Television struggled to become a national mass media in the 1950s.

In 1939, The New York Times argued, “The problem with television is that people must sit and keep their eyes glued on a screen; the average American family hasn’t time for it,” adding that “TV would never be a serious competitor of broadcasting.”

Little did they know!

The 1950s television shows were in black and white. Although  color was introduced in the U.S. in 1953, high prices and the scarcity of color programming greatly slowed its acceptance in the marketplace.

The first national color broadcast was the 1954 Tournament of Roses Parade, but during the following 10 years most network broadcasts, and nearly all local programming, continued to be in black-and-white.

Along came television commercials which were one of the most effective, persuasive, and popular methods of selling products of many sorts, especially consumer goods.

During the 1940s and into the 1950s, programs were hosted by single advertisers. Due to the quiz show scandals in the 1950s, networks shifted to the magazine concept, introducing advertising breaks with multiple advertisers.

By necessity, most  programming was local and cooking shows, wrestling and cartoons took up most of the broadcast day.  Situation comedies and variety shows were formats that were borrowed from radio. Former vaudeville stars like Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Jackie Gleason and Ernie Kovacs were the first comedians with variety shows.

Would you think you would want to build your own TV set?  Some folks in the 1950s did just that. A company in Chicago, Hallicrafters produced a kit and for about $40 or $50 dollars you could purchase a kit and with much determination you could build your own TV set.

The picture tube could be seven inches or 10 inches in size. It was in a wooden cabinet. The museum currently has one and it will be on exhibit in the new 1950s  display.  Unfortunately it does not work.

Since I did not get any emails from readers with their favorite TV programs of the ’50s I made a list of mine: “I love Lucy,” “Captain Kangaroo,” “$64,000 Question,” “The Price Is Right,” “What’s My Line?,” “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts,” “The Jack Benny Show,” “You Bet Your Life,” “The Red Skeleton Show,” “Dragnet,” and “Gangbusters.”

There was also “Alfred Hitchock,” “Perry Como,” “Father Knows Best” and “Perry Mason.”

A fascination  with westerns began with “The Lone Ranger,” “Gunsmoke,” “Have Gun Will Travel,” “Wagon Train,” “Rifleman,” “Maverick” and “Tales of Wells Fargo.”

Most of the westerns can be seen  as reruns today on some cable channels.

Interest in TV shows changed over the decade with many comedy shows, variety shows, game shows and then the westerns.

This is by no means a complete list of programming of the 1950s but maybe it will jar your memories of your favorite show.

Of course if you are not old enough to see them the first time around try to catch them on reruns.

 

Jo-Ann Boepple works at the Edwardsburg Area History Museum.