Explore TV Series

Those Whiting Girls is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from July 4, 1955 to September 30, 1957. The series stars sisters Barbara and Margaret Whiting, playing themselves and living with their mother in Los Angeles.

Life With Father is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from November 1953 to July 1955. The series centers on the patriarch of an upper-middle-class New York household family. It was the first live color program for network TV to originate in Hollywood.

Ford Star Jubilee is an American anthology series that aired once a month on Saturday nights on CBS at 9:00 P.M., E.S.T. from the fall of 1955 to the fall of 1956. The series was approximately 90 minutes long, aired in black-and-white and color, and was typically broadcast live. Ford Star Jubilee was sponsored by the Ford Motor Company.

Love and Marriage is an American situation comedy which aired on NBC from September 21, 1959, to January 25, 1960, starring William Demarest.

A showbusiness producer navigates the challenges of the entertainment industry while managing performers, developing acts, and helping friends and colleagues with their problems.

Dick and the Duchess is a rare 1950s CBS situation comedy shot and set in London; it was one of the earliest of filmed television series in the UK. A multinational insurance company stationed American Dick Starrett in London as an investigator and adjuster. His wife, Jane, daughter of an English earl, and her family were less than enchanted with her marriage to a commoner — and an American at that. Jane feels that she had been 'Americanised' by movie and television crime stories enough to be a detective, so she often tries to help with Dick's investigations, although she usually causes more problems by doing so.

Norby is an American sitcom television series that aired from January 5 until April 6, 1955 on NBC in color. RCA's color system wasn't used until the fall of 1954. This is the first color show that I'm aware of.

The Red Buttons Show premiered on the CBS television network in 1952, and ran for two years on that network, then moved to NBC for the final 1954-55 season. Red's catch phrase from the show, "Strange things are happening!" entered the national vocabulary briefly in the mid-1950s.

Honestly, Celeste! is an eight-episode 1954 CBS situation comedy starring Celeste Holm as Celeste Anders, a 37-year-old college journalism professor from Minnesota who accepts a reporter’s position on the staff of the fictitious New York Express newspaper.

The Marriage is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from July to August 1954. The series is noted as the first prime-time network television series to be broadcast regularly in color. Broadcast live by NBC for seven episodes in the summer of 1954, the series stars real-life couple Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy as a New York lawyer and his wife with two children, played by Susan Strasberg and Malcolm Brodrick.

Life with the Lyons is a British radio and television domestic sitcom dating from the 1950s.

A gala programme broadcast each Christmas night by the BBC from 1958 to 1972 and also revived in 1994. It was hosted by a leading star and featured specially made short, seasonal editions of the previous year's most popular sitcoms and light entertainment programmes.

Ruth Woods hosted this anthology series of twice-weekly one act plays. The stories could be either dramatic or light comedy with a different cast for each episode. The series ran for only the 1952-53 season.

Bunter is up to his usual pranks; falling asleep in class, stealing jam and cakes from other boys' lockers, chalking rude things on the blackboard, getting six of the best from Mr Quelch, failing to turn up for cricket, scuffling with the local vagrant and even being threatened with expulsion.

Sally is an American situation comedy which aired on NBC from September 15, 1957 to March 30, 1958. The series is the first filmed television series produced by Paramount Studios.

Fibber McGee and Molly was the finest husband and wife comedy team. It ran on the radio from 1935 to 1959, then switched to television in 1959.

The Best of Broadway is a 60-minute television anthology series telecast live on CBS from 1954 to 1955 for a total of 9 episodes.

Mama Rosa is an American sitcom television series that aired from March 2 until May 18, 1950.

The Eve Arden Show is a 26-segment American television sitcom which aired during the 1957-1958 season on CBS, alternately sponsored by Lever Brothers and Shulton, Inc..

Peck's Bad Girl is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from May 5 to August 4, 1959. The series centers on the misadventures of 12 year-old Torey Peck, played by Patty McCormack.

The Polly Bergen Show is a half-hour 18-episode comedy/variety show, starring then 27-year-old Polly Bergen, which aired on NBC in the 1957-1958 television season. The program is remembered for its impressive guest-star lineup as well as its closing theme song, "The Party's Over".The Polly Bergen Show alternated in the 9 p.m. EST Saturday time slot with the equally short-lived Club Oasis.

A shoe salesman tries to balance work and family life while living in a two-family home with his wife, children, and father-in-law, who also happens to be his employer.

Comedian Arthur Askey and his buddy Stinker reside in a flat on top of Associated-Rediffusion's Television House in Aldwych, getting into all sorts of comedic situations. The series was based on the BBC radio comedy Band Waggon. Produced for the ITV network by Associated-Rediffusion, all nine episodes survive in the archives.

The Art Carney Special is a comedy television series starting Art Carney as Axel Heist that aired on NBC from 1959 until 1961.

The World of Mr. Sweeney is an American sitcom that aired on NBC in primetime and daytime. The series first aired live in primetime from June 30, 1954 to August 20, 1954, four nights a week from Tuesday to Friday, and from October 1954 to December 1955 five days a week in daytime. A total of 345 episodes were produced. The series began as a segment on The Kate Smith Evening Hour.

The Artful Dodger was a short-lived black-and-white British sitcom starring Dave Morris and Gretchen Franklin. It ran for one series in 1959. It was written by Frank Roscoe and Dave Morris.

Musical Comedy Time is a series of live hour-long adaptations of Broadway musical comedies and standard operettas that aired on NBC from October 2, 1950 to March 19, 1951.

Son of Fred was the successor series to The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d and A Show Called Fred. It was made by Associated-Rediffusion and broadcast only in the London area, Midlands and Northern England. It was the third and final in a series of sketch comedy shows attempting to translate the humour of The Goon Show to television. Spike Milligan concentrated on writing and only made small walk on appearances, leaving the lead acting to Peter Sellers. The series was produced and directed by Richard Lester.

The Tony Hancock Show was a black-and-white British sketch show starring Tony Hancock that was broadcast for two series from 1956 to 1957. It was written by Eric Sykes, Larry Stephens, John Jose and Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. All the episodes were shown live.

The Spike Jones Show was the name of several separate American comedy and variety series that aired on NBC and CBS in the 1950s and 1960s. The series was presented by actor and musician Spike Jones.

Caesar's Hour is a live, hour-long American sketch comedy television program that aired on NBC from 1954 until 1957. The program starred, among others, Sid Caesar, Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, Janet Blair and Milt Kamen, and featured a number of cameo roles by famous entertainers such as Joan Crawford and Peggy Lee. Widely considered a continuation of Caesar's earlier program, Your Show of Shows, Caesar's Hour included most of the same writers and actors, with the notable addition of Larry Gelbart in the latter show. Nanette Fabray replaced Imogene Coca, who opted to star in her own TV series in 1954, The Imogene Coca Show. The writing staff of the show was reunited in 1996 for an event at the Writers Guild Theater in Los Angeles called Caesar's Hour Revisited, excerpts of which were broadcast on PBS under the title Caesar's Writers. The full two-hour special was available on VHS as a pledge premium from PBS. It was released on DVD for the first time on December 12, 2011. The reunion featured Caesar with Mel Tolkin, Neil Simon, Danny Simon, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Larry Gelbart, Sheldon Keller, Aaron Ruben, and Gary Belkin. The moderator and researcher was Bob Claster.

A variety show set against the background of the Blue Angel night club in New York City.

Gwen Allen runs a construction company while trying to keep her well-meaning but inept father from disrupting the business.

The Donald O'Connor Show is an American musical situation comedy television series starring singer/dancer Donald O'Connor. It appeared on NBC from October 9, 1954, to September 10, 1955, alternating on the Saturday evening schedule with The Jimmy Durante Show; both were sponsored by Texaco.

The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d was the first serious attempt to translate the humour of The Goon Show to television. It was made by Associated-Rediffusion during 1956 and was broadcast only in the London area. It combined elements of a sitcom and sketch comedy with Peter Sellers as the editor of a tatty Victorian newspaper, The Idiot Weekly. The headlines of the paper were used as links to comedy sketches. Although written mainly by Spike Milligan, there were many contributions from members of the writers' co-operative Associated London Scripts, including Dave Freeman and Terry Nation, with Eric Sykes credited as the script editor. The series was produced and directed by Richard Lester. It was followed by A Show Called Fred and Son of Fred. The title was revived by Spike Milligan for the Australian radio series The Idiot Weekly.

Homer Bell, an elected judge/practicing attorney and widower, looks after his orphaned niece Casey with the help of his housekeeper Maude.

The Betty Hutton Show is an American sitcom that aired on CBS's Thursday night schedule during the 1959-1960 season. The show was sponsored by General Foods' Post Cereals, and was produced by Desilu and Hutton Productions. The series, which was originally entitled Goldie, would retain its original title during its syndication run.

Two Broadway song publishers and their secretary navigate the challenges of the music business as they try to promote new songs and attract performers in New York's vaudeville era.

Four Star Revue was an American variety show that aired on NBC from October 4, 1950 to December 26, 1953.

A Show Called Fred was the successor series to The Idiot Weekly, Price 2d. It was made by Associated-Rediffusion and broadcast only in London area. It was 25 minutes plus adverts. It was predominantly a sketch comedy attempting to translate the audio antics of the The Goon Show into visual antics in bizarre and often surreal comedy sketches which just suddenly ended with a new sketch beginning. Many performers played small parts in the shows like Ernest Clark, Jon Jon Keefe, Patricia Driscoll, etc. Famous people of the day like Hans and Lotte Hass were parodied. Canadian star, Patti Lewis had a singing spot about the middle of the show, and Max Geldray a music spot later on. There were few taboos with sketches showing people in various states of undress, cameramen, behind the scenes workers and the studios. The Ying Tong song was sung for no apparent reason at various times. The series was written by Spike Milligan and produced and directed by Richard Lester. It was followed by Son of Fred later in 1956. A half hour special Best of Fred was broadcast on 18 September 1963 combining surviving sketches from A Show Called Fred and Son of Fred. The 1995 convention of the Goon Show Preservation Society was billed as A Weekend Called Fred.

Too Young to Go Steady was a live primetime sitcom that aired on NBC in 1959. It centered on the romantic awakening of Pamela Blake, a pretty 15-year-old girl struggling to make the transition from tomboy to young lady.

Coke Time with Eddie Fisher is an American musical variety television series starring singer Eddie Fisher which was broadcast by NBC on Wednesday nights in early prime time from 1953 to 1957. The program was aired from 7:30 to 7:45 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesdays and Fridays, and was not seen during the summer months..

The Duke is an American comedy series that aired on NBC from July to September 1954.

Bonino is an ethnic situation comedy television series starring Ezio Pinza as an Italian-American opera singer trying to rear his six children after the death of their mother. The program aired on live NBC from September 12 to December 26, 1953. Pinza's character is named Babbo Bonino. Character actress Mary Wickes portrayed Martha the housekeeper, a role which she filled over the years in numerous other series. The actors portraying the children were Conrad Janis as eldest son Edward, Lenka Peterson as older daughter Doris, Chet Allen as Jerry; Oliver Andes as Carlo, Gaye Huston as Fancesca, and Van Dyke Parks as Andrew, the youngest. Allen had earlier appeared as Amahl in Gian Carlo Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors on NBC's Hallmark Hall of Fame in 1951-1952. Parks, who grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana, became a rock-music producer and composer who cowrote with Brian Wilson the Beach Boys' hits "Heroes and Villains" and "Surf's Up".Mike Kellin, who was cast the following year in Celeste Holm's short-lived CBS sitcom Honestly, Celeste!, appeared in the role of Rusty. David Opatoshu, portrayed Walter Rogers, Babbo's agent, who tries to convince him to return to singing. As each episode unfolds, Bonino realizes that his children are more independent than he thought. Pinza sang in each episode.Anthony Eisley, later of ABC's detective series Hawaiian Eye, guest starred in Bonino as John Clinton.

Sam and Friends was an early live-action/puppet television show created by puppeteer Jim Henson and his eventual wife Jane. It was taped and aired locally in Washington, D.C. on WRC-TV in black-and-white, and later, color on weekdays from May 9, 1955 to December 15, 1961.

Young Mr. Bobbin is an American television situation comedy that aired live on the NBC network during the 1951-1952 season.

The adventures of a helicopter crew based on the fictional aircraft carrier, HMS Aerial.

An annual contest organized by NHK, aimed at discovering and promoting emerging talent in the fields of comedy and rakugo. With a history dating back to shows in the 1950s, it welcomes professional comedians and storytellers with up to 10 years of experience.

Stopwatch and Listen is a Canadian comedy television series which aired on CBC Television in 1952.

The Imogene Coca Show is a half-hour NBC television series starring Imogene Coca in both situation comedy and variety show formats. The program debuted on October 2, 1954, after the ending of Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, on which Coca had been a popular regular performer. The first two episodes of The Imogene Coca Show center upon the difficulties of a television star starting a new series. Her co-stars were Billy DeWolfe and Ruth Donnelly. The program became a variety show in its third episode, with standard songs, comedy sketches, and weekly guest stars. Then in February 1955, Coca was cast as a newlywed with a husband and two lively neighbors, Helen and Harry Milliken, portrayed, respectively, by Bibi Osterwald and David Burns. Eight years thereafter in the 1963-1964 season, Coca was cast in another NBC situation comedy, Grindl, about the wacky life of a maid working for an employment agency. The Imogene Coca Show aired on Saturday evenings at 9 p.m. EST preceding The Jimmy Durante Show and opposite Two for the Money on CBS. ABC aired Saturday evening boxing at the time. The program was telecast from New York City. It ended after a single season.

The Dinah Shore Show is an American variety show which was broadcast by NBC from November 1951 to January 1956, sponsored by General Motors' Chevrolet division. For most of the program's run, it aired from 7:30 to 7:45 Eastern Time on Tuesday and Thursday nights, rounding out the time slot which featured the network's regular evening newscast, which, like all such programs of the era, was then only 15 minutes in length.

Club Oasis is a 24-episode half-hour comedy-variety show, set in a chic simulated nightclub, which appeared on NBC in the 1957–1958 television season. The series alternated with The Polly Bergen Show in the 9 p.m. EST time slot on Saturday evenings. Though several entertainers appeared as hosts on Club Oasis, the program became most closely associated toward the end of its short run with the bandleader Spike Jones, who became its permanent host, and his City Slickers. After their performances, the Club Oasis guests were interviewed by Hy Gardner. In the series premiere, Van Johnson acted as host, and the singers included Jo Stafford and the four Ames Brothers. In the second episode, Kay Starr sang "Wheel of Fortune", "When You're Smiling", "That's What the Good Book Says", and "Three Letters". On December 21, 1957, the program featured Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians performing "Holiday", "Auld Lang Syne", "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling", and "Easter Parade", as well as some traditional carols. Other Club Oasis regulars were comedienne Joyce Jameson and midget comedian Billy Barty. Among the many well-known guest stars, some of whom made multiple appearances, were Andy Griffith, Joe Besser of The Three Stooges, Edie Adams, Jeannie Carson, Jimmy Durante, Eddie Fisher, Stan Freburg, Phil Harris, Peter Lawford, Gisele MacKenzie, Dean Martin, the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Martha Raye, Jimmie Rodgers, and Frank Sinatra.

Judge for Yourself, at first subtitled The Fred Allen Show, is a Mark Goodson and Bill Todman nontraditional court show/quiz show, with comedian Fred Allen as the emcee. It aired on NBC from August 18, 1953 to May 11, 1954. Dennis James was the series announcer but took over as host in January 1954. Each week three performers – singers, dancers, musicians, or comedians – were judged by two panels, one of professional entertainers and the other from the studio audience. If one of the amateur judges rated the acts 1, 2, or 3 in the same order as the celebrities, that individual would win a $1,000 prize. Two instrumental jazz groups that appeared on Judge for Yourself had considerable success thereafter, vibraphonist Terry Gibbs and the Marian McPartland Trio. The original intent of the series was to allow Allen to interact with guests, much as Groucho Marx did on his own NBC series, You Bet Your Life. The complicated format first employed, however, was revamped in the middle of the season. On the episode which aired on January 5, 1954, the professional judges were dropped, and the studio audience panel rated new songs to predict future hits, the comparable format of ABC's Jukebox Jury, which also aired in the 1953–1954 season.