Television in the 1950s was an interesting mix of shows such as Leave It To Beaver, Howdy Doody, The Honeymooners and others. However, a few of the most memorable are I Love Lucy, Bonanza, Hit Parade, American Bandstand, and The Mickey Mouse Club.
The I Love Lucy show began its debut on CBS in 1951starring Lucille Ball
and real-life husband Desi Arnaz as Lucy and Ricky Ricardo. Americans by the
millions tuned in on Monday nights to catch the hit show. Who could ever forget
seeing Lucy working in a chocolate candy factory with Ethel Mertz or corralling
baby chicks in her living room? Lucille Ball made Lucy Ricardo
irresistible as she plunged into one daffy scheme after another; thus causing
Ricky to exclaim more than once, “Luucy, you’ve got some ’splaining to do.”
Bonanza. Mere mention of the word conjures up
pictures of the Cartwrights and their life in the wild west. Set on the
Ponderosa in Nevada, the show glamorized life in the American West during the
Gold Rush. Who could ever forget seeing a young Michael Landon as Little Joe?
Your Hit Parade, was a sort of 1950s version of MTV
and American Top Forty rolled into one. The show often featured variety acts as
well as dance segments with current popular music.
American Bandstand, was yet another music oriented
show, debuting in 1957, the show with host Dick Clark, took teenage America by
storm. The show featured many hit artists of the day, yet ironically enough,
Elvis Presley never was on the show.
The Mickey Mouse Club show debuted on ABC in
October of 1955. (However, a special preview was seen in July of that year.) The
show featured regular kids--not actors, amongst them Annette Funicello. The show
was a hit with “Mouseketeers” as the show’s fans called
themselves. The show ran until 1959, when a disagreement over advertising
between ABC and Walt Disney caused the show to be cancelled. Walt’s contract
would not allow for him to shop the show to another network.
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