Television existed in the
1940s but did not achieve mass media status until the next decade. In the 1950s the program genres and production techniques that still define
the medium were established and refined, and dozens of shows were introduced that are still
finding new audiences on cable and DVD.
A TV set was a big
investment back then, and even once prices began dropping there were many who
felt the whole concept was just a passing fad. But then came Milton Berle and
Howdy Doody, Lucy Ricardo and Davy
Crockett, and by the end of the decade there was a television in 9 out of every
10 American households.
Television history starts
here, and these – in no particular order – are the shows you should know. For
those that are not available on home video or through streaming services, there
are plenty of clips on YouTube and other video sites.
The Twilight Zone
Some shows from the 1950s
remain the gold standard for their genres, and The Twilight Zone is one of them. Rod Serling’s brilliant science
fiction anthology series featured some of the best television writing of the
decade, and can still scare the bejeezus out of viewers who grew up on Freddie
and Jason.
The Goldbergs
Two years before I Love
Lucy, The Goldbergs established the viability of television situation
comedy, with characters that were already beloved after nearly 20 years on
radio. Star Gertrude Berg (Molly Goldberg) was also the series’ producer and
most prolific writer.
Texaco Star Theater
No one was responsible for
the sale of more television sets than Milton Berle, aptly dubbed “Mr.
Television.” Berle’s characters and skits have not aged as gracefully as many
of his contemporaries, but his Tuesday night comedy-variety series was
America’s first must-see TV.
Gunsmoke
Westerns thrived on
television in the 1950s. In the 1958-’59 season there were 30
western series in prime time. You don’t need to sample them all but you should
know Gunsmoke. It ran 20 years
and more than 600 episodes, all featuring James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon.
What’s My Line?
Several game shows aired in
prime time in the 1950s, and one of the best was What’s My Line. Unlike later generations of game shows featuring
screaming contestants and hosts with the subtlety of used car salesmen, this
was an elegant, cultured series with a witty celebrity panel and a
distinguished journalist as its host.
Dragnet
Another successful radio
adaptation, Dragnet introduced
viewers to the no-nonsense L.A. police detective Sgt. Joe Friday, as played by
Jack Webb. The series became known for its staccato dialogue exchanges and
iconic theme (the opening four notes once ranked only behind Beethoven’s Fifth
in instant recognition). Friday was so admired by real cops that the real Los
Angeles Police Department retired his badge number.
Howdy Doody
TV’s first kiddie show
phenomenon, and one of the first series to awaken advertisers to the impact of
the new medium; when Howdy and Buffalo Bob endorsed a product, sales
skyrocketed. The Howdy Doody puppet is now on display at the Smithsonian.
Leave it to Beaver
A family situation comedy
that defined both its era and its genre, and that introduced a character in
Eddie Haskell that became synonymous with sycophantic weasels.
Your Show of Shows
A towering achievement of
TV’s Golden Age, Your Show of Shows presented 90 minutes of often inspired live sketch comedy, every week,
for four years. The series was fueled by genius both in front of the camera
(Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner) and in the writer’s room (Mel Brooks,
Neil Simon, Larry Gelbart). It also inspired The Dick Van Dyke Show and the film (and Broadway musical) My Favorite
Year.
The Honeymooners
Episodes from “the classic
39” have been on television almost non-stop for more than half a century.
Jackie Gleason and Art Carney were the medium’s first great comedy team, and
Carney’s Ed Norton is the forefather of every wacky TV neighbor from Gladys
Kravitz to Cosmo Kramer.
The Ernie Kovacs Show
Where other comedians were
content to play on television, Ernie Kovacs was the only personality who would
play with television, creating
surreal audio and visual tricks that were decades ahead of their time.
The Original Amateur
Hour
Hosted by Ted Mack, the
Ryan Seacrest of the Eisenhower era, television’s first talent show aired for
22 years. It launched very few careers, but contestants included Pat Boone and
a 7-year-old singer named Gladys Knight.
I Love Lucy
I trust no explanation is
necessary. Laugh-out-loud moments can be found in every episode, and Desi Arnaz
was an important pioneer in how situation comedies were staged and shot before
a live audience.
Perry Mason
Television’s first
courtroom drama set the standard for dozens of subsequent legal shows, though
no TV lawyer ever had a higher winning percentage than Perry Mason. Raymond
Burr’s portrayal of Mason created an idealized image of the crusading attorney
that defined that profession on TV for decades.
Playhouse 90
The dramatic anthology
series has disappeared, but in the 1950s there were several outstanding programs that
performed movie-length dramatic scripts live every week. Start with Playhouse
90 and
“Requiem for a Heavyweight,” written by Rod Serling and starring Jack Palance.
Amos & Andy
One of TV’s most
controversial series, and worth a look just for the discussions it generated on
racial stereotypes at a time when the South was still segregated. Amos &
Andy also has a number of defenders in the African-American community, and it’s
worth reading that side of the argument as well. Plus, it’s still a very funny
show.
Arthur Godfrey and His
Friends
Arthur Godfrey was one of
Golden Age TV’s most unique personalities. His folksy charm attracted millions
of viewers to both daytime and prime time series, but when he fired one of his
“friends,” singer Julius LaRosa, during a live broadcast, fans saw a darker
side to Godfrey and never forgave him.
The Mickey Mouse Club
In 1955, nine of the ten
most-watched afternoon television shows were episodes of The Mickey Mouse
Club (#10 was a World Series game).
Ambitious for its time (and for now, really), the merry (and very talented)
Mousketeers hosted one hour of singing, dancing, serials, news, cartoons,
travelogues and guest stars. Why? Because they liked you.
The Phil Silvers Show
As inveterate gambler and
con man Sgt. Ernie Bilko, Phil Silvers created one of television’s most lovable
rats. Concerns over portraying a military man as a flim-flam artist dissipated
after voluntary enlistments actually rose during the years the series aired.
Toast of the Town
Better known as The Ed
Sullivan Show, this was the variety
series that introduced The Beatles to America, and censored Elvis Presley by
only shooting his performances from the waist up. All that, plus it turned an
Italian mouse puppet named Topo Gigio into a household name.
The Adventures of Ozzie
& Harriet
The real Nelson family –
Ozzie, Harriet and sons David and Ricky – played themselves on this whimsical
scripted sitcom that lasted 14 seasons, and launched Ricky into a music career
that landed him in the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. This series is an inspired and
inventive treasure that deserves to be much better known today.
American Bandstand
Another show that probably
needs no introduction. Hosted by Dick Clark, American Bandstand came of age alongside rock music and integrated its
teenage audience before that was a common practice. In the 1950s, even its
dancers had their own fan clubs.
The Steve Allen Show
Steve Allen was the first
host of The Tonight Show, and
also headlined a prime time variety series that invented many of the comedy
bits still being used by David Letterman and Conan O’Brien. If you’re sampling
online, start with the “Man on the Street” interviews, featuring Don Knotts,
Tom Poston and Louis Nye.
The Donna Reed Show
Not a groundbreaking
series, but one of the warmest, friendliest and loving family situation
comedies ever created.
Extra Credit
For those seeking even more
wholesome, black-and-white TV goodness, try these 1950s gems:
Father Knows Best
The George Burns and Gracie
Allen Show
I Married Joan
The Many Loves of Dobie
Gillis
The Jack Benny Show
Maverick
The Red Skelton Show
Our Miss Brooks
Next Week: The 1960s
Next Week: The 1960s
No comments:
Post a Comment