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Janice · 06-02-2003, 01:21 AM

Does anyone know when the first sitcom made its television debut?

Also, did television shows always have titles for each episode?

Just curious.

jayman75 · 06-02-2003, 10:54 AM

I always thought one of the first sitcoms was Amos and Andy, back in the mid-late 1940s. They did a radio show as well.

Ironically, the actors who played the two black cab drivers were white (on the radio). When the show went to TV, they had to get new actors to play the part.

I also know George Burns and Gracie Allen did their radio and TV shows simultaneously. Eventually they stopped doing radio, and did a complete switchover.

I'm not sure about episode names. A lot of older programs do have names, but I don't know if those were put on them in more recent years, in order to identify the episodes, or if those are the original names.

Good questions!!!

JT · 06-02-2003, 11:23 AM

Though "Amos N Andy" (1951-1953) and "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show" (1950-1958) were some of the earliest, the first ever sitcom, ever produced on television, was "Mary Kay & Johnny" (1947-1950). It was similar to "I Love Lucy" and "Burns and Allen" because it featured the real-life couple Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns. Another bit trivia: MK&J was the first ever sitcom, and also the first ever sitcom to feature a couple sharing the same bed.

*PinkLady* · 06-02-2003, 01:36 PM

I don't think all of the first TV show eps had titles. When you look at the episode descriptions on a website that gives that kind of thing, some of the titles are just basically summaries of the episode.

treky · 06-03-2003, 02:53 AM

a few of the radio shows were transsfered to TV-shows like "Duffys Tavern" "The Great Gildersleeve"

"The Life of Riley" "The Jack Benny show" "Fibber McGee & Molly" "The George Burns & Gracie Allen show" (NOT "Burns & Allen")-the fact that most people reading this post never heard of most of these shows tells you how well most of them translated to TV!

2 exeptions were "The Jack Benny show" &"The George Burns & Gracie Allen show". They were not only a success (SP?), but they were transsfered with their format intact. (which was a rarity)

jayman75 · 07-13-2003, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JT
Though "Amos N Andy" (1951-1953) and "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show" (1950-1958) were some of the earliest, the first ever sitcom, ever produced on television, was "Mary Kay & Johnny" (1947-1950). It was similar to "I Love Lucy" and "Burns and Allen" because it featured the real-life couple Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns. Another bit trivia: MK&J was the first ever sitcom, and also the first ever sitcom to feature a couple sharing the same bed.

Hmmmm... I always heard that the first sitcom with a couple sharing a bed was "The Flintstones."

treky · 07-13-2003, 09:32 PM

some people consider "The Flintstones" to be the first sitcom where a married couple "hit the sheets" but some people don't count it since the show was animated. Also, I think that in some shows Fred & Wilma had a double bed, and sometimes they had single beds. For years, Florence Henderson of "The Brady bunch" said that Mike & Carol Brady were the first couple to "hit the sheets" but reruns have since proved her wrong.

treky · 07-13-2003, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jayman75
I always thought one of the first sitcoms was Amos and Andy, back in the mid-late 1940s. They did a radio show as well.

Ironically, the actors who played the two black cab drivers were white (on the radio). When the show went to TV, they had to get new actors to play the part.

I also know George Burns and Gracie Allen did their radio and TV shows simultaneously. Eventually they stopped doing radio, and did a complete switchover.

I'm not sure about episode names. A lot of older programs do have names, but I don't know if those were put on them in more recent years, in order to identify the episodes, or if those are the original names.Jack Benny also did his radio & TV shows simeltainesly. So did Groucho Marx ("You bet your life" was the name of his show).
At first, Jack Benny only did his TV show once a month.

And, I THINK, (I'm not sure) "Amos & Andy" started as a local radio show in Chicago, in the 20s.

Speaking of Jack Benny, I have some of his radio shows on cassete (when I was living in Philadelphia, we had a local radio station that used to play them) and at the end of some of the ones from the early 50s, the announcer (Don Wilson, who also was his TV announcer) says something like "Now, turn your TV set on & watch Jacks monthly TV show".

Good questions!!!

06-02-2003, 01:21 AM	#1
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,389	Sitcom Questions Does anyone know when the first sitcom made its television debut? Also, did television shows always have titles for each episode? Just curious.

06-02-2003, 10:54 AM	#2
jayman75 I Love the 80s! Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 27, 2000 Location: THE GREAT UNITED STATES Posts: 3,809	I always thought one of the first sitcoms was Amos and Andy, back in the mid-late 1940s. They did a radio show as well. Ironically, the actors who played the two black cab drivers were white (on the radio). When the show went to TV, they had to get new actors to play the part. I also know George Burns and Gracie Allen did their radio and TV shows simultaneously. Eventually they stopped doing radio, and did a complete switchover. I'm not sure about episode names. A lot of older programs do have names, but I don't know if those were put on them in more recent years, in order to identify the episodes, or if those are the original names. Good questions!!!
	__________________ A fan of quality, classic television comedies and holiday specials... The Wonder Years,The Golden Girls,Burns and Allen, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Are You Being Served?, Family Guy, South Park, Designing Women, Dallas, The Facts of Life, Roseanne, Will and Grace, The Twilight Zone, Original Scooby-Doo, Murphy Brown, The Big Bang Theory... Talk to me about one of these shows, and I'm all yours...

06-02-2003, 11:23 AM	#3
JT Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 29, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 7,219	Though "Amos N Andy" (1951-1953) and "The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show" (1950-1958) were some of the earliest, the first ever sitcom, ever produced on television, was "Mary Kay & Johnny" (1947-1950). It was similar to "I Love Lucy" and "Burns and Allen" because it featured the real-life couple Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns. Another bit trivia: MK&J was the first ever sitcom, and also the first ever sitcom to feature a couple sharing the same bed.
	__________________ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrEbJBFWIPk

06-03-2003, 02:53 AM	#5
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	a few of the radio shows were transsfered to TV-shows like "Duffys Tavern" "The Great Gildersleeve" "The Life of Riley" "The Jack Benny show" "Fibber McGee & Molly" "The George Burns & Gracie Allen show" (NOT "Burns & Allen")-the fact that most people reading this post never heard of most of these shows tells you how well most of them translated to TV! 2 exeptions were "The Jack Benny show" &"The George Burns & Gracie Allen show". They were not only a success (SP?), but they were transsfered with their format intact. (which was a rarity)
	__________________ the Clampetts are in a fancy Beverly Hills jewelry store. Granny points to a tray of rubies. Granny: "How much fer one o' them red diamonds?" clerk: "Madam, those are rubies." Granny: "OK ask her kin we buy one offa her." clerk: " The ruby I am talking about is not a lady." Granny: "Lissen, how she got them diamonds is her business. I'm just sayin' ask her kin we buy one from her."

06-02-2003, 01:36 PM	#4
PinkLady Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jun 04, 2002 Posts: 7,457	I don't think all of the first TV show eps had titles. When you look at the episode descriptions on a website that gives that kind of thing, some of the titles are just basically summaries of the episode.

07-13-2003, 09:32 PM	#7
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	some people consider "The Flintstones" to be the first sitcom where a married couple "hit the sheets" but some people don't count it since the show was animated. Also, I think that in some shows Fred & Wilma had a double bed, and sometimes they had single beds. For years, Florence Henderson of "The Brady bunch" said that Mike & Carol Brady were the first couple to "hit the sheets" but reruns have since proved her wrong.