To those who grew up in the 50s - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Tankeryanker · 08-30-2022, 09:59 PM

Did you think it was odd that TV couples slept in separate beds? Did you ask your own parents why they did not sleep in separate beds?

CosmicCharlie · 09-04-2022, 02:38 PM

LOL my parents were in the midst of a divorce in the late 50's

Alan Brady's Hair · 09-04-2022, 02:58 PM

I grew up in the 60s. People just didn't talk about stuff like this. There was no TV show like Entertainment Tonight to drum up daily controversies about what was on the night before. TV Guide existed, but the articles were written months before, and were mostly flattering toward shows and stars. Most cities had one or two newspapers, and they'd have a TV/radio columnist who covered everything from local news ratings to new network shows. There were gossip magazines, but they were limited circulation. I think today people look through articles from maybe a dozen big newspapers sixty years ago, and they assume everyone was hanging on their every word. They weren't, and most people were completely unaware of them.

CosmicCharlie · 09-04-2022, 03:30 PM

Clear Channel now owns approximately 1225 radio stations in 300 cities and dominates the audience share in 100 of 112 major markets.

These top six companies control 90% of the media in the United States. Just 37 years ago, there were 50 companies in charge of most American media. Now, 90% of the media in the United States is controlled by just six corporations: AT&T, CBS, Comcast, Disney, Newscorp and Viacom

MichaelMartinD · 09-05-2022, 03:32 PM

Couples sleeping in separate beds was a convention in movies and (especially) TV shows of a certain era. It was done for the sake of propriety and decency, not being overly explicit about the marital bedroom and so forth. I don't know if kids in that era would have understood it as a visual convention or would have interpreted it literally.

TSMIV · 09-05-2022, 04:02 PM

The seperate bed thing wasn't exclusive to TV. Loads of movies from the 40s and 50s showed couples in twin beds. I didn't grow up in the 50s, but when I was a kid in the 80s watching nick at nite; I never thought about it. That was just how old TV and movies were. In the 21st century, too many people getting paid to give their opinions and analysis (as opposed to doing real work) have created a faux controversy over it.

stevea · 09-05-2022, 05:50 PM

I'm watching Ozzie and Harriet, which is now being released by season on DVD. Beginning with the 4th season (1955) they had a double bed, which is probably the earliest sitcom use (I know, Lucy and Ricky had twin beds which kinda sorta looked like they could easily be pushed together). The only reason the censors probably allowed O&H was that they were married in real life.

60s examples are Oliver and Lisa on Green Acres (1965), and Rob and Katie on My Three Sons (1967). That one was a switch during an episode filming.

vitoscotti · 09-05-2022, 10:23 PM

In "The Honeymooners" The Sleepwalker (1955) Ed's bed is a double.

MichaelMartinD · 09-06-2022, 10:36 AM

The separate-bed convention was never used on LITB, so far as I know. The one time we saw the inside of Ward and June's bedroom was, I believe, in "The Party Spoiler," where we see that they had a double bed.

stevea · 09-06-2022, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelMartinD

The separate-bed convention was never used on LITB, so far as I know. The one time we saw the inside of Ward and June's bedroom was, I believe, in "The Party Spoiler," where we see that they had a double bed.

I think there were single beds shown in that episode, as well as the one with jeff, the bum.

Wawwie · 09-06-2022, 11:00 AM

On Little House On the Prairie, Charles and Caroline Ingalls shared a bed and that was the late 1800's.

GentlemanJim · 09-06-2022, 11:38 AM

As I recall, it was explained to me that some people are light sleepers, and don't want to be woke up by their spouse throughout the night.

And, that explanation was good enough for me until I got old enough to understand what the real deal was.

At which time I threw that deception on the same pile with Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Popeye, "Petticoat Junction got cancelled", "Ward Cleaver never went to bars", and all the other little deceptions cast upon me for my own good.

MichaelMartinD · 09-06-2022, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I think there were single beds shown in that episode, as well as the one with jeff, the bum.

I guess I am misremembering, then.

Tankeryanker · 09-06-2022, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wawwie

On Little House On the Prairie, Charles and Caroline Ingalls shared a bed and that was the late 1800's.

It was filmed after is was customary for married people to be shown in the same bed.

GentlemanJim · 09-06-2022, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wawwie

On Little House On the Prairie, Charles and Caroline Ingalls shared a bed and that was the late 1800's.

Was it just the fruit of Hollywood activists to portray the 3 stooges as sharing a common bed, but not The Ricardos?

Wokeness in the 1930's-50's?

08-30-2022, 09:59 PM	#1
Tankeryanker Do you like my monkey picture? Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 22, 2014 Posts: 3,049	To those who grew up in the 50s Did you think it was odd that TV couples slept in separate beds? Did you ask your own parents why they did not sleep in separate beds?

09-05-2022, 03:32 PM	#5
MichaelMartinD Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 23, 2013 Posts: 576	Couples sleeping in separate beds was a convention in movies and (especially) TV shows of a certain era. It was done for the sake of propriety and decency, not being overly explicit about the marital bedroom and so forth. I don't know if kids in that era would have understood it as a visual convention or would have interpreted it literally.
	Last edited by MichaelMartinD; 09-06-2022 at 08:38 AM.

09-06-2022, 11:38 AM	#12
GentlemanJim Concerns, Support, & Feedback Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 26, 2019 Location: The back country Posts: 5,443	As I recall, it was explained to me that some people are light sleepers, and don't want to be woke up by their spouse throughout the night. And, that explanation was good enough for me until I got old enough to understand what the real deal was. At which time I threw that deception on the same pile with Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Popeye, "Petticoat Junction got cancelled", "Ward Cleaver never went to bars", and all the other little deceptions cast upon me for my own good.
	__________________ On my word as a gentleman!

09-04-2022, 02:38 PM	#2
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,437	LOL my parents were in the midst of a divorce in the late 50's

09-04-2022, 02:58 PM	#3
Alan Brady's Hair Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Posts: 1,828	I grew up in the 60s. People just didn't talk about stuff like this. There was no TV show like Entertainment Tonight to drum up daily controversies about what was on the night before. TV Guide existed, but the articles were written months before, and were mostly flattering toward shows and stars. Most cities had one or two newspapers, and they'd have a TV/radio columnist who covered everything from local news ratings to new network shows. There were gossip magazines, but they were limited circulation. I think today people look through articles from maybe a dozen big newspapers sixty years ago, and they assume everyone was hanging on their every word. They weren't, and most people were completely unaware of them.

09-04-2022, 03:30 PM	#4
CosmicCharlie Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 14, 2019 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,437	Clear Channel now owns approximately 1225 radio stations in 300 cities and dominates the audience share in 100 of 112 major markets. These top six companies control 90% of the media in the United States. Just 37 years ago, there were 50 companies in charge of most American media. Now, 90% of the media in the United States is controlled by just six corporations: AT&T, CBS, Comcast, Disney, Newscorp and Viacom

09-05-2022, 04:02 PM	#6
TSMIV Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 29, 2018 Location: Arkansas Posts: 696	The seperate bed thing wasn't exclusive to TV. Loads of movies from the 40s and 50s showed couples in twin beds. I didn't grow up in the 50s, but when I was a kid in the 80s watching nick at nite; I never thought about it. That was just how old TV and movies were. In the 21st century, too many people getting paid to give their opinions and analysis (as opposed to doing real work) have created a faux controversy over it.

09-05-2022, 05:50 PM	#7
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,695	I'm watching Ozzie and Harriet, which is now being released by season on DVD. Beginning with the 4th season (1955) they had a double bed, which is probably the earliest sitcom use (I know, Lucy and Ricky had twin beds which kinda sorta looked like they could easily be pushed together). The only reason the censors probably allowed O&H was that they were married in real life. 60s examples are Oliver and Lisa on Green Acres (1965), and Rob and Katie on My Three Sons (1967). That one was a switch during an episode filming.

09-05-2022, 10:23 PM	#8
vitoscotti Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 14, 2017 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,083	In "The Honeymooners" The Sleepwalker (1955) Ed's bed is a double.

09-06-2022, 10:36 AM	#9
MichaelMartinD Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 23, 2013 Posts: 576	The separate-bed convention was never used on LITB, so far as I know. The one time we saw the inside of Ward and June's bedroom was, I believe, in "The Party Spoiler," where we see that they had a double bed.

09-06-2022, 11:00 AM	#11
Wawwie Member Forum Star Join Date: Jul 26, 2006 Location: New York Posts: 14,376	On Little House On the Prairie, Charles and Caroline Ingalls shared a bed and that was the late 1800's.