Best '50s Sitcom
by Kirk-Picard | created - 01 Jan 2017 | updated - 01 Jan 2017 | PublicA situation comedy, or sitcom, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy where a troupe may use new characters in each sketch, and stand-up comedy where a comedian tells jokes and stories to an audience. Sitcoms originated in radio, but today are found mostly on television as one of its dominant narrative forms. This form can also include mockumentaries.A situation comedy television program may be recorded in front of a studio audience, depending on the program's production format. The effect of a live studio audience can be imitated or enhanced by the use of a laugh track.
Which one of these '50s sitcoms do you think is the best ?
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1. I Love Lucy (1951–1957)
TV-Y | 30 min | Comedy, Family
The wife of a band leader constantly tries to become a star - in spite of her having no talent, and gets herself (along with her best friend) into the funniest predicaments.
Stars: Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, William Frawley
Votes: 28,913
2. The Jack Benny Program (1950–1965)
Not Rated | 30 min | Comedy
The comic misadventures of the "skinflint" comedian and his friends.
Stars: Jack Benny, Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, Don Wilson, Dennis Day
Votes: 1,647
3. The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (1950–1958)
30 min | Comedy
Neighbor Blanche Morton frequently joined Gracie in escapades which annoy hubby Harry and provides George with an opportunity to offer a humorous soliloquy.
Stars: George Burns, Gracie Allen, Bea Benaderet, Harry von Zell
Votes: 1,536
4. Leave It to Beaver (1957–1963)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
The misadventures of a suburban boy, family and friends.
Stars: Jerry Mathers, Hugh Beaumont, Barbara Billingsley, Tony Dow
Votes: 9,345
5. The Honeymooners (1955–1956)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Family
A bus driver and his sewer worker friend struggle to strike it rich while their wives look on with weary patience.
Stars: Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows, Joyce Randolph
Votes: 6,230
6. Father Knows Best (1954–1960)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
The popular radio show comes to life in this hit sitcom about a wise family man, Jim Anderson, his common-sense wife Margaret and their children Betty, Bud and Kathy.
Stars: Robert Young, Lauren Chapin, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray
Votes: 2,640
7. The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952–1966)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
Ozzie and Harriet Nelson raise their two sons Ricky and David. As the sons age, they experience teenage dating problems, marriage and careers.
Stars: Ozzie Nelson, Harriet Nelson, Ricky Nelson, David Nelson
Votes: 1,604
8. The Real McCoys (1957–1963)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, Family
From the hills of West Virginia, Amos McCoy moves his family to an inherited farm in California. Grandpa Amos is quick to give advice to his three grandchildren and wonders how his neighbors ever managed without him around.
Stars: Walter Brennan, Richard Crenna, Kathleen Nolan, Tony Martinez
Votes: 1,294
9. The Donna Reed Show (1958–1966)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Family
A loving mother and wife deals with situations and problems of a middle-class family in the late 1950s and the early 1960s.
Stars: Donna Reed, Paul Petersen, Carl Betz, Shelley Fabares
Votes: 1,894
10. The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1959–1963)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Comedy, Family
A young man schemes and attempts to get the "better things in life" mostly popularity, success, and most importantly, girls.
Stars: Dwayne Hickman, Bob Denver, Frank Faylen, Florida Friebus
Votes: 2,054
11. The Danny Thomas Show (1953–1965)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Comedy, Family
Danny is a New York entertainer. Between his co-stars at the nightclub where he performs and his wife and kids, he has dilemmas galore, which he somehow manages to resolve and still laugh.
Stars: Danny Thomas, Rusty Hamer, Marjorie Lord, Angela Cartwright
Votes: 1,244
12. Dennis the Menace (1959–1963)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
Television episodes built around the same sorts of incidents found in Hank Ketcham's long-running comic strip.
Stars: Herbert Anderson, Jay North, Gloria Henry, Billy Booth
Votes: 2,548
13. The Abbott and Costello Show (1952–1957)
TV-G | 25 min | Comedy, Family, Mystery
Bud and Lou are unemployed actors living in Mr. Fields' boarding house. Lou's girlfriend Hillary lives across the hall. Any premise would lead to slapstick, puns, lots of gimmicks from their movies.
Stars: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Sid Fields, Gordon Jones
Votes: 1,349
14. The Phil Silvers Show (1955–1959)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
Master Sergeant Bilko, regularly helped by the soldiers at Fort Baxter's motor pool, spends little time performing his duties by constantly trying to obtain money through various get-rich-quick scams and promotions.
Stars: Phil Silvers, Harvey Lembeck, Paul Ford, Allan Melvin
Votes: 1,736
15. The Amos 'n Andy Show (1951–1953)
30 min | Comedy
Stories mostly centered on The Kingfish's schemes to get rich, often by duping his brothers in the Mystic Knights of the Sea Lodge. Andy was particularly dupable. Amos mostly narrated.
Stars: Alvin Childress, Spencer Williams, Tim Moore, Johnny Lee
Votes: 836
16. Our Miss Brooks (1952–1956)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
Miss Brooks is an English teacher who has a low paying job, lousy boss, has a crush on a teacher and whose student drives her to school. She lives in a boarding house.
Stars: Eve Arden, Gale Gordon, Jane Morgan, Robert Rockwell
Votes: 716
17. The Bob Cummings Show (1955–1959)
Not Rated | 30 min | Comedy
The romantic misadventures of Bob Collins, a suave, sophisticated bachelor and photographer operating in Hollywood, California. The show is centered around his womanizing ways with his models, and his sister's attempts to make him settle down.
Stars: Robert Cummings, Ann B. Davis, Rosemary DeCamp, Dwayne Hickman
Votes: 472
18. The Life of Riley (1953–1958)
30 min | Comedy
Riley worked in an aircraft plant in California, but viewers usually saw him at home, cheerfully disrupting life with his malapropisms and ill timed intervention into minor problems.
Stars: William Bendix, Marjorie Reynolds, Wesley Morgan, Tom D'Andrea
Votes: 445
19. My Little Margie (1952–1955)
30 min | Comedy
Margie lives with her father Vern and her crazy schemes get him into trouble especially with his boss Mr. Honeywell. She frequently involves Charlie and Mrs. Odetts in her plans. Freddie is her boyfriend while Roberta likes Vern.
Stars: Gale Storm, Charles Farrell, Clarence Kolb, Don Hayden
Votes: 448
20. Bachelor Father (1957–1962)
30 min | Comedy, Family
The misadventures of a single adoptive father raising a teenage niece with the help of his manservant.
Stars: John Forsythe, Noreen Corcoran, Sammee Tong, Bernadette Withers
Votes: 582
21. I Married Joan (1952–1955)
Not Rated | 30 min | Comedy
The adventures of the scatterbrained wife of a respected city judge.
Stars: Joan Davis, Jim Backus, Geraldine Carr, Beverly Wills
Votes: 403
22. Blondie (1957– )
30 min | Comedy, Family
Arthur Lake had played Dagwood in a long series of "Blondie" movies. This show, retelling stories and situations familiar to readers of the comic strip, lasted one year.
Stars: Arthur Lake, Pamela Britton, Ann Barnes, Florenz Ames
Votes: 121
23. Mister Peepers (1952–1955)
30 min | Comedy
Mr. Peepers is a shy science teacher at Jefferson Junior High. He is always faced with problems but is never outwitted.
Stars: Wally Cox, Patricia Benoit, Tony Randall, Marion Lorne
Votes: 164
24. Private Secretary (1953–1957)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy
Susie is secretary to handsome talent agent Peter Sands and keeps getting messed up in (and messing up) his private life. She's assisted (usually) by receptionist Vi and semi-rival Sylvia. ... See full summary »
Stars: Ann Sothern, Don Porter, Ann Tyrrell, Joan Banks
Votes: 205
25. Mister Ed (1961–1966)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
The misadventures of a wisecracking talking horse and his human owner.
Stars: Allan Lane, Alan Young, Connie Hines, Mister Ed
Votes: 4,664
26. The Danny Thomas Show (1953–1965)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Comedy, Family
Danny is a New York entertainer. Between his co-stars at the nightclub where he performs and his wife and kids, he has dilemmas galore, which he somehow manages to resolve and still laugh.
Stars: Danny Thomas, Rusty Hamer, Marjorie Lord, Angela Cartwright
Votes: 1,244
27. Lassie (1954–1974)
TV-G | 30 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
The ongoing saga of the Martin family and their beloved collie, Lassie.
Stars: Lassie, Jon Provost, June Lockhart, Hugh Reilly
Votes: 3,808
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