Can You Name at Least 18/23 TV Shows from the '50s and '60s?

Jacqueline Samaroo

Image: CBS

About This Quiz

Even though there were only three channels, the '50s and '60s produced many of television's most beloved programs. To this day, viewers still travel to "The Twilight Zone" and "Gilligan's Island." These classics transcend generations and have shaped entertainment for decades to come. If you've ever flipped on Nick at Nite or TV Land, you've likely been charmed by the retro throwbacks that still grace the airwaves. 

Whether or not you were alive in the '50s and '60s, we have a feeling you're familiar with many of the biggest hits of those decades. A few may even rank among your all-time favorites! But do you think you can recall most of the show's names from a single screenshot? Some may be a snap, while others ... well, let's just say the '50s and '60s were notorious for churning out shows that were very similar. Consider these classics: "Gunsmoke" vs. "Bonanza," "Bewitched" vs. "I Dream of Jeannie," "Green Acres" vs. "The Beverly Hillbillies." If only you could use Jeannie's magic on the tough ones!

It's time to put your TV know-how to the test and see if you're as good at couch potato-ing as you think you are. Your next stop: the good old days of television! 

Can you name this TV show about a little boy who always had to be rescued?

Although the character, Lassie, is female, the acting dog was played by Pal, a male dog. While he appeared in seven Lassie films and did the pilots for the TV series, he retired soon after. His descendants continue to be cast in the role.

This 1960s sitcom chronicled the adventures of the Clampett family.

Upon its initial release, many critics gave "The Beverly Hillbillies" negative reviews. Television viewers, however, loved the show — as evidenced by its No. 1 placement in the Nielsen rankings for its first two seasons. The show remained in the top 20 for eight of its nine seasons, but did not make the top 30 in season number nine.

What six-season 1950s sitcom is about a zany housewife?


Bette Davis guest starred three times on this western TV show from the '50s and '60s.

"Wagon Train" ran from September 1957 to May 1965 with Ward Bond taking on the starring role of wagon master. Ward had earlier played opposite John Wayne in the 1930 western "The Big Trail."

What is this series about a man with dual identities that ran from 1952 to 1958?

George Reeves played Superman in this 1952-1958 television series. His surname is, coincidentally, very similar to that of Christopher Reeve, who later played the film role to overwhelming success.

Decades before Law & Order, this classic legal drama ran from 1957 to 1966.

Both Raymond Burr and Barbara Hale were Emmy Award winners for their portrayal of Perry Mason and his ever-present secretary, Della Street. Burr and Hale both appeared in their roles for over 30 years, including the TV series and numerous Perry Mason TV movies.

What is this long-running western series that first aired in 1959?

In "Bonanza," Lorne Greene played Ben Cartwright, who is thrice widowed and has one son from each marriage. The show revealed that his wives were each of a different ancestry: Adam’s mother was English, Eric’s (Hoss) mother was Swedish, and Joseph’s (Little Joe) mother was French Creole.

Jack Webb starred in this police drama that debuted in 1951.

"Dragnet" featured unmistakable theme music and matter-of-fact narration from Sergeant Joe Friday (portrayed by Jack Webb). The show was created by Webb from its beginnings as a radio series. Webb starred in the radio episodes, as well as both the 1951-1959 and 1967-1970 TV series.

What is this spine-tingling science fiction anthology series that first aired in 1959?


Clint Eastwood broke into westerns in this '50s and '60s classic.

"Rawhide" co-starred Eric Fleming and Clint Eastwood. While several episodes focused on Eastwood’s character, Rowdy Yates, Eric Fleming, who portrayed trail boss Gil Favor, almost always received top billing. In the eighth season (which ran for only 13 episodes), Fleming left the show and Eastwood took over as trail boss.

What's the name of this one-season sitcom from the 1950s about the friendship between two couples?

"The Honeymooners" (created by and starring Jackie Gleason) ran for only one season -— 39 episodes. That was enough, however, for it to secure a place as one of the most iconic TV series of the '50s and '60s. It is widely believed that Hanna-Barbera’s "The Flintstones" was based on "The Honeymooners'" characters and theme.

Which TV show from the '50s and '60s starred Craig Stevens as a private eye?

The "Peter Gunn" title theme was composed by Henry Mancini (who also composed the widely known "Pink Panther" title theme). Mancini also composed several jazz-themed pieces which can be heard throughout the "Peter Gunn" TV series.

What's the name of this iconic anthology series that told thrilling stories of suspense?

The "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" TV series was later renamed "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" and extended from its original running time of 25 minutes to 50 minutes. This was an indication of the show’s popularity, which saw it running for a total of 10 years (1955-1965) and 360 episodes.

This sitcom brought a comedy duo's legendary burlesque routines to television.

One of the duo’s most memorable sketches is Who’s on First? It featured Bud Abbott trying to describe his baseball team to Lou Costello, but only ending up confusing and infuriating him because of the team members’ names. They include Who on first base; What on second base; I Don't Know on third base; and l Don't Give a Darn as shortstop.

Which western from the '50s and '60s also had a successful radio series?

"Have Gun, Will Travel" starred Richard Boone as Paladin, a gun-for-hire based out of San Francisco. Although he was a high-priced gunslinger, he much preferred solving his clients’ “problems” without violence — when he could. "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry wrote 24 of the show’s 225 episodes.

Poker playing brothers traveled by stagecoach through the American West in this show.


What's the name of this sitcom that portrayed the picture-perfect Cleaver family?

Theodore “The Beaver” Cleaver was played by Jerry Mathers in every one of the show’s 234 episodes. Mathers got the part when he was 8 years old, but his career began when he was just 2. He had appeared in campaign ads, commercials and movies before becoming a part of the "Leave It to Beaver" cast.

Can you name this action-adventure western series from the 1950s?

Johnston McCulley created the Zorro character in 1919 (making Zorro just short of his 100th birthday as of this writing). In the 1957-1959 TV series, Guy Williams portrays Zorro/Don Diego de la Vega. Williams went on to play the role of the father of the Robinson family in the popular series, "Lost in Space."

What one-season 1950s series was set in the year 3203?

Comic strip hero Flash Gordon is featured in a wide range of movies, novels, and TV and radio series. The "Flash Gordon" TV series, which ran from 1954 to 1955, was filmed in West Berlin, Germany, and in Marseille, France. Although it lasted for only one season of 39 episodes, it was still very popular with viewers.

Which 1950s family sitcom is pictured?

"Father Knows Best" originally aired as a radio series from 1949 to 1954 for a total of 197 episodes. It was a common practice for a successful series on the radio to be turned into a television series. There were 203 episodes of the "Father Knows Best" TV series, which ran from 1954 to 1960.

This classic cartoon depicted a future with robot maids and flying cars.

The Jetsons are often described as a futuristic version of the Flintstones. Although the two families live millennia apart, there is a 1987 made-for-TV movie in which they meet. In it, both families time travel and get a taste of what it is like to live in the other’s era.

Which 1950s western told the adventures of a masked crusader?

During the shows five-season run, Jay Silverheels acted as Tonto, the Lone Ranger's American Indian companion. "The Lone Ranger" was, however, portrayed by two actors — Clayton Moore in seasons 1, 2, 4 and 5, and John Hart in season 3.

A popular comic strip inspired this Shirley Booth sitcom about a family maid.

By the time Shirley Booth played the part of the titular character in "Hazel," she already had three Tony Awards (one for Best Supporting Actress and two for Best Actress), one Academy Award and one Golden Globe Award, both in the Best Actress category. She would go on to win two Primetime Emmy Awards for her role as Hazel.

What is this early '60s sitcom about New York City police officers?

For the show’s two seasons (60 episodes), Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynne played Officers Gunther Toody and Francis Muldoon, respectively. Fred Gwynne went on to gain widespread fame for his role as Herman Munster in "The Munsters."

This was the first hour-long western to run for more than one season.

Like several other TV shows at the time, "Cheyenne" focused on the main character, Cheyenne Bodie, but had a long list of guest stars who were either famous at the time or went on to be. These include Dan Blocker and Peter Breck who later played Eric "Hoss" Cartwright in "Bonanza" and Nick Barkley in "The Big Valley," respectively.

Which 1960s sitcom created by Car Reiner is about a television comedy writer and his family?


The family in this 1960s cartoon had a pet dinosaur.

Fred is voiced by Alan Reed (who bears a physical resemblance to the character). Although it is Reed’s voice we hear throughout the entire six seasons of the show, the pilot featured the voice of Daws Butler as Fred. Daws also supplied the voice of Barney Rubble in a few of the show’s season two episodes.

Which '60s sitcom took place at the Shady Rest Hotel near Hooterville?

Edgar Buchanan, who played Uncle Joe Carson, is the only cast member to have appeared in each of the 222 episodes of "Petticoat Junction." Linda Kaye Henning (as Betty Jo Bradley) appeared in 220.

Richard Chamberlain starred in which medical drama?

Young Richard Chamberlain was virtually unknown as an actor when he began as the titular character in the "Dr. Kildare" TV series. He quickly rocketed to fame, however, and won several awards, as proof of his popularity. Chamberlain won the Golden Globe Award for his role in this series and would go on to win the award two more times for his work in "Shogun" and "The Thorn Birds."

With an iconic theme song, this sitcom depicted the adventures of seven castaways.


What is this not-your-usual family sitcom?

While "The Munsters" TV series ranked poorly during its two seasons, it became very popular after it was released in syndication. There have been several films made based on the series. The first was released in theaters, and the others (one animated) were made-for-TV movies.

Can you name this long-running western set in Dodge City?

William Conrad was the original Marshal Matt Dillon on the radio series "Gunsmoke" (1952-1961). When the series moved to television, he was not selected as the actor to portray Dillon — James Arness would play that role for 20 years! Conrad went on to star in what was perhaps his most famous role — the titular character of the TV series "Cannon."

Jim Nabors starred in the title role in which TV series?

The "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." TV series is one of two spin-offs of "The Andy Griffith Show." The other was "Mayberry, R.F.D." In its five-year run, from 1964 to 1969, the show placed at numbers 3, 2, 10, 3 and 2 in the Nielsen Ratings. A novel bearing the same name as the series was released in 1966.

This '60s series was about a housewife with a spellbinding secret.

The cast of "Bewitched" saw several changes during the show’s eight seasons. Aside from Dick York, then Dick Sargent, playing the part of Darrin Stephens, there were five different children acting as Tabitha Stephens. Also, the characters of Gladys Kravitz, Louise Tate and Frank Stephens each had two actors portraying them during the show’s run.

Which TV classic was set in the small town of Mayberry?


The pictured dynamic duo fought crime in tights on which show?


What '60s sitcom was set in a German POW camp?

In 1970, near the end of the show’s run, its star Bob Crane (who played Colonel Hogan) married fellow cast member Sigrid Valdis (who acted as Fräulein Hilda). Their wedding took place on the show’s set. The two remained married until Crane’s murder in 1978.

Creator Mel Brooks described this show as "an insane combination of James Bond and Mel Brooks comedy."

"Get Smart" stars Don Adams as Maxwell Smart (Agent 86) and Barbara Feldon as Agent 99. In the penultimate of its five seasons, the pair marry and have twins. In real life, however, Feldon married the show’s producer, Burt Nodella.

Can you name the show about a family that moved from Park Avenue to the countryside?

Both Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor (Oliver Wendell Douglas and Lisa Douglas) appeared in all 170 episodes of "Green Acres’" six-season run. The show began in 1965 and was a spinoff of "Petticoat Junction," which started two years earlier. There were several instances in which characters from "Green Acres" appeared on "Petticoat Junction."

This series depicted the partnership between two international secret agents.

"The Man from U.N.C.L.E." became quite popular during its four-season run, and generated a spin-off titled, "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E." That series starred Stephanie Powers, and featured Leo G. Carroll acting as Mr. Waverly concurrently in both series.

What is this 1960s sitcom about a bachelor-turned-dad?

Sebastian Cabot played Giles French, valet to Brian Keith’s character, bachelor Bill Davis. While Cabot became very popular and was easily recognizable due to his role in the five-season long "Family Affair," it is his voice with which some audiences are more familiar. Cabot is the narrator in several of the "Winnie the Pooh" films.

Can you name this 1950s buddy sitcom?

The original "Amos 'n' Andy" radio series was created and voiced by white actors, Freeman Gosden (Amos) and Charles Correll (Andy). When the show was produced for television, black actors were cast: Alvin Childress (Amos) and Spencer Williams (Andy).

What is this 1960s TV series that later became a major movie franchise?

"Mission: Impossible" was created by Bruce Geller who was also, at one point, the show’s producer. The 1966-1973 TV series spawned a 1988-1990 revival starring Peter Graves, who also starred in the original series. The "Mission: Impossible" feature film franchise, with Tom Cruise in the lead, currently includes six movies from 1996 to 2018.

This crime drama set in 1930s Chicago was inspired by a memoir.

From autobiographical novel to TV series to blockbuster film, the story of "The Untouchables" depicts how a team of special agents worked to bring down gangster Al Capone’s empire. The TV series, however, only features Capone in its two-hour pilot, as well as in a two-part episode.

What is the name of this sitcom about a busy housewife and her family?

Several of the show’s stars had notable success in other projects. Donna Reed had a stint as Miss Ellie Ewing on the hit TV soap opera "Dallas," and Shelley Fabares, who played Donna’s daughter, Mary Stone, recorded the number-one hit song "Johnny Angel." Bob Crane, who portrayed Dr. Dave Kelsey, a friend of the Stone family, became the main star in "Hogan’s Heroes."

What drama featured a one-armed man?

During its run, "The Fugitive" peaked at number 5 in the Nielsen Ratings. The premise for the series was not new, as there were other shows and real-life cases similar to it (someone wrongly accused and on the run from the law while seeking the actual perpetrator). The series was the basis for the hugely successful 1993 movie and its 1998 sequel.

This John Forsythe sitcom premiered on ABC before moving to NBC and then CBS.

"Bachelor Father" ran for 157 episodes over five seasons, from September 1957 to September 1962. The show aired on CBS (1957-1959), NBC (1959-1961) and ABC (1961-1962, when it was finally canceled).

Which sitcom featured the hijinks of identical cousins?

Patty Duke was only 16 years old when "The Patty Duke Show" was first released. Despite her age, she was already an Academy Award winner, having received the award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Helen Keller in the 1962 film "The Miracle Worker."

What is the name of this TV series that began as a radio show?


What's the name of this 1960s courtroom drama series?


About HowStuffWorks Play


Explore More Quizzes