Fair Exchange

I was only 11 when this show was on but I loved it. I was fascinated by it's view of Britain. In the Christmas show. The families go to visit each other and the Americans wind up in England and the Brits in the US. In England, it was a big issue for the Finchs to get "central heating." I realized that they were different. Was especially amused by the character of Willie Shorthouse. Who hated Americans. His interactions with Patty were hilarious! I identified with the boys, of course and found Neville's life fascinating. I was always interested in the cast members afterwards, especially Victor Maddern, who was on shows as varied as Bonanza and Doctor Who. I know Dennis Waterman became a big star so I got a Region 2 DVD of the first season of Minder as I am also a big George Cole fan.

I adored "Fair Exchange'. It was wonderful, exciting, shocking and so much fun. Risqué for the bravado of both female characters to us here in Australia where few could afford to travel overseas, especially to America. England was still recovering from WWII and still on rations. We were only just coming to grips with the fact that another War was not about to occur - as history had proved to occur so often. 'A FAIR EXCHANGE' was the way we were able to travel & see London. The show was extremely important to those lucky enough to have TV sets. For me it was the ultimate experience & taught me so much about relationships and the difference between two cultures so similar yet so foreign in manner to each other. It was a major teaching tool for so many young people (mostly female), but a teaching tool nonetheless. I'd love to see it again now - to remember when life was simpler & saner, when people had an innocence now no longer found anywhere. The same innocence which produced wonderful books, stories, poetry, and caring people. Not so much of that anywhere nowadays, is there?

The timing of this show -- one of my favorites -- was off by just about a year. "Fair Exchange" was launched in September of '62, had its last hour-long airing in December, and reappeared in March of '63 in a half-hour format. And then...gone forever! Had it come to life just one year later, it would have coincided with Beatlemania and the rest of the British Invasion of popular music. I'm certain such timing would have given wings to this British-accented comedy and, perhaps, it would be in reruns today! Neville Finch lead singer of a British pop group? Larry Walker fronting a competing American band? There's an hour show! CBS: you were just a year too early!

Desilu, the studio that produced this mini-classic, didn't know what to do with this show. It was one of the first one hour comedy/dramas ever to be a weekly series. When the one hour version didn't take off as they had hoped, they re-tooled it into a 1/2 hour situation comedy. And when that didn't go over either. The canceled it. Too bad, because the casting was great, the stories real, and everything about it just fantastic. One of the first series I ever remember seeing that really meant something to me. Wish someone would release this, as I would love to see these shows again. Oh, and does anyone remember that other 1/2 season TV classic....IT'S A MAN'S WORLD?

Desilu Studios was trying to expand a bit in their comedy range and must have blown the budget on this one. I think that was the reason Fair Exchange might have been canceled after only 15 episodes.

The American Walkers, Eddie Foy, Jr. and Audrey Christie and the British Finchs, Victor Maddern and Diana Chesney to do a little people to people relations on their own. Also maybe to exchange each others problems with their teenage daughters, Lynn Loring and Judy Carne. They kept their respective boys at home, Flip Mark and Dennis Waterman, but in the future had the show lasted, who knows where that might have developed.

I think Fair Exchange was only two years ahead of its time. Had this show premiered when the Beatles started gaining international popularity this show might really have taken off. I wonder if that had ever occurred to Lucille Ball.

As it was my guess was that the production costs for shooting in London and Hollywood were too much and the show was canceled before it found an audience. I do remember I liked the episodes I did see and maybe the idea could be revived.

Come to think of it, it was halfway revived with British cousin Cathy visiting the Patty Duke family and the sights you see from Brooklyn Heights.