Having long been a fan of LEAVE IT TO BEAVER, I recently decided to become acquainted with FATHER KNOWS BEST. I am glad I did. FATHER and BEAVER represent the best of the '50s family sitcom genre, and they do have similarities as well as significant differences. FATHER had a richer range of family relationships, since the Anderson clan had three children of widely varying ages, including two girls. Jim Anderson (Robert Young) was the model of a thoughtful, principled, self-reflective father of that era. Margaret Anderson (Jane Wyatt) was also a pillar of strength and virtue as the mother of the family, while the three children (Betty, Bud and Kathy) braved the struggles of childhood and adolescence under the guidance of their parents. Betty was ambitious, smart, spirited, in some ways a prototype of the independent woman. (Her look in the show also, I believe, became the model for the popular image of the "50's teenage girl.") Bud was an easygoing guy prone to mistakes due to hubris or selfishness but able to learn from those mistakes. And then there was little Kathy - impish, mischievous and cute as a kitten (which was Jim's nickname for her, in fact). Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin filled their roles perfectly; Gray in particular showed great physical flair and agility as Bud.
FATHER differed from BEAVER also in the darker tone of some of the plots, dealing with topics like business ethics and the meaning of success and focusing on the parents just as much as the children. The cinematography fit this darker tone, using light and shadow in a way reminiscent of film noir. The show was often innovative in terms of structure, with dream or fantasy sequences serving as a complement to the plot. Two episodes of this type are "Mr. Beal Meets His Match" (in which Jim Anderson meets the devil!) and "Formula for Happiness."
I could go on about this fine show, but talking is no substitute for watching - which, thanks to the DVDs from Shout Factory, it is now easy to do. If you haven't seen FATHER KNOWS BEST, treat yourself to one of the greatest family shows ever created.
FATHER differed from BEAVER also in the darker tone of some of the plots, dealing with topics like business ethics and the meaning of success and focusing on the parents just as much as the children. The cinematography fit this darker tone, using light and shadow in a way reminiscent of film noir. The show was often innovative in terms of structure, with dream or fantasy sequences serving as a complement to the plot. Two episodes of this type are "Mr. Beal Meets His Match" (in which Jim Anderson meets the devil!) and "Formula for Happiness."
I could go on about this fine show, but talking is no substitute for watching - which, thanks to the DVDs from Shout Factory, it is now easy to do. If you haven't seen FATHER KNOWS BEST, treat yourself to one of the greatest family shows ever created.