What are the best early 1948-60 TV Comedy Series?

2-21-08 | Bender2

[Bender2]

What are your favorite TV variety and situation comedy series from 1948-1960? I am old enough to remember most of them!

[Rte66]

So sorry - I just noticed our thread title again when on my comments page - you said “comedies” and I got far afield, just having fun ‘membering stuff from that time period. Apologies. Have enjoyed it!

[Bender2]

“Our Miss Brooks” (1952-1956)! was the most fun I had in High School even if I was only 5 when it came on the air!

Walter, when I said you someday may have balls... I did not mean three of them.

Get me Wallllllllllllllter... Denton!

I tell ya, Conklin, if I cannot now kick your ass... I'm getting Rambo to!

“Life of Riley” (1949-1950) first run with Jackie Gleason

Give me a little traveling music, Sam... I'm out a here!

“Life of Riley” (1953-1958) returned with William Bendix as Riley

"What a revolting development... this is!"

“The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” (1950-1958) was classic.

Now, George, there is no way... no way it could ever be that long.

And you know, it took me fifty years... to realize, Gracie was right!

[Bender2]

“F Troop” (1965-1967) showed the West was never very wild at all. But it sure was weird!

Sarge, ask him... why all the Indians hereabouts are from Jersey?

"My World and Welcome to It" (1969-70) was a hoot, but no ratings hoot.

Ellen, Lydia and I... all thought we had it made!

Then them network sumbitches... axed us!

[Bender2]

All you ever want to know about the coming of color TV is at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/403599/television_in_the_1940s_and_1950s.html

[Bender2]

Re: Name one comedy TV series from 1948-—I don’t think there were any. Name one comedy series from 1949-—I don’t think there were any. Name one comedy series from 1950-—I don’t there were any. So, why pick these (1948-1960) dates?

What thread worth its salt... does not have a nitpicker?

Oh, Rud, ye of little faith... and too cotton picking lazy to Google!

You must have a life, old sport, but for those of us who do not have one, I never said there were a lot of Comedy TV Series in the 1948,49,50 seasons, but below is a listing of the ones I know about and a website about early TV Series including comedy and drama series from the late 1940s.

http://crazyabouttv.com/texacostartheater.html The Texaco Star Theater (1948-1967) was Uncle Miltie.

http://crazyabouttv.com/moreyamsterdamshow.html The Morey Amsterdam Show (1948-1950)

http://crazyabouttv.com/edwynnshow.html The Ed Wynn Show (1949-1950)

http://crazyabouttv.com/goldbergs.html The Goldbergs (1949-1956)

http://crazyabouttv.com/jackbennytv.html The Jack Benny Show (1949-1965)

More 1940s TV Series at http://crazyabouttv.com/decades/1940s.html

All these can also be found at http://us.imdb.com/

[Bender2]

Re: So sorry - I just noticed our thread title again when on my comments page - you said “comedies” and I got far afield, just having fun ‘membering stuff from that time period. Apologies. Have enjoyed it!

Hey, no problem, 66. I'm seldom sober enough... to know what thread I am posting on anyway!

And he ain't pulling your leg... That metal sucker can drink! He once got Cosell so drunk, he talked Howard into traded toupees and Bender wasn't wearing one. But Bender had me so drunk I loaned him mine, and I didn't need one until after that day!

[wizr]

Thanks. That was fun. I wish they could bring all of those great early programs back. We even need the humor of “Amos ‘n Andy” to take the starch out of some highbrows.

[Bender2]

Hey, low, I had the hots for Joy... before I even knew what to heat up!

[DCPatriot]

I remember watching it, but I can’t recall any specifics.

[fedupjohn]

I just spoke to my Mother, my Dad bought the RCA color TV and a Chevy II station wagon in 1963. Pissed her off pretty bad, we lost Dad in 2005 but Mom will never forget the year Dad put them in debt.

[big'ol_freeper]

"Well chief, I wasn't born until 1957 so I missed it by that much."

[Bender2]

Most remember Charlie Weaver from “Hollywood Squares” and I found a few quotes from him and other 'squares'--

Q. If you’re going to make a parachute jump, at least how high should you be?
A. Charley Weaver: Three days of steady drinking should do it.

Q. Which of your five senses tends to diminish as you get older?
A. Charley Weaver: My sense of decency.

Q. You’ve been having trouble going to sleep. Are you probably a man or a woman?
A. Don Knotts: That’s what’s been keeping me awake.

Q. According to Cosmo, if you meet a stranger at a party and you think he’s attractive, is it okay to come out and ask him if he’s married?
A. Rose Marie: No, wait until morning.

Q. In Hawaiian, does it take more than three words to say “I Love You”?
A. Vincent Price: No, you can say it with a pineapple and a twenty.

Q. What are “Do It,” “I Can Help,” and “I Can’t Get Enough”?
A. George Gobel: I don’t know, but it’s coming from the next apartment.

Q. Paul, why do Hell’s Angels wear leather?
A. Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily.

Q. Charley, you’ve just decided to grow strawberries. Are you going to get any during the first year?
A. Of course not, I’m too busy growing strawberries.

Q. In bowling, what’s a perfect score?
A. Rose Marie: Ralph, the pin boy.

Q. It is considered in bad taste to discuss two subjects at nudist camps. One is politics, what is the other?
A. Paul Lynde: Tape measures.

Q. During a tornado, are you safer in the bedroom or in the closet?
A. Rose Marie: Unfortunately Peter, I’m always safe in the bedroom.

Q. Can boys join the Camp Fire Girls?
A. Marty Allen: Only after lights out.

Q. When you pat a dog on its head he will wag his tail. What will a goose do?
A. Paul Lynde: Make him bark?

Q. If you were pregnant for two years, what would you give birth to?
A. Paul Lynde: Whatever it is, it would never be afraid of the dark.

Q. According to Ann Landers, is there anything wrong with getting into the habit of kissing a lot of people?
A. Charley Weaver: It got me out of the army.

Q. It is the most abused and neglected part of your body, what is it?
A. Paul Lynde: Mine may be abused but it certainly isn’t neglected.

Q. Back in the old days, when Great Grandpa put horseradish on his head, what was he trying to do?
A. George Gobel: Get it in his mouth.

Q. When a couple have a baby, who is responsible for its sex?
A. Charley Weaver: I’ll lend him the car, the rest is up to him.

Q. Jackie Gleason recently revealed that he firmly believes in them and has actually seen them on at least two occasions. What are they?
A. Charley Weaver: His feet.

Hope ya’ll enjoy these, I found them late last night and am still chuckling!

[Richard Kimball]

Q. Which will be pregnant longer, your wife or your elephant?
A. Paul Lynde: Who told you about my elephant?

Peter Marshall: Do female frogs croak?
Paul Lynde: If you hold their little heads under water.

Peter Marshall: What are “dual-purpose cattle” good for that other cattle aren’t?
Paul Lynde: They give milk and cookies – but I don’t recommend the cookies.

Peter Marshall: According to Movie Life magazine, Ann-Margaret would like to start having babies soon, but her husband wants her to wait a while. Why?
Paul Lynde: He’s out of town.

Peter Marshall: When the Lone Ranger finished with a case, he left something behind. What?
Paul Lynde: A masked baby.

Peter Marshall: Paul, why do Hell’s Angels wear leather?
Paul Lynde: Because chiffon wrinkles too easily?

And from the Newlywed Game:

What was the first thing you said to your husband on your wedding night?
Wife: "Oh, gosh, that's a hard one..."

What is the one thing you husband forbids you to put on his wiener?
Ben-Gay

Family Feud:

A food that makes noise when you eat it
"A really loud hamburger"

An excuse that a girl gives not to invite you in after a date
Her husband is home

Jeopardy

This term for a long handled gardening tool can also mean an immoral pleasure seeker.
What is a hoe?

This nursery rhyme was based on actual events at a 1900 schoolhouse.
What is 'There once was a man from Nantucket?'

[Ciexyz]

Amos and Andy. Howdy Doody show. Mickey Mouse Club.

[wizr]

Strange. For many years I have remembered a routine from the George Gobel Show, with Carol Burnette.

He is a just-scrubbed surgeon. She walks up to him to tell him something, and he says “DON’T TOUCH ME! I’M STERILE!”.

That was it, but it cracked me up! Don’t see any credits for Carol on his program.

[Bender2]

Re: What is 'There once was a man from Nantucket?'

Now, now, Rich! You know that is not according to Hoyle!

It should read, "There was... a young man from Nantucket--"

[JoJo Gunn]

With all due respect, that's not a well written article. The paragraphs are pretty much single sentences strung together, and the writer has no real feel for the history. Case in point, (and where I stopped reading):

In 1956, a company called Ampex Corporation began using a Quadruplex videotape recorder and in 1958, they produced a color version.

Ampex created the first viable Video Tape machine, a herculean effort, the result of course being a watershed moment in TV. CBS was the first to use the VTR, with a broadcast of Douglas Edwards on the evening news. 

http://www.labguysworld.com/VTR_BirthOf.htm 

 http://web.archive.org/web/20040603152849/http://www.tvhandbook.com/History/History_recording.htm

And anyway, to get a good grasp on the history will take a lot of reading and searching. 

[mware]

Hey that is not billy mumy in that photo, was it photoshoped?

[Eric Blair 2084]

Where are they? They’ve been banned.

I Love Lucy has been banned because Lucy and Ricky smoked cigarettes on screen. They even smoked around Little Ricky.

They’ve been replaced by gory violence and gratuitous sex (not that I’m complaining, there should be more sex and violence on TV).

Now we get “Will and Grace” and whatever social engineering progressive crap the libs think would advance their agenda.

[Richard Kimball]

You'd better be nice to me...

Sorry, I was just on the thread about the Elmo doll that said "Kill James" and since this is an old tv show thread...