Some posts on other threads got me to thinking about really old TV shows (okay, I guess this kinda gives away my age). Does anyone else remember “Yancy Derringer” or “The Life of Riley” or “December Bride” or “My Friend Flicka” or … For several years here in Alaska, I referred to myself as “The Alaskan Trivia King” because I used to nail the trivia questions on all the radio stations in Anchorage. That was a while back, though, and I don’t know if I have killed too many brain cells to recollect any of that really ancient stuff. Have any of you folks got some good early TV trivia questions (with answers, of course) that I can add to my mental data bank? For some reason that I can not explain, a lot of this stuff is still rattling around in my memory. When I don’t know the answer, I’ll give up and consult some higher authority -
like one of the moderators or the esteemed CA himself.
You mentioned “My Friend Flicka” - how about 'My Friend Irma"? Gale Storm? Ann Southern? Ed Wynn??
Looks like this is gonna be the crone and geezer corner!
Our Miss Brooks – Dobie Gillis – Life is Worth Living with Bishop Fulton J. Sheen.
What was the name of Gale Storm’s show? And wasn’t there a “Private Secretary” show – intelligent blonde star with an attitude?
And the westerns? Saints preserve us!
Are all those people dead?
No, I’m not dead yet! (checking pulse) I’m healthy as a… er, Mr. Ed.
Oh yeah, “And if everyone lit just one little candle, what a bright world this would be.” Sound familiar?
How’s this for free association: thinking about Mr. Ed reminded me of Francis the talking mule which reminded me of Chill Wills. Now there’s a name for ya! I think I should start a new thread about unusual stage/real names. Does anyone remember the name of the actor that played Pahoo on the TV show “Yancy Derringer”? The guy’s name was X. Brands. Slim Pickens, Rip Torn, Gale Storm, Zasu Pitts - man, those were some names!
Okay Radar Ralf – I remember the song (am hearing it in my head) but if I have to go to bed wondering who sang it, you are in deep trouble.
Not Kate Smith, Perry Como, Dinah Shore, Liberace – Liberace?
This is driving me nuts. Hope you haven’t started a two week vacation.
Oh, Auntie, I am sorry about this, but I don’t know the singer! It was the theme song for “The Lutheran Hour”, though; I suppose we could find out who the singer was, from the IMDB, right?
You know, the more I think about, the more I believe you are right on the money about it being Liberace. Although the song is about lighting a candle, not sitting on one…
LMAO Radar.
Which halfway brings to mind this joke my mom used to tell about Liberace – something about ferry boats and she didn’t know Liberace had a navy? (That’s as naughty as she gets and I didn’t understand it for years and years. We don’t have homosexuals in Iowa, you know. 
Private Secretary was Ann Southern’s show with Don Porter as her boss - can’t remember the name of the character he played.
Not quite as ancient, but I liked Peter Gunn - still love Mancini’s music from that show.
I can’t play the piano because Howdy Doody was on when I was supposed to be practricing!
How about Flash Gordon?!
Anyone else here old enough to remember Broadway Open House??
Broadway Open House? You’re looking for someone over 70 now! Not only would they have to be alive back then, they’d have to be old enough to be up that late to watch it!
That show would morf into Steve Allen’s Tonight Show(later to be taken over by Jack Parr).
There was good TV then. The Honeymooners still stands up along with Lucy.
What we’ve lost are a lot of live heavy drama from shows like “Playhouse 90.”
Auntie, Gale Storm had two shows, My Little Margie and Oh Susannah (though I am MUCH too young to have seen them first-run, she says, blushing prettily).
Remember that terrifying kid’s show, Clutch Cargo? Cecil did a column years ago about how it was animated–those creepy black mouths haunted my nightmares for years.
Great thread! I can DIMLY remember a show called the “Life Of Riley”. I was about an incredibly stupid guy who had a wife and two kids (girl was “Babs”, the boy was “Junior”). Anyway, this guy was so dumb he could hardly remember how to get to work-he was a riveter for “Cunningham Aircraft”.
I recall that an early network producer cancelled the show because he thought (regarding Riley) that “nobody could be that stupid”.
Well, I’m not over 70, or even over 60, but I do remember Broadway Open House because my folks watched it. Don’t remember, tho, whether it was Jerry Lester or Buddy Lester. And who could forget Dagmar???
I’d come home from school & my mom would be watching either the McCarthy hearings or the Kefauver(sp?) hearings - can’t remember which.
Homework on Tuesday nights was to watch Bishop Sheen - while everyone else in the neighborhood was watching Uncle Miltie.
Used to have a guy here at the company who reminded me of Clutch Cargo! No one else here knew what I was talking about.
Bishop Sheen; Uncle Miltie. One guy in a long dress is pretty much like another . . . You had a coworker who reminded you of Clutch Cargo? Yikes! Talk about a waking nightmare!
This show isn’t quite ancient–the early '60s–but anyone else remember The Mona McClosky Show? For some reason, it stuck in my mind. Can;t even remember what it was about. Oooh, how about Honey West? She was my idol–well, her and Donna Reed (talk about a split personality).
Mona McCluskey (Juliette Prowse) was a movie star who married a regular Joe and was trying hard to live as an average housewife, except she always wound up spending her money (sound like Bewitched?)
Try and catch the original episodes of Superman, with Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane. They were a lot grittier (and more violent) than the later seasons.
Battlestar Galactica???
Wasn’t “The Life of Riley” a carryover from radio?
How about Pete And Gladys with Harry Morgan? And for any older Canadians Chez Helene?..I may not have gone to college but I’m not stupid-Mr.Ed