1957–58 United States network television schedule

The 1957–58 United States network television schedule was for the period that began in September 1957 and ran through March 1958.

As in previous seasons, both CBS and ABC continued to add Westerns to their schedule, filling prime time with as many "oaters" (as they were derisively called) as possible. In addition to several returning Westerns which the network retained on its fall 1957 schedule, ABC's new western series included Sugarfoot and Broken Arrow on Tuesday nights, Tombstone Territory on Wednesdays, Colt .45 on Fridays, and Maverick on Sundays.

ABC, third in the network Nielsen ratings, placed its new Western Maverick in a difficult time slot: Sunday night against two hit series: The Steve Allen Show on NBC, and The Ed Sullivan Show on CBS. ABC aired Maverick one half-hour prior to the Allen and Sullivan programs; the strategy was designed to "hook the audience before it fell into its usual viewing habits".[1]

NBC, late to the Western format, also began plugging Westerns into its fall schedule. New NBC Western series debuting in the 1957–58 season included Wagon Train, The Restless Gun, and The Californians (though one NBC executive insisted The Californians is not a Western but a drama set in California in the 1850s).[1]

Another programming shift occurred at NBC: the network's flagship news program, The Huntley-Brinkley Report, moved to the 7:15 PM weekday timeslot, for the first time going head to head against both ABC's and CBS's news programs.[2] The face-off between the three networks' news programs would become the standard model for U.S. broadcast television; the three networks still air their network news programs against one another.

1958 saw a number of executive changes at the networks; these presidential shifts would affect the network television schedules. Oliver Treyz became the president of ABC on February 17, Louis G. Cowan became the president of CBS on March 12, and NBC programmer Robert Kintner became the president of NBC on July 11. Dr. Allen B. DuMont resigned as chairman of the board of the DuMont Broadcasting Corporation on May 13, and the name of the company was changed to Metropolitan Broadcasting Corporation. According to Castleman and Podrazik (1982) the final DuMont Network program, Monday Night Fights aired for the last time on August 4, 1958, carried on only five stations nationwide.[1] NBC's Kraft Television Theatre, which had debuted in 1947 and was the oldest program still left on television, was cancelled in spring 1958. It was the dawn of a new era in television; producer David Susskind, who had produced KTT at the end, would call 1958 "the year of the miserable drivel".[1]

New fall series are highlighted in bold. Series ending are highlighted in italics

Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.[3]

Yellow indicates the programs in the top 10 for the season.

Cyan indicates the programs in the top 20 for the season.

Magenta indicates the programs in the top 30 for the season.

Sunday

Network		7:00 PM	7:30 PM	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	1957	You Asked For It	Maverick		Bowling Stars (formerly on NBC as National Bowling Champions)	Open Hearing	All-American Football Game of the Week (Football)	Scotland Yard	Local Programming
ABC	1958	Local Programming	Maverick		Adventure at Scott Island (formerly on CBS as Harbormaster)	Open Hearing	All-American Football Game of the Week (Football)	The Mike Wallace Interview	Local Programming
CBS		Lassie (22/27.8)	The Jack Benny Show (28/27.1) / Bachelor Father	The Ed Sullivan Show (27/27.3)		General Electric Theater (7/31.5)	Alfred Hitchcock Presents (12/30.3) (Tied with Cheyenne)	The $64,000 Challenge	What's My Line?
NBC	1957	The Original Amateur Hour	Sally	The Steve Allen Show (Color)		The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (Color)		The Loretta Young Show (30/26.6) (Tied with Zorro and The Real McCoys)	Local Programming
NBC	1958	Noah's Ark (Color)(repeats)	No Warning!	The Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé Show (Color)		The Chevy Show (Color)		Decision	Local Programming

Monday

Network		7:00 PM	7:30 PM	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	1957	7:00 Local / 7:15 John Daly and the News	American Bandstand	The Guy Mitchell Show	Bold Journey	The Voice of Firestone	Lawrence Welk's Top Tunes and New Talent		Local Programming
	1958		Polka Go-Round				Lawrence Welk's Top Tunes and New Talent
	1958		Polka Go-Round				Anybody Can Play	This is Music
CBS		7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News*	The Adventures of Robin Hood	The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show	Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts	The Danny Thomas Show (2/35.3)	December Bride (9/30.7)	Studio One in Hollywood
NBC	1957	7:00 Local / 7:15 The Huntley-Brinkley Report*	The Price Is Right (Color)	The Restless Gun (8/31.4)	Tales of Wells Fargo (3/35.2)	Twenty-One (26/27.6)	Turn of Fate (Alcoa Theatre)/Goodyear Theatre	Suspicion
NBC	1958	7:00 Local / 7:15 The Huntley-Brinkley Report*	Haggis Baggis (Color)	The Restless Gun (8/31.4)	Tales of Wells Fargo (3/35.2)	Twenty-One (26/27.6)	Turn of Fate (Alcoa Theatre)/Goodyear Theatre	Suspicion

In some areas, Douglas Edwards with the News and The Huntley-Brinkley Report aired at 6:45 p.m.

Tuesday

Network		7:00 PM	7:30 PM	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	Fall	7:00 Local / 7:15 John Daly and the News	Cheyenne (12/30.3) (Tied with Alfred Hitchcock Presents) / Sugarfoot (23/27.7) (Tied with Wagon Train and Father Knows Best)		The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (6/32.6)	Broken Arrow	Telephone Time	The West Point Story	Local Programming
ABC	Summer	7:00 Local / 7:15 John Daly and the News			The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (6/32.6)	Broken Arrow	Telephone Time	Confession (1958/59 season advance)	Local Programming
CBS		7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News	Name That Tune	The Phil Silvers Show	The Eve Arden Show	To Tell the Truth	The Red Skelton Show (15/28.9) (Color)	The $64,000 Question (19/28.1) (Tied with This Is Your Life)	Assignment: Foreign Legion
NBC	Fall	7:00 Local / 7:15 The Huntley-Brinkley Report	The Nat King Cole Show	The Eddie Fisher Show (Color)/The George Gobel Show (Color)		Meet McGraw	The Bob Cummings Show	The Californians	Local Programming
	Summer			The Investigator (Color)		Dotto
	Follow-up			The Investigator (Color)		Colgate Theatre

Wednesday

Network		7:00 PM	7:30 PM	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	Fall	7:00 Local / 7:15 John Daly and the News	Disneyland		Tombstone Territory	The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet	The Walter Winchell File	10:00 The Wednesday Night Fights /10:45 Famous Fights
	Winter						Date with the Angels
	Follow-up						The Betty White Show
CBS	1957	7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News	I Love Lucy (repeats)	The Big Record		The Millionaire (17/28.5)	I've Got a Secret (5/33.4)	Armstrong Circle Theatre/The United States Steel Hour
CBS	1958	7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News	I Love Lucy (repeats)	Leave It to Beaver	The Big Record	The Millionaire (17/28.5)	I've Got a Secret (5/33.4)	Armstrong Circle Theatre/The United States Steel Hour
NBC	Fall	7:00 Local / 7:15 The Huntley-Brinkley Report	Wagon Train (23/27.7) (Tied with Sugarfoot and Father Knows Best)		Father Knows Best (23/27.7) (Tied with Sugarfoot and Wagon Train)	Kraft Television Theatre (Color)		This Is Your Life (19/28.1) (Tied with The $64,000 Question)	Local Programming
NBC	Summer	7:00 Local / 7:15 The Huntley-Brinkley Report				Kraft Television Theatre (Color)		It Could Be You	Local Programming

Thursday

Network		7:00 PM	7:30 PM	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC		7:00 Local / 7:15 John Daly and the News	Circus Boy	Zorro (30/26.6) (Tied with The Loretta Young Show and The Real McCoys)	The Real McCoys (30/26.6) (Tied with The Loretta Young Show and Zorro)	The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom	O.S.S.	Navy Log	Local Programming
CBS	1957	7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News	Sgt. Preston of the Yukon	Harbormaster (Later moved to ABC)	Climax!/Shower of Stars		Playhouse 90
CBS	1958	7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News	Sgt. Preston of the Yukon	I Love Lucy (repeats)	Climax!/Shower of Stars		Playhouse 90
NBC	Fall	7:00 Local / 7:15 The Huntley-Brinkley Report	Tic-Tac-Dough (Color)	You Bet Your Life (10/30.6)	Dragnet	The People’s Choice	The Ford Show (14/29.7)	The Lux Show Starring Rosemary Clooney (Color)	The Jane Wyman Show
NBC	Summer	7:00 Local / 7:15 The Huntley-Brinkley Report	Tic-Tac-Dough (Color)	You Bet Your Life (10/30.6)	Dragnet	The People’s Choice	The Ford Show (14/29.7)	The Lux Show Starring Rosemary Clooney (Color)	Music Bingo

From January 2 to June 26, 1958, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, starring David Janssen, aired for a second season on the CBS Thursday schedule at 8 p.m. Eastern.

Friday

Network		7:00 PM	7:30 PM	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	Fall	7:00 Local / 7:15 John Daly and the News	The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin	The Adventures of Jim Bowie	The Patrice Munsel Show	The Frank Sinatra Show	Date with the Angels	Colt .45	Local Programming
ABC	Winter	7:00 Local / 7:15 John Daly and the News	The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin	The Adventures of Jim Bowie	The Patrice Munsel Show	The Frank Sinatra Show	The Walter Winchell File	Colt .45	Local Programming
CBS	1957	7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News	Leave It to Beaver	Trackdown	Zane Grey Theater (21/27.9)	Mr. Adams and Eve	Schlitz Playhouse (formerly Schlitz Playhouse of Stars)	The Lineup (18/28.4)	Person to Person
CBS	1958	7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News	Dick and the Duchess (repeats)	Trackdown	Zane Grey Theater (21/27.9)	Mr. Adams and Eve	Schlitz Playhouse (formerly Schlitz Playhouse of Stars)	The Lineup (18/28.4)	Person to Person
NBC		7:00 Local / 7:15 The Huntley-Brinkley Report	Saber of London	The Court of Last Resort	The Life of Riley	M Squad	The Thin Man	10:00 Gillette Cavalcade of Sports / 10:45 Red Barber's Corner

Saber of London, with Donald Gray in the lead role, entered its seventh season with a new name, its fourth, and a new network, NBC. It had run on ABC from 1951 to 1954 and 1955 to 1957 under three previous titles: Mystery Theater, Inspector Mark Saber—Homicide Detective, and The Vise. Saber of London was replaced in the 7:30 Friday time slot on NBC on April 25, 1958, by the western series, Jefferson Drum, starring Jeff Richards.

Saturday

Network		7:00 PM	7:30 PM	8:00 PM	8:30 PM	9:00 PM	9:30 PM	10:00 PM	10:30 PM
ABC	1957	Local Programming	Keep It In The Family	Country Music Jubilee		Lawrence Welk's Dodge Dancing Party		The Mike Wallace Interview	Local Programming
ABC	1958	Local Programming	The Dick Clark Show (Later renamed as Dick Clark's Saturday Night Beechnut Show)	Country Music Jubilee		Lawrence Welk's Dodge Dancing Party		Midwestern Hayride	Local Programming
CBS	1957	Local Programming	Perry Mason		Dick and the Duchess	The Gale Storm Show (16/28.8)	Have Gun – Will Travel (4/33.7)	Gunsmoke (1/43.1)	Local Programming
CBS	1958	Local Programming	Perry Mason		Top Dollar	The Gale Storm Show (16/28.8)	Have Gun – Will Travel (4/33.7)	Gunsmoke (1/43.1)	Local Programming
NBC	1957	Local Programming	People Are Funny (29/27.0)	The Perry Como Show (11/30.5) (Color)		The Polly Bergen Show/Club Oasis	The Gisele MacKenzie Show	What's It For?	Your Hit Parade (Color)
NBC	1958	Local Programming	People Are Funny (29/27.0)	The Bob Crosby Show (Color)		Club Oasis with Spike Jones	Turning Point (repeats)	The Original Amateur Hour	The Joseph Cotten Show (repeats)

gollark: Ah, I see.

gollark: Do you mean abnormal or something?

gollark: ... tree-related?

gollark: Weeeird. I have to use unflavoured toothpaste because of this, it's kind of annoying.

gollark: For me, mint tastes horrible and feels burning-y (yes, I am bad at describing things). I don't understand why people like it so much.

References

Castleman, Harry; Walter J. Podrazik (1982). Watching TV: Four Decades of American Television. New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 109–115. ISBN 0-07-010269-4.
Castleman, H. and Podrazik, W. (1984) The TV Schedule Book: Four Decades of Network Programming from Sign-on to Sign-off. McGraw-Hill. pg 79-82. ISBN 0-07-010277-5
Highest-rated series is based on the annual top-rated programs list compiled by Nielsen Media Research and reported in: Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.