TV Shows From The 1950's

Each one of these are film clips from old TV shows.
Under the video is information, facts and other interesting stuff.

1 JACKIE GLEASON ON THE ROCKY MARCIANO SHOW THE MAIN EVENT (1960)Jackie recalls his early days as a night club comic in Newark, NJ (and the brawl);also, Jackie receives a humanitarian award from Rocky and salutes sidekick Art Carney (Du Mont)Bloopers from The Honeymooners on OTV ch 11 also ch. 30; Marciano v. Wolcott fight on ch. 64

2 JAMES DEAN: HIS FINAL TV APPEARANCE (1954)Rebellious trait obvious, James Dean talks about car racing and safety on Gig Young's show;Walks off set a mention of speeding; eerily, Dean was killed days later in a tragic car collisiom. (Du Mont)

3 ELVIS SINGS BLUE SUEDE SHOES (1956)The King lives here! Elvis Presley debuts on "The Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey Show." (CBS)In the house: Elvis sings many more of his hits on our Classic Oldies Video Juke Box below!

4 A TRIBUTE TO ELVIS PRESLEY, THE KING OF ROCK & ROLL (1959-62)Clips of The King from his early days to induction into the Army, see The King's mom, dad & Col. TomHear Elvis' first #1 1957 hit for RCA, Heartbreak Hotel. (clips from Movietone & AP News)

5 THE EDSEL INTRODUCED ON NBC(1957)Ford paid the network big dollars (in those days) to run this filmed The Edsel Show promotion.Ford canned the car shortly after; it is today a revered automotive classic. (NBC) More 50s cars ch.63v

6 BOBBY DARIN'S "MACK THE KNIFE" (1959)Bobby opened his first of hour variety shows performing his biggest number one hit.(and his label, Atco, didn't want him to record it!) (CBS)*There's more Bobby below: hosting a beauty contest & on the OldiesTeleVision Video Juke Box.

7 WESTINGHOUSE DEBUTS HI-TECH "ADVANCED TV" (1951)Show the kids hi-tech video blossoming before anyone heard of cable, satellite or HDTV. They may chuckle,The "one knob-no antenna-black matrix pix tube" had viewers in awe..but it was a technical disaster. (TVC)

8 WILLIAM BENDIX AS LOVABLE CHESTER A. RILEY (1956)The Life Of Riley with Marjorie Reynolds, Tom D'andrea, Lugene Sanders, Wesley MorganOnce played by Groucho Marx & Jackie Gleason, Bendix's Riley was the definitive blue collar family guy.Watch Riley, delirious over having his tonsils removed, drive family, Gillis, & hospital nurse (Honeybee) crazy!(CBS)

9 ICONS I: WHAT MADE 50'S TV GOLDEN (COMPILATION, (1952-60)Art Carney, Rod Serling, Manicurist Madge, Ted Mack, Annette & Frankie, The Champs, Don Adams.It was Ted Mack's Amateur Hour that introduced Frank Sinatra, Connie Francis, Pat Boone. (UPI)

10 THE PATTI PAGE SHOW (1958)The Singin' Rage sings the immortal Tennessee Waltz, it doesn't get anny better than this.Also from her show, Patti croons over that cute little Doggie In The Window. (syndicated)

11 BLOOPERS FROM THE HONEYMOONERS (1957-58)On live TV: Audrey misses her entrance cue, Jackie's fly is open (watch how brilliantly he improvs).Jackie slips on the set (happened again at CBS, where he broke his leg) (Du Mont) see also ch.30 & 82,

12 THE CENSORED JERRY LEE LEWIS HERE UNCENSORED! (1957-59)Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls Of Fire! The' "Killer" smooches his child bride cousin on a filmed news interviewon stage, he goes wild performing (looks like today's metal rockers). The networks nixed both. (UPI)

13 A TRUE 50's DOO WOP TV CLASSIC(1958)Rare Clip: The Del Vikings Perform Jitterbug Mary (taped at WOOK-TV Baltimore) *There's many more classic Doo Wop Originals On The Classic Oldies Video Jukebox below.

14 the original FAMILY AFFAIR (1966)Brian Keith & Sebastian Cabot sin the last of the sentimental family sitcoms (despite failed 2004 remake_.An affluent bachelor and his butler uddenly gain custody of adorable orphaned nieces and nephew (CBS)

15 ALAN FREED'S BIG BEAT DANCE PARTY DANCERS (1959)Local NYC Ch. 5 Freed show regulars dance and post-payola Alan Freed's parting statement (Metromedia);plus Dick Clark's rigid payola statement to an angry Senate investigator (UPI)

16 THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW (1957)Steverino's classic rock and roll poetic hate reading of Be Bop A Lula, no apology to Gene Vincent. Steve snubbed rock, had no rock acts on his show, but then booked them on his shows to get ratings (NBC).

17 The Inventor Of TV Sketch Comedy ERNIE KOVACS (1954)Long before SNL, imitated by his contemporaries (Berle, Gleason, Skelton), he was the true inventor of TV sketch satire.Ernie's Kovacs; vignettes could have been taped yesterday~still look contemporary, he was a TV comedy visionaryThere are more Ernie Kovacs comedy innovation in our Oldies Television Trivia Quiz, link below.

18 THE RED SKELTON SHOW (1959)Red as Clem Kaddiddlehoffer going to college, with guests: Reed Haley ("Racket Squad") & Marvin Kaplan ("Meet Millie")We included Red's traditional, eye candy June Taylor Dancers' sketch opening and Red laughing at his own jokes (CBS)

19 ICONS: THE DELINQUENCY RAMPAGE! (COMPILATION, 1957-60)Hoods, Dolls, Street Fights, Make Out Points & ...Barry Goldwater. "Cool man. Ya dig it? Like, Wow! Ya square'r sometin?"This, kids, was how your parent's parents perceived the next out of control, immoral generation (AIP)

20 FATHER KNOWS BEST (1953)Full Episode of The definitive aspartame family sitcom: Betty & Kathy fued begin over a bathing suitRobert Young, Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, Lauren Chapin. (CBS)

21 PETTICOAT JUNCTION (1962)Bea Bernadette and Edgar Buchanan bring up three perky teenage countrypolitan girls in Hooterville,at the Shady Rest Hotel; this show was the precursor to Green Acres Toot toot! (CBS)

22OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST BOB MATTHIAS (1956)1952 Olympic Triathalon Champ Discusses The games & movie debut with mild mannered Herb Sheldon.Sheldon hosted several shows ranging from talk, to teen dance, to Ricky Tick Piano. (Du Mont)

23 : DANCES OF THE 1950's: THE HAND JIVE (1957)Teens perform the Hand Jive dance to Johnnie Otis' Willie & The Hand Jive adlib with Rockette precision (DuMont)What do Johnny Otis, Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton & Grease have in common? Read how the Jive goes on today.

24 GROUCHO MARX YOU BET YOUR LIFE (1959)Contestants: Then 11 year old Candice Bergen appearing with dad, Edgar; also Groucho's daughter, Melinda.Are the dads smarter than the 6th graders? In part 2, Dads join daughters in the quiz. Say the secret word! (NBC)

25 the original DRAGNET(1959)The grandaddy of all TV cop shows and the definitive police melodrama with Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday, Ben Alexander as Officer Frank Smith. Olan Soule as the lab tech. Just the facts, ma'am. (NBC)

26 THE IMMORTAL MUSICAL COMEDY OF VICTOR BORGE 1951Victor and the symphony orchestra give a new twist to Listz and it is a classic Borge, both a musical & comedy genius.Victor Borge's precision piano and satiric talent are as natural as his warmth. (CBS)

27 EDDIE FISHER SINGS A MEDLEY OF HIS BIGGEST HITS 1953Eddie croons I'm Walking Behind You, Anytime, With These Hands, Oh My Papa on his TV show.Like the era crooners, Fisher got 15 minutes a week to enthrall fans..and also Liz Taylor & Debbie Reynolds.. (NBC)

28 ABBOTT & COSTELLO:L WHO'S ON FIRST? 1951This is the signature Bud Abbot and Lou Costello comedy routine that is often imitated, never duplicated.The duo did hosting stints on The Colegate Comedy Hour and Hollywood Palace. (NBC)

29 MORE DANCES OF THE 1950's THE JITTERBUG 1958 It started with Cab Calloway and ended up the most popular moves on American Bandstand, et al.Here, it becomes the domain of Bill Haley & The Comets' ripping off Little Richards' "Gonna Rip It Up." (AIP).

30. THE HONEYMOONERS ...IN COLOR! 1969Ralph & Ed are jailed in Paris, accused of counterfeiting. Ed's escape plan backfires with hilarious results.Gleason wanted the show taped by Wometco TV in Miami, Audrey Meadows & Joyce Randolph had NYC commitmentsShiela Macrae & Jane Kean played wives Alice & Trixie; TV audiences didn't accept the change. (CBS)

31 THE ORIGINAL FLASH GORDON SERIAL theatres-1939; TV-1960'sBefore TJ's doo wop concerts, PBS used Buster Crabbe's Flash Gordon cinema serials rattle the PBS tin cup.From Captain Video to Captains Kirk, Picard & Janeway, scifi and space travel was always a TV niche. (PBS)

32 Full Episode THE LONE RANGER 1955Hi Ho, Silver! It's the grandaddy of weekly TV western series starring oft masked Clayton Moore.The Lone Ranger was the top rated #1 of the many Saturday afternoon "thataway" exciting oatersHere is the full version of the debut episode, Enter The Lone Ranger Hi, Ho Silver! (syndicated).

33 THE ENDEARING GRIMACES OF EDDIE CANTOR 1952Hosting The Colegate Comedy Hour, Eddie pantomines a sketch as the hapless victim of a vixen.A forgotten legend, Cantor's expressive face and singing style warmed the cockles of viewer's hearts. (NBC)

34 BOBBY DARIN NERVOUSLY HOSTS A BEAUTY CONTEST 1957Long before having his own weekly show, Bobby's first TV emcee gig, hosting a product hyped beauty pageantUh oh, , what a disaster! The contestant names are mixed up and so are the sponsor's promo lines (Du Mont)

35 MORE DANCES OF THE 1950's: THE LINDY HOP 1959From American Bandstand in Phillie, to a Dick Clark special in St. Louis to The Jersey Shore,everybody was Lindy Hopping to Danny & The Juniors "At The Hop" You can swing it, you can do it (ABC) ...and there's more Danny & The Juniors, here to stay, on our Classic Oldies Video Jukebox (below)

36 SHAKE, BABY, SHAKE! IT'S THE KILLER AGAIN! 1958Jerry Lee Lewis brings down the house again for his rehearsed fan club prez on Dick Clark's show.The fireball shooter misses the song cues and a camera catches a guy trying to jump on stage. (ABC)

37. THE DANNY THOMAS SHOW 1958"Make Room For Daddy" with rare Danny Thomas, Marjoriie Lord, Rusty Hammer, Angela Cartright.The kids wreak havoc on daddy and mommy with a divide and concur tactic. (CBS)Please support St. Jude's Children's Hospital founded by Danny. Help save lives of children with cancer.

38 SID CAESAR: YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS 1957Legendary sketch comedy with co-stars Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner & Howie Morris as "Uncle Goofy"doing their classic takeoff on This Is Your Life, also a glimpse of The Timepiece (CBS)

39 HERE COMES TOBOR! 1954Before Captain Video got a hold of Tobor, little Robbie ran the prequel to "Tobor The Great."Madison Ave jumped on ship with a cardboard Tobor mask. Don't laugh, they sold. (Du Mont)

40 THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN 1954After the animation came TV's live Superman series starring George Reeves and Noel Neill as Lois LaneLois gets is abducted by a gangster, Superman sans Clark Kent saves the damsel in distress. (CBS)

41 THE ADVENTURES OF FLIPPER 1964Let's get our minds off killer whales and go back to this beloved, adorable dolphin.Each week this amazing mammal fascinated kids and adults by solving mysteries! (synd.)

42 SPIKE JONES 1951Spike & the gang of hilarious musical whackies perform their signature "Cocktails For Two."As you see this wild musical circus, know Spike Jones choreographed the zany antics. (Du Mont)

43 CAPTAIN VIDEO & HIS VIDEO RANGERS 1950Before Captain Kirk, there was Captain Video chasing those bad guys around the galaxy.The "Star Trek" of it's time, network program directors made the very same mistake. (Du Mont)

44. THE LIBERACE SHOW 1952Walter Liberace brought style to candlelight piano music, with, of course, brother George on violin.This rare clip captures the musical heart and soul of the flamboyant pianist. (Du Mont)

45 MEDIC 1954First and still best medical drama series. Richard Boone as Konrad Steiner MD. Still as relevant: prizeighter befelled by Diabetes. This is pioneer medical TV drama. (NBC)

46 THE BIG VALLEY 1965Outstanding Western series with Barbara Stanwyck, Lee Majors and Linda EvansFull episode: "Heritage" Fanatics threaten to blow up the Bartley mine (NBC)

47 THE ROOTS OF TV BASEBALL 1950-57Visual newsreel memories of baseball's great early years, featuring a tribute to Jackie RobinsonSo relevant now: Robinson broke the color line in baseball, Obama in the US presidency. (Movietone)

48 Mc HALE'S NAVY 1962Before cracking up Harvey Korman, Tim Conway was sidekick to Ernest Borgnine on this military sitcomView a full half hour episode and watch Tim fall (literally) for a Lt. Commander Nurse. (NBC)

49 HOPALONG CASSIDY 1952The Saturday afternoon TV Western staple starring William Boyd as frontier vigilante Hoppy.Of the many Saturday TV matinee oaters, this ranked #2 in ratings. Giddyap! (syndicated)

50 DARK SHADOWS 1966The first Weekday afternoon TV gothic soap opera, Jonathan Frid as the Vampire Barnaby Collins.For a brief time, this breakthrough gothic drama out-ranked established serial dramas in ratings. (ABC)

51 FADS & FANCIES OF THE 50s & 60s The Hula Hoop, Twist, Palisades Park Beauty Contests, Rock-Ola Juke Box, Ford Thunderbird, moreset to the music of The Olympics' "Dance By The Light Of The Moon" (edited by CI)

52 I LOVE LUCY 1952Highlights from TV episodes involving the coming of "Little Ricky" that captured viewer's hearts.Ricky gets the news during his club performances, he and the Mertzes go frenetic when "it's time".Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, William Frawley. (CBS)

53 full episode THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW 1962You asked for it, here it is, Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore with guest Bob Crane (Hogan's Heros .Dick is directing a community theatre show, Mary sings & dances a vampy Calypso song Ohhh, Rob! (CBS)

54 THE BEATLES FIRST TELEVISION APPEARANCE 1963Not yet on Sullivan or in the U.S., the Fab Four debuted "She Loves You" On The Mersey Sound (BBC)*There's more Beatles & other British Invasion classics on the Classic Oldies Video Juke Box below.

55 BAT MASTERSON 1958Gene Barry stars as the debonair Bat Masterson, this episode "The Stampete In Tent CityGuest stars Robert Conrad as the vigilante out to avenge his brother's killer (NBC)

56 MARTY ROBBINS ON THE JOHNNY CASH SHOW 1964Back in the 60's, Holiday Inn funded half hour shows for Dolly Parton, Bobby Vinton & Marty RobbinsBefore his own show aired, Marty sang "El Paso" on Johnny Cash's short lived TV gig (syndicated)

57 FRANK SINATRA SPEAKS CANDIDLY 1954Would you believe, a humble Frank Sinatra? He speaks openly about the bad years,gratitude to Bob Hope & his all time favorite movie role (can you guess which one?). (CBS)

58 PASSWORD 1962Allen Ludden hosted this enormously popular game show 1962 to 1971 on all 3 networks & syndicationAllen vies celebs Carol Burnett and Gary Moore against contestants to win $250-big prize then (CBS)

59 The Phenomenon STAR TREK TV ON DEMAND 1966-presentNow you don;'t have to sit up and wait until 3AM when stations run Star Trek episodes. Get them here right now!.Watch Full Episodes of Star Trek, Star Trek:The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Voyager, Enterprise (synd Paramount)Also a clip of Trek's post cancellation UK placebo, SPACE:1999 wMartin Landau, Batbara Bain (ITV).

60 MORE DANCES OF THE 50's: THE SWINGBACK 1958New York teens dance The Swingback (also called The Sway) to Duane Eddy's "Forty Miles Of Bad Road"The hips swayed and the preachers prayed rock & roll would go away. It didn't. (MGM)

61 THE LIVE TV FRIDGE COMMERCIAL CATASTROPHE 1954Poor Westinghouse. If their built in antenna TV fiasco wasn't enough, more flawed, chagrin causing infamy:the automatic referigerator door that jammed on this live nationally broadcast commercial. Bet heads rolled! (CBS)

62 THE ARTHUR GODFREY SHOW 1957He ridiculed sponsors, fired staff on the air, fixed talent contests and made Godlike demands on execs, crew;,yet still got big ratings, ruled corporate airwaves and network, sort of like Oprah does now, sans chicanery (CBS)

63 BUILDING THE 1958 DODGE 1957What a retrospect! A TV industrial film goes inside the Dodge automotive plant foundry to finish<.br> In 1979, Chrysler received a government bailout to make new Dodge cars. Sound familiar? (commercial).

64 FIGHT CLASSIC: ROCKY MARCIANO vs. JERSEY JOE WALCOTT 1952Highlights from that historic championship boxing match in Philadelphia September 12, 1952<.br> Of course you'll see that boffo KO comeback in the 13th round~this is the true Rocky, Sly. (DuMont).Check out Dynamite Joe Rindone's fights, too, on Oldies Television Ch 79!

65 AND MORE GREAT ICONS OF THE 50's VOL III 1952-59Richard Nixon's first scandal, John Wayne's PSA, Marilyn Monroe's Motor Oil, Jimmy Durante's Schnozz,George Burns & Gracie Allen, Jack Benny & Dennis Day, Laurel & Hardy, Jackie & Art's "Hello, Ball!"

66 ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS 1959With a "good evening," came melodramatic thrillers from the Master Of Suspense, Alfred HitchccockThe man whose big screen movies kept us on the edge of our seats brought the same to small screens (CBS).

67 SATURDAY NIGHTLIVE~~ BEFORE SNL 1954-58All Broadcast Live Sat Eves: The Bob Hope Show, The Liberace Show, The Ken Murray Show,Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, The Steve Allen Show, The Pat Harrington Show, The Jackie Gleason ShowSid Cesar's Your Show Of Shows. Watch many surprises with regulars & guests. (ABC-CBS-DuMont-NBC).

68 FELIX THE CAT 1959In 1928, RCA testing Vladimir Zworkyn's iconoscope , Felix The Cat was the first image ever on TV;Oldies Television's roster would not be complete without Otto Mesmer's historic cartoon icon.Here is his 1959 Saturday cartoon show with a new, hip updated opening that we can just ignore.(NBC).

69 THE DONNA REED SHOW 1958Donna mugs nervously to the camera when daughter, Mary (Shelley Fabares) sings at a school dance.The song she sings? "Johnny Angel," of course. Dad (Dr. Stone, Carl Betz) allays Mom's fears.Full episode soon and check out the Donna Reed Christmas Show below on ch 79 (NBC)

70 full episode THE GOLDBERGS 1952Gertrude Berg served as executive producer and co-writer as well as starof this beloved sitcom about the matriarch (Molly) of a middle class Jewish family.Frank Sutton, who would later be Gomer Pyle's Sarge, guest stars in this episode. (synd.)

71 LUCILLE BALL & CAROL BURNETT 1965Two queens of comedy together with Gale Gordon as straight man on "The Lucy Show".Lucy wants to join Carol on a trip to Palm Springs, they scheme to fool Boss Mooney. (CBS)

72 THE LITTLE RASCALS 1955The top Saturday morning TV attraction in the 50's was the re-worked MGM "Our Gang Comedies"This favorite classic episode has Darla wooing Alfalfa rather than vice versa on Valentine Day.Of course, the other guys would throw a hilarious gremlin in Alfalfa's romantic ballad crooning. (synd.)

73 full episode HIGHWAY PATROL 1956Before there was "Book 'em, Dano" in Hawaii, there was "Ten.Four" in California. Brodericj Crawford starred,If you think dope smuggling was a thing of the 70's, wait 'til you see this narc bust in the 50's. (ZIV/MGM synd.).

74 full episode LOST IN SPACE 1966Danger Will Robinson! The world's first and last outer space sitcom; today, like "Trek," has fan conventions.This episode guest stars Mercedes Mc Cambridge (The Exorcist), here as matriarch of alien hillbillieswho grow a "Little Shop of Horrors" intruded upon by Dr Snith (Jonathan Harris) and Will (Bill Muny) (ABC)

75 BEULAH 1951Long before The Jeffersons and Sanford & Son even before Amos & Andy on TV.there was the talented Ethel Waters as supermaid Beaulah & Butterfly Mc Queen as next door OrioSadly, Proctor & Gamble canceled the highly rated, popular show after only two seasons. Guess why.(CBS)

76 BEWITCHED 1966Wriggle your nose, it's Elizabeth Montgomery as that saucy, sassy, beautiful, bedazzling witchand Dick York as her befuddled hubbie, Darren (or as Agnes Moorehead would say, "Durwood" (NBC)

77 I DREAM OF JEANIE 1966Out of the bottle comes that lusciously capricious Jeanie, Barbara Eden (blink-blink).Larry Hagman is her adopted master, Bill Daly is the bewildered buddy (CBS).

78 SEA HUNT 1957The "Dragnet" of the ocean floor, Lloyd Bridges fights underwater crime with only a snorkle.This syndicated show, along with "Flipper" (coming soon), got high tide ratings in it's era (ZIV)

79 DYNAMITE JOE RINDONE 1954Like Rocky Marciano, Joe Rindone was the son of Italian immigrants who rose to boxing glory.Here is Dynamite Joe in action from the era when boxing was true sportsmanship.produced by Andrew Bertino. (Vimeo).

80 THE MILTON BERLE SHOW 1957Featuring Arnold Stang & guest Mickey Rooney; Berle's swan song after 8 Tues. Nite Years.Bit: Berle wants Gleason like publicity, so he feigns a broken leg for a press conference (NBC)

81 THE LEGEND OF DOO WOPThat streetcorner harmony from the 50's that will never die, the music we know call Doo WopHere are video specials which tribute the unforgettable part of R&R and R&BPlus REMEMBERING DOO WOP RADIOwith commentary by Don K. Reed. music by The Crests, Frankie Lymon & The Knockouts.

82 MIKE WALLACE & EDWARD R. MURROW 1952-54If you thought Mike Wallace was tough on "60 Minutes," wait 'til you see him on the fifties!.You won't believe what he said to Steve Allen (neither did Allen, most likely), but Kirk Douglas got his say)Legendary Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy go at calling the other "un-American"..(CBS)