Fred and Wilma have separate beds, with a little end table between them.
Just a WAG, but I think “Ralph & Alice” or “Desi & Lucy” is WAY too early, considering national squeamishness about issues of sexuality at the time.
I’m thinking Mike & Carol Brady. My memory on this is hazy, but IIRC Sherwood Schwartz (sp?) mentioned how the network was scandalized when he wrote their sleeping together in the same bed into the script.
Here’s a little TV Trivia, although it’s not much help:
Ozzie & Harriet’s bedroom on “Here Come The Nelsons” was the first double bed on TV. (A man and wife sleeping the same bed! Scandalous!) Before this, couples always had those “twin beds with the lamp between them”, although they were never seen in the bed(s). I’m having trouble getting verification from my sources, but rumour around here is the first couple seen on TV in bed was Rob and Laura Petri on “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” No scandal here, they were sitting up in their twin beds with mandatory lamp between them, watching TV.
With God as my witness, I thought turkey’s could fly.
I seem to recall hearing that on the Donna Reed show, there was an ironclad rule that if Mr. and Mrs. Reed were sitting on the bed, they had to keep one foot on the floor at all times.
That “rule” predated Donna Reed, being quoted as part of the original movie production code in the 30s. I don’t know if it actually was a rule before then, though.
The early TV couple shown most regularly in a single bed together was Oliver Wendell and Lisa Douglas, who were often shown sharing a bed.
Ozzie and Harriet have been mentioned… What I heard was that Ozzie and Harriet were the first couple to have a double bed. It was okay since the actor and actress were married in real life. Is this true?
I don’t know if they were shown in bed though.
Nothing I write about any person or group should be applied to a larger group.
On “The Honeymooners,” they avoided the question entirely by never actually showing us the Kramdens’ bedroom at all. Remember? Their apartment was supposed to be a two-room flat and we never saw the bathroom either, for that matter.
The Flintstones were the first cartoon couple to have a child in the course of the series. And the Rubbles were the first to adopt a child.
All of you check that Snopes link above. It mentions a series that doesn’t exist today in any form. No wonder I don’t remember it.
What was the first TV series to show a bathroom?
Those who do not learn from the past are condemned to relive it. Georges Santayana
I Love Lucy too early? Wasn’t there an episode where Lucy and Ricki got handcuffed together and couldn’t sleep on their usual respective sides of the bed because of it? I’m sure I remember that.
Also, I know it ain’t true (and it’s radio to boot) but I’d have been crossing my fingers in the hope that it was Charlie McCarthy and Marilyn Monroe; I loved that show; too bad they didn’t tie the knot
“I’m just too much for human existence – I should be animated.”
–Wayne Knight
Just guessing again, but I’m going with the Brady’s again. Never showed the toilet-- just the kids in their pajamas, brushing their teeth. I guess they did their business outside behind the semen-- er, Carob tree (they lived in LA, remember?).
Actually, a toilet was shown on “Leave It To Beaver” in the late '50s; or rather, a part of one. The story called for Beaver to hide a frog (or tyrtle, I can’t remember) in the toilet tank. Censors didn’t like the idea, but finally said it would be OK if only the toilet tank and not the bowl were shown.
“The plane will be landing in Havana shortly”
TT
“Believe those who seek the truth.
Doubt those who find it.” --Andre Gide
