I was watching an episode of “I Love Lucy” when this thought came to me. As much as I love the fact that a Hispanic man could be a star of a show in the 50’s, Jhonny Carson had his moments and I sometimes chuckle at The Honeymooners.
What are your favorites?
The comic timing and ensemble chemistry of The Dick Van Dyke Show.
And if you admire Desi Arnaz for being a star, remember, he made his real impact behind the camera, and pretty developed the modern sitcom, as well as the filmed program production system.
The Twilight Zone.
Dick Van Dyke Show. (the)
I have a theory that many people’s lives are like soap operas, others are like high dramas, others like musicals, and yet others like sit coms. Mine is like a sit com, specifically, the DVD show.
At least two events in that show have happened to me.
My mom was given the wrong baby at the hospital (ok, so DVD wasn’t but the episode was where he thought they had been).
I’ve been stuck in elevators (twice)
Paladin
Peter Gunn
Gunsmoke
Route 66
Twilight Zone
Outer Limits
Ernie Kovacs Specials
There was a show whose name escapes me that put on good plays. I remember seeing ‘Death of a Salesman’ and ‘The Glass Menagerie’ to name a couple. Can anybody help an old guy out here?
Maverick, but only the ones starring James Garner. The other ones, with Jack Kelly and/or Roger Moore, suck big red rocks.
Amos ‘n’ Andy
Our Gang
Outer Limits
Twilight Zone
Definitely the aforementioned
THE TWILIGHT ZONE
THE OUTER LIMITS
THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW
and anything by Ernie Kovacs.
plus
YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS (with Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca)
THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW (aka SGT. BILKO)
MY LIVING DOLL
MY FAVORITE MARTIAN
THE ADDAMS FAMILY
…and much other stuff featuring offbeat humor and/or bizarre sitcom premeses.
I LIKE old teevee.
All these posts and no mention of The Andy Griffith Show.
That show is the Shakespeare of black-and-white TV.
In no particular order:
Gilligan’s Island
The Munsters
I Love Lucy
Addams Family
Ed Sullivan
These are the shows I grew up with. Luckily, they are all still being broadcast daily (more or less) up here in the land of the Loonie and Jean Cretien.
The Outer Limits
The Addams Family
[li]Alfred Hitchcock[/li]
[li]Outer Limits[/li]
[li]Twilight Zone[/li]
[li]Route 66[/li]
[li]The Addams Family[/li]
[li]One Step Beyond[/li]
[li]Ernie Kovacs[/li]
[li]Perry Mason[/li]
[li]You Asked For It[/li]
[li]Jet Jackson / Captain Midnight[/li]
[li]Crusader Rabbit[/li]Good shot Bumbazine you got most of them. We obviously are twins separated at birth.
PS: Bumbazine, I think that you’re referring to Kraft Playhouse. I seem to recall that Rod Serling was involved in the early productions.
Here a few more;
[li]The Naked City[/li]
[li]Secret Agent Man[/li]
[li]San Francisco Beat[/li]
[li]Dragnet[/li]
[li]California Highway Patrol[/li]
The Three Stooges
Zenster, You remember Crusader Rabbit?!? You’re the only person I’ve ever met who does.
[spooky music] How old are you? And where were you born? [/spooky music]
I think you’re right about Kraft Playhouse
Do you remember Topper?
Starred J. Carroll Nash and some other folks I can’t remember, about an old guy, Cosmo Topper, who shares his house with 3 alcoholic ghosts; A man and wife, and a Saint Bernard.
How about Richard Diamond, Detective series. The opening credits featured Mary Tyler Moore’s legs.
I’m on a roll now:
Adventures in Paradise - Starring Gardner McKay
77 Sunset Strip - Detective show, don’t remember the stars
Cade’s County
The Courtship of Eddie’s Father
Oops - the well just went dry folks.
Here it is 4 hours later and no one has seconded Spoke’s vote for The Andy Griffith Show? What is wrong with you people. It is probably the best show of all time. I think I better go see if it is on right now. I bet it is.
::Scurrys off whistling the theme song::
I agree with pretty much all of these,
especially
The Honeymooners,
Dick van Dyke, and
Andy Griffith,
but I also have to add
Mr. Ed.
I know it’s not what’s classically considered ‘good;’
but damn, that horse makes me laugh.
I’ll fifth the Twilight Zone,
and add
The Beverly Hillbillies!!
The Dick van Dyke Show, of course.
It had Mary Tyler Moore.
As <wolf howl> Laura Petrie!
And the way she looked in Capri Pants! TIGHT Capri pants! I even learned that they were called Capri pants because she looked so hot in them!
Oh yeah. The show was well written and there were a bunch of other actors who didn’t look as good as Mary Tyler Moore in Capri pants. And the Walnut episode was great. Did I mention that Laura Petrie was hot?
Also: The Avengers. Diana Rigg. Wet leather jumpsuits. Dry witty comments from Patrick McNee. And did I mention Diana Rigg in her “Queen of Sin” outfit? <wolf howl again>.
(A bad 20 second video clip of Mrs Peel being unveiled in the outfit can be found here
And: the first season of I Dream of Jeanie. Fun, witty, sharp dialogue before it became all banal and dull. And Barbara Eden in a Harem Girl outfit. Yowza! <wolf howl redux>
Finally: Bewitched. No wolf howls. Samantha was pretty, but the battered wife attitude (Typical interchange: “Sam! You said no more witchcraft!” shrieks Derwit. Sam hangs her head [sub]“yessir. sorry sir”[/sub]) brrrrr. The show is watchable and worthwhile mainly because of Agnes Moorehead. She made that show.
Fenris
–I think Paladin was “Have Gun, Will Travel.”
Trick question: What was Paladin’s first name?
Trick answer: (a) He didn’t have no first name.
(b) If you went by his business card his
first name was Wire.
(as in, Wire Paladin, San Francisco)
–If it was high drama and Rod Serling was involved it was probably Playhouse 90.
• The Dick Van Dyke Show (wanted to grow up to be Laura Petrie. Wound up as Sally Rogers).
• The Donna Reed Show (some of us really DID have childhoods like that!).
• Burns and Allen. Brilliant.
• I’ve Got a Secret, What’s My Line—only the 1950s versions. It’s not really a “quiz show” unless it has Dorothy Kilgallen, Bennett Cerf or Kitty Carlisle. I will NOT accept Betsy Palmer as a substitute. These shows were like watching witty, wonderful cocktail parties.