Golden Age of Television

Television in the 1950s and early 1960s was a family affair. The programs reflected a variety of shows for adults, teens, and children. Here is a sampling of classic TV with  a Western, a sitcom, a cartoon, and a commercial from the era.

Have Gun — Will Travel Season 3 Episode 6 titled “Pancho” first aired on October 24, 1959. Don Luis Ortega (Edward Colmans) hires Paladin (Richard Boone) to escort his daughter(Lisa Montel) away from her home and a peasant boy Pancho Villa Doroteo (Rafael Campos)who loves her. Pancho wants revenge for the mistreatment by Don Luis. Running time: 25:56.

The Honeymooners Season 1 Episode 23 titled “Mama Loves Mambo” first aired on March 3, 1956. A new neighbor is a dance instructor and teaches the wives to do the mambo. The husbands are collateral damage.  The case includes Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows, Joyce Randolph, Charles Korvin, Jack Lescoulie, Zamah  Cunningham, Anne Seymour, and Louis Sorin. Running time: 26:02

Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoon “A Haunting We Will Go” (1949). Casper, the friendly ghost, actually has a last name, which is McFadden. The original concept for the character was developed in the late 1930s by Seymour Reit and Joe Oriolo. It was to be a children’s book, but Reit went away on military service, and Oriolo sold the rights to Paramount Pictures’ animation division. Thus, in 1945, the first Noveltoon “The Friendly Ghost” was released. This nonconforming child-ghost, who does not wish to scare the living, became a star of TV, film, comics, and other media. Running time: 8:17.

1956 Hazel Bishop Hairspray commercial. Running time: 1:06.

For More Classic TV Shows

The TV set in the Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has four selections, which are updated about twice a week. Just click on the TV and then on your selections.