# Who's left from early TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 13, 2014, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218 "2014-02-13T03:45:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2014, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/141 "2014-02-18T22:41:53Z")
[Alan Young](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Young) is still alive, having been born in 1919. He’s 94. (otherwise known as W-w-w-willllburrr, owner of Mr Ed) Wikipedia says he had his first radio show, The Alan Young Show, in 1944. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/142 "2014-02-19T11:50:38Z")
Back before Glynis Johns was the suffragette mom in _Mary Poppins_, she got plenty of pre-1958 TV work – on _The Errol Flynn Theatre_, and _Studio One In Hollywood_, and _Schlitz Playhouse_, and as per the OP even a spot on Sid Caesar’s _Your Show Of Shows_, which ain’t bad for someone who made all those movies as a teen in the '30s. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/143 "2014-02-19T18:02:20Z")
Another one who has failed to make the list for the worst reason is Mary Grace Canfield. She played “Ralph” the handman on _Green Acres_. First TV credit in 1954. Passed away Saturday. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/144 "2014-02-20T02:53:55Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Another one who has failed to make the list for the worst reason is Mary Grace Canfield. She played “Ralph” the handman on _Green Acres_. First TV credit in 1954. > > **Passed away Saturday.** Aw, man. RIP, Ralph. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/145 "2014-02-20T02:55:19Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Aw, man. RIP, Ralph. ☹ I was amazed to learn that she was already in her 40s when _ **GA** _ was being filmed. I always thought she was at least ten years younger! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/146 "2014-02-20T03:01:41Z")
Well, hit me on the side of the head and call me stupid! Turns out Max Baer, Jr (Jethro Bodine on _ **The Beverly Hillbillies** _) is still around too at age 76, though he hasn’t done anything in TV or movies for quite some time. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/147 "2014-02-20T03:03:13Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Well, hit me on the side of the head and call me stupid! Turns out Max Baer, Jr (Jethro Bodine on _ **The Beverly Hillbillies** _) is still around too at age 76, though he hasn’t done anything in TV or movies for quite some time. And Donna Douglas (Ellie May) at 80. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/148 "2014-02-20T03:16:23Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > And Donna Douglas (Ellie May) at 80. … As was noted above. 🙂 Whoops! Turns out Max didn’t start acting professionally until 1960, according to Wiki. Bummer! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/149 "2014-02-20T03:19:09Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > … As was noted above. 🙂 > > Whoops! Turns out Max didn’t start acting professionally until 1960, according to Wiki. Bummer! ☹ D’oh! Brain blip. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/150 "2014-02-20T03:28:11Z")
Before he was _Baretta_ – but after he was one of _The Little Rascals_ – Robert Blake was a twentysomething during the Golden Age of TV, playing an Apache warrior on _Broken Arrow_ in '56 after popping in for an episode of _The Cisco Kid_ but before filming an episode of _The Roy Rogers Show_; the guy who played Rain Cloud on an _Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok_ episode in '52 had plenty of work back when. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/151 "2014-02-20T04:12:47Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > … As was noted above. 🙂 > > Whoops! Turns out Max didn’t start acting professionally until 1960, according to Wiki. Bummer! ☹ he was busy with his cyphering before then. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/152 "2014-02-20T04:59:54Z")
Don Rickles has a few IMDB credits from the mid 50’s ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/153 "2014-02-20T06:00:00Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > he was busy with his cyphering before then. Yep, the boy took to cyphering like a mule takes to millet! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/154 "2014-02-20T07:46:04Z")
Piper Laurie has pre-'58 acting credits on _Playhouse 90_, _General Electric Theater_, and every other show from _Robert Montgomery Presents_ to _Studio One In Hollywood_, plus a couple of TV movies and appearances on _The Ed Sullivan Show_ and _This Is Your Life_. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/155 "2014-02-20T14:54:10Z")
The youngest celebrity in age still around from early TV has to be [Ron Howard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Howard#Early_acting_roles_and_The_Andy_Griffith_Show), even if The Andy Griffith show started in 1960. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/156 "2014-02-20T15:43:50Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > The youngest celebrity in age still around from early TV has to be [Ron Howard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Howard#Early_acting_roles_and_The_Andy_Griffith_Show), even if The Andy Griffith show started in 1960. Still, Keith Thibodeaux – who played Johnny Jason on _The Andy Griffith Show_ – got his start pre-'58, as Little Ricky on _I Love Lucy_ ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2014, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/157 "2014-02-20T21:34:28Z")
I can’t believe that I forgot Clu Gulager. He was in Playhouse 90 in 1959, he had minor TV roles from 1955 forward and his latest credit is an acting role in 2012. Reference: > **[Clu Gulager - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0347656/)** > > Clu Gulager. Actor: The Return of the Living Dead. Clu Gulager was born William Martin Gulager in Holdenville, Hughes County, Oklahoma. His nickname was given to him by his father for the clu-clu birds (known in English as martins, like his middle... ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/158 "2014-02-21T00:48:08Z")
Diahann Carroll was a '50s-game-show contestant on _Chance Of A Lifetime_ before she started performing on _The Red Skelton Hour_ and _The Ed Sullivan Show_ and acting in a Ronald-Reagan-hosted episode of _General Electric Theater_ opposite… …well, Harry Belafonte, who (a) had been on television since the '40s, and who (b) had just played a leading role on _Front Row Center_ with… …well, Marge Champion, who has television acting credits dating back to '49, when she was on _The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse_ with… …well, Conrad Janis, who like the rest of 'em racked up plenty of pre-'58 TV credits. Why, in '52 he was in a television drama with… …well, Sidney Poitier, who I mentioned on the previous page, so, yeah. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/159 "2014-02-21T19:59:24Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Before he was _Baretta_ – but after he was one of _The Little Rascals_ – Robert Blake was a twentysomething during the Golden Age of TV, playing an Apache warrior on _Broken Arrow_ in '56 after popping in for an episode of _The Cisco Kid_ but before filming an episode of _The Roy Rogers Show_; the guy who played Rain Cloud on an _Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok_ episode in '52 had plenty of work back when. He was also a paperboy in the classic _Treasure of the Sierra Madre_ (with Humprey Bogart). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218/160 "2014-02-21T20:26:50Z")
There’s always Polly Bergen, who I mention not because of her pre-'58 appearances on _The Ed Sullivan Show_ and _The Jonathan Winters Show_ and _The Jimmy Durante Show_ and _The George Jessel Show_ and _The Alan Young Show_ and _The Jackie Gleason Show_ and _Max Liebman Presents: The Maurice Chevalier Show_, but for – well, just hosting _The Polly Bergen Show_ starting in '57. You know, after acting on _Playhouse 90_ and _General Electric Theater_ and et cetera. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-left-from-early-tv/681218.md?page=9)