Explore TV Series

Proposed murder/mystery/thriller series presented by Vincent Price. Was never picked up for air but the pilot episode "Freedom to Get Lost" was eventually released as an extra on the DVD for Price's appearance on Sinister Image.

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.

Stage 7 is the title of a United States TV drama anthology series that aired in 1955. This program premiered in December 1954 with the title Your Favorite Playhouse with all episodes being repeats from other series. The program's 25 episodes showcased the talents of actors and actresses such as Charles Bronson, Edmond O'Brien, Gene Barry, Phyllis Coates, Frances Rafferty, Macdonald Carey, and Phyllis Thaxter. Some directing was done by Quinn Martin.

The Stage Door is an American drama series that aired live on CBS Tuesday night from 9:00 pm to 9:30 eastern time from February 7, 1950 to March 28, 1950. Based on the play The Stage Door by Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman.

Noah's Ark is an American drama series which aired on NBC in the 1956-1957 season. Along with Richard Boone's Medic, Noah's Ark was one of the early medical shows on American television. It was also an early program to be aired in color at a time when most selections were in black-and-white.

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.

Sua Vida Me Pertence was the first in a tradition of telenovelas in Brazil. Broadcast by TV Tupi in São Paulo in black and white in 1951, it pioneered the genre worldwide, and featured Brazil's first on-screen kiss.

The show features a panel of four celebrities attempting to correctly identify a described contestant who has an unusual occupation or experience. This central character is accompanied by two impostors who pretend to be the central character. The celebrity panelists question the three contestants; the impostors are allowed to lie but the central character is sworn "to tell the truth". After questioning, the panel attempts to identify which of the three challengers is telling the truth and is thus the central character.

Make the Connection is an American game show, sponsored by Borden, that ran on Thursday nights from July 7 to September 29, 1955 on NBC. Originally hosted by Jim McKay, he was replaced after the first four episodes by future Match Game host Gene Rayburn for the final nine episodes. The series was a Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Production, and as such it had many things in common with the other panel shows developed by the company. Like I've Got a Secret, there were four celebrity panelists who were each given a timed period in which to ask questions. Each panelist that was stumped earned the contestants money. Betty White made one of her earliest game show appearances as a panelist on the series. White would later be a frequent panelist on every version of the Rayburn-hosted Match Game.

21 Beacon Street was an American detective television series that originally aired on NBC from July 2 to September 10, 1959. Produced by Filmways, the summer replacement series consisted of 11 black-and-white 30-minute episodes starring Dennis Morgan as private investigator Dennis Chase. Other cast members included Joanna Barnes as Lola, his aide; Brian Kelly as Brian, a law school graduate; and James Maloney as Jim, a scientific and dialect specialist. The title was the Boston address of Chase, who would pass each case to the police after solving the crime. The show aired on Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time, and was then carried by ABC-TV in reruns on Sundays at 10:30 p.m. from December 27, 1959 to March 20, 1960 as a replacement for Dick Clark's World of Talent. The producer was Al Simon.

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.

Die Muminfamilie was a West German television series released from 1959 to 1960 that was based on the Moomin books by Tove Jansson. It was filmed in black and white and broadcast by ARD. It was notably the first television series ever to be made based on the books. It was also the first TV-series produced by Augsburger Puppenkiste. In all, 12 episodes were made.

Janet Dean is a nurse who has been recently discharged from the U. S. Air Force. She becomes a private nurse and travels around the country treating not only patients physical ailments but also their mental ailments.

CBS Television Workshop is an American anthology series which aired on CBS from January to April 1952. The series is noted for featuring early television appearances of several well known actors including Audrey Hepburn, James Dean and Grace Kelly. The first episode, which premiered on January 13, 1952, is a dramatized 30 minute version of Don Quixote starring Boris Karloff and directed by Sidney Lumet. Grace Kelly made an appearance as Dulcinea.

An Italian immigrant building a new life in Chicago navigates the challenges of running an antique shop, improving his English, and adapting to life in America with the help of friends and classmates.

Juliette is a Canadian music variety television series which aired on CBC Television from 1956 to 1966. Juliette became a Canadian TV icon during the heyday of variety programming in the 1950s. Her show, airing after Hockey Night In Canada on Saturdays, attracted a devoted audience despite occasional scheduling challenges. Her success led to numerous musical specials until 1981. Known for her demanding nature, she was a talented but formidable figure, earning the nickname "Iron Butterfly." Despite this reputation, she had millions of devoted fans. The show featured various performers and musical conductors like Lucio Agostini, Bill Isbister, and Bobby Gimby. Juliette later hosted 'Juliette & Friends,' a talk show from 1973 to 1975.

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.

Texas John Slaughter is a television series run from 1958 to 1961 as part of the Wonderful World of Disney, starring Tom Tryon in the title role. The character was based upon an actual historical figure, Texas Ranger John Slaughter. Tryon memorably wore an enormous white cowboy hat with the brim pinned up in the front as part of his costume for the series. The beginning theme song for the series included the lines: "Texas John Slaughter made 'em do what they oughta, and if they didn't, they died." Tryon later became a novelist. John Vivyan appeared twice on the series in the role of dishonest rancher Jason Hemp and a third time in an uncredited part. Other co-stars were Darryl Hickman and Bing Russell. Chris Alcaide and Judson Pratt appeared as an outlaw and as Colonel Cooper, respectively, in the segment "Ambush in Laredo". The series appeared in re-runs on the Disney Channel's classic program block "Disney Drive-In" which was later known as "Vault Disney".

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.

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.

Italian televison adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel of the same name. Although it is to all intents and purposes a television miniseries, the rhythm of the acting is typically theatrical: the long dialogues, the acting style and the actorly interpretation make it a true example of episodic television theatre.

Robert Beatty stars as Detective Inspector Mike Maguire, a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman posted to New Scotland Yard, in this 1950s series depicting London's fight against crime.

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

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.

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

Based on the real-life activities of Dutch counterintelligence officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Oreste Pinto, who specialised in the interrogation of suspected spies during World War II and had later published his memoirs under the title Spy Catcher. Each episode showed Pinto questioning refugees to England from Nazi-dominated Europe, and eventually exposing them as enemy agents.

The David Niven Show is an American anthology series that aired from April 7 until July 7, 1959.

Les Belles Histoires des pays d'en haut is a Canadian television drama series, which aired on Radio-Canada from 1956 to 1970. One of the longest-running programs in the history of Canadian television, the series produced 81 episodes during its 14-year run and was one of the first influential téléromans. Written by Claude-Henri Grignon as an adaptation of his 1933 novel Un Homme et son péché and initially set in the 1880s, the series starred Jean-Pierre Masson as Séraphin Poudrier, the wealthy but miserly mayor of the village of Sainte-Adèle, Quebec, and Andrée Champagne as Donalda Laloge-Poudrier, the young daughter of a village resident who is given in marriage to Séraphin as payment for a family debt even though she remains in love with her suitor Alexis Labranche.

A non-denominational Sunday morning religious show that covered issues from multiple perspectives.

Stanley is an American situation comedy starring Buddy Hackett, Carol Burnett, and the voice of Paul Lynde. It aired on NBC during the 1956–1957 television season, produced by Max Liebman, who had previously produced Sid Caesar's Your Show of Shows, co-sponsored by American Tobacco and The Toni Company. Stanley revolved around the adventures of the namesake character as the operator of a newsstand in a posh New York City hotel. Burnett played his girlfriend, Celia, and Lynde voiced the unseen hotel owner, Mr. Fenton, who never appeared on camera but could frequently be heard giving orders to his staff. As was the case with several such programs, Stanley was aired live. Several episodes of the series, preserved on kinescope film, are known to exist. In the show's introduction, the following line was recited: "You think you've got troubles. Stanley, he's got troubles!"

An anthology series adapting some of the science fiction stories of the time.

A 1950 anthology about people who find themselves `trapped' in various situations.

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.

Treasure Hunt is an American television game show that ran in the 1950s, 1970s, and 1980s. The show featured contestants selecting a treasure chest or box with surprises inside, in the hope of winning large prizes or a cash jackpot.

A groundbreaking Canadian anthology series blending documentary and dramatization, Perspective explored social issues, Canadian identity, and everyday life through a mix of real-life stories and fictional dramatizations. Hosted by Fred Davis and produced by the National Film Board of Canada, the series ran for three seasons on CBC Television between 1955 and 1958.

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.

Quick as a Flash was a 30-minute radio quiz program which featured drama segments with guest actors from radio detective shows. Created by director Richard Lewis and emcee Ken Roberts, the program debuted over the Mutual Network on Sunday, July 16, 1944. Sponsored by the Helbros Watch Company, the show was produced by Lewis and Bernard J. Prockter with scripts by Gene Wang. Music was by Ray Bloch and the Helbros Orchestra. Six contestants from the studio audience competed for cash and other prizes. Clues were presented in the form of dramatic sketches covering such subjects as current events, movies, books and historical situations. With a buzzer, a contestant could interrupt at any time to submit an answer. During the Helbros Derby, a guest detective from a radio mystery program put in an appearance. Frank Gallop and Win Elliott were announcers. The series ended on June 29, 1951. Approximately one year later, the series made an attempt to go on television.

Prudential Family Playhouse is an American anthology drama series that aired on live CBS from October 1950 to March 1951.

Il Musichiere was an Italian game show based upon Name That Tune. It ran from 1957 to 1960 and ended with untimely death of its host Mario Riva. It ran for 90 episodes, airing on Saturday evenings during prime-time.

Fredric March Presents Tales from Dickens

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.

This Is the Life is an American Christian television dramatic series. This anthology series aired in syndication from the 1950s through the 1980s. The series was originally produced by the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, and distributed by the International Lutheran Laymen's League. It spun off from an earlier series called The Fisher Family, with Nelson Leigh as Pastor Martin being the transitional character and in the same suburban town setting.