Fifties TV ...

[Guest ncm2169]

... is often referred to as The Golden Age of TV.

 

How many of us here were around to view the original productions and incredible talents of that time?

 

Let's just list a few:

 

Syd Caesar's Show of Shows (Need to mention Imogene Coca)

Jackie Gleason's The Honeymooners (Need to mention Audrey Meadows, Art Carney and Joyce Randolph)

I Love Lucy (Need to mention Arnaz, Frawley and Vance)

Milton Berle's multiple shows

Colgate Comedy Hour

Playhouse 90

Jack Benny

Burns and Allen

Loretta Young

Robert Montgomery Presents

Hit Parade (Gisele MacKenzie, anyone)

Ed Sullivan's (forever) - (Po Po Gi Go) Toast of the Town

Jack Paar

Steve Allen

 

and, for her classic commercial, "See the YOU SA in your CHEVROLET, America is asking you to call," the incomparable love of Burt Reynold's life, Dinah Shore. Gawd, I remember hearing that EVERY evening at 6:15 (Central).

 

For me, of course, in the '50's that's all that was on television. I watched network TV until the mid 80's when cable emerged. Today, I cannot stand network TV.

 

Other opinions, observations, or memories? :*

 

I wish I could find a list of the original, live dramas on Playhouse 90, etc. Can anyone help? I believe "Marty" is/was one of the most acclaimed.

[Lookin]

Here's a link to the Playhouse 90 episodes:

 

http://www.tv.com/playhouse-90/show/2182/episode_listings.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=episodessh&tag=episodes

 

 

I think "Marty" was Goodyear Playhouse.

 

http://www.tv.com/goodyear-television-playhouse/show/4100/episode_listings.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=episodessh&tag=episodes

 

 

I wasn't so much into that highbrow stuff, but I was all over Kukla, Fran and Ollie!

 

http://kukla.tv/1.jpg http://kukla.tv/3.jpg

[uwsider]

Yes, yes, yes! All of the shows you mentioned, but additionally, The Bell Telephone Hour, Armstrong Circle Theatre, The Garry Moore show (with Carol Burnett at her best) and The Red Skelton Show! I'm not young, but I remember most of these shows from the time before I was 10 or 12 years old, and they made an impression that has stuck throught the years! I have a wonderful tape of Barbara Cook (which was released a couple of years ago) with her appearances on The Bell Telephone Hour. Among the people she performs with, over the years, are Robert Goulet and the wonderful Anita Gillette. It's shocking when one realizes the kind of fare that was once available on network TV as opposed to the drek they now offer.

[Guest ncm2169]

< Kukla, Fran and Ollie!

 

OMG!! Probably the first TV show I ever watched - after the local "test pattern" disappeared and live programming began at 10 AM (Central).

 

Jeez, when I first posted this thread, I was thinking of only nighttime TV. When Lookin mentioned K F & O, my memory went into overtime. NO ONE could ever forget Howdy Doody Time in the afternoon. :*

 

On a slightly more serious note, I still have three (maybe the only three they ever made?) of the Howdy Doody marionettes - Howdy himself, Clarabell, and Princess Summer Fall Winter Spring. I recently had them appraised and, while they were maybe $20 apiece 50 + years ago, they've been bringing 4 figures each. A nice hedge against inflation! Thank you Buffalo Bob!! }( }(

[Guest ncm2169]

< The Garry Moore show (with Carol Burnett at her best)

 

Garry Moore registers for me more in The '60's. Red Skelton registers timeless.

 

< It's shocking when one realizes the kind of fare that was once available on network TV as opposed to the drek they now offer.

 

Truer words were never spoken. And, as much as technology has inevitably marched forward, I'm waiting for YouTube to provide some comparable content. The technology is clearly out there, and perhaps it will begin with a Watergate-Style "trial" of the Bush Administration's scandals, ala Ed Murrow exposing Joe "Tailgunner" McCarthy. That might just induce a TV Network-weary public to believe again.

[+ deej]

I remember the shows that were on CBS because that was the only station in town.

 

We eventually got the other networks but they required fiddling the hell out of that circular antenna between the rabbit ears to get the VHF stations. It was a constant battle. If you managed to get a station to come in clearly, you were required to stand there with your arm behind your head and your leg in the air until the end of the program.

 

Yah, I do remember the Honeymooners. (To the MOON, Alice!)

 

Today, he'd be labeled a wife-beater.

 

<sigh>

[+ Gar1eth]

>I remember the shows that were on CBS because that was the

>only station in town.

>

>We eventually got the other networks but they required

>fiddling the hell out of that circular antenna between the

>rabbit ears to get the VHF stations. It was a constant battle.

>If you managed to get a station to come in clearly, you were

>required to stand there with your arm behind your head and

>your leg in the air until the end of the program.

>

>Yah, I do remember the Honeymooners. (To the MOON, Alice!)

>

>Today, he'd be labeled a wife-beater.

>

><sigh>

 

Wasn't the circular antenna for UHF stations--just wondering?

 

Gman

[+ deej]

>Wasn't the circular antenna for UHF stations--just wondering?

 

Could have been, it's so long ago I can't remember.

 

All I remember was we went from 1 to 3 stations and still only watched a few programs.

 

And today we have hundreds of channels on cable and still only watch a few programs. ;-)

[Guest ncm2169]

< If you managed to get a station to come in clearly, you were required to stand there with your arm behind your head and your leg in the air until the end of the program.

 

ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!!:+ :+ :+

[Lookin]

> you were required to stand there with your arm behind your head and your leg in the air until the end of the program.

 

Charming.

 

Here's another thread that's begging to get highjacked. :-)

[Guest ncm2169]

How about Telethons?

 

Anyone remember Les Paul and Mary Ford? They of the oh-so-controversial (because it was unconventional) electric guitar? Their theme song, How High the Moon?

 

Gawd I remember my father taking me out to "Wold-Chamberlain" Field in Minneapolis (now named either Lindbergh or Humphrey Terminal - the doofusses keep fucking with the names). In an air hangar, Paul/Ford played before an audience of free onlookers, with TV cameras roaming; the objective was to run up the TV toll of contributions and the audience members were there to stoke the flames, shouting out to callers to call in to pledge their dollars.

 

It was a format perfected by Jerry Lewis which he uses to this day to raise money for MD.

[Guest ncm2169]

Lookin, the Playhouse 90 list is beyond mind-boggling.

 

We don't think of The 50's as a time in this country of access by "the folks" to great cultural theatric events, but there you have it. Successive generations who only access "culture" via TV (70's, 80's, 90's, etc.) are all the more deprived.

 

How long will it be before some media entrepreneur resurrects and re-broadcasts those incomparable performances? Ted Turner's "coloring" came and went; Murdoch is too much of a boob and bottom feeder. Who's left?

 

Maybe NPR, under a new enlightened Administration??

[Guest ncm2169]

Does anyone recall - was Pal Joey an original made for TV production, or a movie first?

[Guest zipperzone]

>Does anyone recall - was Pal Joey an original made for TV

>production, or a movie first?

 

Neither - I think it was originally a Broadway musical. Truly great songs, the best that Tin Pan Alley had to offer. My Funny Valentine is my all time favorite.

[TRAVLINLOT]

I can remember the few times I was home from school sick and watching, "Ann Southern Show, My little Margie, Oh Suzanna and Topper featuring Cosmo, and George and Marion Kirby" then in later years there was "F-Troup".... wow I thought I forgot all that!

[Samai139]

Travinlot--

You "stole" the 50's shows that had not been mentioned previously that I was about to cite---thanks for mentioning them )

Does anyone else remember being terrified by a show called "Lights Out" with, I think either Boris Karloff or Alistair Cooke as the "voice" that introduced the series?? I had nightmares for years about one episode that had aliens with a third eye in their foreheads. Still gives me the creeps.

Also I could not miss Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and a whole slew of other kiddie-type programs---wasn't there one about a pilot? SkyHawk or SkyChief of something like that?

And when did "Route 66" air? Late 50's?

There was also a western with Clint Walker that I watched, simply because of Clint Walker, nuff said!!

[Guest Raffy]

1953-54: Brandon de Wilde in "Jamie" about a kid living on a farm with his aunt and uncle. He was sooo sweet. I think that;s when i knew i was gay.

 

Then came Tommy Retig, Billy Gray, Tony Dow, Paul Peterson. Who else?

 

bob

[+ Charlie]

I had a Princess Summer-Fall-Winter-Spring hand puppet (was that an early indication that I would be a bathhouse slut in the 1960s?).

[SoCal]

>wasn't there one about a

>pilot? SkyHawk or SkyChief of something like that?

 

Sky King! I loved it!

http://www.skyking.com/

[+ Charlie]

I did, too.

[Guest RandyRon]

>Travinlot--

>You "stole" the 50's shows that had not been

>mentioned previously that I was about to cite---thanks for

>mentioning them )

>Does anyone else remember being terrified by a show called

>"Lights Out" with, I think either Boris Karloff or

>Alistair Cooke as the "voice" that introduced the

>series?? I had nightmares for years about one episode that

>had aliens with a third eye in their foreheads. Still gives

>me the creeps.

>Also I could not miss Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and a whole

>slew of other kiddie-type programs---wasn't there one about a

>pilot? SkyHawk or SkyChief of something like that?

>And when did "Route 66" air? Late 50's?

>There was also a western with Clint Walker that I watched,

>simply because of Clint Walker, nuff said!!

 

 

I loved "Lights Out," especially as my sister always paid me a quarter to stay up and watch it with her.

 

Also, what about:

 

Omnibus with Alistair Cooke

Kraft Theater

Kate Smith with "The Moon Coming Over the Mountain"

Queen for a Day

and Liberace.

 

Sorry, got to go. My "keeper" says I have to get ready for the "early bird special."

[Guest ncm2169]

Let's not forget the Schmaltz. (The Midwest kind, not the Jewish immigrant kind).

 

Lawrence Welk? The McGuire Sisters? And a-one, and a-two ... (and a Mafia connection three??).

 

Gawd, how many 20-something female trios did they inspire? I think there were three on my block. :*

 

But, of course, the King of 50's Upper Midwest Schmaltz, albeit a MUCH smaller player than Welk, was Whoopie John Wilfahrt, and his Oompah band.

 

As they used to say, "Whoopie John Wilfahrt and the band will play." }(

[+ deej]

Tommy Rettig! Man what a blast from the past.

 

When his acting career ended, he ended up in tech which is where I met him. He became a star there, too. In fact, I'd known him several years before I even knew he was *that* Tommy Rettig.

 

When our paths would cross I could always count on a big smile and a HUGE hug from the little guy. (Even as an adult he was only 5'5", if that.) And he always had the *best* weed. Or so I've heard. ;-)

 

To this day, when a certain crowd gathers someone will proffer a bottle of MacAllan 25 (his favorite) for a memorial toast.

 

He was truly loved and I was proud to call him friend.

[Guest ncm2169]

Brandon de Wilde I remember. The rest of these dudes I do not know:

 

< Then came Tommy Retig, Billy Gray, Tony Dow, Paul Peterson.

 

Where did they come from, what did they do, and where did they go? x(

[+ deej]

Tommy Rettig was one of the boys on the original "Lassie".

 

Tony Dow was on "Flipper" wasn't he? (I have a lot of memories fantasizing about *him*!)