An informal, imaginative half hour of topics, tips and fun for the homemaker. "Mike" Davenport, as friend of the family, gave hints and help for the home and family, from the kitchen to garden and basement to garage. He also chatted about timely topics of interest to the housewife.

Mike is the "friend of the family" . . . maintaining a benign, capable and genial supervision over everything on the show . . . as only a bachelor, unfettered by the minor hysterias of homemaking, can do.

The star of the program is really Mary Ellen. She is Mike's sister . . . though she is never seen. Each program opens with a desperation call from her which occasions Mike to say, "Well, get out of the kitchen (or laundry, or garden, or garage) and turn on your TV set . . . and I'll show you how to do it."

Mary Ellen has a husband name George . . . and two children. The problems that the family has are manifold and typical of every family's problems. These are the things that Mike demonstrates and discusses on the show.

Who is this "friend of the family?" 

Michael A. Davenport, producer-turned-performer, has put a background in ad agencies and department store merchandising to work as talent before the camera. Mike has utilized a varied and extensive background in theater to create a TV personality--a cut above the pallid mincings of the "ladies' matinee" emcees.

Mike is middlewestern born, California and New England educated. He has spent some 14 years in radio, experimental TV, theater, ad agencies and TV production . . . peppered with considerable leapings in both amateur and professional theater. By his own confessions: "ad man turned ham . . . almost as if the two were NOT inseparable."

Article in TV Life, November 8, 1953