Watching Television 1950s

Adventures of Superman (1952–1958)

Because of kids enjoying superhero comics, the show soon became popular. It was all about the comic book superhero Superman disguised as the mild-mannered Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent, played by George Reeves. The episodes revolved around the newspaper reporters which included Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane in season 1 and, from season 2, Noel Neill. A young reporter and the ally of Superman, Jimmy Olsen played by Jack Larson and keeping them all in line was Perry White, the editor of the Daily Planet, played by John Hamilton. The first two seasons were filmed in black and white, and the last four in color. I do believe all kids and all adults knew the opening line:

“Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman!”

Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1960)

Popular and well-known master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock created, presented, and directed this anthology series. The theme music was soon recognizable as soon as the show began. Among the guest stars were popular actresses and actors such as Clint Eastwood, James Gleason, John Williams, Vincent Price, Robert Redford, Bette Davis, Steve McQueen, Vera Miles, and Joan Fontaine.

I Love Lucy (1951–1957)

And even today people cannot forget the middle-class housewife Lucille Esmeralda “Lucy” McGillicuddy Ricardo, played by lovable Lucy Ball, and her crazy, zany antics. She was married to bandleader and singer Enrique Alberto Fernando y de Acha “Ricky” Ricardo III played by her real life husband, Desi Arnaz. They lived in an apartment in NYC, and their friends were Ethel Mae Mertz, played by Vivian Vance, and her husband, Fred Mertz by William Frawley.

Father Knows Best (1954–1960)

Was a popular sitcom that featured Robert Young as Jim Anderson and his family living in the Midwest. His wife, Margaret, was played by Jane Wyatt. In this sitcom, usually it was the father who really did know best. They had three children. the oldest, Betty Anderson, played by Elinor Donahue; the middle child, James Anderson Jr., called Bud, played by Billy Gray; and the youngest, Kathy Anderson, played by Lauren Chapin. The family lived in the fictional town of Springfield, whose name inspired the creators of the animated series The Simpsons.

Gunsmoke (1955–1975)

For Western fans there was the sitcom about the Wild West. It became widely popular and was set in Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s. The series centered around Marshall. Matt Dillon was played by James Arness, Doc Adams by Milburn Stone, and Kitty Russell by Amanda Blake. The show was all about the challenges faced by the folks living frontier life. The show ran for twenty years and earned five Emmy Awards, and from that also came five made-for-TV films.

The Donna Reed Show (1958–1966)

This was the first family sitcom to have the mother in the lead role. It starred Donna Reed as Donna Stone, the wife of pediatrician Dr. Alex Stone, played by Carl Betz. They were the parents of two teenagers. Mary played by Shelley Fabares, and Jeff played by Paul Peterson. Viewers related to the show and enjoyed the typical family situations and day-to-day problems. The series also included celebrity guests.

The Ed Sullivan Show (1948–1971)

For a variety of entertainment and music, there was the Ed Sullivan Show. It was hosted by the New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. The show featured many guests from the entertainment industry and introduced many well-known rock singers and bands to the public. Among the guest were Elvis Presley, Harry Belafonte, Paul Anka, Buddy Holly and The Crickets, and Bo Diddley, among many others. The show also sponsored performances from Broadway musicals. The Ed Sullivan Theater is still in New York and is now home to the The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

The Honeymooners (1955 – 1956)

The Honeymooners became a popular sitcom that lasted for 39 episodes. It starred popular actors and was created by one of the stars, Jackie Gleason, who portrayed Ralph Kramden. The sitcom was all about two working-class couples in Brooklyn, NY. Bus driver Ralph Kramden, his wife Alice played by Audrey Meadows, and their friends—sewer worker Ed Norton played by Art Carney and his wife Trixie played by Joyce Randolph. During the run of the series, both Carney and Meadows won an Emmy for their roles. The show spoofed, parodied, and gave reference to many other series and films, among them Futurama, Perfect Strangers, The Simpsons, and Back to the Future.