• 1
    The Twilight Zone

    The Twilight Zone

    CBS (ended 1964)
    The series was a collection of various tales that range from the tragic to the comedic. They may be scary or just thought-provoking. Most episodes have unexpected endings and a moral lesson. But, no matter what, it's "a journey into a wondrous land, whose boundaries are that of the imagination." Rod Serling, creator and host of the series, won two Emmys for outstanding writing (1960 & '61), and the Golden Globe in 1962 for best TV director/producer. Reruns of the original Twilight Zone can be seen on the US Sci Fi channel. This is the Original 1959 series, not the CBS The Twilight Zone (1985) version nor the UPN The Twilight Zone (2002) version. CBS Programming History October 1959-September 1962 ..... Friday 10:00 January 1963-September 1963 ..... Thursday 9:00 September 1961-September 1964 ..... Friday 9:30 May 1965-September 1965 ..... Sunday 9:00 Note: Seasons 1-3 & 5 have a running time of 30 minutes. All of the episodes in Season 4 have a running time of one hour.moreless
  • 2
    The Andy Griffith Show

    The Andy Griffith Show

    CBS (ended 1968)
    The Andy Griffith Show is definitely a TV classic. It ran from 1960 to 1968, producing 249 episodes.

    The main character, Andy (Andy Griffith), was a widowed father of the polite little boy named Opie (Ron Howard) and is a sheriff, who works with nervous and very suspecting Barney Fife (Don Knotts). They all live in the nice southern town of Mayberry. But, Mayberry can get a little dangerous when the town drunk Otis Campbell (Hal Smith) is on the loose. Thelma Lou (Betty Lynn) is Barney's sweetheart, although Andy had to help him describe his feelings to her. Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier) is the very loving and caring, but stern housekeeper for Andy and Opie. Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors) is the bone-head, thoughtless, but humorous character. He is a gas attendant. Goober Pyle (George Lindsey) is Gomer Pyle's cousin. They are very alike, you could say, and arrives in Mayberry when Gomer decides to enlist in the United States Marine Core. The show had two spin-offs: Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. and Mayberry R.F.D.

    Top 20 Ratings: 1960-1961 - #4 1961-1962 - #7 1962-1963 - #6 1963-1964 - #5 1964-1965 - #4 1965-1966 - #6 1966-1967 - #3 1967-1968 - #1

    Awards for The Andy Griffith Show: Don Knotts won five Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy: 1961, 1962, 1963, 1966, and 1967.

    Frances Bavier won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Comedy in 1967.moreless
  • 3
    Gilligan's Island

    Gilligan's Island

    CBS (ended 1967)
    Gilligan's Island centered around a group of people who were stranded on an uncharted deserted island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. They all were on a boat tour, which found itself in the middle of a storm leading them to crash on an island! Those stranded include, Gilligan, the Skipper, a millionaire (Thurston Howell III) and his wife (Lovey Howell), a movie star (Ginger Grant), a professor (known as "The Professor"), and Mary Ann. Gilligan was the first mate on the boat, the SS Minnow. Most episodes dealt with the castaways trying to get off the island, but their attempts seemed to always be foiled by Gilligan. Broadcast History- Sept 1964-Sept 1965, CBS Sat 8:30-9:00 Sept 1965-Sept 1966, CBS Thurs 8:00-8:30 Sept 1966-Sept 1967, CBS Mon 7:30-8:00moreless
  • 4
    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    Alfred Hitchcock Presents

    CBS (ended 1962)
    Alfred Hitchcock Presents was a mystery and suspense anthology hosted by the master of supsense Alfred Hitchcock. Each 30 minute episode included opening and closing vingettes featuring Hitchcock who would often explain some aspect of the day's show and would often offer subtle (or not so subtle) jabs at the shows sponsors. The series premiered on CBS on Sunday, October 2, 1955 in the 9:30-10:00 PM timeslot opposite ABC's The Original Amateur Hour and NBC's Alcoa-Goodyear Playhouse. In its sixth season the show moved to NBC and was shown on Tuesday 8:30-9:00 PM. On NBC it served as the lead in for two other anthology shows Thriller and The Dick Powell Show. Alfred Hitchcock Presents featured both original works produced directly for television and adaptations of existing source material. Some authors whose work was adapted for the series include: Alexander Woollcott, Ambrose Bierce, Cornell Woolrich, Frederic Brown, Henry Slesar, H.H. Munro (aka Saki), John Cheever, John Collier, John Wyndham, Ray Bradbury, Roald Dahl, and Robert Bloch. The show also featured work by famous (or later famous) directors Alfred Hitchcock and Robert Altman. It also served as a proving ground for stars and future stars: Charles Bronson, Robert Redford, Steve McQueen, Peter Lorre, Robert Duvall, and Vera Miles. In 1962, Alfred Hitchcock Presents was expanded to one hour and was shown under the title the The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. In 1985, the these shows experienced a revival under the title Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Spinoff: The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Revivals: Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985) Broadcast History CBS: October 1955-September 1960----Sunday----9:30 p.m.
    NBC: September 1960-June 1962----Tuesdays----8:30 p.m.

    Nielsen Ratings: (Top 30 or Better)

    #6 in the 1956-1957 Season
    #12 in the 1957-1958 Season
    #24 in the 1958-1959 Season
    #25 in the 1959-1960 Season

    Emmy Awards and Nominations

    1955

    Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Action or Adventure Series Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock Best MC or Program Hose (Male or Female) Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock, "The Case of Mr. Pelham" Best Director (Film Series) Winner: Edward W. Williams, "Breakdown" Best Editing of a Television Film

    1956

    Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Series (Half-Hour or Less) Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock Best Male Personality (Continuing Performance) Winner: James P. Cavanagh, "Fog Closes In" Best Teleplay Writing (Half-Hour or Less)

    1957

    Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Dramatic Anthology Series Winner: Robert Stevens, "The Glass Eye" Best Direction (Half-Hour or Less)

    1958

    Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Dramatic Series (Less Than One Hour) Nominated: Alfred Hitchcock, "Lamb to the Slaughter" Best Direction of a Single Program of a Dramatic Series (Less Than One Hour) Nominated: Roald Dahl, "Lamb to the Slaughter" Best Writing of a Single Program of a Dramatic Series (Less Than One Hour)

    1959

    Nominated: John J. Lloyd Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction and Scenic Design Nominated: Edward W. Williams, "Man from the South" Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Television

    1960

    Nominated: Edward W. Williams, "Incident in a Small Jail" Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Television

    Other Awards or Nominations

    The Golden Globe Awards (Voted each year since 1944 by members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association):

    1957 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Television Program

    Look Magazine's Annual Television Awards (Voted initially by poll of TV executives, producers, directors, advertising executives and TV columnists, then, in 1955, via polls taken of TV critics and editors. The Award was Presented annually from 1950 to 1959 by the editors of Look magazine):

    1955 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Best Director 1956 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Dramatic Series (One-Half Hour) 1957 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Dramatic Series (One-Half Hour)

    Television Champion Awards (Voted each year since 1949 by polls of the nation's TV critics taken by the publishers of Television Almanac. The awards ceased in 1972):

    1955 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Mystery Program 1956 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Mystery Program 1960 Winner: Alfred Hitchcock Presents Best Mystery Program

    First Telecast: October 2, 1955
    Last Telecast: June 26, 1962
    Unaired Episodes: 1
    Episodes: 266 B&W Episodes
    (266 half-hour episodes, 1 three-part episode) moreless
  • 5
    The Munsters

    The Munsters

    CBS (ended 1966)
    The Munsters was one of the two "creepy" sitcoms that began in 1964. CBS aired The Munsters and ABC aired The Addams Family. Both of them lasted only two years and finished their network run within a week of each other.

    The Munsters live at 1313 Mockingbird Lane.

    Show Characters

    Herman Munster: The irascible head of the family. One of Frankenstein's monsters, he works at a funeral parlor, and has the same intelligence as some of the "stiffs" he works with.

    Lily Munster: Also known as the family homemaker. She has long flowing black hair with a white streak, and manages to keep up her appearance, despite cleaning and cooking.

    Eddie Munster: A typical American boy who howls at the moon and goes to sleep with his Woof-Woof.

    Marilyn Munster: The plain one of the bunch, is actually an all American beautiful blonde, who also goes to college.

    Grandpa Munster: The original Count Dracula, who was born and raised in Transylvania and doubles as a mad scientist. First Telecast: September 24, 1964 Last Telecast: September 1, 1966

    Episodes: 70 B&W Episodesmoreless
  • 6
    Mission: Impossible

    Mission: Impossible

    CBS (ended 1973)
    This 7-year series chronicled the adventures of the Impossible Missions Force (IMF), a team of government spies and specialists who were offered "impossible missions" (should they decide to accept them) by the unseen "Secretary". Although the cast varied over the years, the main characters included The Team Leader (Dan Briggs the first season, then Jim Phelps the other six), The Techno-Wizard (Barney Collier), The Strongman (Willy Armitage), The Master of Disguise (first Rollin Hand, then The Amazing Paris), and The Femme Fatale (Cinnamon Carter, Dana Lambert, Casey, Mimi Davis). The series is best known for its standard (but not invariable) opening mission contact (conducted by a pre-recorded message), the theme composed by Lalo Schifrin, the leader's selection of mission agents from a dossier, the opening briefing, the intricate use of disguises and a typical "mask pulloff" scene near the end of most episodes, and the relative lack of characterization of the characters.moreless
  • 7
    The Dick Van Dyke Show

    The Dick Van Dyke Show

    CBS (ended 1966)
    Once Upon a Time... There's a New Show on CBS-TV called The Dick Van Dyke Show debuted on October 3, 1961 and fresh out of the pilot called "Head of the Family" in 1960 as part of "The Comedy Spot". On this Series, Set in New Rochelle, NY at home. The Show focus on Robert "Rob" Petrie is the husband and Father of 1 Child and the Head Writer of the mythical "THE ALAN BRADY SHOW" where his co-writers Maurice "Buddy" Sorrell & Sally Rogers. Buddy Sorrell is a Married Man and he's unflappable and also he can insult Mel Cooley. Sally Rogers is a Single Woman as she's looking for a Husband. Melvin "Mel" Cooley is the Brother-In-Law of the Star of the Show and the unseen wife and The Star of the Show is Alan Brady is egomaniac, arrogant, selfish, obnoxious and stubborn Boss of Rob, Sally & Buddy in New York City. At Home, There's Laura Meeker Petrie is a Sensitive but Nervous and absolute Sexy Wife and Mother of 1 Child when she knows, sees and hears about goings-on of Rob's follies and non-sensible activities. The Child is Richard R. "Richie" Petrie is the 1 and Only Child of Rob & Laura happens to be their own son as he's being obedient and an habit of trouble and very loud when he gets into havoc of his wild fantasies and mischievous schemes and finally The Helpers lived across the street where Millie & Jerry Helper are helping out. Stories relates the trials and tribulations of the Petries, the Helpers and the Writing Staff of "THE ALAN BRADY SHOW". On September 7, 1966 THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW is hot on CBS-TV when its Cancelled. The Daytime Edition of the show aired reruns from August 1965 to September 1969. Syndicated from 1969 to 1991. From September 1991 to September 1998, Nick-at-Nite aired the show and in 1997, TV LAND airs the show. In 2004 CBS-TV and TV LAND airs the true last episode of the show. -------------- NIELSEN RATINGS (Top 30 or Better) No Ranking in the 1961-1962 Season No. 9 in the 1962-1963 Season No. 3 in the 1963-1964 Season No. 7 in the 1964-1965 Season No. 16 in the 1965-1966 Season No. 12 in the 1965-1966 Season (Daytime) No. 11 in the 1966-1967 Season (Daytime) No. 18 in the 1967-1968 Season (Daytime) No Ranking in the 1968-1969 Season (Daytime) __________ THE BROADCAST HISTORY of The Dick Van Dyke Show October 3, 1961-December 26, 1961 Tuesdays at 8:00-8:30pm January 3, 1962-September 16, 1964 Wednesdays at 9:30-10:00pm September 23, 1964-September 8, 1965 Wednesdays at 9:00-9:30pm September 15, 1965-September 7, 1966 Wednesdays at 9:30-10:00pm on CBS-TV Nighttime. August 2-13, 1965 Monday-Friday at 7:30-8:00am on CBS-TV August 16, 1965-September 2, 1966 Monday-Friday at 11:00-11:30am on CBS-TV September 5, 1966-September 5, 1969 Monday-Friday at 11:30am-12Noon on CBS-TV Daytime.moreless
  • 8
    Dennis the Menace

    Dennis the Menace

    CBS (ended 1963)
    This is the 1959 CBS live-action situation comedy based on the comic strip by Hank Ketcham. Dennis is portrayed as the helpful menace that always seemed to cause chaos. Dennis Mitchell lived at 627 Elm Street with his parents, Henry and Alice. Next door was his best friend, Mr. Wilson (though the feeling was, certainly, not mutual). Dennis always was around to help Mr. Wilson whether he wanted the help or not. The allure of the series was to see how Dennis would unintentionally mess things up for Mr. Wilson. The series lasted four seasons, but, perhaps, could have lasted longer. Joseph Kearns, the actor who portrayed Mr. George Wilson, died during the show's third season. This left a huge void that even veteran actor Gale Gordon (Mr. John Wilson) couldn't fill. He was introduced toward the end of the third season, and the series was cancelled the following year. Main Title Theme Song "Dennis the Menace" by Irving Friedman CBS Broadcast History October 4, 1959 - September 22, 1963 ---- Sundays ---- 7:30 - 8:00 P.M. Nielsen Ratings - Top 30 Season 1 (1959-60) 16 (26.0) Season 2 (1960-61) 11 (26.1) Season 3 (1961-62) 17 (23.8) Season 4 (1962-63) Not In Top 30 First Telecast: October 4, 1959 Last Telecast: July 7, 1963 Episodes: 146 black-and-white episodesmoreless
  • 9
    Hawaii Five-O

    Hawaii Five-O

    CBS (ended 1980)
    Hawaii Five-O was created by Leonard Freeman as a series that not only featured law and order issues but also presented the beauty of the Hawaiian islands.

    The original cast featured Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett, head of Hawaii Five-0, with James McArthur playing Danny Williams (replacing Tim O'Kelley from the pilot), Zulu as Kono Kalakaua and Kam Fong as Chin Ho Kelly. At the end of the 1971-72 season, Zulu left the series after a disagreement and was replaced by Al Harrington as Ben Kokua. After Leonard Freeman died, Al Harrington was dropped with no reason given, after 10 appearances in the 1974-75 season although his episodes were scattered throughout the year.

    Douglas Mossman helped to replace the 'Ben' role in later episodes as Frank Kemana. By the 1976-77 season, supporting character Duke Lukela, played by Herman Wedemeyer, was so popular that he was given star billing on the show, following Kam Fong. When CBS delayed making a decision on the show's future at the end of the 1978-79 season due to falling ratings and the perception of poorly executed stories, James MacArthur took the opportunity to leave the series after 11 years.

    The 1979-80 season saw major changes in the show. William Smith, as James 'Kimo' Carew, was bought in to replace James MacArthur, and the producers also added a new female Five-0 member, Sharon Farrell as Lori Wilson. Completing the new line-up were existing Five-0 member Duke, and Moe Keale as Truck Kealoha. CBS finished Hawaii Five-0's prime-time run on April 5, 1980

    ===============

    Other Info Pilot (Coccoon) only

    1. Company credits Production Companies * CBS Television * Leonard Freeman Production

    Distributors * CBS Television (original airing) * Paramount Pictures ------- 2. Awards Emmy Awards 1969 -- Nominated -- Outstanding Achievement in Musical Composition -- Morton Stevens (composer) ------ 3. Filming Locations: Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA ------ 4. Release dates: USA -- 20 September 1968

    ======================

    Other Info Series

    1. Company credits Production Companies * CBS Television * Leonard Freeman Production

    Distributors * CBS Television * Independent Television (ITV) * Paramount Television * Viacom

    Other Companies * Ford Motor Company consideration furnisher * Polifroni/Sabba casting ------ 2. Awards American Cinema Editors, USA 1976 -- Nominated -- Best Edited Episode from a Television Series -- Jack Gleason [For episode "Turkey Shoot".] 1974 -- Nominated -- Best Edited Episode from a Television Series -- Jack Gleason [For episode "One Big Happy Family".] Edgar Allan Poe Awards 1974 -- Nominated -- Best Television Episode -- Jerome Coopersmith [For episode "Here Today, Gone Tonight".] 1973 -- Nominated -- Best Television Episode -- Will Lorin [For episode "Bait Once, Bait Twice".] Emmy Awards 1976 -- Nominated -- Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series -- Helen Hayes [For episode "Retire In Sunny Hawaii... Forever".] 1974 -- Won -- Best Music Composition - For a Series, a Single Program of a Series -- Morton Stevens (composer) [For episode "Hookman".] 1970 -- Won -- Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition - For a Series or a Single Program of a Series (In Its First Year Only) -- Morton Stevens (composer) [For episode "A Thousand Pardons, You're Dead".] ------ 3. Release dates USA -- 26 September 1968 Netherlands -- 19 April 1969 UK -- 19 July 1970 West Germany -- 30 April 1971 France -- 15 July 1973 ------ 4. Filming Locations

    Hawaii Film Studio - 18th Avenue & Diamond Head Road, Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA (studio)

    Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA O`ahu, Hawaii, USA

    ========================

    Literature: Monographic related book: Rhodes, Karen. Booking Hawaii Five-0: An Episode Guide and Critical History of the 1968-1980 Television Detective Series. McFarland & Company, Inc. (Jefferson, North Carolina), 1997, ISBN: 0786401710

    ======================

    Series Trivia * Gregory Peck was offered the lead role of McGarrett. He turned it down. * Kam Fong, who played Det. Chin Ho Kelly (1968-78), was an actual officer with the Honolulu Police Department who served from 1946 to his retirement in 1962 to take up a career in real estate. * Other than Wo Fat, other notable adversaries for McGarrett that appeared in more than one episode included mob bosses Henore Vaschon (played by Harold Gould) and Tony Alika (played by Ross Martin), pimp Big Chicken (played by Gavin MacLeod) and the Robin Hood-like Lewis Avery Filer (played by Hume Cronyn). * Jack Lord was the only member of the cast to stay with the series during it's entire 12 year run. Kam Fong (Chin Ho Kelly) left after the 10th season. James MacArthur (Danny Williams) left after the 11th season. * At the end of the episode "A Death In The Family", where Chin Ho Kelly was murdered, Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) books the suspect himself, saying, "Chin would have liked that." It was the only time during the series that McGarrett personally booked a suspect. * The character of Duke Lukela first appeared as an HPD sergeant before becoming a Hawaii Five-O investigator. * The syndicate that Tony Alika headed was called "Kumu". * McGarrett finally caught Wo Fat in the final episode of the series. However, at the end of the episode, Wo Fat can be seen digging into his boot and taking out a file leaving it open for a possible reunion episode. * "Magnum, P.I." (1980) began production soon after this series wrapped its last episode. In order to keep some sort of continuity, reference to characters from this show were included in early episodes of Magnum. However, a plan to have Jack Lord appear as McGarrett never came to pass. Lord retired from acting after the series went off the air. * Chin Ho Kelly (Kam Fong) was the only member of the cast to be "killed off". He was murdered in the episode "A Death in the Family" while investigating a protection racket. * McGarrett was a Naval Intelligence officer before he became head of Five-O. In fact, he was in the reserves and went on active duty from time to time to assist the Navy on special cases. * In the episode "The Singapore File" McGarrett flies to Singapore to retrieve a witness, and returns to Honolulu. Singapore was actually downtown Honolulu. At the end of the episode, they are at a temple in Manila; they were actually at the Valley of the Temples in Kaneohe, Hawaii. * McGarrett actually caught Wo Fat in one encounter, but was forced to give him up because the Chinese government wanted him back in trade for a downed U2 pilot. * Zulu (Det. Kono) was the first of the regular cast to depart the show. He left in the 4th season. * McGarrett has a sister that lives in California. * Like McGarrett, Jack Lord was in the Navy. He was a public affairs officer, attaining the rank of lieutenant. * Before joining Five-O, Danny attended the University of Hawaii and then transferred to the University of California where he graduated with a degree in Criminology. * McGarrett often referred to Kono as "Big Kanaka". * McGarrett often referred to his secretary, May, as "Love". * McGarrett was a Korean War veteran. * McGarrett supposedly had his office in Iolani Palace, the actual palace used by the last kings and queens of Hawaii. This building was in danger of being leveled for a parking lot, but today it has been restored and can be toured for a $20 fee. It has never been used by the state police. * Besides government intelligence chief Jonathan Kaye, another recurring character was policewoman Sandy Welles. * "Danny" was played by a different actor in the pilot. * Several actors played different roles in various episodes before becoming recurring cast members. * Chin Ho (Kam Fong) smoked a pipe. * Al Harrington and Herman Wedemeyer both appeared in different roles on the show before assuming the roles of Ben and Duke respectively. Wedemeyer was in the very first episode playing Honolulu police Lt. Balta. * Despite the attention that Hawaii Five-0 brought to Hawaiian state law enforcement, Hawaii is the only state that has no state police agency. * The hula dancer in the opening montage is played by Helen Kuoha-Torco, now a professor at Windward Community college.

    =====================

    Continuity Goofs for Series

    *In some earlier episodes, McGarrett can be seen leaving his headquarters in a 1967 Mercury 2 door sedan. When he reaches his destination, he's driving a 1968 Mercury 4 door sedan. *After the original 1968 Mercury was retired, and replaced with a '74 Marquis Brougham 4-door hardtop, some stock footage was used of the '68 passing or in traffic. *From 1970 to 1976, Al Eben played Doc Bergman. In one episode, "A Bullet for McGarrett", his name is Doc Abraham.

    ====================

    Rockford Judged Top TV Detective: 4 July 2000 (StudioBriefing) The Rockford Files (1974) Jim Rockford has topped a TV Guide survey in which readers were asked to name their favorite TV detectives ever. The magazine commented, "The crimes he solved were hardly complex. And his detective work was rudimentary at best. But from the moment he told a client, 'I get 200 dollars-a-day, plus expenses,' you were hooked." Columbo placed second in the survey, but Jessica Fletcher of the long-running Murder, She Wrote did not even make the top 10, coming in at 13. The top ten are: 1. James Garner as Jim Rockford in The Rockford Files (1974) 2. Peter Falk, Columbo 3. Andre Braugher as Frank Pembleton in Homicide: Life on the Street 4. Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless in Cagney and Lacey 5. Telly Savalas, Kojak 6. Tom Selleck, Magnum P.I. 7. Helen Mirren as Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect 8. Cybil Shepherd and Bruce Willis as Maddie Hayes and David Addison in Moonlighting 9. Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett in Hawaii Five-0 10. Dennis Franz as Andy Sipowicz in NYPD Blue.moreless
  • 10
    Gunsmoke

    Gunsmoke

    CBS (ended 1975)

    Dodge City, known as the Sodom and Gomorrah of the plains, is a typical frontier city of the late 1800s with typical problems ranging from rumored Indian raids to bank and stage robberies, cattle rustling, and family feuds. All of these must be dealt with within the law and that task falls to Matt Dillon, US Marshal (James Arness).

    Dillon is a man who prefers the use of logic over the use of the gun but the nature of the people passing through Dodge doesn't always leave him that choice. Aided by various assistants and deputies over the years (played by Dennis Weaver, Burt Reynolds, and Ken Curtis), he does his best to keep the lawless element out of his town and his territory. Matt often solves his crimes through keen observation and deduction, an innovative approach for the times.

    Crucial information about cases is often provided by his beautiful companion, Long Branch owner Kitty Russell(Amanda Blake), while they drink beer or whiskey in her establishment. Matt also often exchanges banter or bounces his theories off of the crusty town doctor, Galen Adams (Milburn Stone).moreless
  • 11
    Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

    Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

    CBS (ended 1972)
    Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! premiered on September 13, 1969. This cartoon introduced four kids and a dog named Scooby-Doo. These kids were Daphne Blake, Freddy Jones, Velma Dinkley, Norville "Shaggy" Rogers, and their mascot. They traveled around in a green van known as "The Mystery Machine" and solved many scary mysteries along the way. In 1972, this show became The New Scooby-Doo Movies, which were hour-long episodes in which the gang teamed up with famous animated stars and celebrites to solve mysteries. This format aired until 1973. Scooby-Doo was so popular to Hanna-Barbara that it spawned many different cartoon series throughout the 1970's and the early 1980's. These shows were as follows: The Scooby-Doo Show, a revamped format of this show, Scooby and Scrappy-Doo, which introduced the character Scrappy-Doo, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, and the last incarnation, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, which featured the cast as kids. After more than a decade-long absence of original weekly shows, a new series, What's New Scooby-Doo?, began airing in September 2002. Theme Song Lyrics Scooby-Dooby-Doo, where are you? We got some work to do now, Scooby-Dooby-Doo, where are you? We need some help from you now. Come on, Scooby-Doo, I see you Pretending you've got a sliver, But you're not foolin' me, 'Cuz I can see The way you shake and shiver! You know we got a mystery to solve So Scooby-Doo, be ready for your act! (Scooby: Uh uh!) Don't hold back! And Scooby-Doo, if you come through You're gonna have yourself a Scooby Snack! That's a fact! Scooby-Dooby-Doo, here are you, You're ready and you're willing! If we can count on you, Scooby-Doo I know you'll catch that villian! Show Times Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! airs repeats every Monday-Thursday on Boomerang at 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, it also technically airs Tuesday-Friday early mornings at 1:00 AM. It also airs on Cartoon Network Saturday early mornings at 4:30 AM. Scooby-Doo Where Are You? released 9 movies currently in 1999 - present. Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island Scooby-Doo And The Witch's Ghost Scooby-Doo And The Alien Invaders Scooby-Doo And The Cyber Chase Scooby-Doo And The Monster Of Mexico Scooby-Doo And The Loch Ness Monster Scooby-Doo And The Legend Of The Vampire Aloha Scooby-Doo Scooby-Doo in Where's Your Mummy? The show also lead to a current 10th series Shaggy And Scooby-Doo Get A Clue due to start this fall on CW. There were two live action Scooby-Doo Movies recently released in 2002 and 2004. Character Bios: Scooby "Scoobert" Doo: (Don Messick) Scooby-Doo is a great, "Great Dane". Though he's supposed to help the gang for sniffing out the clues, he's always the one running away from them. His very best friend is Shaggy! (Original name: Too Much) Freddy Jones: (Frank Welker) Freddy is the leader of the gang, he makes sure everything is going right! He usually pairs up with Daphne or Velma when looking for clues. (Original names: Geoff, Ronnie) Daphne Blake: (Heather North) Blinded by her beautiful looks, Daphne is also very ditzy at times. She is the one always finding the clues but not on purpose. She's also the one who gets kidnapped a lot and held for randsom. She should have her very own randsom note! (Original name: Kelly) Norville "Shaggy" Rogers: (Casey Kasem) Shaggy is a scaredy-cat just like Scooby. Only problem is neither one of Scooby or Shaggy is cats and they still got that nickname! Shaggy's best friend and dog is Scooby-Doo! (Original name: W.W.) Velma Dinkley: (Nicole Jaffe) Velma is the smartie of the bunch. She comes in handy when the gang doesnt know the name of something or needs help... Literally! (Original name: Linda) FAQ What is the investigating club that Scooby and the gang belong to? Mystery, Inc. What type of dog is Scooby-Doo? A Great Dane. What is Scooby-Doo's real name? Scoobert-Doo. How many classic Scooby-Doo episodes are there? 310 episodes comprising 230 half-hours.moreless
  • 12
    Perry Mason

    Perry Mason

    CBS (ended 1966)
    There are few actors so closely tied to a persona than Raymond Burr as Perry Mason. This long-running series was built upon Erle Stanley Gardner´s many novels about a brilliant defense lawyer and his staff, that solved many a crime with surprise witnesses and stern cross-examinations. It was the first mystery series to feature chalk or tape outlines to mark the spots where bodies were found. Filmed almost exclusively in the Los Angeles area, Raymond Burr had Gardner's seal of approval in the role. The cases were usually won by way of pivotal confessions of witnesses, solicited by Perry Mason (Burr's) surgeon-like examination or with last-minute, key evidence brought into the courtroom by private investigator Paul Drake (William Hopper). Della Street (Barbara Hale), Perry´s faithful secretary, was always at Perry's side in the courtroom where hapless Hamilton Burger (William Tallman) was the Los Angeles District Attorney who never seemed to win. As to the myth that Perry Mason never lost, there were two episodes where it did occur... but you'll have to watch to find out. The show was revived in 1973-74, with other actors in the familiar roles (Monte Markham as Mason), and then again with the some of the original cast, in a string of feature length TV films from 1985 until Raymond Burr´s death in 1993.moreless
  • 13
    Green Acres

    Green Acres

    CBS (ended 1971)
    Successful New York lawyer Oliver Wendell Douglas gives up the rat race to fulfill his dream: living the life of the traditional American farmer. Fighting the move to rural life is his glamorous, boa-wearing, city-loving wife, Lisa. This quaint premise, however, doesn't begin to capture the screwball absurdity of Green Acres. After a few episodes that were somewhat rooted in reality, the series' true oddness started to bloom. The characters see the opening credits as they appear on screen (or on chicken eggs); they talk with baseball-playing pigs who become movie stars; fife music accompanies Oliver's patriotic speeches and is heard by everyone but him; a full-sized Eiffel tower is built on the Douglases' lawn. Hooterville is clearly operating in its own bizarre universe where Oliver is the only normal, reasonable person--and that's questionable at times. The tiny town revolves around Sam Drucker's General Store, where Sam acts as shopkeeper, postmaster, justice of the peace and publisher of the "Hooterville World Guardian". He's one of the more level-headed residents of the valley, but that's relative. The other locals are considerable more bizarre and are a constant frustration to Oliver. Hank Kimball, the county agricultural agent, is a prime example. His short-term memory is so poor he regularly forgets what he's talking about mid-sentence. Fellow farmer Fred Ziffel is an elderly overalls-wearing man who, with his wife Doris, treats their pig Arnold like an actual child. Arnold attends school, reads, writes, skates, and speaks several languages (though they all sound like oinking). Con man Eustace Haney, who sold Oliver his dump of a farm, is always trying to fleece someone out of their cash. Apparently possessing ESP, he shows up outside of Oliver's door with whatever he and Lisa have just been discussing. The Douglases' farmhand, Eb, lives in their barn and considers Oliver and Lisa to be his parents. Lisa, a stylish Hungarian woman who Oliver met during the war, is hardly cut out for domestic life. Wearing ostrich feathers and diamonds around the farm, she can only cook "hotscakes" (badly) and her mangling of the English language is impressive. Matt Groening once accurately described Green Acres as "Oliver Douglas in hell". All he wants to do is farm, but the constant interruptions from the loony locals, the endless double-talk, the ambitious pig all conspire to make it impossible. Oliver earns his reputation as a "hothead" as his face turns red and he bellows about the latest aggravation.
    Green Acres
    began when CBS handed Paul Henning, the very successful producer of The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junctionmoreless
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    Hogan's Heroes

    Hogan's Heroes

    CBS (ended 1971)
    Set in a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II, Hogan's Heroes is lightly based on the play/film, "Stalag 17." Hogan's Heroes focuses on the exploits of five main prisoners of war (Hogan, LeBeau, Newkirk, Carter & Kinchloe who, while under the cover of being typical prisoners of war, are really secretly doing their best to sabotage the German war effort through whatever means necessary. They communicate regularly with the outside, easily move throughout the camp and outside to town by using numerous tunnels, and have all the munitions, money, and uniforms to do pretty much as they please. While the enemy is often gullible, easily fooled or downright incompetent, the real strength of Hogan's men is the elaborate ruses and sometimes dangerous lengths they will go to in order to complete their missions. These missions included regular sabotage, helping prisoners escape, and aiding the underground opposition. The more elaborate tasks include immobilizing battalions, confusing the German general staff, and kidnapping important scientists. The silly Germans of Stalag 13 are the head Sergeant (Schultz) and the camp Kommandant (Klink). For those who only know the show peripherally, it is dismissed as being produced in poor taste because of the horrors of WWII, but this show takes place in a POW camp run by the German Luftwaffe and not the SS or Gestapo. The exploits of Hogan's heroes were often based on real POW stories from WWII. Leon Askin as General Burkhalter, Howard Caine as Gestapo Officer Major Hochstetter, and Bernard Fox as British Colonel Crittendon appear as recurring characters to cement the show's ensemble cast. Enjoy the show.moreless
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    Mister Ed

    Mister Ed

    CBS (ended 1966)
    One of the most successful of the numerous 1960's nonsensical sitcoms was this one about a talking horse. Ed belonged to Wilbur Post, a young architect who had decided to move out of the city to get a little closer to nature. The rambling country home he and his wife decided upon came complete with a barn that doubled as Wilbur's office and a very talkative palomino named Ed. Problem was Ed didn't care to talk to just anyone, in fact he would only talk to Wilbur (the first human he'd ever met worth talking to). The confusion caused by having a talking horse, and the situations Ed got Wilbur into, and occasionlly out of, formed the stories.moreless
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    The Beverly Hillbillies

    The Beverly Hillbillies

    CBS (ended 1971)
    Jed Clampett and kin, a poor Ozark Hillbilly family, were barely surviving until one lucky day. Jed while hunting for food in his swamp missed his target and struck the ground with his shot. Up through the ground came a bubblin' crude, Oil that is, Black Gold, Texas Tea.

    After selling his swamp to the OK Oil Company for $25 Million, Cousin Pearl convinces Jed he should move his family to Beverly Hills. So Jed, along with his gorgeous daughter Elly May, feisty mother-in-law Granny, and half-witted nephew Jethro, all head to this new land inhabited by movie stars and the well-off.

    Jed and his family get to Beverly Hills, and their money goes into the Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills, with President Mr. Drysdale. For the nine years the clan is in Beverly Hills, all kinds of things happen. They try to get their beautiful daughter Elly May married. Their nephew Jethro gets a high education, highest in the family - he completes school through the sixth grade. Granny has her fights with Mrs. Drysdale and gets romanced by various men. And Jed takes hold of a movie studio. They travel to New York, Washington, and England. They make silent movies. And they make a few good friends.moreless
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    Tom and Jerry

    Tom and Jerry

    CBS (ended 1980)
    Tom and Jerry was originally the very first, and earliest of the Hanna-Barbera Cartoons. It went through many phases and took place from anywhere from inside a house, to anywhere in outer space. The show was of course, about a cat and a mouse, and several other characters. The two never really talked, even though they do sing, yell, gasp, laugh, count, or say "Aha!!"; and that several other characters spoke more often. They would later end up in several TV series, and also in a few movies, however many would say that they didn't like the way the movies turned out. All of the episodes were distributed by MGM. Here's more info about the show in general: Pilot Episodes: The Pilot Episode was called "Puss Gets The Boot" and was also the first one with Mammy in it. Tom looked very different and was called Jasper. It was produced by Harman-Ising Productions. Fred Quimby: Fred Quimby was the Producer of Tom & Jerry for many years. He is also the Producer of Tex Avery's Cartoons. Tom's fur would eventually become blue. CinemaScope: These cartoons had more people in them. There were narrators, and many conversations between the adults. Lewis Marshall became an Animation Director, and Hanna-Barbera were the Producers. Rembrandt: Only seeing the older Tom & Jerry cartoons, and not having enough information on the show, Ted Pierce, Gene Deich, and William L. Snyder and the rest of the crew had trouble in producing their episodes of Tom & Jerry. Sib Tower 12 Incorporated: One of the last producers of Tom & Jerry, this version has the famous opening with the yellow background and the red letters (except for the 5 letters O and J) where Tom hisses and Jerry waves. The producer was Chuck Jones, and the cartoons look ahead of their time. There were several new characters, including a yellow bulldog, and Tom's Girlfriend, The Shark, Jerry's Dog, and several robots where Tom was a security operator at a cheese mine. Other people that worked on the show were Les Goldman, Maurice Noble, Michael Maltese, Tom Ray, Earl Jonas, Lewis Marshall, Eugene Poddany, Bill Lava, Dean Elliott, Carl Brandt, Mel Blanc, June Foray, Abe Levitow, Ben Washam, Don Foster, and Walter Bien. They would later do several Dr. Seuss cartoons along with Depatie-Freeling Entertainment, the Cricket seties, Duck Dodgers, and many other Award Winning shows. Filmation: Many years later, Filmation attempted to produce Tom & Jerry. It was a TV show called The Tom & Jerry Comedy Show. It seemed to look like all the Tom & Jerry cartoons in the 1950s and 1960s. They also aired and produced some other MGM cartoons, like the ones that are directed by Tex Avery. The episodes of The Tom & Jerry Comedy Show are mentioned here. TV: The New Tom and Jerry Show and The Tom and Jerry Kids Show: HB's TV versions. Neither lasted long, but several people still remember Them. They weren't that violent either. They were about the characters trying to solve everyday problems. Tom & Jerry Kids had other charachers as kids that were also produced by Fred Quimby, Including Tex Avery's Cartoon Characters. Now: Tom & Jerry was recently produced by AOL Time Warner and Turner Home Entertainment. They aren't the best cartoons. Tom and Jerry is currently airing on Cartoon Network! Check your local listings! Every episode of Tom & Jerry can be seen on Cartoon Network and Boomerang for one hour, and also The Sib Tower 12 Inc Cartoons can be seen with The Chuck Jones Show.moreless
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    Lost in Space

    Lost in Space

    CBS (ended 1968)
    Lost In Space chronicles the travels and mis-adventures of The Robinson family, as they ricochet their way through space on a flight toward the Alpha Centauri star system.
    By the year 1997, Earth has squandered all of its natural resources. The Robinson family departs Earth in the space ship Jupiter 2 in search of a habitable planet for mankind to move to and colonize.
    However, a spy from a foreign country, Dr. Smith, becomes trapped aboard while trying to sabotage the ship and after lift off, Dr. Smith's extra weight causes the Jupiter 2 to be thrown off course, sending them all over the universe.moreless
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    Father Knows Best

    Father Knows Best

    CBS (ended 1960)
    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.moreless
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    60 Minutes

    60 Minutes

    CBS
    60 Minutes has been on the air since 1968, beginning on a Tuesday, but spending most of its time on Sundays, where it remains today. This popular news magazine provides both hard hitting investigations, interviews and features, along with people in the news and current events.

    60 Minutes has set unprecedented records in the Nielsen's ratings with a number 1 rating, five times, making it among the most successful t.v. programs in all of television history. This series has won more Emmy awards than any other news program and in 2003, Don Hewitt, the creator (back in 1968), was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Emmy, along with the 60 Minute correspondents. For the 2009 season, correspondents include Steve Kroft, Lesley Stahl, Bob Simon, Scott Pelley, Morley Safer, Katie Couric, Byron Pitts, Lara Logan, Charlie Rose, Anderson Cooper, and Andy Rooney. Added to the 11 Peabody awards, this phenomenally long-lived series has collected 78 awards up to the 2005 season and remains among the viewers top choice for news magazine features.moreless
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