Father Knows Best

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Father Knows Best ranks 2,707 out of the 18,225 shows on TV.com.

The 55 users who count themselves as Father Knows Best fans have written a total of 4 reviews.

Status

Premiered

Ended

Genre

Theme

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Father Knows Best was the classic wholesome family situation comedy. It was set in the typical Midwestern community of Springfield, where Jim Anderson was an agent for the General Insurance Company. Every evening he would come home from work, take off his sport jacket, put on his comfortable sweater, and deal... more »

Father Knows Best was the classic wholesome family situation comedy. It was set in the typical Midwestern community of Springfield, where Jim Anderson was an agent for the General Insurance Company. Every evening he would come home from work, take off his sport jacket, put on his comfortable sweater, and deal with the everyday problems of a growing family. In contrast to most other family comedies of the period, in which one of the other parents was a blundering idiot, both Jim and his wife Margaret were portrayed as thoughtful, responsible adults. When a family crisis arose, Jim would clam the waters with a warm smile and some sensible advice.

When Father Knows Best went on television in 1954, the three children were aged 14 [Bud], and 9 [Kathy]. As the seasons passed two of them graduated from High School, first Betty [1956] and then Bud [1959]. Neither left home, howevery, both electing to go to Springfield's own State College.
The Andersons were truly an idealized family, the sort that viewers could relate to and wish to emulate. The children went through the normal problems of growing up, included those concerning school, friends, and members of the opposite sex. They didn't always agree with their parents, but the bickering was miminal, and everything seemed to work out by the end of the half-hour.

Father Knows Best began as an NBC radio series in 1948, with Robert Young in the starting role. He was the only member of the radio cast that made the transition to TV in 1954. The TV series was not partculiarly successful at first and CBS cancelled it in March 1955. A flood of viewer protests demanding that the program be reinstated and moved to an earlier time slot so that the whole family could watch it, prompted NBC to pick it up for the following season with an 8:30 p.m. started time. Father Knows Best prospered for the next five years.less «

• Petition for Father Knows Best & Billy Gray DVDs

  The petition is requesting Shout Factory to PART I Accept a proposal from Billy Gray (who played Bud Anderson) to make...more »

  The petition is requesting Shout Factory to PART I Accept a proposal from Billy Gray (who played Bud Anderson) to make a set of 8 or 10 of Billy's favorite shows that feature "BUD", with an in-depth interview about what it's been like "being" Bud "the all American boy" and the social responsibilities of the actor and the TV industry, among other things. PART II Continue making Season sets to include ALL episodes of Father knows Best. Mr. Gray personally supports and approves of this petition. The petition is here: http://www.petitiononline.com/w32202/petition.html NOTE: At the bottom of the NAME, ADDRESS, COMMENTS section, note the last "required" space with no title. I have no clue how it got there but it needs something in there in order for the signature to be accepted so until I get it fixed, please put a single letter there. less «

  circa_1948 Last online Jun 17, 2008
  1 comments, last one Jun 16, 2008 + Add Comment

• Father Knows Best

  I wish that FKB would come out on dvd or be shown on tv. It was such a great family feel good show and a whole generation is missing out on it. It was well written show that has become a classic.

  I wish that FKB would come out on dvd or be shown on tv. It was such a great family feel good show and a whole generation is missing out on it. It was well written show that has become a classic. less «

  rikisue Last online Feb 20, 2009
  8 comments, last one Jun 16, 2008 + Add Comment

• DVD's in 2008

  I read today that season one of FKB is due out in spring 2008. This show is dated and is unbelievably hokey. Near the end o...more »

  I read today that season one of FKB is due out in spring 2008. This show is dated and is unbelievably hokey. Near the end of practically every episode, that sappy music starts playing and you know someone is about to admit they've done something so terribly wrong but everyone is always so forgiving and says we still love you!!! Please, give me a break. Hand me a hanky, will ya? BOO HOO!!! Leave It To Beaver was a much better family show than this contrived crap, even Billy Gray has been quoted that he hates FKB and is ashamed he took part in it. Hugh Beaumont is a far superior TV dad compared to Robert Young's bellowing, frightful father figure. Leave It To Beaver, The Honeymooners classic 39, and Amos N Andy are the best sitcoms from the 50's. The rest of em don't measure up, and that includes I Love Lucy. What an overrated show that is. Unattractive Lucille Ball and that nasaly whine of hers. Mercy, is that awful. A few episodes are OK but overall the show is just not that funny. less «

  lecagr Last online 8 days ago
  1 comments, last one Dec 12, 2007 + Add Comment

•  

  10 Perfect

  They should make a remake of this show or just replay the original... hide « show »

  Back in the day this was the quintessential family of the fifties, what every family was aspiring to...the good life from the fruits of good living. It is as inspirational today as it was back then. The problem? It is NOT on today, anywhere, anyhow!!! I have been attempting to start a grass roots effort to bring it to DVD and need your help...sign up at a website (tvshowsondvd.com) and cast your vote for any of your favorite shows, (hopefully Father Knows Best is one of them) and when enough votes are noticed by the bigwigs they put on DVD.

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  LilsZoo Added May 11, 2006 All my reviews
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  9.5 Superb

  A great old-school family show. hide « show »

  If this is a show that you do not normally watch and you are sitting at home with nothing to do, you are going to wish you had it on tape. Having it "on tape" had become the generic term for recorded programs. Today you are more likely to have the show on Tivo or DVR than VHS, or god forbid Beta!! It is kind of like how a lot of people still call CD's "records" or "albums." Anyway, back to the show. This is the type of show that is really pretty good if you would just give it a chance. So on those cold, lonely, rainy days, pop in your tape or DVR or whatever if you were smart enough to tape it. If not, check to see if it is on as a re-run. After all, as they say, if you have never seen it, it is new to you.
  

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  vicmackey31 Added Apr 19, 2006 All my reviews
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  10 Perfect

  Father Knows Best is a classic hide « show »

  This show had wit, charm and heart. It showed us how life should be. The writing was so good and the humor so entertaining that it stands out as a real classic among comedies.
  
  It is a show that everyone can watch and take something good from the experience.
  
  It is a shame that it is not available on dvd or on television today. Maybe if people watched a family on tv where the father respects the wife and the children respect their parents we could have better role models for how families and individuals should live.

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  rikisue Added Sep 17, 2005 All my reviews
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  10 Perfect

  The Best of the 1950s hide « show »

  Quite simply the best American TV show of the 1950s. Beautifully written, acted and directed, this show had nothing to do "white bread" values and everything to do with what is at the heart of every true family: compassion, warmth, community, humor, guidance, and love. So few of us ever have this, which is why the appeal of this show is immense, and will grow with time. The sad thing is that, at the moment, it is not available in any form ANYWHERE. Not on tape, not on DVD, and not in syndication. A shame, because I know there is a significant group of fans out there who would be thrilled to purchase these seasons if released.

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  EKasica Added Jul 29, 2005 All my reviews