1950s TV Shows: What Did People Watch?

49 thoughts on “1950s TV Shows: What Did People Watch?”

1. Bonnie Heath July 6, 2014 at 1:25 am

   When I was. A little girl one of my favorite shows was that if a family that had as their children three chimpanzees that the dressed and raised as there children. I always wanted a pet chimp as a result of that show but I dint remember the name or year it aired.

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   1. Cathy September 17, 2017 at 5:20 pm

      The Hathaways is a 26-episode situation comedy, which aired on ABC from October 6, 1961, to March 30, 1962, starring Peggy Cass and Jack Weston as suburban Los Angeles “parents” to a trio of performing chimpanzees. Weston portrayed Walter Hathaway, a flabby real estate agent. Cass is his zany bride Elinore, “mother” and booking agent to the Marquis Chimps, named Candy, Charlie, and Enoch. The chimps had earlier appeared on CBS’s The Ed Sullivan Show, a Jack Benny special in 1959 and several commercials in 1960.[1]

      The Hathaways

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2. Jessica daniels August 1, 2016 at 3:16 am

   Looking for the name of a game show from the early to mid 1950’s where the contestants had to answer a question after running and ringing a bell. I think it had something to do with music however it was not name that tune. Hope you can help with this inquiry and thank you

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   1. Karl November 9, 2017 at 10:14 am

      Hope yu see this after more that a year. Are you sure it wasn’t Name That Tune? I found an episode here http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x54yqjp and they are running and ringing a bell before naming that tune. Brings back memories.

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   2. tom December 8, 2018 at 7:08 am

      “Name That Tune”

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3. Linda Hernandez October 10, 2016 at 12:18 am

   I remember sitting in front of the TV, watching the test pattern while waiting for TV to begin. I was born in 1952 and I remember Howdy Doody and the commercials like Alka seltzer and “Speedy” singing “with Alka Seltzer you’re sure to say, relief is just a swallow away”

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4. Delores Dix October 28, 2017 at 8:12 am

   I remember a sitcom that came on in the 50’s or 60’s. It involved a married couple. It was a comedy, but at the end of each show, the wife danced in leotards. It was some type of modern dancing. I wish I could remember the name of the show. Hope you canhelp

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5. Ellis January 16, 2018 at 7:51 pm

   There was a show on in the 1950;s where this man traveled to far off lands and reported about his adventures and travels. I cannot remember his name or the show he was on.

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   1. Stephen Snell October 16, 2019 at 10:42 pm

      I can’t be certain about this, but I want to suggest that it was Frank Buck. The show (and book) was called “Bring Them Back Alive.”

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   2. Stephen Snell October 17, 2019 at 12:54 am

      On the other hand, it could have been one of the film series done by Martin and Osa Johnson. You can find more about them via Wikipedia.

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6. Erick Starren February 18, 2018 at 10:04 pm

   I was born in 1949 in San Diego, CA. In the mid-50’s one of my favorite TV shows was a local kids show named – and hosted by – “Johnny Downs”. Initially, their opening and closing sequences depicted Johnny as a train engineer (driver) arriving at our Santa Fe station in downtown San Diego. The camera first showed the locomotive pulling slowly into the station with the driver waving to the camera. Then it cut to the driver climbing down from the cab, then to Johnny walking toward the camera, smiling and waving, wearing the distinctive blue-and-white striped engineers coveralls. Then it cut to Johnny walking into the studio, cheerfully greeting the audience. He then invited us to watch (either an ad or a cartoon) while he changed clothes. The rest of the show was done in his normal street clothes.

   Sometime in the mid-50’s they switched from trains to planes. Same scenario, but using a Navy F11F Tiger fighter jet at a local air station. My dad was a maintenance chief then and I was pretty familiar with most of the Navy’s planes of the day, so I recognized it instantly.

   I really enjoyed his show.

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7. William L. Calkins October 18, 2018 at 8:30 pm

   I watched Beanie and Cecil, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot; and Aurthor Godfrey.

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8. Marsha D Damme January 10, 2019 at 6:45 pm

   My mother won a set of pearls on a TV show in the early 50’s Channel Five Club Program in Memphis Tennessee. I am trying to find that show so I can see my now deceased mother.

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9. Gary J Wallner January 17, 2019 at 6:32 pm

   I am trying to recall the name of a adventure show that was centered around a seaplne in the South
   Pacific .

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   1. Don McKillop April 8, 2019 at 12:10 am

      That sounds like a tv show called…. Tales of the gold Monkey

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      1. Neville Curzon September 6, 2021 at 6:30 pm

         You are right I’ve just bought the DVD’s my granddaughter loves it, good family watching.

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   2. Candace A tromblay January 22, 2020 at 4:25 am

      That and sea hunt. Or are they one and the same. I remember that sea plane though.

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   3. Richard B December 11, 2021 at 4:43 am

      It may be Adventures in Paradise

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10. chip February 2, 2019 at 5:45 pm

    howdy doody,pinky lee,merry mail man, capt kangroo,

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11. Elliot F Nieves April 22, 2019 at 4:54 pm

    I remember a jump horse tv series with a nice looking young girl as the rider. Late 50s or early 60s. I would like to find out about it to tell my grand daughter, who is now into show horse competition.

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    1. June December 30, 2019 at 1:17 am

       My friend Flicka…about a horse i loved to watch about that time I believe.

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    2. Bob January 14, 2020 at 3:52 am

       National Velvet.

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12. KENNETH K. LADEL June 9, 2019 at 11:19 pm

    I am not certain but I think that it is either “Black Beauty
    ” or “The Adventures of Champion”.

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    1. K May 4, 2020 at 4:17 am

       My Friend Flicka??

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13. Lori July 5, 2019 at 2:04 am

    Ted’s talented teenie I was on this show when I was 17 . Our school was in ited and my partner and I won.
    I won a bracelet and we won a dinner for 2 in a very nice restaurant. Ted the host called me little ms.
    Marilyn monroe . I can not find any footage of this show..

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    1. Joe May 7, 2020 at 12:31 am

       Look on YouTube for “Ted Mack Amateur Hour”.

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14. Carl July 12, 2019 at 4:05 am

    Early 1960s show that started with pictures of a wind vane and had menacing music, talked about severe weather, etc.
    Cannot remember name of show, thus can’t research it.

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    1. Linda Bruce November 23, 2020 at 3:48 am

       Was it Outer Limits or Twilight Zone??

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15. Kate October 8, 2019 at 6:51 am

    I was born in 1953 and remember a movie or TV series from the late 50’s or early 60’s about a family that took place around 1916 and there were six daughters who all wore Middy blouses. It seems like the father was a dentist or medical doctor and I remember he had to remove his daughter’s tonsils or appendix. I believe the family became very poor for some reason.

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    1. Lenore January 21, 2022 at 8:09 pm

       It was a movie called Cheaper By The Dozen. Based on a true story of an efficiency expert doctor who had 9 or 10 children and they lived in Montclair NJ. The Gilbreath Family.

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16. Steve Everitt October 29, 2019 at 12:12 am

    Why no mention of The Phil Silvers Show ?

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17. Chuck January 10, 2020 at 11:03 pm

    Cannot recall sci fi tv episode in the 50’s where a man slowly evolved into a reptile. Anyone? Thx

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18. Bob January 14, 2020 at 3:40 am

    Trying to remember the actress and the program that had as part of its opening, a Latin woman who played a nightclub singer, and who sang “ I don’t like men. Women I don’t like too”. She was not a main character but she was part of the opening credits.

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19. Deidre Hankins February 29, 2020 at 6:31 pm

    Who was the woman who opened her tv show by coming out the door and around in her dress?

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    1. Tonja October 26, 2020 at 11:10 pm

       It was The Loretta Young Show! I loved her and those gowns!!

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    2. Craig July 12, 2021 at 5:15 am

       Loretta Young

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    3. Becky September 2, 2021 at 9:53 am

       I believe that was the Loretta Young Show.

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    4. Mark J September 10, 2021 at 9:13 pm

       The Loretta Young Show

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    5. Susan October 11, 2021 at 2:49 pm

       Sounds like Loretta Young…

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    6. Irene October 24, 2021 at 10:40 pm

       Loretta Young, The Loretta Young Show, 1953-1961.

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    7. D.Petty December 24, 2021 at 1:30 am

       Loretta Young

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20. Linda Bruce November 23, 2020 at 4:02 am

    It was in the 1950-60’s & I home was from school that day (sick?) watching an afternoon show about a couple who were returning home, from vacation , I think, and they noticed that the upstairs window covering was not in the position that they had let it. The couple goes into the house & up the stairs & into the bathroom. There is an intruder in there behind the door. He attacks the homeowner. It scared me So much I could not watch any more of it to see how it ended. I always wanted to know.. To this day ( I am 71 yrs. old) I have never wanted to live in a two-story house.
    Can anyone recall seeing this? it was probably on an afternoon playhouse show of some sort.

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21. Jon Nelson November 23, 2020 at 4:31 pm

    Kukla, Fran and Ollie.

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22. Claire November 26, 2020 at 1:43 pm

    What were the COOKING SHOWS in the 1950’s.
    Besides Julia Child’s show????
    A cook and a you girl who helped set the food on the table???

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23. Pauline Daniels December 13, 2020 at 5:42 am

    In the fifties a sort of puzzle programme not a quiz show. I think on Wednesday nights. I thought it was called Kaleidoscope and had different parts to it. Can anyone else remember it?

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24. Rick from Australia April 15, 2021 at 3:15 pm

    G’day !
    I’m TRYING to find the name of an American TV series / comedy that was probably made in the 1050s ( or possibly even the 1960s ) …. but not having much luck, as yet

    The show was set in the 50s / 60s – because I remember seeing the lead male actor playing and electric guitar at an outdoor event ……. and I also remember them talking about a “Cadillac Sedan”

    The lead male was a white guy – about 30ish years old – and he was possibly an architect or a politician perhaps – a nice character with good manners
    Another male character – was that of a local Indian Chief – who was always in the classic Indian feathered headdress …. a wise old guy – and very savvy
    The chief had a beautiful daughter ( aged around 25 at a guess ) – who was rather “high maintenance” from memory …… and the lead male ( the young white guy ) was madly in love with her
    I remember one episode where the young white guy was playing his electric guitar at a civic function – standing outside on a stage – and it started to rain ……
    The next thing, the guitar has sparks flying all over the place as it supposedly “shorts out” from the rainwater on it ( a total fallacy BTW )
    In another episode – the chief’s daughter wants her beau to perform some arduous “Indian tribal show of courage” of some description – “a TEST to show his LOVE for her”
    The white guy is talking with the chief ( the father ) and he mentions that the girl wanted him to do this REALLY stressful and dangerous “trial” to show that he loved her
    The chief asks him IF he actually DID IT …. and the young guys says “No” ……
    The chief ( being old and wise – plus KNOWING what a pain his daughter can be ) says to the young white guy “GOOD – I wouldn’t have done it either !”

    Does ANYBODY remember this show ??? … ( and can tell me the name of it – please )

    Many Thanks
    Rick in Oz ( Australia )

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25. Jeff Cutler June 17, 2021 at 2:51 am

    There was a short lived series about young actors signed or waiting to be signed by a studio and I think they were being trained for voice, acting, etc. It was either in late ’50’s or early ’60’s. I thought Dennis Cole was one of the actors, but I didn’t see the show in his IMDB profile. Does anyone remember the show and name?

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26. Deena Singer August 5, 2021 at 3:22 pm

    I remember watching the tv in the 1950’s and watching an old white-haired woman, hair in a bun, who was extremely nervous. She talked very quickly, perhaps gibberish, but she was so funny with what she said.
    Anyone remember who I mean please??

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27. Neville Curzon September 6, 2021 at 6:42 pm

    I was born in December 1942, we had our first TV (A 17” Vidor) in 1954. One of the programs we watched was on the BBC called “In Town to Night” on a Saturday night. It was hosted by MacDoald Holly who wore an evening suit. He interviewed celebrities like Dianna Doors who were visiting London for one reason or another. We used to be rivited to it, does anyone remember it.

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