Golden Age Of Television (2000s-present)
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The first Golden Age of Television is an era of television in the United States marked by its large number of live productions. The period is generally recognized as beginning in 1947 with the first episode of the drama anthology '' Kraft Television Theater''Anthony Slide, ed., ''The Television Industry: A Historical Dictionary'', Greenwood Press, 1991, p. 121. and ending in 1960 with the final episode of ''
Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television anthology series, anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology dr ...
'' (although a few Golden Age shows and stars continued into the 1960s). The Golden Age was followed by the
network era In television broadcasting, the network era, also known as the Silver Age of television, refers to the period in American television history from the end of the first Golden Age of Television in the late 1950s to the beginning of the multi-channe ...
, wherein television audiences and programming had
shifted ''Sunshine Kitty'' is the fourth studio album by Swedish singer Tove Lo, released on 20 September 2019 by Island Records. It includes the singles "Glad He's Gone", " Bad as the Boys" featuring Alma, " Jacques" with Jax Jones, "Really Don't Like ...
to less critically acclaimed fare, almost all of it taped or filmed.


Limitations of early television

Prior to 1928, there had been some attempts at television programming using the mechanical television process. One of the first series made specifically for television to have a sustained run was CBS's 1931–1933 murder-mystery series ''
The Television Ghost ''The Television Ghost'' is an American dramatic horror anthology television series featuring ghost stories presented by George Kelting as the ghost of various murder victims. It originally aired in New York City on W2XAB (now WCBS-TV), an exper ...
'', which ran for all 19 months that its flagship television station, then W2XAB, was on the air. The limits of mechanical television inherently meant that these productions were extremely primitive; ''The Television Ghost'', for example, consisted entirely of a 15-minute monologue of a single actor, with the only visual shot being the actor's head. By the time electronic television matured in the late 1930s, some more varied experimental programs, including live
sportscast The broadcasting of sports events (also known as a sportscast) is the live coverage of sports as a television program, on radio, and other broadcasting media. It usually involves one or more sports commentators describing events as they happen ...
s and some game shows (such as the ''
CBS Television Quiz ''CBS Television Quiz'' is a televised game show, running from July 2, 1941, to January 7, 1943, on the CBS television station in New York, WCBW Channel 2 (the forerunner of WCBS-TV). It was the first game show to be broadcast regularly on televisi ...
'' and '' Truth or Consequences''), were appearing; most television service was suspended beginning in 1942 because of World War II. The decade-long period of new developments in television technology enabled broadcasting companies to prepare for the end of the war, and the ensuing postwar prosperity allowed for increased consumer purchase of television sets. Early television broadcasts were limited to live or filmed productions (the first practical videotape system, Ampex's
Quadruplex Quadruplex may refer to: * Quadruplex (New Orleans), a softball complex in New Orleans City Park * Quadruplex telegraph, an improvement on the electrical telegraph patented in 1874 by Thomas Edison * Two-inch quadruplex videotape, the first pract ...
, only became available in 1957). Broadcasting news, sports and other live events was something of a technical challenge in the early days of television and live drama with multiple cameras was extremely challenging. A live, 90-minute drama might require a dozen sets and at least that many cameras. Major set and other changes had to occur during commercials, and there were no "second takes". The performing cast and crew operated with the awareness that as many as 10 million people were viewing their telecast, and any error was seen live. After the adoption of videotape in 1957, many live dramas were shot "live to tape", still retaining a "live" television look and feel but able to both preserve the program for later broadcast and allowing the possibility of retakes (still rare since videotape editing required a razor blade and was not done unless absolutely necessary). In Britain, from the very beginning of regular television broadcasting in 1936 until the 1980s, interior scenes for television drama and comedy shows were shot with electronic cameras, while exterior scenes were shot with 16-mm film cameras. This arrangement conditioned British viewers to identify a "live" look with interior scenes and a "film" look with exterior scenes. In the U.S. and West Germany, most shows were produced completely in either film or video to avoid jarring difference in frame rate. Most other countries avoided outdoor shots for television productions as much as they could until portable video cameras became available. By the early 1960s, about 90% of U.S. households had a television set, and the roles of television and radio had changed significantly. Radio was largely saved from obsolescence by the invention of the far more portable transistor radio in the 1950s and the concurrent rise of higher-fidelity
FM radio FM broadcasting is a method of radio broadcasting using frequency modulation (FM). Invented in 1933 by American engineer Edwin Armstrong, wide-band FM is used worldwide to provide high fidelity sound over broadcast radio. FM broadcasting is cap ...
, so that radio became primarily a medium for music, while scripted programming became wholly the domain of television.


Evolution of high-culture drama on television

The early days of television introduced hour-long anthology drama series, many of which received critical acclaim. Examples include ''
Kraft Television Theatre ''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947 on NBC, airing at 7:30pm on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Imperial Chees ...
'' (debuted May 7, 1947), '' The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre'' (debuted September 27, 1948), ''
Television Playhouse ''Television Playhouse'' is a half-hour American anthology series that was broadcast live on NBC. The series aired from December 4, 1947 to April 11, 1948, generally appearing every third Sunday during its run. The program was in cooperation with ...
'' (debuted December 4, 1947), '' The Philco Television Playhouse'' (debuted October 3, 1948), '' Westinghouse Studio One'' (debuted November 7, 1948), and '' Your Show Time'' (debuted January 21, 1949). High culture dominated commercial network television programming in the 1950s with the first television appearances of
Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein ( ; August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author, and humanitarian. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first America ...
(on ''
Omnibus Omnibus may refer to: Film and television * ''Omnibus'' (film) * Omnibus (broadcast), a compilation of Radio or TV episodes * ''Omnibus'' (UK TV series), an arts-based documentary programme * ''Omnibus'' (U.S. TV series), an educational progr ...
'') and
Arturo Toscanini Arturo Toscanini (; ; March 25, 1867January 16, 1957) was an Italian conductor. He was one of the most acclaimed and influential musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century, renowned for his intensity, his perfectionism, his ear for orch ...
, the first telecasts from
Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
, the first live U.S. telecasts of plays by Shakespeare, the first telecasts of Tchaikovsky's ballets '' The Sleeping Beauty'' and '' The Nutcracker'', and the first opera specially composed for television,
Gian Carlo Menotti Gian Carlo Menotti (, ; July 7, 1911 – February 1, 2007) was an Italian composer, librettist, director, and playwright who is primarily known for his output of 25 operas. Although he often referred to himself as an American composer, he kept h ...
's ''
Amahl and the Night Visitors ''Amahl and the Night Visitors'' is an opera in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti with an original English libretto by the composer.Menotti, Gian-Carlo: ''Amahl and the Night Visitors (piano-vocal score)'', G. Schirmer, Inc., 1997. It was commission ...
''. '' The Bell Telephone Hour'', an NBC radio program, began its television run featuring both classical and Broadway performers. The networks employed art critics, notably
Aline Saarinen Aline Bernstein Saarinen (March 25, 1914 – July 13, 1972) was an American art and architecture critic, author and television journalist. Birth and education Aline Bernstein was born on March 25, 1914, in New York City, the daughter of Irma (L ...
and Brian O'Doherty, something that was mostly discontinued by the start of the digital television era (CBS's John Leonard being the last of significance). As a new medium, television introduced many innovative programming concepts, such as the diverse cultural programs of ''Omnibus'' that debuted on November 9, 1952, and won 65 awards during its run until April 16, 1961.
Prime time Prime time or the peak time is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for a television show. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...
television drama showcased both original and classic productions, including the first telecasts of Walt Disney's programs, as well as the first telecasts of Mary Martin in '' Peter Pan'', MGM's classic ''
The Wizard of Oz ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' or ''The Wizard of Oz'' most commonly refers to: *'' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', a 1900 American novel by L. Frank Baum often reprinted as ''The Wizard of Oz'' ** Wizard of Oz (character), from the Baum novel serie ...
'' and Rodgers and Hammerstein's '' Cinderella''. The first screen adaptation of a James Bond story was a teleplay, "Casino Royale", that aired in 1954. Critics and viewers looked forward to new teleplays by Paddy Chayefsky, Horton Foote, Tad Mosel, Reginald Rose,
Rod Serling Rodman Edward Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter, playwright, television producer, and narrator/on-screen host, best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his anthology television series ' ...
, William Templeton, Gore Vidal and others. A few of these teleplays, including Rose's '' Twelve Angry Men'' and Chayefsky's '' Marty'', would be adapted for film and other media and go on to great acclaim. Most of these programs were produced as installments of
live Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film *'' ''Live'' (Apocalyptica DVD) Music *Live (band), American alternative rock band * List of albums ...
dramatic
anthologies In book publishing Publishing is the activity of making information, literature, music, software and other content available to the public for sale or for free. Traditionally, the term refers to the creation and distribution of printed work ...
, such as '' The Philco Television Playhouse'', ''
Kraft Television Theatre ''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947 on NBC, airing at 7:30pm on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Imperial Chees ...
'' and ''
Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television anthology series, anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology dr ...
''. Live, abridged versions of plays such as '' Cyrano de Bergerac'', with members of the cast of the 1946 Broadway revival recreating their roles, were regularly shown during this period. ''Playhouse 90'' was one of the last shows of its kind; by the late 1950s, production of most U.S. television was moving to
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...
, which itself carried a contrasting culture and sensibility to shows based in New York City, where most Golden Age programs originated. This high culture approach to television could be interpreted as a product of its time as networks were concerned with "cultural uplift" and viewed it as a way to cultural legitimacy on the new medium. A similar uplift occurred in the late 1990s to early 2000s, when the networks were switching to high definition format. This was the time when Discovery Channel commissioned
Discovery HD Theater Motor Trend is an American sports television network owned by Motor Trend Group, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery through its sports unit. It primarily broadcasts automotive-themed programming, including motorsports events. It was or ...
to broadcast HD documentaries about nature and history, while BBC released '' Planet Earth''. This coincided with the rise of the new Golden Age of Television that arose in the twenty-first century.


American television genres

Sitcoms offered a romanticized view of middle class American life with ''
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from October 3, 1952, to April 23, 1966, and starred the real-life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television, where it ...
'' (1952–1966), '' Father Knows Best'' (1954–1960), and
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
's '' The Donna Reed Show'' (1958–1966) exemplifying the genre.
Emmy The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
-winning comedy ''
I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning six seasons. The show starred Lucille Ball, her husband, Desi Arnaz, along with ...
'' (1951–1960) starred husband and wife Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball and enjoyed such popularity that some businesses closed early on Monday nights in order to allow employees to hurry home for the show. In '' Life of Riley'' (1953–1958), blue collar Chester A. Riley (
William Bendix William Bendix (January 14, 1906 – December 14, 1964) was an American film, radio, and television actor, who typically played rough, blue-collar characters. He is best remembered for his role in ''Wake Island'', which earned him an Academy ...
) became the prototype for a long line of bumbling television patriarchs that included Fred Flintstone and Archie Bunker. The show's first incarnation for the
DuMont Television Network The DuMont Television Network (also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont Television, simply DuMont/Du Mont, or (incorrectly) Dumont ) was one of America's pioneer commercial television networks, rivaling NBC and CBS for the distinction of being ...
lasted a season (1949–1950) and won an Emmy during the first Emmy Awards in 1949. '' The Honeymooners'' (1955–1956) followed bus driver Ralph Kramden ( Jackie Gleason) and his sewer-working sidekick Ed Norton ( Art Carney) while archetypal suburban life was limned in '' Leave It to Beaver'' (1957–1963), purportedly the first sitcom to be told from a child's point of view and the first to strike a blow for television realism by displaying a toilet in an early episode. Genre series were popular with '' Dragnet'' (1952) starring
Jack Webb John Randolph Webb (April 2, 1920 – December 23, 1982) was an American actor, television producer, Television director, director, and screenwriter, who is most famous for his role as Joe Friday, Sgt. Joe Friday in the Dragnet (franchise) ...
representing police procedural drama, British syndicated series '' The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1955) starring Richard Greene representing historical drama, and ''
Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...
'' (1955) with James Arness and
Amanda Blake Amanda Blake (born Beverly Louise Neill, February 21, 1929 – August 16, 1989) was an American actress best known for the role of the red-haired saloon proprietress "Miss Kitty Russell" on the western television series ''Gunsmoke''. Along with ...
representing the western. Mid-decade, Warner Bros. produced a group of five westerns with '' Maverick'' starring James Garner and '' Cheyenne'' starring Clint Walker leading the group in popularity. Musical programs distinguished the decade.
Gian Carlo Menotti Gian Carlo Menotti (, ; July 7, 1911 – February 1, 2007) was an Italian composer, librettist, director, and playwright who is primarily known for his output of 25 operas. Although he often referred to himself as an American composer, he kept h ...
's ''
Amahl and the Night Visitors ''Amahl and the Night Visitors'' is an opera in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti with an original English libretto by the composer.Menotti, Gian-Carlo: ''Amahl and the Night Visitors (piano-vocal score)'', G. Schirmer, Inc., 1997. It was commission ...
'', the first opera written for television, was performed on December 24, 1951, at the NBC studios in New York City, where it was telecast as the debut production of the
Hallmark Hall of Fame ''Hallmark Hall of Fame'', originally called ''Hallmark Television Playhouse'', is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City-based greeting card company. The longest-running prime-time series in t ...
. The opera was performed live on or near
Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...
annually until the mid-1960s when a production starring Teresa Stratas was filmed and telecast for several years. The Broadway musical '' Peter Pan'' was televised in 1955 on NBC with Mary Martin and Cyril Ritchard in their original roles as Peter Pan and Captain Hook. The telecast drew the largest ratings for a single television program up to that time, and was restaged in 1956 and 1960. On January 28, 1956, Elvis Presley made his first televised appearance on '' Stage Show'', while, the same year, musical film ''
The Wizard of Oz ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' or ''The Wizard of Oz'' most commonly refers to: *'' The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', a 1900 American novel by L. Frank Baum often reprinted as ''The Wizard of Oz'' ** Wizard of Oz (character), from the Baum novel serie ...
'' starring Judy Garland saw its first telecast on November 3 on CBS. Rodgers and Hammerstein's '' Cinderella'' was written for a live television broadcast in 1957 and starred
Julie Andrews Dame Julie Andrews (born Julia Elizabeth Wells; 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over seven decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Fi ...
. In 1957,
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pro ...
hosted by Dick Clark debuts, highlighting most of the popular rock and roll acts of the 1950s. Comedy and variety shows were popular. Comedy stars with their own shows included:
Milton Berle Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and tel ...
, Sid Caesar, Burns and Allen, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, Red Skelton,
Abbott and Costello Abbott may refer to: People *Abbott (surname) *Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849–1921), American painter and naturalist * Abbott and Costello, famous American vaudeville act Places Argentina * Abbott, Buenos Aires United States * Abbott, Arkansas ...
, Martin and Lewis, and
Groucho Marx Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (; October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977) was an American comedian, actor, writer, stage, film, radio, singer, television star and vaudeville performer. He is generally considered to have been a master of quick wit an ...
who starred in his quiz show '' You Bet Your Life''. Dinah Shore,
Perry Como Pierino Ronald "Perry" Como (; May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an Italian-American singer, actor and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century, he recorded exclusively for RCA Victor for 44 years, after signing ...
,
Eddie Fisher Edwin Jack Fisher (August 10, 1928 – September 22, 2010) was an American singer and actor. He was one of the most popular artists during the 1950s, selling millions of records and hosting his own TV show, ''The Eddie Fisher Show''. Actress Eli ...
, Nat King Cole,
Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...
,
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
, and Lawrence Welk as well as other stars had popular weekly musical variety shows. The Ed Sullivan Show showcased many famous acts during the decade. Professional wrestling was one of the most popular genres of programming in the early days of television, largely based on the star power of Gorgeous George Wagner. Wagner's in-ring character became the biggest drawing card the industry had ever known. With the networks looking for cheap, effective programming to fill its time slots, pro wrestling's glorified action became a genuine hit with the viewing public, as it was the first program of any kind to draw a real profit. Consequently, it was Gorgeous George who brought the sport into the nation's living rooms, as his histrionics and melodramatic behavior made him a larger-than-life figure in American pop culture. His first television appearance took place on November 11, 1947 (an event that was named among the top 100 televised acts of the 20th century by Entertainment Weekly) and he immediately became a national celebrity at the same level of Lucille Ball and Bob Hope (who personally donated hundreds of chic robes for George's collection) while changing the course of the industry. No longer was pro-wrestling simply about the in-ring action, but Wagner had created a new sense of theatrics and character performance that had not previously existed. Moreover, in a very real sense, it was Gorgeous George who single-handedly established television as a viable entertainment medium that could potentially reach millions of homes across the country. It is said that George was probably responsible for selling as many television receivers as Milton Berle. Westerns quickly became a staple of 1950s TV entertainment. The first, on June 24, 1949, was the
Hopalong Cassidy Hopalong Cassidy is a fictional cowboy hero created in 1904 by the author Clarence E. Mulford, who wrote a series of short stories and novels based on the character. Mulford portrayed the character as rude, dangerous, and rough-talking. He was ...
show, at first edited from the 66 films made by
William Boyd William, Willie, Will or Bill Boyd may refer to: Academics * William Alexander Jenyns Boyd (1842–1928), Australian journalist and schoolmaster * William Boyd (educator) (1874–1962), Scottish educator * William Boyd (pathologist) (1885–1979), ...
. A great many B-movie Westerns were aired on TV as time fillers, starring actors like:
Gene Autry Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, musician, rodeo performer, and baseball owner who gained fame largely by singing in a crooning s ...
, Roy Rogers, Tex Ritter,
John Wayne Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne and nicknamed The Duke or Duke Wayne, was an American actor who became a popular icon through his starring roles in films made during Hollywood's Gol ...
, Lash LaRue, Buster Crabbe, Bob Steele, Johnny Mack Brown, Hoot Gibson,
Ken Maynard Kenneth Olin Maynard (July 21, 1895 – March 23, 1973) was an American actor and producer. He was mostly active from the 1920s to the 1940s and considered one of the biggest Western stars in Hollywood. Maynard was also an occasional screenwrit ...
and others. A number of long-running TV Western series became classics in their own right. Notable TV Westerns include: '' The Gene Autry Show'', '' The Roy Rogers Show'', ''
Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...
'', '' Lone Ranger'', '' The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok'', '' The Rifleman'', '' Wanted: Dead or Alive'', '' Have Gun – Will Travel'', '' Wyatt Earp'', '' Bat Masterson'', ''
Tales of Wells Fargo ''Tales of Wells Fargo'' is an American Western television series starring Dale Robertson that ran from 1957 to 1962 on NBC. Produced by Revue Productions, the series aired in a half-hour format until its final season, when it expanded to ...
'', '' The Range Rider'', '' The Cisco Kid'', ''
Bonanza ''Bonanza'' is an American Western television series that ran on NBC from September 13, 1959, to January 16, 1973. Lasting 14 seasons and 432 episodes, ''Bonanza'' is NBC's longest-running western, the second-longest-running western series on U ...
'', '' The Virginian'', '' Wagon Train'', '' The Restless Gun'', '' Trackdown'', '' Annie Oakley'', ''
The Big Valley ''The Big Valley'' is an American Western drama television series that originally aired from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969 on ABC. The series is set on the fictional Barkley Ranch in Stockton, California, from 1884 to 1888. The one-hour e ...
'', '' Maverick'', '' The High Chaparral'', '' Sugarfoot'', '' Cheyenne'', '' The Adventures of Kit Carson'', '' Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre'', '' Death Valley Days'' and many others. Children's programs included the 19-season, Emmy-winning CBS dramatic series ''
Lassie Lassie is a fictional female Rough Collie dog and is featured in a short story by Eric Knight that was later expanded to a full-length novel called ''Lassie Come-Home''. Knight's portrayal of Lassie bears some features in common with another fic ...
'' (1954–1973), sci-fi series '' Adventures of Superman'' (1952), variety show '' The Mickey Mouse Club'' (1955), anthology series '' Disneyland'' (1955), and live-action
fairy tale A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic (paranormal), magic, incantation, enchantments, and mythical ...
anthology series '' Shirley Temple's Storybook'' (1958). Bozo the Clown enjoyed widespread franchising in early television, making him the best-known clown character in the United States. '' Ding Dong School'' (1952), '' Captain Kangaroo'' (1955) and '' Romper Room'' were aimed at pre-schoolers. '' Howdy Doody'' (1947–1960) was a pioneer in early color production during the period. '' Fury'', '' Sky King'', '' The Roy Rogers Show'', ''
Andy's Gang ''Andy's Gang'' was a children's television program broadcast on NBC from August 20, 1955, to December 31, 1960, hosted by the actor Andy Devine. It was the successor to the radio and television program ''Smilin' Ed McConnell and His Buster Brown G ...
'', with Andy Devine taking over the show in 1955 for
Smilin' Ed McConnell Smilin' Ed McConnell (born James McConnell; 1882 – July 23, 1954) was a radio personality, best known as the host of the children's radio and television series, ''Smilin' Ed's Gang'', closely identified with its sponsor, Buster Brown shoes ...
, '' Heckle and Jeckle'', '' Mighty Mouse'' and similar live-action and animated half-hour shows held sway on Saturday mornings. Quiz and panel shows included '' The $64,000 Question'', '' What's My Line?'', '' I've Got a Secret'', '' The Price Is Right'', '' Beat the Clock'', '' Truth or Consequences'', '' Queen for a Day'', and '' Name That Tune''. The mid-1950s were a period of rapid growth in popularity for the quiz show format; the quiz show scandals of the period rocked the nation and were the result of the revelation that contestants were secretly given assistance by the producers to arrange the outcome of a supposedly fair competition, hastening the end of the golden age. Lower-budget game shows and panel shows continued to be popular as
daytime Daytime as observed on Earth is the period of the day during which a given location experiences natural illumination from direct sunlight. Daytime occurs when the Sun appears above the local horizon, that is, anywhere on the globe's hemis ...
fare for several decades after. Current events, Newscasting and journalism were distinguished by several broadcasting programs by Edward R. Murrow of CBS. Murrow's 1951 ''
See It Now ''See It Now'' is an American newsmagazine and documentary series broadcast by CBS from 1951 to 1958. It was created by Edward R. Murrow and Fred W. Friendly, with Murrow as the host of the show. From 1952 to 1957, ''See It Now'' won four Emmy A ...
'' and '' Person to Person'' showcased important events, places and people in the news. NBC's Chet Huntley and David Brinkley, and CBS' Walter Cronkite also pioneered important news programming. On July 7, 1952, the term "anchor" was coined to describe Cronkite's role at both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions, which marked the first nationally televised convention coverage. Other public interest, and historical programming included ''
Omnibus Omnibus may refer to: Film and television * ''Omnibus'' (film) * Omnibus (broadcast), a compilation of Radio or TV episodes * ''Omnibus'' (UK TV series), an arts-based documentary programme * ''Omnibus'' (U.S. TV series), an educational progr ...
'' hosted by Alistair Cooke, and '' You Are There'' hosted by Walter Cronkite. NBC's '' Today'' hosted by Dave Garroway established the modern format of the morning news show. The
late-night talk show A late-night talk show is a genre of talk show popular in the United States, where the format originated. It is generally structured around humorous monologues about the day's news, guest interviews, comedy sketches and music performances. It i ...
began in 1950 with short-lived efforts from
Jerry Lester Jerry Lester (born Lester J. Goldberg; February 16, 1910 – March 23, 1995) was an American comedian, singer and performer on radio, television and the stage, knows for playing the father of the main characters, Mike Firpo, in the comedy ' ...
(''
Broadway Open House ''Broadway Open House'' is network television's first late-night comedy-variety series.Terrace, Vincent (2011). ''Encyclopedia of Television Shows, 1925 through 2010''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 138. It was telecast live on NBC from May 29 ...
'') and Faye Emerson; '' Tonight'' would prove more enduring under the successive hosting runs of Steve Allen (1954–57), Ernie Kovacs (1956–57) and
Jack Paar Jack Harold Paar (May 1, 1918 – January 27, 2004) was an American talk show host, author, radio and television comedian, and film actor. He was the second host of ''The Tonight Show'' from 1957 to 1962. ''Time'' magazine's obituary of Paar repo ...
(1957–62). Other forms of talk shows were not as popular on a national scale during the Golden Age and would not become widespread until into the
network era In television broadcasting, the network era, also known as the Silver Age of television, refers to the period in American television history from the end of the first Golden Age of Television in the late 1950s to the beginning of the multi-channe ...
that followed it. The coronation of Elizabeth II was televised on June 2, 1953, highlighting the start of pan-European cooperation with regards to the exchange of TV programs. The Academy Awards show was first televised in 1953 on NBC, and the show holds the distinction of having won the most Emmys in history, with 38 wins and 167 nominations. In 1953 CBS anchor Walter Cronkite was the host of the historical news show '' You Are There'', which highlighted important news events from history like the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence and which featured "live" interviews with the famous participants like Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams et al., all played by actors.


Blue-collar sitcoms and rural dramas

Many lightweight television programs of this era evolved from successful radio shows, which in turn originated from vaudeville stages, many of them in the Borscht Belt within driving distance of New York City. The radio stars, casts, and writing staffs brought existing concepts to television. The New York location also gave television networks access to established Broadway stars. Many of the early stars of television also had extensive film experience, either through
short subject A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...
s or
B-movie A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double featur ...
s (though headline stars rarely made the jump); Lucille Ball, for example, was one of a number of women nicknamed "Queen of the B's" for her film work. This is one reason that quality was so consistently high during this period. ''
I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning six seasons. The show starred Lucille Ball, her husband, Desi Arnaz, along with ...
'' drew heavily from both film and radio. Many of the show's scripts were rewrites from Lucille Ball's late 1940s radio show '' My Favorite Husband''. Shows such as ''
Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...
'' and '' The Jack Benny Program'' ran concurrently on both radio and television until television reception reached beyond the major metropolitan areas in the mid-1950s. while others, such as '' Father Knows Best'' and '' Fibber McGee and Molly'', attempted to "flash-cut" from radio to television, with varying degrees of success. ''I Love Lucy'', in particular, took extensive steps toward matching the quality of the radio writing with a cinematic look worthy of feature films; to this effect, they established a multi-camera setup (a revolutionary process that would become an industry standard in the decades to come) to allow for a live studio audience, hired cinematographer
Karl Freund Karl W. Freund, A.S.C. (January 16, 1890 – May 3, 1969) was an Austrian cinematography, cinematographer and film director best known for photographing ''Metropolis (1927 film), Metropolis'' (1927), ''Dracula (1931 English-language film), Dracul ...
to oversee filming and recorded the series on movie-quality
35mm film 35 mm may refer to: * 135 film, a type of still photography format commonly referred to as 35 mm film * 35 mm movie film, a type of motion picture film stock * 35MM 35 mm may refer to: * 135 film, a type of still photography format ...
(the relatively high cost prevented the show from being filmed in color as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had originally hoped).


End of the American golden age

By the late 1950s
network era In television broadcasting, the network era, also known as the Silver Age of television, refers to the period in American television history from the end of the first Golden Age of Television in the late 1950s to the beginning of the multi-channe ...
, as television began reaching larger portions of
rural America Rural areas in the United States, often referred to as rural America, consists of approximately 97% of the United States' land area. An estimated 60 million people, or one-in-five residents (17.9% of the total U.S. population), live in rural Ame ...
, their viewing habits began to be reflected in overall television ratings.
Sylvester "Pat" Weaver Sylvester Laflin "Pat" Weaver Jr. (December 21, 1908 – March 15, 2002) was an American broadcasting executive who was president of NBC between 1953 and 1955. He has been credited with reshaping commercial broadcasting's format and philosophy ...
was fired in 1956 after his strategy of programming highbrow "spectacular" productions once a month on NBC proved to be a ratings failure against more conventional fare on CBS. Rural sitcoms and Westerns boomed, perplexing even the writers of the shows and being treated as an opportunity for callous exploitation by the network executives, who nonetheless hated the programs, as did most critics. Americans' fondness for the rural sitcom and Western formats would last well into the 1960s. James Aubrey, the president of CBS Network from 1960 to 1965, introduced to television the shows such as '' Mister Ed'', '' The Dick Van Dyke Show'', '' The Beverly Hillbillies'', '' Petticoat Junction'', and ''
Danny Kaye Danny Kaye (born David Daniel Kaminsky; yi, דוד־דניאל קאַמינסקי; January 18, 1911 – March 3, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, singer and dancer. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and ...
'', in addition to already well-established '' Danny Thomas'', '' Ed Sullivan'', '' What's My Line?'', '' Perry Mason'', ''
I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning six seasons. The show starred Lucille Ball, her husband, Desi Arnaz, along with ...
'', ''
Gunsmoke ''Gunsmoke'' is an American radio and television Western drama series created by director Norman Macdonnell and writer John Meston. It centers on Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s, during the settlement of the American West. The central character ...
''. Characterized by a former colleague at ABC as having "a smell for the blue-collar", Aubrey later admitted: The nation as a whole was also tiring of high-culture programming as the Baby Boomers were beginning to come of age; over the next several years, high-culture programs would be relegated to public television, where older audiences with more money were tolerated. By the 1980s, enough highbrow enthusiasts had gradually died, such that public television even began resorting to more popular fare to maintain donations. A general decline in quality had been noticed as early as 1958, as the
Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Peabody, honor the most powerful, enlightening, and invigorating stories in television, radio, and ...
committee, in issuing an award to '' The Steve Allen Show'' that year, lamented that television was "conspicuously lacking ... genuine humor and frank experiments". As filmed series such as ''
Alfred Hitchcock Presents ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' is an American television anthology series created, hosted and produced by Alfred Hitchcock, aired on CBS and NBC between 1955 and 1965. It features dramas, thrillers and mysteries. Between 1962 and 1965 it was ren ...
'' and '' The Twilight Zone'' began to dominate during the mid-1950s to early 1960s, the period of live television dramas was viewed as the Golden Age. The exact boundaries of the Golden Age are somewhat debated; producer David Susskind, in a 1960s roundtable discussion with leading 1950s television dramatists, defined television's Golden Age as 1938 to 1954, while ''The Television Industry: A Historical Dictionary'' says "the Golden Age opened with ''
Kraft Television Theatre ''Kraft Television Theatre'' is an American anthology drama television series running from 1947 to 1958. It began May 7, 1947 on NBC, airing at 7:30pm on Wednesday evenings until December of that year. It first promoted MacLaren's Imperial Chees ...
'' on May 7, 1947, and ended with the last live show in the ''
Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television anthology series, anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology dr ...
'' series in 1957." Generally, the quiz show scandals of 1958, a writer's strike in March 1960, the final show of ''Playhouse 90'' (which debuted October 4, 1956) on May 18, 1960, and the departure of leading director John Frankenheimer are regarded as having brought the era to an end. Indeed, the 1960–61 television season was noted by '' Time'' magazine as being the worst season in television up to that point, a sentiment echoed by
Newton Minow Newton Norman Minow (born January 17, 1926) is an American attorney and former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission. He is famous for his speech referring to television as a "vast wasteland". While still maintaining a law practice, Min ...
, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, who lambasted the television networks for creating a "vast wasteland" of inferior programming in his speech "
Television and the Public Interest "Television and the Public Interest" was a speech given by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Newton N. Minow to the convention of the National Association of Broadcasters on May 9, 1961. The speech was Minow's first major speech aft ...
". (''
The United States Steel Hour ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the U.S. Steel, United States Steel Corpor ...
'' would survive until 1963.)
Dennis James Dennis James (born Demie James Sposa, August 24, 1917 – June 3, 1997) was an American television personality, philanthropist, and commercial spokesman. Until 1976, he had appeared on TV more times and for a longer period than any other televi ...
, a Golden Age host who was still on air in the early 1970s hosting game shows that were not always critically acclaimed, noted that as television gained critical mass, it had acquired viewers uninterested in high culture and the networks were adjusting to maximize their viewership. Defending his upcoming series '' The New Price Is Right'' in 1972, he remarked: In November 1960, Weaver commented on the end of the Golden Age of Television in ''The Denver Post'', saying: "Television has gone from about a dozen forms to just two – news shows and the Hollywood stories. The blame lies in the management of NBC, CBS and ABC. Management doesn't give the people what they deserve. I don't see any hope in the system as it is." The quality of television in the United States would begin to recover in the mid-late 1960s with more experimental shows such as '' The Monkees'' and ''
He & She ''He & She'' is an American sitcom that aired on the CBS television network as part of its 1967–1968 lineup, originally sponsored by General Foods and Lever Brothers. ''He & She'' is widely considered by broadcast historians to have been ah ...
'',. even as gimmick-driven sitcoms continued to dominate for a few years after until the rural purge of the early 1970s.


Worldwide


Canada

Canada's Golden Age of Television timeline is very similar to that of the U.S. (in fact, most Canadians were within the broadcast range of at least one U.S. television station by the 1950s), but there is an overall five-year delay because of the country's sparser population.
CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French-l ...
, the country's official national broadcast organization, launched in 1952, and
CTV Television Network The CTV Television Network, commonly known as CTV, is a Canadian English-language terrestrial television network. Launched in 1961 and acquired by BCE Inc. in 2000, CTV is Canada's largest privately owned television network and is now a divis ...
, the oldest commercial network in the country, followed in 1962. Although there were a handful of efforts to produce domestic content for the Canadian networks, most Golden Age shows were imported from the United States until the Can-Con requirements took effect around 1970.


Nigeria

Nigeria has the earliest television industry on the African continent and one of the earliest in the world. The Western Nigeria Television Service (WNTV), Nigeria's and Africa's first television station, began operation in the then Western Region in October 1959. The other two regions of the country soon followed suit; with the establishment of the Eastern Nigeria Television Service (ENTV) in
Enugu Enugu ( ; ) is the capital city of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in southeastern part of Nigeria. The city had a population of 820,000 according to the 2022 Nigerian census. The name ''Enugu'' is derived from the two Igbo words ''Énú ...
, in 1960, and the Radio Television Kaduna (RKTV) in Kaduna, in March 1962. Also in 1962, The Federal Government established a fourth station, the Nigerian Television Service, in the then capital, Lagos. The numbers grew rapidly and in the mid-1980s, every
Nigerian state Nigeria is a federation of 36 states and 1 federal capital territory. Each of the 36 states is a semi-autonomous political unit that shares powers with the federal government as enumerated under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Niger ...
had its own broadcasting station. Laws were made by regulating bodies to limit foreign contents on television, with the National Commission recommending a minimum of 60 percent local programming content for all broadcasting stations. This led television producers to begin the broadcast of local popular theatre productions. Chinua Achebe's novel '' Things Fall Apart'' was adapted as a television series on National Television in 1987 and became very successful. At this time, Another very successful television adaptation was the adaptation of D.O. Fagunwa's 1949 novel ''Igbo Olodumare''. The television series, which is of the same title witnessed a tremendous success, especially in South western states, where it was reported that the show constantly left streets deserted during its broadcast on Sunday evenings. Other television successes witnessed in the 1980s include series such as ''Adio Family'', ''
The Village Headmaster ''The Village Headmaster'' (later renamed ''The New Village Headmaster'') is a Nigerian television drama series created by Olusegun Olusola and produced by Dejumo Lewis. Originally a radio drama series, the programme was Nigeria’s longest-runnin ...
'', ''Cock's Crow at Dawn'', ''The Masquerade'', ''Mirror in the Sun'', ''Checkmate'', ''Sura The Tailor'', '' Second Chance'' and ''Awada Kerikeri''. Hausa comedy soap operas such as ''Karkuzu'' and ''Karambana'' were also quite popular in this period.


South Africa

South Africa was one of the last nations in the world to have television; the apartheid government resisted television broadcasting until the mid-1970s, with experimental broadcasts only beginning in 1975 and nationwide service starting in January 1976.


United Kingdom

British television, like its U.S. counterpart, began developing in the 1930s, with the
BBC Television BBC Television is a service of the BBC. The corporation has operated a public broadcast television service in the United Kingdom, under the terms of a royal charter, since 1927. It produced television programmes from its own studios from 193 ...
Service beginning regular broadcasts in 1936. The early British television drama borrowed a great deal from dramatic radio productions developed between the
First First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
and the
Second The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ...
World Wars. In the 1920s the BBC pioneered dramatic readings of books. In 1925 it broadcast ''
A Christmas Carol ''A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas'', commonly known as ''A Christmas Carol'', is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and illustrated by John Leech. ''A Christmas C ...
''. Later, John Reith, wanting to use radio waves to "part the clouds of ignorance", came up with the idea of a '' classic serial'', based on a "classical" literary text. In 1939 the BBC adapted the romantic novel '' The Prisoner of Zenda'' for radio broadcast. Its adapter, Jack Inglis, summarised his approach as follows: "The story is simple, with clear cut characters, and falls easily into episodes. It always seems to me, that it is the first duty of an adapter to reproduce in another medium the original flavour and atmosphere of the book". Inglis compressed several characters into one and simplified the plotline. The production struck a chord with listeners and served as a prototype for dramatic productions that followed it. BBC television broadcasts ceased in 1939, as did the production of television receivers, resuming in 1946 after World War II. The golden age of British television enjoyed its peak around the same time as in the United States, ranging from approximately 1949 to 1955 – although the term has been used to describe the period until the mid-1970s.


Soviet Union/Russia

The "Golden Age" of the Soviet media culture is usually associated with
Khrushchev Thaw The Khrushchev Thaw ( rus, хрущёвская о́ттепель, r=khrushchovskaya ottepel, p=xrʊˈɕːɵfskəjə ˈotʲ:ɪpʲɪlʲ or simply ''ottepel'')William Taubman, Khrushchev: The Man and His Era, London: Free Press, 2004 is the period ...
, which spanned from the mid-1950s until the end of 1960s. The live nature of television and relatively young age of the people involved in its development afforded certain level of exuberance, edginess, debate and criticism. Like in the United States, this period is notable for many
television play A television play is a television programming genre which is a drama performance broadcast from a multi-camera television studio, usually live in the early days of television but later recorded to tape. This is in contrast to a television movi ...
s broadcast on Soviet television. For example, in 1951–1954 the Central Television Studio broadcast three to six plays a week. As time went on, the quantity and quality of the theatrical television productions diminished. The reasons were technical, social, and economic. Staging a new production in a television studio every other day was expensive. The shortage of mobile cameras often precluded broadcasting live performance from a theater. Theaters became increasingly reluctant to offer their shows to television, claiming that television draws the public away from theaters. Some theatrical directors prohibited actors to participate in television shows. Theaters started demanding payment for broadcasting of their plays, and by the end of 1960s the frequency of theatrical shows fell to one show a week. Because the State Committee for Cinematography would hold freshly released movies from television broadcast, television studios started producing their own made-for-TV movies The Thaw ended with the crackdown of the
Prague spring The Prague Spring ( cs, Pražské jaro, sk, Pražská jar) was a period of political liberalization and mass protest in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. It began on 5 January 1968, when reformist Alexander Dubček was elected First Sec ...
. The Soviet government deemed Czechoslovak mass media, which hosted political disputes and broadcast news about protesting students and young workers, to be complicit in undermining Communist rule in Czechoslovakia. Sergey Lapin, installed as the chairman of the State Committee for Television and Radio Broadcasting in 1970, increased political oversight over television and banned shows that were critical of the system. Most programs except for the evening news were recorded beforehand and censored. This effectively ended the first "Golden Age" of the Soviet television. The second "Golden Age" of television in Russia is associated with
perestroika ''Perestroika'' (; russian: links=no, перестройка, p=pʲɪrʲɪˈstrojkə, a=ru-perestroika.ogg) was a political movement for reform within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU) during the late 1980s widely associated wit ...
and
glasnost ''Glasnost'' (; russian: link=no, гласность, ) has several general and specific meanings – a policy of maximum openness in the activities of state institutions and freedom of information, the inadmissibility of hushing up problems, ...
of the late 1980s and with creation of private television companies in the 1990s. This period is notable for edgy talk shows and comedic productions that targeted youth, such as '' Outlook'', '' Till 16 and older'', ''12th Floor'', ''Before and After Midnight'', ''
Oba-na ''Oba-na!'' (russian: О́ба-На) was a Soviet and Russian comedy television program that aired on Channel One and ATV from November 1990 until June 1995. The first episode of ''Oba-na!'' was aired on November 19, 1990. ''Oba-na!'' was one ...
''. Political and economic news, live broadcasts from state Duma, critique of the government became standard fare of 1990s. In 2000s the Russian government increased its control over independent television companies, and applied political and economic pressure to discourage them from criticizing the government and its policies. In 2001
Gazprom PJSC Gazprom ( rus, Газпром, , ɡɐzˈprom) is a Russian majority state-owned multinational energy corporation headquartered in the Lakhta Center in Saint Petersburg. As of 2019, with sales over $120 billion, it was ranked as the larges ...
took ownership of the private television company NTV, which aired several gritty programs. The satirical show ''
Puppets A puppet is an object, often resembling a human, animal or mythical figure, that is animated or manipulated by a person called a puppeteer. The puppeteer uses movements of their hands, arms, or control devices such as rods or strings to mov ...
'', which mocked major politicians and celebrities, was terminated in 2002 after pressure from the Kremlin. In January 2002 another independent television company TV-6 was terminated. In 2014,
TV Rain TV Rain ( rus, Дождь, Dozhd, p=ˈdoʂtʲ, a=Ru-дождь (doʂtʲ).ogg; stylized ДОДЬ) is an independent Russian television channel. It was launched in 2010 in Russia, and since 2022 was based in Latvia. It focuses on news, discussion ...
was heavily criticized for asking viewers whether Leningrad should have been surrendered to the invading Nazi army in order to save hundreds of thousands of lives (since Hitler did not offer surrender as an option, only death). After that, the largest Russian television providers stopped carrying the channel. Ultimately, left without money from broadcasters and advertisers, TV Rain was forced to move its studio to a private apartment. Contemporary independent television broadcasters stick mostly to unoffensive soap operas and talk shows, leaving the political programming to government-owned channels. In March 2022, Russian authorities blocked access to TV Rain in response to its coverage of the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
. The channel relaunched from studios in
Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...
in July, but after multiple violations had its license cancelled in December. TV Rain continues to broadcast via YouTube and received a Netherlands broadcast license in January 2023.


List of selected shows

*''
I Love Lucy ''I Love Lucy'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning six seasons. The show starred Lucille Ball, her husband, Desi Arnaz, along with ...
'' Golden Age of TV, Best TV Ever, Too Much TV, Hollywood Reporter
/ref> *'' Leave It to Beaver'' *''
The Jack Benny Show ''The Jack Benny Program'', starring Jack Benny, is a radio-TV comedy series that ran for more than three decades and is generally regarded as a high-water mark in 20th century American comedy. He played one role throughout his radio and televis ...
'' *''
Playhouse 90 ''Playhouse 90'' was an American television anthology series, anthology drama series that aired on CBS from 1956 to 1960 for a total of 133 episodes. The show was produced at CBS Television City in Los Angeles, California. Since live anthology dr ...
'' Playhouse 90 and the End of the Golden Age, wcftr.commarts.wisc.edu
/ref> *'' Kraft Television Theater'' *'' The Phil Silvers Show'' *'' The Andy Griffith Show''The Andy Griffith Show-DVD, Shout! Factory
/ref> *'' The Twilight Zone'' *'' The Honeymooners''The Golden Age Of Jackie Gleason - The Washington Post
/ref> * ''Rocky and His Friends'' and ''The Bullwinkle Show''


List of selected notable artists

*
Abby Mann Abby Mann (December 1, 1927 – March 25, 2008) was an American film writer and producer. Life and career The son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Mann was born as Abraham Goodman in Philadelphia. He grew up in East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. D ...
(1927-2008) * Ed Sullivan (1901-1974) *
Milton Berle Milton Berle (born Mendel Berlinger; ; July 12, 1908 – March 27, 2002) was an American actor and comedian. His career as an entertainer spanned over 80 years, first in silent films and on stage as a child actor, then in radio, movies and tel ...
(1908-2002) * Lucille Ball (1911-1989) *
Fred Coe Frederick Hayden Hughs Coe (December 23, 1914 – April 29, 1979) was an American television producer and director most famous for '' The Goodyear Television Playhouse''/''The Philco Television Playhouse'' in 1948-1955 and ''Playhouse 90'' from 1 ...
(1914-1979) * Barbara Billingsley (1915-2010) * Jackie Gleason (1916-1987) * Desi Arnaz (1917-1986) From the Archives: Lucille Ball Dies; TV's Comic Genius Was 77 - ''Los Angeles Times''
/ref> * Art Carney (1918-2003) *
Jack Paar Jack Harold Paar (May 1, 1918 – January 27, 2004) was an American talk show host, author, radio and television comedian, and film actor. He was the second host of ''The Tonight Show'' from 1957 to 1962. ''Time'' magazine's obituary of Paar repo ...
(1918-2004) * Ernie Kovacs (1919-1962) * Betty White (1922-2021) * Arthur Penn (1922-2010) * Audrey Meadows (1922-1996) * Jay Ward (1920-1989) * Paddy Chayefsky (1923-1981) *
Sidney Lumet Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. He was nominated five times for the Academy Award: four for Best Director for ''12 Angry Men'' (1957), ''Dog Day Afternoon'' (1975), ''Network'' (1976), ...
(1924-2011) *
Rod Serling Rodman Edward Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter, playwright, television producer, and narrator/on-screen host, best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his anthology television series ' ...
(1924-1975) The Tele-Playwrights, wcftr.commarts.wisc.edu/
/ref> *
Don Knotts Jesse Donald Knotts (July 21, 1924February 24, 2006) was an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on ''The Andy Griffith Show'', a 1960s sitcom for which he earned five Emmy Awards. He also ...
(1924-2006) *
Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...
(1925-2008) The Golden Age of Television, wcftr.commarts.wisc.edu
/ref> * Andy Griffith (1926-2012) * John Frankenheimer (1930-2002)DVD Savant Review: The Golden Age of Television - DVD Talk
/ref>


See also

*
History of television The concept of television was the work of many individuals in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The first practical transmissions of moving images over a radio system used mechanical rotating perforated disks to scan a scene into a time-var ...
*1940s in television *1950s in television *1960s in television *Network era *Multi-channel transition *Post-network era *Golden Age of Television (2000s–present) *Golden Age of Radio *Least objectionable program *Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood *New Hollywood *''
Television and the Public Interest "Television and the Public Interest" was a speech given by Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Newton N. Minow to the convention of the National Association of Broadcasters on May 9, 1961. The speech was Minow's first major speech aft ...
'' * High culture *Low culture


References


Further reading

*Averson, Richard (1971). ''Electronic Drama: Television Plays of the Sixties''. Boston: Beacon Press, 1971. *Bergmann, Ted; with Skutch, Ira (2002). ''The DuMont Television Network: What Happened?'' Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. *Brooks, Tim; with Marsh, Earle (1981). ''The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows: 1946–Present''. New York: Ballantine. *Gianakos, Larry James (1992) ''Television Drama Series Programming A Comprehensive Chronicle, 1984–1986''. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press. *Gitlin, Todd (1994). ''Inside Prime Time''. London: Routledge *Hawes, William (2002). ''The American Television Drama: The Experimental Years''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. *Herskowitz, Mickey (1990). ''The Golden Age of Pro Football''. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company. *Hess, Gary Newton (1979). ''An Historical Study of the DuMont Television Network''. New York: Ayer Publishers. *Kindem, Gorham (1994). ''The Live Television Generation of Hollywood Film Directors: Interviews with Seven Directors''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. *MacDonald, J. Fred (1994). ''One Nation Under Television: The Rise and Decline of Network TV''. Chicago: Nelson-Hall. *McNeil, Alex (1996). ''Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present''. New York: Penguin. * *Miner, Worthington; with Schaffner, Franklin (1985). ''Worthington Miner''. Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press. *Newcomb, Horace (2007). ''Television: The Critical View''. New York: Oxford University Press. *Patton, Phil (1984). ''Razzle-Dazzle: The Curious Marriage of Television and Professional Football''. Garden City, NY: The Dial Press. *Powers, Ron (1984). ''Supertube: The Rise of Television Sports''. New York: Coward-McCann. *Rader, Benjamin G. (1984). ''In its Own Image: How Television Has Transformed Sports''. New York: The Free Press. *Skutch, Ira (1989) ''I Remember Television: A Memoir''. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press. *Stemple, Tom (1992). ''Storytellers to the Nation: A History of American Television Writing''. New York: Continuum. *Sturcken, Frank (1990). ''Live Television: The Golden Age of 1946–1958 in New York''. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. *Wicking, Christopher; with Vahimagi, Tise (1999). ''The American Vein: Directors and Directions in Television''. New York: Dutton *Wilk, Max (1999). ''The Golden Age of Television: Notes From the Survivors''. Chicago: Silver Spring Press.


External links


''Studio One'' (September 29, 1952): Westinghouse spokeswoman Betty Furness explains UHF and demonstrates the UHF adapter
{{Video formats 1947 establishments in the United States 1960 disestablishments in the United States 1940s in American television 1950s in American television 1960s in American television Golden ages (metaphor), Television Nostalgia television in the United States History of television in the United States 1940s in television 1950s in television 1960s in television Television in the United States History of television