Sitcoms of the 1940's - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Adamantium · 05-21-2003, 04:21 PM

Mary Kay and Johnny (1947-1950)
The Growing Paynes (1948-1949)
The Goldbergs (1949-1956)
The Hartmans (1949)
Wesley (1949)
The Aldrich Family (1949-1953)
The Life of Riley (1949-1950)
That Wonderful Guy (1949-1950)

Does anyone have any info on these very early televison sitcoms? I'd love to see them, but I doubt any of the episodes still exsist. As far as I know, these were the only sitcoms of the 1940's.

Stormtracker TF · 05-21-2003, 04:31 PM

I almost positive no episodes of "Mary Kay and Johnny" exsist today, too bad. it was the very first sitcom ever.

Sean Snow · 05-21-2003, 05:21 PM

Here is some info on those shows from the book, Total Television by Alex McNeil [some of their just mentioned actors so I didn't put those shows on here. I also didn't put all of the entry, just parts.]:

Mary Kay & Johnny
November 1947-August 1948 (DuMont), October 1948-February 1949 (NBC), February 1949-June 1949 (CBS), June 1949-March 1950 (NBC)
Mary Kay & Johnny starred Mary Kay and Johnny Stearns as themselves. Broadcast live from Philadelphia, and later from New York, the series was shown in a fifteen-minute weekly format on the DuMont network, and then in a half-hour weekly format except during the summer of 1949, when it was seen for fifteen minutes five nights a week. [Note: MK&J were in the same bed on the show because they were married. I believe when Mary Kay was pregnant, so was her character.]

The Goldbergs
January 1949-June 1951 (CBS), February 1952-July 1952 & July 1953-September 1953 (NBC), April 1954-October 1954 (DuMont), 1954-1955 (Syndication)
Created by Gertrude Berg in 1929, the hit radio show became one of TV's first popular sitcoms. In addition to writing and producing the show, Gertrude Berg also starred as Molly Goldberg, the lovable Jewish mother who lived with her family at 1038 East Tremont Advenue in the BRonx. Philip Loeb first played her husband, Jake, a tailor, but was blacklisted during the "Red Scare" of the early 1950s (Loeb committed suicide in 1955). From 1949 to 1951 the show was seen on Monday nights. In 1952 it was seen Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings in a fifteen-minute format. In 1953 it reverted to a half-hour format. The 1954-1955 syndicated version was also a half-hour series; the Goldbergs, however, had left the Bronx and moved to Haverville, a suburban community.

Wesley
May 1949-August 1949 (CBS)
Half-hour sitcom about a precocious twelve-year-old and his family. With Donald Devlin and Johnny Stewart as Wesley; Frank Thomas as his father; Mona Thomas (the real life wife of Frank Thomas) as his mother; Joe Sweeney as his grandfather; Joy Reese as his sister; Jack Ayers as his sister's boyfriend; and Billy Nevard as Wesley's pal.

Quote:

Originally posted by TheFonz
I almost positive no episodes of "Mary Kay and Johnny" exsist today, too bad. it was the very first sitcom ever.

They showed a clip on one of the Inside TV Land specials, so I think at least some of MK&J has survived as kinescopes. While I don't think MK&J wasn't the first sitcom, but it was one of the first domestic sitcoms.

Impressions · 05-21-2003, 05:51 PM

DuMont Show of the 1940s:

http://members.aol.com/cingram/television/dumonta5.htm

*PinkLady* · 05-21-2003, 06:38 PM

Why wouldn't any of the episodes still exist?

Stormtracker TF · 05-21-2003, 08:38 PM

Quote:

They showed a clip on one of the Inside TV Land specials, so I think at least some of MK&J has survived as kinescopes. While I don't think MK&J wasn't the first sitcom, but it was one of the first domestic sitcoms.

Really? Well that's good to know.

Adamantium · 05-21-2003, 08:50 PM

I read on a website about Mary Kay and Johnny, that no episodes still exsist. Also, that this show was the first television sitcom. And that Mary Kay and Johnny were the first married couple to sleep in the same bed. After that it was The Flintstones, The Munsters and finally The Bradys. I found that after I posted here. I'm very interested in the history of sitcoms.

What I'd give for a time machine. I'd go back and bring a TV/VCR and record every episode of all those old shows. Maybe I can buy a time machine off of Ebay.

Sean Snow · 05-21-2003, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by *~PinkLady59~*
Why wouldn't any of the episodes still exist?

In the '40s and early '50s, many TV shows were 'live,' so for many of them only kinescopes exist. And for some of them, they didn't make kinescopes so they are lost forever. And some kinescopes have been destroyed by executives who thought they were 'worthless.'

Quote:

Originally posted by TVAdam
I read on a website about Mary Kay and Johnny, that no episodes still exsist.

Hmm. Yeah, I've seen that said on many sites. Maybe only parts of episodes or something exist. *shrug* All I remember TV Land showing was the logo and [I think] Mary Kay saying something to Johnny.

Adamantium · 05-21-2003, 09:23 PM

Maybe this is a bad idea, but they should get some of the old scripts of those shows, get a new cast and re do all those shows. For nostalgia, they would be filmed in black and white.

Also, they should take some old radio shows, and turn them into cartoons. Just take the voices and add animation around the shows.

Some a couple ideas from a slightly looney guy.

Also, as for them being shown live, "I Love Lucy" showed reruns, but had to shoot new openings and turn those into flashback episodes. I think, but then again, I'm no expert, that I Love Lucy was the first show to have reruns during the original run. If I'm wrong, please correct me. (Hopefully in a polite manner

)

treky · 05-22-2003, 01:55 AM

you'ree right. It was the first sitcom to show reruns, because when Lucille Ball was pregnant, she couldn't work a full schedule, so the only thing they could do was repeat some of the shows.

treky · 05-22-2003, 02:06 AM

at first, Jackie Gleason stared in "The Life of Riley", instead of William Bendix, who played the role on radio, because his radio contract said that he couldn't do television, because some TV executives considered it an "evil upstart"-however I also heard that William Bendix was offered the role on TV, but he didn't think TV would last, so he decided to stay in radio. So I don't know what's right. If someone does, let me know.

05-21-2003, 04:21 PM	#1
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,817	Sitcoms of the 1940's Mary Kay and Johnny (1947-1950) The Growing Paynes (1948-1949) The Goldbergs (1949-1956) The Hartmans (1949) Wesley (1949) The Aldrich Family (1949-1953) The Life of Riley (1949-1950) That Wonderful Guy (1949-1950) Does anyone have any info on these very early televison sitcoms? I'd love to see them, but I doubt any of the episodes still exsist. As far as I know, these were the only sitcoms of the 1940's.

05-21-2003, 09:23 PM	#9
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,817	Maybe this is a bad idea, but they should get some of the old scripts of those shows, get a new cast and re do all those shows. For nostalgia, they would be filmed in black and white. Also, they should take some old radio shows, and turn them into cartoons. Just take the voices and add animation around the shows. Some a couple ideas from a slightly looney guy. Also, as for them being shown live, "I Love Lucy" showed reruns, but had to shoot new openings and turn those into flashback episodes. I think, but then again, I'm no expert, that I Love Lucy was the first show to have reruns during the original run. If I'm wrong, please correct me. (Hopefully in a polite manner)

05-22-2003, 01:55 AM	#10
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	you'ree right. It was the first sitcom to show reruns, because when Lucille Ball was pregnant, she couldn't work a full schedule, so the only thing they could do was repeat some of the shows.
	__________________ 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."

05-21-2003, 04:31 PM	#2
Stormtracker TF Happy Easter! Moderator Forum Idol Join Date: Jul 19, 2002 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 102,598	I almost positive no episodes of "Mary Kay and Johnny" exsist today, too bad. it was the very first sitcom ever.

05-21-2003, 05:51 PM	#4
Impressions She died the way she lived Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 08, 2002 Posts: 4,640	DuMont Show of the 1940s: http://members.aol.com/cingram/television/dumonta5.htm

05-21-2003, 06:38 PM	#5
PinkLady Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jun 04, 2002 Posts: 7,457	Why wouldn't any of the episodes still exist?

05-21-2003, 08:50 PM	#7
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,817	I read on a website about Mary Kay and Johnny, that no episodes still exsist. Also, that this show was the first television sitcom. And that Mary Kay and Johnny were the first married couple to sleep in the same bed. After that it was The Flintstones, The Munsters and finally The Bradys. I found that after I posted here. I'm very interested in the history of sitcoms. What I'd give for a time machine. I'd go back and bring a TV/VCR and record every episode of all those old shows. Maybe I can buy a time machine off of Ebay.

05-22-2003, 02:06 AM	#11
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	at first, Jackie Gleason stared in "The Life of Riley", instead of William Bendix, who played the role on radio, because his radio contract said that he couldn't do television, because some TV executives considered it an "evil upstart"-however I also heard that William Bendix was offered the role on TV, but he didn't think TV would last, so he decided to stay in radio. So I don't know what's right. If someone does, let me know.