John Gunther's High Road

Did You Know?

• Ralston-Purina made program-related teaching guides available for educators.
• The company awarded educational tours to 84 teachers in 1960, with many tours providing college credit.
• Bourbon Street Beat took over the Saturday slot after the series ended.

Production

The series was produced by Jerry Stagg and Blue J. Productions, with sponsorship from the Ralston-Purina Company. John Greene and Phillip Shuken were the writers. Some films shown were made on Gunther's trips, while most came from other sources, including the Soviet Union and the United Nations. The show initially aired Mondays from 8:30 to 9 p.m. Eastern Time, replacing Bold Journey, then moved to Saturdays from 8 to 8:30 p.m. E. T. starting September 26, 1959.

Critical response

A review in the trade publication Broadcasting found several flaws in the premiere episode, noting that only occasional moments came "anywhere near to offering the absorbing sort of television held out by the idea of exploring with John Gunther." The review considered the story behind the African Ballet "a passable and possibly good idea", with some dances being "fascinating", but added that the dances became repetitive. It suggested editing should have reduced the dance footage to provide better explanation of how the ballet company's challenges were met.