1950's Television
By: Suzi Seaton
The Impact of Television on Americans
In the 1950's, television sets cost about $400, which was a huge amount back then. Despite the price, many people were enthusiastic about them and bought them. As said by the Newsweek Magazine, "TV was catching on like a case of high-toned scarlet fever." Everyone was buying TV sets, and if they weren't, they were standing outside of an appliance store that sold them and watching. There was a craze for TV. People called it, "Radios with pictures." It was a new technology that impacted society for generations to come.
Source: #1
Infograph
Black & White to Color TV
The "Perfect" 1950's Family Life on TV
Source: #4
Top 3 Shows each Year in the 50s
1. Texaco Star Theatre (NBC)
2. Fireside Theatre (NBC)3. Philco TV Playhouse (NBC)
1951:
1. Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts (CBS)
2. Texaco Star Theater (NBC)
3. I Love Lucy (CBS)
1952:
1. I Love Lucy (CBS)
2. Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts (CBS)
3. Arthur Godfrey and His Friends (CBS)
1953:
1. I Love Lucy (CBS)
2. Dragnet (NBC)
3. Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts (CBS)
1954:
1. I Love Lucy (CBS)
2. The Jackie Gleason Show (CBS)
3. Dragnet (NBC)
1955:
1. The $64,000 Question (CBS)
2. I Love Lucy (CBS)
3. The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS)
1956:
1. I Love Lucy (CBS)
2. The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS)
3. General Electric Theatre (CBS)
1957:
1.) Gunsmoke (CBS)
2.) The Danny Thomas Show (CBS)
3.) Tales of Wells Fargo (NBC)
1958:
1. Gunsmoke (CBS)
2. Wagon Train (NBC)
3. Have Gun Will Travel (CBS)
1959:
1. Gunsmoke (CBS)
2. Wagon Train (NBC)
3. Have Gun Will Travel (CBS)
Source: #3
Type of TV Shows in the 1950s
1. Shows like I Love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver, and Father Knows Best are examples of family oriented shows. These shows focused on families with the husband going to work daily and the wife being around the house and taking care of the children. These shows were very cliché and exemplified the "perfect" families.
2. Shows like Bonanza, Gunsmoke, and The Rifleman are examples of popular westerns that began in the 1950s. In Westerns, they would show the toughness of men and their battles with each episode ending happily.
3. Shows like The Ed Sullivan Show, The Jackie Gleason Show , and The Red Skeleton Show are exampled of variety shows. These shows captivated America with celebrity guest stars and skits throughout each episode. Many Americans enjoyed these shows to have a good laugh.
Comparing Then to Now
Bibliography
1. Allen, Steve. "Television in the United States." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016. Web. Jan. 2016.
<http://www.britannica.com/art/television-in-the-United-States>.
2. "Facts-Stats." Facts-Stats. Web. Jan. 2016. <http://www.tvhistory.tv/facts-stats.htm>.
3. Phipps, Paul. "TV Shows in the 1950s." RetroWaste. Aug. 2013. Web. Jan. 2016. <http://www.retrowaste.com/1950s/tv-shows-in-the-1950s/>.
4. "Land of Television." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, 2014. Web. Jan. 2016. <http://www.ushistory.org/us/53c.asp>.