What is the first TV series you remember watching
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stranddan — 16 years ago(March 02, 2010 08:53 AM)
The very, very first time I looked at a TV screen was in 1949 it was a Ford commercial! I don't know what I expected, but I was surprised to see an automobile on a road, with an announcer lauding its virtues!
The first show we saw that night was "Kukla, Fran & Ollie," but there were a couple of 15-minute shows I recall, one of them featuring a lovely woman named Roberta, whose last name I cannot now recall.
During those very early days, there was a program called "Fireside Theater," hosted by Gene Raymond and comprising two 15-minute stories! Amazing what they packed into those 15 minutes. -
mightymaggie — 16 years ago(March 05, 2010 12:56 AM)
I had forgotten all about these shows and others mentioned here. I'm so glad there's people out there my age that remember shows from 'our' youth. Ahhhh -the memories - really good ones, less complicated times (or so we thought)- and surrounded by family mostly because there was only one small back and white TV set.
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Divtal-1 — 16 years ago(March 04, 2010 02:52 PM)
I guess "Howdy Doody," "Ding Dong School," and "Super Circus" (Sunday afternoons), were the first kids' shows that I recall.
The first series, in terms of a regular cast of characters in an ongoing situation, was "Mr. Peepers," with Wally Cox and Tony Randall. "Our Miss Brooks," "Amos 'n Andy," and "Topper," also make up some early memories.
The great kids' series, or "hero" shows, were "The Adventures of Superman," "Sky King," "The Cisco Kid," and, of course "Roy Rogers and Dale Evans." -
yohnny — 16 years ago(March 09, 2010 11:23 AM)
Although they were not the very first programs that I saw, my most vivid memories are of "Disneyland" and "The Mickey Mouse Club" which my brothers and I watched religiously. We never had the mouse ears but we did have the "coonskin" caps popularized by Fess Parker as Davy Crockett. To me, the cutest girl Mouseketeer was Cheryl Holdridge who died of lung cancer last year at age 64.
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heathentart — 16 years ago(March 17, 2010 03:10 PM)
Great thread, MikeF-6!
My very first memories, about 2 or 3, were of "Kukla, Fran and Ollie," and "Howdy Doody." My dad, ever the doting parent, bought me a HUGE Clarabelle doll; it was almost as tall as I.
I always took Clarabelle to bed with me, and, once in the middle of the night, I awoke to see the face of the doll beside me. It was horrifyingly white and gleaming in the shaft of moonlight coming in through the window. I remember hearing myself scream and scream and scream, and my parents running into my roomm.
That was the last of Clarabelle and Howdy Doody in my house. LOL!!
As I got older, horses became my passion, so any Western - no matter how bad - were my favorite shows. Wasn't that interested in the cowboys, but I remember knowing every horse and its name.
My dad - he really knew no boundaries when it came to buying me gifts - acknowledged my passion by buying me a life-size stuffed pony, with bridle and saddle, from FAO Schwartz. My mom made him take it back. -
joes119-1 — 14 years ago(April 14, 2011 06:50 AM)
You answered this one for me. We got our Emerson 16"er in 1950 and Mama and Man Against Crime were among the first we watched. Racket Squad, Stu Erwin, Joan Davis, and 1950 Nash's in use as Police cars are all memories for me.
Man Against Crime often featured Ralph Bellamy as Mike Barnett in a woolen topcoat. I think I remember Ralph saying he did the show directly after finishing work on stage and so used his street clothes as costume.
As well, most of the live drama under the hot early TV lights had some sort of sultry locale featuring lots of brow-mopping. -
uncle_g1234 — 15 years ago(May 22, 2010 03:40 AM)
I'm not sure what was the first show I watched. We didn't have our own TV till '56 or '57. But I did watch some shows on friends' TVs. Two earliest I remember are Captain Midnight and Beany and Cecil. Would be funny to see those shows today. Extremely low-tech.
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3rdrowleft — 14 years ago(April 18, 2011 10:44 AM)
Mike Connors played an undercover cop in Tightrope. The intriguing thing about the series is the audience never knew the character's name. He often used the alias "Nick", so writers commenting on the show frequently refer to him by this name. But in the closing credits he was simply referred to as The Man.
But throughout it all, my motto was "Dignity! Always dignity!". -
Divtal-1 — 15 years ago(May 22, 2010 07:18 AM)
Wonderful Betty White is enjoying enormous celebration, lately. Most people remember her earliest role to be Sue Ann Nivens on
The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
But,
Life with Elizabeth
, from '52 was another great early series. It started out as a daytime program, and was the best thing about staying home, sick, from school. -
Mister_Comics — 15 years ago(June 09, 2010 06:29 AM)
For some strange reason I remember a show called Duffy's Tavern. I guess my folks use to watch it.
I mostly remember cartoon shows like Crusader Rabbit, but also others like Q.T. Hush. Hush was very much like one of those cliffhanger serials. Also remember Pow Wow the Indian Boy cartoons. Susan's Place a morning kid show. And Jobbellwaky Place another kids show that featured Terry Bennett and his wife Joy as Pamula puppet.
I never hear anything about these really old shows. Wish they were on DVD. I sure would like to see them again.