Firing Line
The Future of the American Theater
TV Flash files “The Future of the American Theater” as hour 9 of 326 in the TV Flash guide — Firing Line (1966–1999) on Syndicated/PBS, season 1, episode 14, aired 1966-06-06, 120 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E14: listed hour 9 of 326 in the Firing Line guide, hour 9 of 26 in season 1. It aired 1966-06-06 (120 min). The listed hour before it is “The Future of States' Rights” (S01E12). Next is “Bobby Kennedy and Other Mixed Blessings” (S01E15).
Viewer FAQ
Where does The Future of the American Theater sit in the Firing Line guide?
S01E14 is listed hour 9 of 326 — hour 9 of 26 in season 1, season 1 episode 14.
When did Firing Line S01E14 air?
The Future of the American Theater aired 1966-06-06 and is listed at 120 minutes.
Where should I start?
A Buckley hour with a guest from across the aisle and room for full sentences is the contract. Clipboard, drawl, no countdown clock. Sample debates, not a serialized doctrine.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Firing Line is William F. Buckley Jr. turning argument into spectator sport: clipboard, drawl, and guests from across the aisle in conversations that refused the sound bite. Syndicated, then PBS, it ran for decades on polysyllables. Political talk before the countdown clock — intellectual blood sport with manners, and sentences allowed to finish on national television.
Clipboard, drawl, and a guest from across the aisle — argument as spectator sport before the countdown clock. Firing Line is William F. Buckley Jr. turning political talk into ballet and blood sport at once. Premiered 1966, then ran through syndication and PBS into 1999. Sesquipedalian flair, pointed civility, ideas as combat. Public-affairs TV with a maestro's ego. Sentences allowed to finish on national television. **It set a gold standard for intellectual TV debate across ideological lines.**
Filed against
- William F. Buckley Jr. as Host
William F. Buckley Jr. hosted Firing Line as argument-as-spectator-sport — clipboard, drawl, guests from across the aisle in conversations that refused the sound bite. Syndicated, then PBS, decades on polysyllables. TV Flash files him as…