There's nothing like the good ole days! They were good then, and they're good now when we think about them.
Someone asked the other day, 'What was your favorite fast food when you were growing up?'
'We didn't have fast food when I was growing up,' I informed him. 'All the food was slow.' 'C'mon, seriously Where did you eat?' 'It was a place called 'at home,'' I explained. 'Grandma cooked every day and when Grandpa got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table, and if I didn't like what she put on my plate I was allowed to sit there until I did like it.' By this time, the kid was laughing so hard I was afraid he was going to suffer serious internal damage, so I didn't tell him the part about how I had to have permission to leave the table. But here are some other things I would have told him about my childhood if I figured his system could have handled it: Some parents NEVER owned their own house, wore Levis, set foot on a golf course, traveled out of the country or had a credit card. In their later years they had something called a revolving charge card. The card was good only at Sears Roebuck. Or maybe it was Sears AND Roebuck. Either way, there is no Roebuck anymore. Maybe he died. My parents never drove me to soccer practice. This was mostly because we never had heard of soccer. I had a bicycle that weighed probably 50 pounds, and only had one speed, (slow). We didn't have a television in our house until I was 11, but my grandparents had one before that. It was, of course, black and white, but they bought a piece of colored plastic to cover the screen. The top third was blue, like the sky, and the bottom third was green, like grass. The middle third was red. It was perfect for programs that had scenes of fire trucks riding across someone's lawn on a sunny day Some people had a lens taped to the front of the TV to make the picture look larger. I was 13 before I tasted my first pizza, it was called 'pizza pie.' When I bit into it, I burned the roof of my mouth and the cheese slid off, swung down, plastered itself against my chin and burned that, too. It's still the best pizza I ever had. We didn't have a car until I was 15. Before that, the only car in our family was my grandfather's Ford. He called it a 'machine.'  I never had a telephone in my room. The only phone in the house was in the living room and it was on a party line. Before you could dial, you had to listen and make sure some people you didn't know weren't already using the line. Pizzas were not delivered to our home. But milk was. All newspapers were delivered by boys and all boys delivered newspapers. I delivered a newspaper, six days a week. It cost 7 cents a paper, of which I got to keep 2 cents. I had to get up at 4 AM every morning. On Saturday, I had to collect the 42 cents from my customers. My favorite customers were the ones who gave me 50 cents and told me to keep the change. My least favorite customers were the ones who seemed to never be home on collection day. Movie stars kissed with their mouths shut. At least, they did in the movies. Touching someone else's tongue with yours was called French kissing and they didn't do that in movies. I don't know what they did in French movies. French movies were dirty and we weren't allowed to see them. If you grew up in a generation before there was fast food, you may want to share some of these memories with your children or grandchildren. Just don't blame me if they bust a gut laughing. Growing up isn't what it used to be, is it? 'MEMORIES' from a friend:  My Dad is cleaning out my grandmother's house (she died in December) and he brought me an old Royal Crown Cola bottle. In the bottle top was a stopper with a bunch of holes in it. I knew immediately what it was, but my daughter had no idea. She thought they had tried to make it a salt shaker or something. I knew it as the bottle that sat on the end of the ironing board to 'sprinkle' clothes with because we didn't have steam irons. Man, I am old. How many do you remember? Head lights dimmer switches on the floor. Ignition switches on the dashboard. Heaters mounted on the inside of the fire wall. Real ice boxes. Pant leg clips for bicycles without chain guards. Soldering irons you heat on a gas burner. Using hand signals for cars without turn signals. Older Than Dirt Quiz: Count all the ones that you remember not the ones you were told about. Ratings at the bottom. 1. Blackjack chewing gum 2. Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water 3. Candy cigarettes 4. Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles 5. Coffee shops or diners with tableside juke boxes 6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers 7. Party lines 8. Newsreels before the movie 9. P.F. Flyers 10. Butch wax 11. Telephone numbers with a word prefix (Olive-6933) 12. Peashooters
13. Howdy Doody
 14. 45 RPM records 15. S& H green stamps 16. Hi-fi's 17. Metal ice trays with lever 18. Mimeograph paper 19. Blue flashbulb 20. Packard's 21. Roller skate keys 22. Cork popguns 23. Drive-ins 24. Studebakers 25. Wash tub wringers If you remembered 0-5 = You're still young If you remembered 6-10 = You are getting older If you remembered 11-15 = Don't tell your age, If you remembered 16-25 = You're older than dirt! I might be older than dirt but those memories are the best part of my life.
Below are some Comments made in the year 1955! "I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy a week's groceries for $20.00." "Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $2, 000.00 will only buy a used one."
"If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous. "Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?" "If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store."  "Kids today are impossible. Those duck tail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls." "I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either HELL or DAMN in it." "I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas." "Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the President." "I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now." "It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet." "It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work." "Marriage doesn't mean a thing any more, those Hollywood stars seem to be getting divorced at the drop of a hat." "I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business." "Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to congress." "The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on." "There is no sense going to Lincoln or Omaha anymore for a weekend, it costs nearly $15.00 a night to stay in a hotel." "No one can afford to be sick anymore, at $35.00 a day in the hospital it's too rich for my blood." Can you relate? THOSE born 1920-1979 TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!! First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes .Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. As infants & children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because, WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or chat rooms....... WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them! Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL! If YOU are one of themCONGRATULATIONS! You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good While you are at it, share it with your kids so they will know how brave (and lucky) their parents were. Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?! Can You Remember When?
Before the Internet or the PC or MAC. Way back . . . A time when the biggest thrill of the year was when Barnum and Bailey's wagons were unloaded from the train, and the Fireman's Volunteer Band came marching down the street ahead of them, on the way to the vacant lots where we watched the elephants put up the tents. Remember . . . Mother May I? When the ice cream man came jingling down the street, kids coming running from blocks around, and eatin' a 'super dooper sandwich' for a nickel. Running through the sprinkler . . . The smell of the sun and lickin' salty lips . . .? Watchin' Saturday Morning cartoons at the Rialto, all day for 10¢. And if your allowance was a quarter, you had enough left over for 2 bags of popcorn and a soda!! The National Anthem was played and we all stood, hands on our heart, as the curtains opened before the NewsReel and the first movie, Our Gang, the Bowery Boys, The Three Stooges. Intermission -- for all the kids to go running for whatever they needed to do most... The best part was the cartoons, Mickey Mouse, Road Runner, Porky Pig, ------ and Bugs. Then -- Tarzan, Jungle Jim, Tom Mix, Gene Autry, Wild Bill Hickok, Errol Flynn, The Lone Ranger, Sky King, The Invisible Man, Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff -- OH BOY!!! And a pocket full of dried peas and a peashooter?? Catchin' lightening bugs in a jar, playin sling shot and crack the whip? When around the corner seemed far away, And going downtown seemed like really going somewhere? Climbing trees and getting sticky fingers, and a million mosquito bites? Cops and Robbers, Cowboys and Indians. Runnin till you were out of breath, then sittin on the curb and watching the stars? (You could see them then, 'cause the nearest street light was two blocks away at the trolley stop.) Sitting in an old apple tree and eating as many green apples as you could without worrying about the green apple trots. Going shoe skating (without real ice skates) with friends on the old slough that froze over in winter. Bedtime . . . Jumping on the bed, pillow fights, being tickled to death, laughing so hard that your stomach hurt? Being tired from playin'.... Remember that? Crowding in a circle around the 'after school fight', then running when the teacher came? What about the girl that had the big bubbly hand writing?? Do you remember each of the many loves you have had through life? Eating Kool-aid powder with sugar - didn't that taste good? Just to go back and say, Remember . . .  When it took five minutes for the TV to warm up? (How about before TV, when almost all families had a radio, usually in the living room? . . . Or tickling the crystal to find the hot spot?) When nearly everyone's mom was at home when the kids got there? When nobody owned a purebred dog? When a quarter was a decent allowance, and another quarter a huge bonus? When you'd reach into a muddy gutter for a penny? When girls neither dated nor kissed until late high school, if then? When your Mom wore nylons that came in two pieces? When all of your male teachers wore neckties and female teachers had their hair done up, everyday? When you got your windshield cleaned, oil checked, and gas pumped, without asking, for free, every time? And, you didn't pay for air? And, you got trading stamps to boot! When nobody was prettier than Mom. And scrapes and bruises were kissed and made better.When laundry detergent had free glasses, dishes or towels hidden inside the box? When flour came in 50lb. and 100lb. printed cotton sacks for Mom to make pretty new dresses and blouses for your sisters? (And your boxer shorts?) {{frown}} When any parent could discipline any kid, or feed him, or use him to carry groceries, and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it. When it was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents. When they threatened to keep kids back a grade if they failed . . . and did! When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home? Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat!! When we were taught the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution for United States in school and knew what they meant, and we said the Pledge of Allegiance every day in the first class of the morning. When a hobo came to your door, you'd open the door and help them, never fearing for your life....you were just helping another who was experiencing rough times. I want to go Decisions were made by going eeny-meeny-miney-mo and mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "Do it over!""Race issues" meant arguing about who ran the fastest. Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in Monopoly. Catching lightning bugs could happily occupy an entire evening. It wasn't odd to have two or three "best" friends. Being old referred to anyone over 20. The net on a tennis court or the neighbor's fence was the perfect height to play volleyball and rules didn't matter. The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was cooties. It was magic when Dad would "remove" his thumb. Remember the before your eyes and how it made them blink when Dad would thump you on the noggin, just before you went under his thumb? (Lordy, I was under it often enough!) It was unbelievable that dodgeball wasn't an Olympic event. Having a weapon in school meant being caught with a slingshot. It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the "big people" rides at the amusement park. Getting a foot of snow was a dream come true. Grampa said "Pull my finger." Grandma would hide cookies for you. Abilities you didn't know you had were discovered because of a "double-dog-dare". Saturday morning cartoons weren't 30-minute ads for action figures. Do you remember when . . . "Oly-oly-oxen-free" made perfect sense? Spinning around, getting dizzy, and falling down was cause for giggles? The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team? War was a card game? Water balloons were the ultimate weapon? Baseball cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle? Taking drugs meant orange-flavored chewable aspirin? Home-made fresh peach or strawberry ice cream from real thick cream skimmed off the top of the bottles was considered a basic food group? (You mean it isn't???!!!?) Your older siblings were your worst tormentors, but also your fiercest protectors? Feeling the unrelenting love and warmth that comes from hugging a fuzzy puppy while it happily licks your face away...and all you can do is just giggle. Cigarette smoking was fashionable, GRASS was mowed, Coke was a cold drink and POT was something you cooked in. ROCK MUSIC was Grandma's lullaby and AIDS were helpers in the Principal's office. We certainly were not before the difference between the sexes was discovered, but we surely were before the sex change, we We could recognize the "make and year" of a car from a distance, be it a Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Cadillac, LaSalle, Chevy, Pontiac, Buick, Chrysler, DeSoto, Plymouth, Dodge, Packard, Graham-Paige, Hupmobile, Cord, Auburn, Hudson, Nash, Studebaker, Willys, a host of others now gone, and of course, the Crosley. We could sit on the running boards, fenders or the bumpers. The bumpers could really withstand a bump, and an "air bag" referred to "somebody's mother-in-law," or a congressman or senator Being really thankful for all the good things in life that you've experienced, and having the knowledge to know that bad things were secondary and temporary, and they only came along to make you appreciate the good things more. Each one of these
are film clips from old TV shows. Under the video is
information, facts and other interesting stuff.  1 JACKIE GLEASON ON THE ROCKY MARCIANO
SHOW THE MAIN
EVENT
(1960)Jackie recalls his early days as a night club comic in Newark, NJ (and the brawl); also, Jackie receives a humanitarian award from Rocky and salutes sidekick Art Carney (Du Mont) Bloopers from The Honeymooners on OTV ch 11 also ch. 30; Marciano v. Wolcott fight on ch. 64 2
JAMES DEAN: HIS FINAL TV
APPEARANCE
(1954)Rebellious trait obvious, James Dean talks about car racing and safety on Gig Young's show; Walks off set a mention of speeding; eerily, Dean was killed days later in a tragic car collisiom. (Du Mont) 3
ELVIS SINGS
BLUE SUEDE
SHOES
(1956)The King lives here! Elvis Presley debuts on "The Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey Show." (CBS) In the house: Elvis sings many more of his hits on our Classic Oldies Video Juke Box below! 4
A
TRIBUTE TO ELVIS PRESLEY, THE KING OF ROCK & ROLL
(1959-62)Clips of The King from his early days to induction into the Army, see The King's mom, dad & Col. Tom Hear Elvis' first #1 1957 hit for RCA, Heartbreak Hotel. (clips from Movietone & AP News) 5
THE EDSEL INTRODUCED ON
NBC(1957)Ford paid the network big dollars (in those days) to run this filmed The Edsel Show promotion. Ford canned the car shortly after; it is today a revered automotive classic. (NBC) More 50s cars ch.63v 6
BOBBY DARIN'S "MACK THE
KNIFE"
(1959)Bobby opened his first of hour variety shows performing his biggest number one hit. (and his label, Atco, didn't want him to record it!) (CBS) *There's more Bobby below: hosting a beauty contest & on the OldiesTeleVision Video Juke Box. 7
WESTINGHOUSE DEBUTS HI-TECH "ADVANCED
TV"
(1951)Show the kids hi-tech video blossoming before anyone heard of cable, satellite or HDTV. They may chuckle, The "one knob-no antenna-black matrix pix tube" had viewers in awe..but it was a technical disaster. (TVC) 8
WILLIAM BENDIX AS LOVABLE CHESTER A.
RILEY
(1956)The Life Of Riley with Marjorie Reynolds, Tom D'andrea, Lugene Sanders, Wesley Morgan Once played by Groucho Marx & Jackie Gleason, Bendix's Riley was the definitive blue collar family guy. Watch Riley, delirious over having his tonsils removed, drive family, Gillis, & hospital nurse (Honeybee) crazy!(CBS) 9
ICONS I: WHAT MADE 50'S TV
GOLDEN
(COMPILATION, (1952-60)Art Carney, Rod Serling, Manicurist Madge, Ted Mack, Annette & Frankie, The Champs, Don Adams. It was Ted Mack's Amateur Hour that introduced Frank Sinatra, Connie Francis, Pat Boone. (UPI) 10
THE PATTI PAGE
SHOW
(1958)The Singin' Rage sings the immortal Tennessee Waltz, it doesn't get anny better than this. Also from her show, Patti croons over that cute little Doggie In The Window. (syndicated) 11
BLOOPERS FROM
THE
HONEYMOONERS
(1957-58)On live TV: Audrey misses her entrance cue, Jackie's fly is open (watch how brilliantly he improvs). Jackie slips on the set (happened again at CBS, where he broke his leg) (Du Mont) see also ch.30 & 82, 12
THE CENSORED JERRY LEE LEWIS HERE
UNCENSORED!
(1957-59)Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls Of Fire! The' "Killer" smooches his child bride cousin on a filmed news interview on stage, he goes wild performing (looks like today's metal rockers). The networks nixed both. (UPI) 13
A
TRUE 50's DOO WOP TV CLASSIC(1958)Rare Clip: The Del Vikings Perform Jitterbug Mary (taped at WOOK-TV Baltimore) *There's many more classic Doo Wop Originals On The Classic Oldies Video Jukebox below. 14
the original
FAMILY
AFFAIR
(1966)Brian Keith & Sebastian Cabot sin the last of the sentimental family sitcoms (despite failed 2004 remake_. An affluent bachelor and his butler uddenly gain custody of adorable orphaned nieces and nephew (CBS) 15
ALAN FREED'S BIG BEAT DANCE PARTY
DANCERS
(1959)Local NYC Ch. 5 Freed show regulars dance and post-payola Alan Freed's parting statement (Metromedia); plus Dick Clark's rigid payola statement to an angry Senate investigator (UPI) 16
THE STEVE ALLEN
SHOW
(1957)Steverino's classic rock and roll poetic hate reading of Be Bop A Lula, no apology to Gene Vincent. Steve snubbed rock, had no rock acts on his show, but then booked them on his shows to get ratings (NBC). 17
The Inventor Of
TV Sketch Comedy ERNIE KOVACS
(1954)Long before SNL, imitated by his contemporaries (Berle, Gleason, Skelton), he was the true inventor of TV sketch satire. Ernie's Kovacs; vignettes could have been taped yesterday~still look contemporary, he was a TV comedy visionary There are more Ernie Kovacs comedy innovation in our Oldies Television Trivia Quiz, link below. 18
THE RED SKELTON
SHOW
(1959)Red as Clem Kaddiddlehoffer going to college, with guests: Reed Haley ("Racket Squad") & Marvin Kaplan ("Meet Millie") We included Red's traditional, eye candy June Taylor Dancers' sketch opening and Red laughing at his own jokes (CBS) 19
ICONS: THE DELINQUENCY
RAMPAGE!
(COMPILATION, 1957-60)Hoods, Dolls, Street Fights, Make Out Points & ...Barry Goldwater. "Cool man. Ya dig it? Like, Wow! Ya square'r sometin?" This, kids, was how your parent's parents perceived the next out of control, immoral generation (AIP) 20
FATHER KNOWS
BEST
(1953)Full Episode of The definitive aspartame family sitcom: Betty & Kathy fued begin over a bathing suit Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, Lauren Chapin. (CBS) 21
PETTICOAT
JUNCTION
(1962)Bea Bernadette and Edgar Buchanan bring up three perky teenage countrypolitan girls in Hooterville, at the Shady Rest Hotel; this show was the precursor to Green Acres Toot toot! (CBS) 22OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST BOB
MATTHIAS
(1956)1952 Olympic Triathalon Champ Discusses The games & movie debut with mild mannered Herb Sheldon. Sheldon hosted several shows ranging from talk, to teen dance, to Ricky Tick Piano. (Du Mont) 23
:
DANCES OF THE 1950's: THE HAND
JIVE
(1957)Teens perform the Hand Jive dance to Johnnie Otis' Willie & The Hand Jive adlib with Rockette precision (DuMont) What do Johnny Otis, Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton & Grease have in common? Read how the Jive goes on today. 24
GROUCHO MARX
YOU BET YOUR
LIFE
(1959)Contestants: Then 11 year old Candice Bergen appearing with dad, Edgar; also Groucho's daughter, Melinda. Are the dads smarter than the 6th graders? In part 2, Dads join daughters in the quiz. Say the secret word! (NBC) 25
the original
DRAGNET(1959)The grandaddy of all TV cop shows and the definitive police melodrama with Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday, Ben Alexander as Officer Frank Smith. Olan Soule as the lab tech. Just the facts, ma'am. (NBC) 26
THE IMMORTAL MUSICAL COMEDY OF VICTOR
BORGE
1951Victor and the symphony orchestra give a new twist to Listz and it is a classic Borge, both a musical & comedy genius. Victor Borge's precision piano and satiric talent are as natural as his warmth. (CBS)  27
EDDIE FISHER SINGS A MEDLEY OF HIS
BIGGEST HITS
1953Eddie croons I'm Walking Behind You, Anytime, With These Hands, Oh My Papa on his TV show. Like the era crooners, Fisher got 15 minutes a week to enthrall fans..and also Liz Taylor & Debbie Reynolds.. (NBC) 28
ABBOTT & COSTELLO:L WHO'S ON
FIRST?
1951This is the signature Bud Abbot and Lou Costello comedy routine that is often imitated, never duplicated. The duo did hosting stints on The Colegate Comedy Hour and Hollywood Palace. (NBC) 29
MORE DANCES OF THE 1950's
THE
JITTERBUG 1958
It started with Cab Calloway and ended up the most popular moves on American Bandstand, et al. Here, it becomes the domain of Bill Haley & The Comets' ripping off Little Richards' "Gonna Rip It Up." (AIP). 30.
THE HONEYMOONERS ...IN COLOR!
1969Ralph & Ed are jailed in Paris, accused of counterfeiting. Ed's escape plan backfires with hilarious results. Gleason wanted the show taped by Wometco TV in Miami, Audrey Meadows & Joyce Randolph had NYC commitments Shiela Macrae & Jane Kean played wives Alice & Trixie; TV audiences didn't accept the change. (CBS) 31
THE ORIGINAL FLASH GORDON
SERIAL
theatres-1939; TV-1960'sBefore TJ's doo wop concerts, PBS used Buster Crabbe's Flash Gordon cinema serials rattle the PBS tin cup. From Captain Video to Captains Kirk, Picard & Janeway, scifi and space travel was always a TV niche. (PBS) 32
Full Episode THE LONE
RANGER
1955Hi Ho, Silver! It's the grandaddy of weekly TV western series starring oft masked Clayton Moore. The Lone Ranger was the top rated #1 of the many Saturday afternoon "thataway" exciting oaters Here is the full version of the debut episode, Enter The Lone Ranger Hi, Ho Silver! (syndicated). 33
THE ENDEARING GRIMACES OF EDDIE
CANTOR
1952Hosting The Colegate Comedy Hour, Eddie pantomines a sketch as the hapless victim of a vixen. A forgotten legend, Cantor's expressive face and singing style warmed the cockles of viewer's hearts. (NBC) 34
BOBBY DARIN NERVOUSLY HOSTS A BEAUTY
CONTEST
1957Long before having his own weekly show, Bobby's first TV emcee gig, hosting a product hyped beauty pageant Uh oh, , what a disaster! The contestant names are mixed up and so are the sponsor's promo lines (Du Mont) 35
MORE DANCES OF THE 1950's: THE LINDY
HOP
1959From American Bandstand in Phillie, to a Dick Clark special in St. Louis to The Jersey Shore, everybody was Lindy Hopping to Danny & The Juniors "At The Hop" You can swing it, you can do it (ABC) ...and there's more Danny & The Juniors, here to stay, on our Classic Oldies Video Jukebox (below) 36
SHAKE, BABY,
SHAKE! IT'S THE KILLER
AGAIN!
1958Jerry Lee Lewis brings down the house again for his rehearsed fan club prez on Dick Clark's show. The fireball shooter misses the song cues and a camera catches a guy trying to jump on stage. (ABC) 37.
THE DANNY THOMAS
SHOW
1958"Make Room For Daddy" with rare Danny Thomas, Marjoriie Lord, Rusty Hammer, Angela Cartright. The kids wreak havoc on daddy and mommy with a divide and concur tactic. (CBS) Please support St. Jude's Children's Hospital founded by Danny. Help save lives of children with cancer. 38
SID CAESAR: YOUR SHOW OF
SHOWS
1957Legendary sketch comedy with co-stars Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner & Howie Morris as "Uncle Goofy" doing their classic takeoff on This Is Your Life, also a glimpse of The Timepiece (CBS) 39
HERE COMES
TOBOR!
1954Before Captain Video got a hold of Tobor, little Robbie ran the prequel to "Tobor The Great." Madison Ave jumped on ship with a cardboard Tobor mask. Don't laugh, they sold. (Du Mont) 40
THE ADVENTURES OF
SUPERMAN
1954After the animation came TV's live Superman series starring George Reeves and Noel Neill as Lois Lane Lois gets is abducted by a gangster, Superman sans Clark Kent saves the damsel in distress. (CBS) 41
THE ADVENTURES OF
FLIPPER
1964Let's get our minds off killer whales and go back to this beloved, adorable dolphin. Each week this amazing mammal fascinated kids and adults by solving mysteries! (synd.) 42
SPIKE JONES 1951Spike & the gang of hilarious musical whackies perform their signature "Cocktails For Two." As you see this wild musical circus, know Spike Jones choreographed the zany antics. (Du Mont) 43
CAPTAIN VIDEO & HIS VIDEO RANGERS
1950Before Captain Kirk, there was Captain Video chasing those bad guys around the galaxy. The "Star Trek" of it's time, network program directors made the very same mistake. (Du Mont) 44.
THE LIBERACE SHOW
1952Walter Liberace brought style to candlelight piano music, with, of course, brother George on violin. This rare clip captures the musical heart and soul of the flamboyant pianist. (Du Mont) 45
MEDIC
1954First and still best medical drama series. Richard Boone as Konrad Steiner MD. Still as relevant: prizeighter befelled by Diabetes. This is pioneer medical TV drama. (NBC) 46
THE BIG VALLEY
1965Outstanding Western series with Barbara Stanwyck, Lee Majors and Linda Evans Full episode: "Heritage" Fanatics threaten to blow up the Bartley mine (NBC) 47
THE ROOTS OF TV
BASEBALL
1950-57Visual newsreel memories of baseball's great early years, featuring a tribute to Jackie Robinson So relevant now: Robinson broke the color line in baseball, Obama in the US presidency. (Movietone) 48
Mc HALE'S NAVY
1962Before cracking up Harvey Korman, Tim Conway was sidekick to Ernest Borgnine on this military sitcom View a full half hour episode and watch Tim fall (literally) for a Lt. Commander Nurse. (NBC) 49
HOPALONG
CASSIDY
1952The Saturday afternoon TV Western staple starring William Boyd as frontier vigilante Hoppy. Of the many Saturday TV matinee oaters, this ranked #2 in ratings. Giddyap! (syndicated) 50
DARK SHADOWS
1966The first Weekday afternoon TV gothic soap opera, Jonathan Frid as the Vampire Barnaby Collins. For a brief time, this breakthrough gothic drama out-ranked established serial dramas in ratings. (ABC) 51
FADS & FANCIES OF THE 50s &
60s The Hula Hoop, Twist, Palisades Park Beauty Contests, Rock-Ola Juke Box, Ford Thunderbird, more set to the music of The Olympics' "Dance By The Light Of The Moon" (edited by CI) 52
I
LOVE LUCY
1952Highlights from TV episodes involving the coming of "Little Ricky" that captured viewer's hearts. Ricky gets the news during his club performances, he and the Mertzes go frenetic when "it's time". Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, William Frawley. (CBS) 53
full episode THE DICK VAN DYKE
SHOW
1962You asked for it, here it is, Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore with guest Bob Crane (Hogan's Heros . Dick is directing a community theatre show, Mary sings & dances a vampy Calypso song Ohhh, Rob! (CBS) 54
THE BEATLES FIRST TELEVISION
APPEARANCE
1963Not yet on Sullivan or in the U.S., the Fab Four debuted "She Loves You" On The Mersey Sound (BBC) *There's more Beatles & other British Invasion classics on the Classic Oldies Video Juke Box below. 55
BAT MASTERSON
1958Gene Barry stars as the debonair Bat Masterson, this episode "The Stampete In Tent City Guest stars Robert Conrad as the vigilante out to avenge his brother's killer (NBC) 56
MARTY ROBBINS ON THE JOHNNY CASH
SHOW
1964Back in the 60's, Holiday Inn funded half hour shows for Dolly Parton, Bobby Vinton & Marty Robbins Before his own show aired, Marty sang "El Paso" on Johnny Cash's short lived TV gig (syndicated) 57
FRANK SINATRA SPEAKS
CANDIDLY
1954Would you believe, a humble Frank Sinatra? He speaks openly about the bad years, gratitude to Bob Hope & his all time favorite movie role (can you guess which one?). (CBS) 58
PASSWORD
1962Allen Ludden hosted this enormously popular game show 1962 to 1971 on all 3 networks & syndication Allen vies celebs Carol Burnett and Gary Moore against contestants to win $250-big prize then (CBS) 59
The Phenomenon STAR TREK TV ON
DEMAND
1966-presentNow you don;'t have to sit up and wait until 3AM when stations run Star Trek episodes. Get them here right now!. Watch Full Episodes of Star Trek, Star Trek:The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, Voyager, Enterprise (synd Paramount) Also a clip of Trek's post cancellation UK placebo, SPACE:1999 wMartin Landau, Batbara Bain (ITV). 60
MORE DANCES OF THE 50's:
THE SWINGBACK
1958New York teens dance The Swingback (also called The Sway) to Duane Eddy's "Forty Miles Of Bad Road" The hips swayed and the preachers prayed rock & roll would go away. It didn't. (MGM) 61
THE LIVE TV FRIDGE COMMERCIAL
CATASTROPHE
1954Poor Westinghouse. If their built in antenna TV fiasco wasn't enough, more flawed, chagrin causing infamy: the automatic referigerator door that jammed on this live nationally broadcast commercial. Bet heads rolled! (CBS) 62
THE ARTHUR GODFREY
SHOW
1957He ridiculed sponsors, fired staff on the air, fixed talent contests and made Godlike demands on execs, crew;, yet still got big ratings, ruled corporate airwaves and network, sort of like Oprah does now, sans chicanery (CBS) 63
BUILDING THE 1958
DODGE
1957What a retrospect! A TV industrial film goes inside the Dodge automotive plant foundry to finish<.br> In 1979, Chrysler received a government bailout to make new Dodge cars. Sound familiar? (commercial). 64
FIGHT CLASSIC: ROCKY MARCIANO vs.
JERSEY JOE WALCOTT
1952Highlights from that historic championship boxing match in Philadelphia September 12, 1952<.br> Of course you'll see that boffo KO comeback in the 13th round~this is the true Rocky, Sly. (DuMont). Check out Dynamite Joe Rindone's fights, too, on Oldies Television Ch 79! 65
AND MORE GREAT ICONS OF THE 50's VOL
III
1952-59Richard Nixon's first scandal, John Wayne's PSA, Marilyn Monroe's Motor Oil, Jimmy Durante's Schnozz, George Burns & Gracie Allen, Jack Benny & Dennis Day, Laurel & Hardy, Jackie & Art's "Hello, Ball!" 66
ALFRED HITCHCOCK
PRESENTS
1959With a "good evening," came melodramatic thrillers from the Master Of Suspense, Alfred Hitchccock The man whose big screen movies kept us on the edge of our seats brought the same to small screens (CBS). 67
SATURDAY NIGHTLIVE~~ BEFORE
SNL
1954-58All Broadcast Live Sat Eves: The Bob Hope Show, The Liberace Show, The Ken Murray Show, Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis, The Steve Allen Show, The Pat Harrington Show, The Jackie Gleason Show Sid Cesar's Your Show Of Shows. Watch many surprises with regulars & guests. (ABC-CBS-DuMont-NBC). 68
FELIX THE CAT
1959In 1928, RCA testing Vladimir Zworkyn's iconoscope , Felix The Cat was the first image ever on TV; Oldies Television's roster would not be complete without Otto Mesmer's historic cartoon icon. Here is his 1959 Saturday cartoon show with a new, hip updated opening that we can just ignore.(NBC). 69
THE DONNA REED
SHOW
1958Donna mugs nervously to the camera when daughter, Mary (Shelley Fabares) sings at a school dance. The song she sings? "Johnny Angel," of course. Dad (Dr. Stone, Carl Betz) allays Mom's fears. Full episode soon and check out the Donna Reed Christmas Show below on ch 79 (NBC) 70
full episode THE GOLDBERGS
1952Gertrude Berg served as executive producer and co-writer as well as star of this beloved sitcom about the matriarch (Molly) of a middle class Jewish family. Frank Sutton, who would later be Gomer Pyle's Sarge, guest stars in this episode. (synd.) 71
LUCILLE BALL & CAROL
BURNETT
1965Two queens of comedy together with Gale Gordon as straight man on "The Lucy Show". Lucy wants to join Carol on a trip to Palm Springs, they scheme to fool Boss Mooney. (CBS) 72
THE LITTLE
RASCALS
1955The top Saturday morning TV attraction in the 50's was the re-worked MGM "Our Gang Comedies" This favorite classic episode has Darla wooing Alfalfa rather than vice versa on Valentine Day. Of course, the other guys would throw a hilarious gremlin in Alfalfa's romantic ballad crooning. (synd.) 73 full
episode HIGHWAY PATROL
1956Before there was "Book 'em, Dano" in Hawaii, there was "Ten.Four" in California. Brodericj Crawford starred, If you think dope smuggling was a thing of the 70's, wait 'til you see this narc bust in the 50's. (ZIV/MGM synd.). 74 full
episode LOST IN SPACE
1966Danger Will Robinson! The world's first and last outer space sitcom; today, like "Trek," has fan conventions. This episode guest stars Mercedes Mc Cambridge (The Exorcist), here as matriarch of alien hillbillies who grow a "Little Shop of Horrors" intruded upon by Dr Snith (Jonathan Harris) and Will (Bill Muny) (ABC) 75
BEULAH
1951Long before The Jeffersons and Sanford & Son even before Amos & Andy on TV. there was the talented Ethel Waters as supermaid Beaulah & Butterfly Mc Queen as next door Orio Sadly, Proctor & Gamble canceled the highly rated, popular show after only two seasons. Guess why.(CBS) 76
BEWITCHED
1966Wriggle your nose, it's Elizabeth Montgomery as that saucy, sassy, beautiful, bedazzling witch and Dick York as her befuddled hubbie, Darren (or as Agnes Moorehead would say, "Durwood" (NBC) 77
I
DREAM OF JEANIE
1966Out of the bottle comes that lusciously capricious Jeanie, Barbara Eden (blink-blink). Larry Hagman is her adopted master, Bill Daly is the bewildered buddy (CBS). 78
SEA HUNT
1957The "Dragnet" of the ocean floor, Lloyd Bridges fights underwater crime with only a snorkle. This syndicated show, along with "Flipper" (coming soon), got high tide ratings in it's era (ZIV) 79
DYNAMITE JOE
RINDONE
1954Like Rocky Marciano, Joe Rindone was the son of Italian immigrants who rose to boxing glory. Here is Dynamite Joe in action from the era when boxing was true sportsmanship. produced by Andrew Bertino. (Vimeo). 80
THE MILTON BERLE
SHOW
1957Featuring Arnold Stang & guest Mickey Rooney; Berle's swan song after 8 Tues. Nite Years. Bit: Berle wants Gleason like publicity, so he feigns a broken leg for a press conference (NBC) 81
THE LEGEND OF DOO
WOPThat streetcorner harmony from the 50's that will never die, the music we know call Doo Wop Here are video specials which tribute the unforgettable part of R&R and R&B Plus REMEMBERING DOO WOP RADIO with commentary by Don K. Reed. music by The Crests, Frankie Lymon & The Knockouts. 82
MIKE WALLACE & EDWARD R.
MURROW
1952-54If you thought Mike Wallace was tough on "60 Minutes," wait 'til you see him on the fifties!. You won't believe what he said to Steve Allen (neither did Allen, most likely), but Kirk Douglas got his say) Legendary Edward R. Murrow and Senator Joseph McCarthy go at calling the other "un-American"..(CBS)  THE PIONEERS OF KIDVID: 1950's CHILDREN'S TV SHOWS Howdy Doody, Junior Frolics, Winky Dink, Willie Wonderful, Rocky & Bullwinkle With the earliest TV production and animation techniques, these popular programs were the father of children's television, long before PBS and Nickelodeon. This was the "kiddievTV" 50's Full episodes of these Golden Age first generation shows for tots on separate submenu~click title link  for March 2010 THE TIME
TUNNEL
1965Irwin Allen (Lost In Space, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea produced this sci-fi fantasy series This episode: Merlin The Magaician pays the science lab a visit and wreaks havoc with time travel. IN GOD I (WE)TRUST...... READ ...JOHN 3:16
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