I am really liking the Andersons but... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Tankeryanker · 06-28-2020, 10:12 PM

Ward and June have such class.

The way they move, sit, dinner manners. The way the house was decorated.

LITB started a few years after FKB. Does anybody know if LITB was created to fill some spot in the TV lineup?

How many sitcoms were there about the family at that time?

GentlemanJim · 06-29-2020, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tankeryanker

How many sitcoms were there about the family at that time?

Here are the 3 major network's primetime schedules for the time period

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957%E...ision_schedule

I always enjoyed LITB, but have come to see certain aspects (Ward lounging around the house in a suit and tie) as preposterous.

GentlemanJim · 06-29-2020, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tankeryanker

LITB started a few years after FKB. Does anybody know if LITB was created to fill some spot in the TV lineup?

I think that LITB was created to fill a spot in writers Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher's careers.
After their success with Amos & Andy 1951-1953, they had "Meet Mr McNulty 1953-1955, a Charleton Heston movie in 1955, then they claim to have found inspiration from their own families to create a sit-com based upon the perspective of the children, leading them to the LITB concept.

Admittedly I am assuming, but what I envision are two proven writers with time on their hands deciding "nobody has done this yet, let's give it a try"

stevea · 06-30-2020, 06:59 AM

Makes sense!

Scrabjan1 · 07-02-2020, 07:46 AM

It was preposterous to have Ward lounging around the house in a suit. Wally and Beaver both asked why Ward was eating standing up why not ask why he’s wearing a suit all the time. I like when he has casual clothes on on Saturday then all of a sudden on Saturday night he’s got a suit on and he’s just staying home.

Just caught an episode of FKB didn’t know I had it what a surprise. At least Bud and Kathy were very real people. I liked Jim too he was pleasant. Jim and his wife are always smooching. Ward and June kissed passionately I think never.

stevea · 07-02-2020, 08:19 AM

Once in awhile you see Margaret cleaning and she's dressed for it. Old clothes, etc. Not dressed like she's about to attend the senior prom.

TSMIV · 07-02-2020, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

Once in awhile you see Margaret cleaning and she's dressed for it. Old clothes, etc. Not dressed like she's about to attend the senior prom.

I watched season 1's Second Honeymoon last night and there was a scene with Margaret wearing a sweatshirt, pants, and a bandana as a head scarf! I thought June would never look that grungy! In 2020, Margaret looked very stylish in her work clothes.

MichaelMartinD · 07-02-2020, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrabjan1

It was preposterous to have Ward lounging around the house in a suit. Wally and Beaver both asked why Ward was eating standing up why not ask why he’s wearing a suit all the time. I like when he has casual clothes on on Saturday then all of a sudden on Saturday night he’s got a suit on and he’s just staying home.

Did he ever actually lounge around the house in a suit? I can remember him wearing a cardigan, sometimes a sport coat and tie (if he had come from work) or just a shirt and tie without a jacket (ditto). But when did he lounge around the house in a suit and tie?

stevea · 07-03-2020, 08:35 AM

In the opening of Sweatshirt Monsters, on now, he has on a sweater and a loosened tie.

So there may have been a few times he had on the coat and tie. But I may be overdoing it in thinking he always had one on.

But I think he always had one on at the table.

In Father Knows Best Jim changed into another jacket, a sport jacket, I guess. Probably like my grandmother--she always felt a draft.

Scrabjan1 · 07-03-2020, 08:48 AM

Many times Ward came from work and instead of getting comfortable in caz clothes he sits down in the suit and reads the paper. One time he is lying down on the sofa in the suit. June tells him the sink is clogged. Wonder if he wore the suit while plunging.

In another episode he’s dressed in a shirt and sweater on Sunday afternoon by night he has a suit on. By season 3 Ward always dressed for dinner. Once June and Ward are headed out to get the ice cream and cake for Wally’s party dressed like they are headed to a White House dinner.

stevea · 07-03-2020, 08:59 AM

Guess I'm not overdoing it.

Also there was the time the garbage disposal got stopped up, and his tie got caught in it. June rescued him with the scissors. (kidding!)

GentlemanJim · 07-03-2020, 01:39 PM

Seems as though there were several episodes where....it's well after dinner, the boys are up in their room getting ready for bed, and Ward comes into the boys bedroom still wearing suit and tie, to help them sort through whatever moral dilemma the episode is based around.

Or after dinner, Ward is sitting reading a news paper still dressed from work, , the door bell rings, Ward looks up and either offers to answer the door or encourages someone else to.

I don't think that I am imagining this.

Seems like they are fond for dressing formally for Sunday Afternoon dinner, as well. Maybe some families did this, but the only time we did was when there were invited guests involved.

MichaelMartinD · 07-03-2020, 02:07 PM

You have to remember that actors like Hugh and Barbara wanted to appear glamorous and well dressed to the audience. "Realism" wasn't the only value. The wardrobe department dresses the cast in view of making certain effects evident to the viewer, like what sort of people these are, their social class, etc. Or even just to visually convey to the viewer that Ward has come from the office and thus it is a weeknight. How would you know this is he were wearing casual clothes?

But even realistically, it makes sense on a certain level, if you have just come from the office and are wearing a suit, to keep the outfit on in order to look nice in front of your family. Maybe some men would have changed clothes, or just removed the jacket and tie, but I'm sure some would have stayed dressed as they were as a courtesy to those around them.

To me one of the pleasures of these old shows is seeing the sartorial style of that era. That it might not be "realistic" doesn't matter a bit to me.

PracTz · 07-03-2020, 02:09 PM

Can anyone imagine chiffoned dressed, pearl-wearing, high-heeled June's reaction had Ward appeared at the dinner table in a t-shirt, sweatpants (yes, they existed back then) and barefoot? I think she'd have called Aunt Martha and/or threatened to go back to Aunt Martha's had he attempted that so I think he stayed suited as much as possible for family harmony.

TSMIV · 07-03-2020, 03:46 PM

Quote:

To me one of the pleasures of these old shows is seeing the sartorial style of that era. That it might not be "realistic" doesn't matter a bit to me.

Me too. I can joke about the way Ward and June were dressed, but some of the criticism is over the top. Besides, most people on a TV show dress better than most of us in the real world when lounging around the house.

06-28-2020, 10:12 PM	#1
Tankeryanker Do you like my monkey picture? Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 22, 2014 Posts: 3,058	I am really liking the Andersons but... Ward and June have such class. The way they move, sit, dinner manners. The way the house was decorated. LITB started a few years after FKB. Does anybody know if LITB was created to fill some spot in the TV lineup? How many sitcoms were there about the family at that time?

06-30-2020, 06:59 AM	#4
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 45,435	Makes sense!

07-02-2020, 07:46 AM	#5
Scrabjan1 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2013 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,521	It was preposterous to have Ward lounging around the house in a suit. Wally and Beaver both asked why Ward was eating standing up why not ask why he’s wearing a suit all the time. I like when he has casual clothes on on Saturday then all of a sudden on Saturday night he’s got a suit on and he’s just staying home. Just caught an episode of FKB didn’t know I had it what a surprise. At least Bud and Kathy were very real people. I liked Jim too he was pleasant. Jim and his wife are always smooching. Ward and June kissed passionately I think never.

07-02-2020, 08:19 AM	#6
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 45,435	Once in awhile you see Margaret cleaning and she's dressed for it. Old clothes, etc. Not dressed like she's about to attend the senior prom.

07-03-2020, 08:35 AM	#9
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 45,435	In the opening of Sweatshirt Monsters, on now, he has on a sweater and a loosened tie. So there may have been a few times he had on the coat and tie. But I may be overdoing it in thinking he always had one on. But I think he always had one on at the table. In Father Knows Best Jim changed into another jacket, a sport jacket, I guess. Probably like my grandmother--she always felt a draft.

07-03-2020, 08:48 AM	#10
Scrabjan1 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 27, 2013 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 3,521	Many times Ward came from work and instead of getting comfortable in caz clothes he sits down in the suit and reads the paper. One time he is lying down on the sofa in the suit. June tells him the sink is clogged. Wonder if he wore the suit while plunging. In another episode he’s dressed in a shirt and sweater on Sunday afternoon by night he has a suit on. By season 3 Ward always dressed for dinner. Once June and Ward are headed out to get the ice cream and cake for Wally’s party dressed like they are headed to a White House dinner.

07-03-2020, 08:59 AM	#11
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 45,435	Guess I'm not overdoing it. Also there was the time the garbage disposal got stopped up, and his tie got caught in it. June rescued him with the scissors. (kidding!)

07-03-2020, 01:39 PM	#12
GentlemanJim Concerns, Support, & Feedback Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 26, 2019 Location: The back country Posts: 5,443	Seems as though there were several episodes where....it's well after dinner, the boys are up in their room getting ready for bed, and Ward comes into the boys bedroom still wearing suit and tie, to help them sort through whatever moral dilemma the episode is based around. Or after dinner, Ward is sitting reading a news paper still dressed from work, , the door bell rings, Ward looks up and either offers to answer the door or encourages someone else to. I don't think that I am imagining this. Seems like they are fond for dressing formally for Sunday Afternoon dinner, as well. Maybe some families did this, but the only time we did was when there were invited guests involved.

07-03-2020, 02:07 PM	#13
MichaelMartinD Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 23, 2013 Posts: 580	You have to remember that actors like Hugh and Barbara wanted to appear glamorous and well dressed to the audience. "Realism" wasn't the only value. The wardrobe department dresses the cast in view of making certain effects evident to the viewer, like what sort of people these are, their social class, etc. Or even just to visually convey to the viewer that Ward has come from the office and thus it is a weeknight. How would you know this is he were wearing casual clothes? But even realistically, it makes sense on a certain level, if you have just come from the office and are wearing a suit, to keep the outfit on in order to look nice in front of your family. Maybe some men would have changed clothes, or just removed the jacket and tie, but I'm sure some would have stayed dressed as they were as a courtesy to those around them. To me one of the pleasures of these old shows is seeing the sartorial style of that era. That it might not be "realistic" doesn't matter a bit to me.

07-03-2020, 02:09 PM	#14
PracTz Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 14, 2002 Location: United States of America [Happily Living in the 20th Century] Posts: 2,711	Can anyone imagine chiffoned dressed, pearl-wearing, high-heeled June's reaction had Ward appeared at the dinner table in a t-shirt, sweatpants (yes, they existed back then) and barefoot? I think she'd have called Aunt Martha and/or threatened to go back to Aunt Martha's had he attempted that so I think he stayed suited as much as possible for family harmony.