During November 1954, Cantor explained his idea for television success to columnist Erskine Johnson: "The size of TV screens demands intimacy, close-ups, and not more than half a dozen people on stage at the same time".
The sketches were always light-hearted comedies, with Cantor sometimes performing in them alongside the guest star and supporting players.
Cantor would appear backstage, introduce that episode's guest star(s), and they would engage in banter for a few minutes.
[6] However, John Sinn of Ziv Television clarified this by saying the average budget per TV episode was $53,000, while the larger figure included seven years of radio shows.
[9] Columnist Eve Starr reported that Cantor's Comedy Theatre had "sold to 60 syndicated spots its first two weeks on the market".
[6] Most sponsors however were buying for a single market, such as the First Trust Company and First National Bank, both of Lincoln, Nebraska, which jointly purchased the spot for their city.
[11] By late March 1955 only a few weeks worth of filming remained for the first season,[12] while the number of broadcasting spots sold nationwide approached 180.
[3] One reviewer voiced a common opinion among critics; after giving the guest star lineup for an episode, he said: "That's a lot of talent for Eddie to hide while he hogs the camera".