1. 1950s Television

2. 1950s Networks NBC CBS ABC Du Mont ** All networks had scheduled programming only in the evening. The rest of the day viewers saw a test pattern.

4. “Quotes” “That piece of furniture that stares back at you” - Bob Hope “If the television craze continues... we are destined to have a nation of morons.” - Boston University President Daniel Marsh “Can you deny television to your children any longer?” Youngsters today need television for their morale as much as they need fresh air and sunshine for their health.”- TV dealers “We love Lucy too, so we’re closing on Monday nights.” - Marshal Field sign window.

5. Most-Watched Shows 1950: Texaco Star Theater (NBC) 1951: Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts (CBS) 1952: I Love Lucy (CBS) 1953: I Love Lucy (CBS) 1954: I Love Lucy (CBS) 1955: The $64,000 Question (CBS)

6. Most Watched Shows 1956: I Love Lucy (CBS) 1957: Gunsmoke (CBS) 1958: Gunsmoke (CBS) 1959: Gunsmoke (CBS)

7. TV Facts By the end of the 1940’s, only 9% of American households (about 1 million) owned a TV By 1956, Americans owned more than 42 million TV sets By 1959, 86% of the country’s households, (46 million) had TV sets and were watching for about 6 hours a day. “As the world turns” - Americans first 30-minute weekday serials called soap operas.

8. Effects of TV Americans began to stay up later Gave up dinner at the dinner table Child psychologists began to question if violent programs might be causing children to grow up with a completely distorted sense of what is right and wrong in human behavior. Increase in advertising

9. Comedians Jackie Gleason

10. Milton Berle

11. Lucille Ball

12. Family Comedies The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet 1952-1966

13. Make Room for Daddy 1953-1957

14. Leave it to Beaver 1957-1963

15. Father Knows Best 1954-1963

16. Cop Shows and Whodunits Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1955-1965

17. “The story you are about to see is true, Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.” Dragnet 1952

18. Quiz and Game Shows You bet your Life The $64,000 Question Tic Tac Dough Beat the jackpot Twenty-One What’s My Line

19. TV for Kids The Howdy Doody Show

20. Captain Kangaroo

21. Mickey Mouse Club

22. Lassie

23. Mighty Mouse