasons in the order that they were originally broadcast here. Now that’s BBC precision!

ALAN WARNER

Los Angeles