Often regarded as the first golden era of television, the 1950s was a decade when many classic programs—from I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke to The Honeymooners and Perry Mason, among others—made their debuts. Even after these shows departed the airwaves, they lived on in syndication, entertaining several generations of viewers. Devoted and casual fans alike can probably remember basic facts about these shows—like the names of Lucy and Ricky’s neighbors or the town where Marshall Matt Dillon kept the law. But more elusive facts, like the location of the most successful defense attorney in Los Angeles (Suite 904 of the Brent Building), might be harder to recall. In Television Series of the 1950s: Essential Facts and Quirky Details, Vincent Terrace presents readers with a cornucopia of information about 100 programs from the decade. Did you know, for example, that the middle initial of Dobie Gillis’ friend Maynard G. Krebs, stood for Walter? Or that Ralph Kramden’s electric bill came to only 39 cents a month? Or that on I Love Lucy, Ricky originally performed at Manhattan’s Tropicana Club? These are but a few of the hundreds of fun and intriguing trivia facts contained within this volume. Shows from all four networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, and DuMont)—as well as select syndicated programs—are represented here. This is not a book of opinions or essays about specific television programs, but a treasure trove of the facts associated with each of these programs. Readers will discover a wealth of fascinating information that, for the most part, cannot be found anywhere else. In some cases, the factual data detailed herein is the only such documentation that exists currently on bygone shows of the era. Television Series of the 1950s is the ideal reference for fans of this decade and anyone looking to stump even the most knowledgeable trivia expert.

As Americans grappled with the real problems of the atomic age in the 1950s, the science fiction television series provided escapist fare. At first essentially fantasy and adventure, the shows reflected the progress of the decade, using in the late 1950s extrapolations from the theories and findings of true science. From Adventures of Superman to World of Giants, this reference work covers all science fiction television series of the 1950s. A lengthy essay details character development, technical innovations, critical commentary and other matters. The episode guides that follow first provide primary cast and production credits for the entire season and then coverage of each individual episode, with title, airdate, writer, director, and a plot synopsis. Much of the information was derived from actual viewing, and many errors from other works are corrected here.

America in the 1950s: the world was not so much a stage as a setpiece for TV, the new national phenomenon. It was a time when how things looked--and how we looked--mattered, a decade of design that comes to vibrant life in As Seen on TV. From the painting-by-numbers fad to the public fascination with the First Lady's apparel to the television sensation of Elvis Presley to the sculptural refinement of the automobile, Marling explores what Americans saw and what they looked for with a gaze newly trained by TV. A study in style, in material culture, in art history at eye level, this book shows us as never before those artful everyday objects that stood for American life in the 1950s, as seen on TV.

In this pathfinding book, based on original archival research, Marsha F. Cassidy offers the first thorough analysis of daytime television's earliest and most significant women's genres, appraising from a feminist perspective what women watched before soap opera rose to prominence. After providing a comprehensive history of the early days of women's programming across the nation, Cassidy offers a critical discussion of the formats, programs, and celebrities that launched daytime TV in America—Kate Smith's variety show and the famed singer's unsuccessful transition from patriotic radio star to 1950s TV idol; the "charm boys" Garry Moore, Arthur Godfrey, and Art Linkletter, whose programs honored women's participation but in the process established the dominance of male hosts on TV; and the "misery shows" Strike It Rich and Glamour Girl and the controversy, both critical and legal, they stirred up. Cassidy then turns to NBC's Home show, starring the urbane Arlene Francis, who infused the homemaking format with Manhattan sophistication, and the ambitious daily anthology drama Matinee Theater, which strove to differentiate itself from soap opera and become a national theater of the air. She concludes with an analysis of four popular audience participation shows of the era—the runaway hit Queen for a Day; Ralph Edwards's daytime show of surprises, It Could Be You; Who Do You Trust?, starring a youthful Johnny Carson; and The Big Payoff, featuring Bess Myerson, the country's first Jewish Miss America. Cassidy's close feminist reading of these shows clearly demonstrates how daytime TV mirrored the cultural pressures, inconsistencies, and ambiguities of the postwar era.

CRIME TRAVEL features time-travel mysteries by a terrific lineup of authors.Features an introduction by Donna Andrews. Included are: James Blakey Melissa H. Blaine Michael Bracken Anna Castle Brendan DuBois David Dean John M. Floyd Barb Goffman Heidi Hunter Eleanor Cawood Jones Adam Meyer Barbara Monajem Korina Moss Art Taylor Cathy Wiley

Television of the 1970s reflected the shifting attitudes of the nation, as more shows attempted to represent social changes across the country. Edgier programs like All in the Family and M*A*S*H pushed the boundaries of popular programming to become standards of quality viewing. At the same time, the small screen began to acknowledge that viewers were open to more diverse programming, resulting in hit shows like Sanford and Son and Good Times. Some of the most beloved shows of all time originally aired during the 1970s, including Columbo, Happy Days, Little House on the Prairie,and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Even after these shows departed the airwaves, they live on in syndication and on DVDs, entertaining many generations of viewers. In Television Series of the 1970s: Essential Facts and Quirky Details, Vincent Terrace presents readers with a cornucopia of information about more than seventy programs from the decade. For example, did you know that Jim Ignatowski on Taxi attended Harvard? Or that John-Boy Walton was a reporter for the Jefferson County Times? Or that Lieutenant Columbo’s favorite sandwich was peanut butter and raisins? These are just a handful of hundreds of fun and intriguing specifics found inside this volume. Programs from all three major networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC)—as well as select syndicated programs—are represented here. This is not a book of opinions or essays about specific television programs but a treasure trove of facts associated with each show. FromOscar Madison’s middle name on The Odd Couple to Jim Rockford’s license plate number, readers will discover a wealth of fascinating information that, for the most part, cannot be found elsewhere. In some cases, the factual data detailed herein is the only such documentation that currently exists on bygone shows of the era. Television Series of the 1970s is the ideal reference for fans of this decade and anyone looking to stump even the most knowledgeable trivia expert.