First Row Features

First Row Features is an American anthology series that premiered on the television network Nickelodeon in February 1980[1] and continued to air until January 1982. It mainly carried British television films (mostly from the Children's Film Foundation for children and family audiences, most of which were filmed in the 1950s–60s. It featured a claymation title sequence created in-house at Nickelodeon's temporary headquarters in Buffalo, New York. First Row Features was a predecessor to the similarly-formatted Special Delivery, which debuted later in the same year and eventually replaced it.

First Row Features
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Running time1 hour
DistributorNickelodeon
Release
Original networkNickelodeon
Picture formatNTSC
Audio formatStereo
Original releaseFebruary 1980 (1980-02)[1] –
January 1982 (1982-01)

Overview

The program featured made-for-TV films from the United Kingdom, which were selected by employees at Nickelodeon.[2] In January 1982, the Gannett newspaper The Times described the show as a collection of "one hour feature films for children ranging from comedies and adventures to dramas and semi-documentaries."[3] Although most of the content on First Row Features had been filmed and released in Europe decades earlier, the films were marketed as new to U.S. viewers.[4] New films premiered on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. At the time of its creation, First Row Features was one of only five programs that were aired in a loop to fill the entire Nickelodeon schedule.[5] It was non-commercial and advertisements were never played between features.

TitleYear of filmNickelodeon airdateReference
Title sequence1980August 27, 1980 (1980-08-27)[6]
What Next?1974November 9, 1980 (1980-11-09)[7]
Cup Fever1965December 30, 1980 (1980-12-30)[8]
The Rescue Squad1963December 31, 1980 (1980-12-31)[8]
Anoop and the Elephant1972January 1, 1981 (1981-01-01)[8]
The Kid from Canada1958January 2, 1981 (1981-01-02)[8]
All at Sea1969January 10, 1981 (1981-01-10)[9]
Juvenile JusticeUnknownJuly 12, 1981 (1981-07-12)[10]
Lone WolfUnknownJuly 13, 1981 (1981-07-13)[11]
MischiefUnknownJuly 15, 1981 (1981-07-15)[11]
Operation Third Form1966July 17, 1981 (1981-07-17)[11]
The Hunch1967July 20, 1981 (1981-07-20)[12]
Adventure in the Hopfields1954August 5, 1981 (1981-08-05)[13]
Bungala Boys1961December 6, 1981 (1981-12-06)[14]
The Christmas Tree1966December 25, 1981 (1981-12-25)[15]

See also

References
  1. "At Last. Children's Programming That's Fit for Children". Toledo Blade. February 21, 1980. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
  2. Ogilvy & Mather (1981). Ogilvy & Mather cable fact book. WPP plc.
  3. "TV Times: Daytime Television". The Times. Shreveport, Louisiana: Gannett Company. January 3, 1982.
  4. "Some of this week's highlights". Statesman Journal. Salem, Oregon: Gannett Company. November 16, 1980. Nickelodeon: First Row Features. Enjoy many new and exciting features in November.
  5. Hendershot, Heather (February 1, 2004). Nickelodeon Nation: The History, Politics, and Economics of America's Only TV Channel for Kids. New York University Press. p. 135. ISBN 0814736513.
  6. "Wednesday Television". Galveston Daily News. Galveston, Texas: Southern Newspapers. August 27, 1980.
  7. "Sunday, November 9". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Iowa City, Iowa: Gannett Company. November 8, 1980.
  8. "Weekdays". Iowa City Press-Citizen. Iowa City, Iowa: Gannett Company. December 27, 1980.
  9. "Saturday listings". Newspapers.com. McHenry, Illinois: The McHenry Plaindealer. January 9, 1981.
  10. "Cable/Pay TV". Newspapers.com. Detroit, Michigan: Detroit Free Press. July 12, 1981.
  11. "Weekdays". Newspapers.com. Iowa City, Iowa: Iowa City Press-Citizen. July 11, 1981.
  12. "Tele-Pulse schedule". Newspapers.com. McHenry, Illinois: The McHenry Plaindealer. July 17, 1981.
  13. "More Wednesday Evening". Google News. Boca Raton, Florida: Boca Raton News. July 31, 1981.
  14. "For the children". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York: Gannett Company. November 29, 1981.
  15. "December 25/Friday". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio: Black Press. December 20, 1981.
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