Oldies TV Shows – Part #1

Here is the first of a four-part post that provides links to old TV shows. Keep a link to this page for future reference and/or you may want to send a link to a friend you feel would enjoy this content.

1 – JACKIE GLEASON ON THE ROCKY MARCIANO SHOW – THE MAIN EVENT (1960)

Jackie recalls his early days as a night club comic in Newark, NJ; also, Jackie receives a humanitarian award from Rocky and salutes sidekick Art Carney (DuMont) Bloopers from The Honeymooners on OTV ch 11 also ch. 30; Marciano v. Wolcott fight on ch. 64

2 – JAMES DEAN: HIS FINAL TV APPEARANCE (1954)

Rebellious trait obvious, James Dean talks about car racing and safety on Gig Young’s show; Walks off set a mention of speeding; eerily, Dean was killed days later in a tragic car collision. (Dumont)

3 – ELVIS SINGS BLUE SUEDE SHOES (1956)

The King lives here! Elvis Presley debuts on “The Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey Show.” (CBS) In the house: Elvis sings many more of his hits on our Classic Oldies Video Juke Box below! In the house: Elvis sings many more of his hits on our Classic Oldies Video Juke Box below!

4 - A TRIBUTE TO ELVIS PRESLEY, THE KING OF ROCK & ROLL (1959-62)

Clips of The King from his early days to induction into the Army, see The King’s mom, dad & Col. Tom Hear Elvis’ first #1 1957 hit for RCA, Heartbreak Hotel. (Clips from Movietone & AP News)

5 - THE EDSEL INTRODUCED ON NBC(1957)

Ford paid the network big dollars (in those days) to run this filmed The Edsel Show promotion. Ford canned the car shortly after; it is today a revered automotive classic. (NBC) More 50s cars ch.63v

6 - BOBBY DARIN’S “MACK THE KNIFE” (1959)

Bobby opened his first of hour variety shows performing his biggest number one hit. (And his label, Atco, didn’t want him to record it!) (CBS)
*There’s more Bobby below: hosting a beauty contest & on the Oldies Television Video Juke Box.

7 - WESTINGHOUSE DEBUTS HI-TECH “ADVANCED TV” (1951)

Show the kids hi-tech video blossoming before anyone heard of cable, satellite or HDTV. They may chuckle; the “one knob-no antenna-black matrix pix tube” had viewers in awe. But it was a technical disaster. (TVC)

8 - WILLIAM BENDIX AS LOVABLE CHESTER A. RILEY (1956)

The Life Of Riley with Marjorie Reynolds, Tom D’andrea, Lugene Sanders, Wesley Morgan Once played by Groucho Marx & Jackie Gleason, Bendix’s Riley was the definitive blue collar family guy. Watch Riley, delirious over having his tonsils removed, drive family, Gillis, & hospital nurse (Honeybee) crazy! (CBS)

9 - ICONS I: WHAT MADE 50′S TV GOLDEN (COMPILATION, (1952-60)

Art Carney, Rod Serling, Manicurist Madge, Ted Mack, Annette & Frankie, The Champs, Don Adams. It was Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour that introduced Frank Sinatra, Connie Francis, and Pat Boone. (UPI)

10 - THE PATTI PAGE SHOW (1958)

The Singing Rage sings the immortal Tennessee Waltz, it doesn’t get any better than this. Also from her show, Patti croons over that cute little Doggie In The Window. (Syndicated)

11 - BLOOPERS FROM THE HONEYMOONERS (1957-58)

On live TV: Audrey misses her entrance cue, Jackie’s fly is open (watch how brilliantly he improvs). Jackie slips on the set (happened again at CBS, where he broke his leg) (Dumont) see also ch.30 & 82,

12 - THE CENSORED JERRY LEE LEWIS HERE UNCENSORED! (1957-59)

Goodness, Gracious, Great Balls Of Fire! The’ “Killer” smooches his child bride cousin on a filmed news interview on stage, he goes wild performing (looks like today’s metal rockers). The networks nixed both. (UPI)

13 - A TRUE 50′s DOO WOP TV CLASSIC(1958)

Rare Clip: The Del Vikings Perform Jitterbug Mary (taped at WOOK-TV Baltimore) *There’s many more classic Doo Wop Originals On The Classic Oldies Video Jukebox below.

14 - The original FAMILY AFFAIR (1966)

Brian Keith & Sebastian Cabot sin the last of the sentimental family sitcoms (despite failed 2004 remake. An affluent bachelor and his butler suddenly gain custody of adorable orphaned nieces and nephew (CBS)

15 - ALAN FREED’S BIG BEAT DANCE PARTY DANCERS (1959)

Local NYC Ch. 5 Freed show regulars dance and post-payola Alan Freed’s
parting statement (Metromedia); plus Dick Clark’s rigid payola statement to an angry Senate investigator (UPI)

16 - THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW (1957)

Steverino’s classic rock and roll poetic hate reading of Be Bop A Lula, no apology to Gene Vincent. Steve snubbed rock, had no rock acts on his show, but then booked them on his shows to get ratings (NBC).

17 - The Inventor Of TV Sketch Comedy ERNIE KOVACS (1954)

Long before SNL, imitated by his contemporaries (Berle, Gleason, Skelton), he was the true inventor of TV sketch satire. Ernie’s Kovacs; vignettes could have been taped yesterday still look contemporary, he was a TV comedy visionary There are more Ernie Kovacs comedy innovation in our Oldies Television Trivia Quiz, link below.

18 - THE RED SKELTON SHOW (1959)

Red as Clem Kaddiddlehoffer going to college, with guests: Reed Haley (“Racket Squad”) & Marvin Kaplan (“Meet Millie”) We included Red’s traditional, eye candy June Taylor Dancers’ sketch opening and Red laughing at his own jokes (CBS)

19 - ICONS: THE DELINQUENCY RAMPAGE! (COMPILATION, 1957-60)

Hoods, Dolls, Street Fights, Make Out Points & …Barry Goldwater. “Cool man. Ya dig it? Like, Wow! Ya square’r sometin?” This, kids, was how your parent’s parents perceived the next out of control, immoral generation (AIP)

20 - FATHER KNOWS BEST (1953)

Full Episode of The definitive aspartame family sitcom: Betty & Kathy feud begin over a bathing suit Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Eleanor Donahue, Billy Gray, Lauren Chapin. (CBS)

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Tags: Entertainment, Interesting, Nostalgia