Father Knows Best
Father Knows Best is an American sitcom starring Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin. The series, which first began on radio in 1949, aired for six seasons with a total of 203 episodes. The series debuted on CBS in October 1954. It ran for one season and was canceled the following year. The series was picked up by NBC, where it remained for three seasons. After a second cancellation in 1958, the series was picked up yet again, by CBS, where it aired until May 1960.
| Father Knows Best | |
|---|---|
 Robert Young and Jane Wyatt as Jim and Margaret Anderson | |
| Genre | Sitcom |
| Created by | Ed James |
| Directed by | Peter Tewksbury |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 6 |
| No. of episodes | 203 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) |
|
| Running time | 26 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Rodney-Young Productions Screen Gems |
| Distributor | Screen Gems |
| Release | |
| Original network | |
| Picture format | Black-and-white |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | October 3, 1954 – May 23, 1960 |
Created by Ed James, Father Knows Best follows the lives of the Andersons, a middle-class family living in the Midwestern town of Springfield.[1]
Radio
The series began August 25, 1949, on NBC Radio. Set in the Midwest, it starred Robert Young as the General Insurance agent Jim Anderson. His wife Margaret was first portrayed by June Whitley and later by Jean Vander Pyl. The Anderson children were Betty (Rhoda Williams), Bud (Ted Donaldson), and Kathy (Norma Jean Nilsson). Others in the cast were Eleanor Audley, Herb Vigran, and Sam Edwards. Sponsored through most of its run by General Foods, the series was heard Thursday evenings on NBC until March 25, 1954.
On the radio program, the character of Jim differs from the later television character. The radio Jim is far more sarcastic and shows he really rules over his family. Jim also calls his children names, something common on radio but lost in the TV series. For example, Jim says, "What a bunch of stupid children I have." Margaret is portrayed as a paragon of solid reason and patience, unless the plot calls for her to act a bit off; for example, in a Halloween episode, Margaret cannot understand how a table floats in the air. But that is a rare exception.
Betty, on radio, is portrayed as a status-seeking, boy-crazy teenage girl. To her, every little thing is "the worst thing that could ever happen." Bud, on radio, is portrayed as an "all-American" boy who always seems to need "just a bit more" money, though he gets $1.25 (around $14.00 in 2019) per week in allowance. Bud is in charge of always having to answer the phone, which he hates. He is also shown as a somewhat dim boy who takes everything literally; for example, Jim might say, "Go jump in the lake," to which Bud would reply, "Okay, Dad; which lake should I go jump into?" He also uses the phrase "Holy Cow" to express displeasure. On radio, Kathy often is portrayed as a source of irritation. She whines, cries and complains about her status in the family as being overlooked. She often is the source of money to her brother and sister, although she is in hock several years on her own allowance.
In an interview published in the magazine Films of the Golden Age (Fall 2015), Young revealed about the radio program: "I never quite liked it because it had to have laughs. And I wanted a warm relationship show.... When we moved to TV I suggested an entirely new cast and different perspective."[2]
Television series
The May 27, 1954, episode of The Ford Television Theatre show was called "Keep It in the Family." This 26-minute episode stars Robert Young as Jim Warren, head of the Warren family. With him was wife Grace (Ellen Drew), older daughter Peggy (Sally Fraser), younger daughter Patty (Tina Thompson), and son Jeff (Gordon Gebert). Developed by Young and his partner Eugene Rodney, it was intended as a pilot for a Father Knows Best television series.[3] In the episode Peggy dreams of making it as an actress, but a talent scout who has raised her hopes just wants people for his acting school.
Only Robert Young remained of the radio cast when the series moved to CBS Television:
- James "Jim" Anderson Sr.: Robert Young
- Margaret Anderson: Jane Wyatt
- Betty "Princess" Anderson: Elinor Donahue
- James "Bud" Anderson Jr.: Billy Gray
- Kathy "Kitten" Anderson: Lauren Chapin
The series premiered October 3, 1954, on CBS where it aired Sundays at 10:00 pm (ET). Originally sponsored by Lorillard's Kent cigarettes in its first season, Scott Paper Company became the primary sponsor when in the fall of 1955 the series moved to NBC, where it aired Wednesdays at 8:30 pm (ET) for the next three seasons. Scott Paper remained as sponsor even after it moved in September 1958 back to CBS, where it aired Mondays at 8:30 pm (ET) for the last two seasons, with Lever Brothers as an alternate sponsor from 1957 through 1960. A total of 203 episodes were produced, running until September 17, 1960, and appearing on all three of the television networks of the time, including prime-time repeats from September 1960 through April 1963.
As before, the character of Margaret was portrayed as a "voice of reason," but Jim's character was softened to that of a thoughtful father who offered sage advice whenever one (or more) of his children had a problem. Jim was a salesman and manager of the General Insurance Company in Springfield, while Margaret was a housewife. Their home was located at 607 Maple Avenue. One history of the series characterized the Andersons as "truly an idealized family, the sort that viewers could relate to and emulate."[4] As the two eldest children aged from teen-ager to young adult, Betty (1956) and Bud (1959) graduated from high school and attended Springfield Junior College.
Other actors had recurring roles on Father Knows Best. Vivi Janiss played the part of Myrtle Davis in eleven sporadic episodes from 1954 to 1959.
Father Knows Best had become so ingrained in American pop culture as its idyllic presentation of family life that in 1959, the U.S. Treasury Department commissioned a special 30-minute episode of the show called "24 Hours in Tyrant Land."[4] Never aired on television, the episode—distributed to schools, churches and civic groups—promoted the buying of savings bonds.[4] The episode was later included in the Season One DVD.
Young left the series in 1960 at the height of the show's popularity to work on other projects, but reruns continued to air in prime time for another three years, on CBS from 1960 to 1962 and on ABC from 1962 to 1963. Following that, reruns were shown on ABC-TV in the early afternoon for several years.
On November 22, 1963, the third-season episode "Man About Town" was being rerun on several ABC affiliates, mostly in the Mountain Time Zone (WABC-TV in New York was airing a local repeat of The Ann Sothern Show), when at 1:42 PM EST, ABC News broke into the program with the first bulletin of the assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas, Texas.
The facade of the Anderson house depicted in the series' opening credits is the same structure used as Mr. George Wilson's home in the television series Dennis the Menace and again, in remodeled form, as Captain/Major Anthony Nelson's residence in I Dream of Jeannie. Originally built in 1941 during the production of a series of Blondie movies, this theatrical property continued to serve for many more years as part of the backlot of Columbia Pictures (now Warner Brothers Ranch in Burbank, California). The house can also be seen in both its familiar Father Knows Best style and later renovated variations in episodes of Hazel, Bewitched, The Monkees, The Partridge Family and in numerous other television comedies and dramas.
1977 reunion movies
The TV cast reunited for a pair of TV movies on NBC: Father Knows Best Reunion on May 15, 1977 and Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas on December 18, 1977. In the 17 years since the series ended, the characters of Betty and Bud had both gotten married and had families of their own. Betty was the widowed mother of two girls, Jenny (Cari Anne Warder) and Ellen (Kyle Richards), while Bud and his wife, Jean (Susan Adams) were the parents of a son, Robert "Robby" (Christopher Gardner). Kathy, meanwhile, had become engaged to a doctor, Jason Harper (played by Hal England).[5]
List of episodes
Season 1 (1954–55)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Bud Takes Up the Dance" | James Neilson | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | October 3, 1954 |
| 2 | 2 | "Lesson in Citizenship" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 10, 1954 |
| 3 | 3 | "The Motor Scooter" | William D. Russell | Story by: Dick Conway & Paul West, Teleplay by: Harry Clork & Sumner Arthur Long | October 17, 1954 |
| 4 | 4 | "Football Tickets" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 24, 1954 |
| 5 | 5 | "Live On My Own" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | October 31, 1954 |
| 6 | 6 | "Grandpa Jim's Rejuvenation" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Phil Davis | November 7, 1954 |
| 7 | 7 | "Bud's Encounter with the Law" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | November 14, 1954 |
| 8 | 8 | "Thanksgiving Day" | William D. Russell | Story by: Ed James, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | November 21, 1954 |
| 9 | 9 | "Second Honeymoon" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | November 28, 1954 |
| 10 | 10 | "Typical Father" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | December 5, 1954 |
| 11 | 11 | "Margaret Goes Dancing" | William D. Russell | Dorothy Cooper | December 12, 1954 |
| 12 | 12 | "The Christmas Story" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | December 19, 1954 |
| 13 | 13 | "Sparrow in the Window" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | December 26, 1954 |
| 14 | 14 | "Boy's Week" | William D. Russell | Story by: Ed James, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | January 2, 1955 |
| 15 | 15 | "A Friend of Old George's" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | January 9, 1955 |
| 16 | 16 | "Bud the Snob" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | January 16, 1955 |
| 17 | 17 | "The Promised Playhouse" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | January 23, 1955 |
| 18 | 18 | "Jim, the Farmer" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | January 30, 1955 |
| 19 | 19 | "Father of the Year" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | February 6, 1955 |
| 20 | 20 | "The Mink Coat" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | February 13, 1955 |
| 21 | 21 | "The Matchmaker" | William D. Russell | Story by: Ed James, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | February 20, 1955 |
| 22 | 22 | "Bud the Bridesmaid" | William D. Russell | Story by: Ed James, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | February 27, 1955 |
| 23 | 23 | "Proud Father" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | March 6, 1955 |
| 24 | 24 | "Father Delivers the Papers" | William D. Russell | Dane Lussier & Roswell Rogers | March 13, 1955 |
| 25 | 25 | "No Partiality" | William D. Russell | Story by: Cally Curtis & Virginia Lindsey, Teleplay by: John Kohn, Alan Woods & Roswell Rogers | March 20, 1955 |
| 26 | 26 | "Close Decision" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | March 27, 1955 |
Season 2 (1955–56)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 1 | "Art of Salesmanship" | William D. Russell | Story by: Roswell Rogers & Paul West, Teleplay by: Paul West | August 31, 1955 |
| 28 | 2 | "Father's Private Life" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | September 7, 1955 |
| 29 | 3 | "Lessons in Civics" | William D. Russell | Story by: Ed James, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | September 14, 1955 |
| 30 | 4 | "First Disillusionment" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | September 21, 1955 |
| 31 | 5 | "Woman in the House" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | September 28, 1955 |
| 32 | 6 | "New Girl at School" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | October 5, 1955 |
| 33 | 7 | "Kathy Makes Magic" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein & Roswell Rogers, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | October 12, 1955 |
| 34 | 8 | "Advantage to Betty" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | October 19, 1955 |
| 35 | 9 | "The Big Test" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | October 26, 1955 |
| 36 | 10 | "Father is a Dope" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | November 2, 1955 |
| 37 | 11 | "The Spirit of Youth" | William D. Russell | Dorothy Cooper | November 9, 1955 |
| 38 | 12 | "Bud, the Ladykiller" | William D. Russell | Story by: Sumner Arthur Long, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | November 16, 1955 |
| 39 | 13 | "Margaret's Premonition" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | November 30, 1955 |
| 40 | 14 | "Stage to Yuma" | William D. Russell | Story by: Marvin De Vries, Teleplay by: D.D. Beauchamp | December 7, 1955 |
| 41 | 15 | "Bad Influence" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | December 14, 1955 |
| 42 | 16 | "Betty Hates Carter" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | December 28, 1955 |
| 43 | 17 | "Jim, the Tyrant" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Herman Epstein & Roswell Rogers | January 4, 1956 |
| 44 | 18 | "Betty's Brother" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Paul West | January 11, 1956 |
| 45 | 19 | "Betty Earns a Formal" | William D. Russell | Paul West | January 18, 1956 |
| 46 | 20 | "The House Painter" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | January 26, 1956 |
| 47 | 21 | "Bud, the Wallflower" | William D. Russell | Paul West | February 1, 1956 |
| 48 | 22 | "The Bus to Nowhere" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | February 8, 1956 |
| 49 | 23 | "Kathy, the Indian Giver" | William D. Russell | Kay Lenard | February 15, 1956 |
| 50 | 24 | "The Historical Andersons" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein & Roswell Rogers, Teleplay by: Roswell Rogers | February 22, 1956 |
| 51 | 25 | "The Grass is Greener" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | February 29, 1956 |
| 52 | 26 | "The Persistent Guest" | William D. Russell | Paul West | March 7, 1956 |
| 53 | 27 | "Family Reunion" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | March 14, 1956 |
| 54 | 28 | "Family Dines Out" | William D. Russell | Story by: Herman Epstein & Roswell Rogers, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | March 28, 1956 |
| 55 | 29 | "Bud, the Boxer" | William D. Russell | Story by: Ben Gershman & Paul West, Teleplay by: Paul West | April 4, 1956 |
| 56 | 30 | "Betty, Girl Engineer" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | April 11, 1956 |
| 57 | 31 | "The Martins and the Coys" | William D. Russell | Paul West | April 18, 1956 |
| 58 | 32 | "Dilemma for Margaret" | William D. Russell | Kay Lenard | April 25, 1956 |
| 59 | 33 | "Hero Father" | William D. Russell | Story by: Dorothy Cooper & Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | May 2, 1956 |
| 60 | 34 | "Father, the Naturalist" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | May 9, 1956 |
| 61 | 35 | "The Ten-Dollar Question" | William D. Russell | Story by: Barbara Avedon, Teleplay by: Barbara Avedon & Dorothy Cooper | May 16, 1956 |
| 62 | 36 | "Adopted Daughter" | William D. Russell | Roswell Rogers | May 23, 1956 |
| 63 | 37 | "Betty's Graduation" | William D. Russell | Kay Lenard | May 30, 1956 |
Season 3 (1956–57)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | 1 | "No Apron Strings" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | September 16, 1956 |
| 65 | 2 | "Never the Twain" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | September 19, 1956 |
| 66 | 3 | "Betty Goes to College" | Peter Tewksbury | Story by: Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper & Roswell Rogers | September 26, 1956 |
| 67 | 4 | "Man About Town" | Peter Tewksbury | Ed James | October 3, 1956 |
| 68 | 5 | "The Homing Pigeon" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 10, 1956 |
| 69 | 6 | "Spaghetti for Margaret" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | October 17, 1956 |
| 70 | 7 | "Betty's Birthday" | Peter Tewksbury | Story by: Herman Epstein, Teleplay by: Dorothy Cooper | October 24, 1956 |
| 71 | 8 | "Bud, the Millionaire" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 31, 1956 |
| 72 | 9 | "The Old Days" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | November 7, 1956 |
| 73 | 10 | "Whistle Bait" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | November 14, 1956 |
| 74 | 11 | "The Great Guy" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | November 21, 1956 |
| 75 | 12 | "The Family Goes to New York" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | November 28, 1956 |
| 76 | 13 | "Betty Goes Steady" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers, Based on an Article by: Cameron Shipp | December 5, 1956 |
| 77 | 14 | "The Good Prospect" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | December 12, 1956 |
| 78 | 15 | "The Angel's Sweater" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | December 19, 1956 |
| 79 | 16 | "The Promising Young Man" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | December 26, 1956 |
| 80 | 17 | "Margaret Hires a Gardener" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 2, 1957 |
| 81 | 18 | "Swiss Family Anderson" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | January 9, 1957 |
| 82 | 19 | "Brief Holiday" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 16, 1957 |
| 83 | 20 | "The Lawn Party" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 23, 1957 |
| 84 | 21 | "Short Wave" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | January 30, 1957 |
| 85 | 22 | "Carnival" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | February 6, 1957 |
| 86 | 23 | "Betty and the Jet Pilot" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | February 13, 1957 |
| 87 | 24 | "Trip to Hillsborough" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | February 20, 1957 |
| 88 | 25 | "An Evening to Remember" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | February 27, 1957 |
| 89 | 26 | "Bud Buys a Car" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | March 13, 1957 |
| 90 | 27 | "Safety First" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | March 20, 1957 |
| 91 | 28 | "Bud, the Hero" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | March 27, 1957 |
| 92 | 29 | "Betty, the Track Star" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | April 3, 1957 |
| 93 | 30 | "The Spelling Bee" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | April 17, 1957 |
| 94 | 31 | "Bud, the Philanthropist" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | April 27, 1957 |
| 95 | 32 | "Baby in the House" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | May 1, 1957 |
| 96 | 33 | "Class Prophecy" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | May 8, 1957 |
| 97 | 34 | "The Art of Romance" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | May 15, 1957 |
| 98 | 35 | "Margaret Disowns Her Family" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | May 22, 1957 |
| 99 | 36 | "Grandpa Retires" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | May 29, 1957 |
| 100 | 37 | "Shoot for the Moon" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | June 5, 1957 |
Season 4 (1957–58)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 101 | 1 | "Follow the Leader" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | September 25, 1957 |
| 102 | 2 | "The Awkward Hero" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 2, 1957 |
| 103 | 3 | "The Good Neighbour" | Peter Tewksbury | Andy White | October 9, 1957 |
| 104 | 4 | "Bud, the Executive" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | October 16, 1957 |
| 105 | 5 | "Sentenced to Happiness" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | October 23, 1957 |
| 106 | 6 | "Mother Goes to School" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | October 30, 1957 |
| 107 | 7 | "The Indispensable Man" | Peter Tewksbury | John Elliotte | November 6, 1957 |
| 108 | 8 | "Kathy's Big Chance" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | November 13, 1957 |
| 109 | 9 | "Margaret Learns to Drive" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | November 20, 1957 |
| 110 | 10 | "Way of a Dictator" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | December 4, 1957 |
| 111 | 11 | "Mr. Beal Meets His Match" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | December 11, 1957 |
| 112 | 12 | "Kathy Makes a Wish" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | December 25, 1957 |
| 113 | 13 | "Man with a Plan" | Peter Tewksbury | Andy White | January 1, 1958 |
| 114 | 14 | "Big Sister" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 8, 1958 |
| 115 | 15 | "Calypso Bud" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 15, 1958 |
| 116 | 16 | "Father's Biography" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | January 22, 1958 |
| 117 | 17 | "The Rivals" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | January 29, 1958 |
| 118 | 18 | "Bud, the Mind Reader" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | February 5, 1958 |
| 119 | 19 | "Margaret's Other Family" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | February 12, 1958 |
| 120 | 20 | "The Trial" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | February 19, 1958 |
| 121 | 21 | "Revenge is Sweet" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | February 26, 1958 |
| 122 | 22 | "Country Cousin" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | March 5, 1958 |
| 123 | 23 | "Poor Old Dad" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | March 12, 1958 |
| 124 | 24 | "Betty's Crusade" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | March 19, 1958 |
| 125 | 25 | "Young Love" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | March 26, 1958 |
| 126 | 26 | "Tell It to Mom" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | April 2, 1958 |
| 127 | 27 | "A Friend in Need" | Peter Tewksbury | Dorothy Cooper | April 16, 1958 |
| 128 | 28 | "A Medal for Margaret" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | April 23, 1958 |
| 129 | 29 | "The Weaker Sex" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | April 30, 1958 |
| 130 | 30 | "Jim, the Answer Man" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | May 14, 1958 |
| 131 | 31 | "Bud Quits School" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | May 21, 1958 |
| 132 | 32 | "A Matter of Pride" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | June 4, 1958 |
| 133 | 33 | "Betty Finds a Cause" | Peter Tewksbury | Paul West | June 11, 1958 |
Season 5 (1958–59)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 134 | 1 | "Vine Covered Cottage" | Peter Tewksbury | Roswell Rogers | September 15, 1958 |
| 135 | 2 | "Be Kind to Bud Week" | TBA | TBA | September 22, 1958 |
| 136 | 3 | "Kathy's Romance" | TBA | TBA | September 29, 1958 |
| 137 | 4 | "Voice from the Past" | TBA | TBA | October 6, 1958 |
| 138 | 5 | "Frank's Family Trees" | TBA | TBA | October 13, 1958 |
| 139 | 6 | "Always Plan Ahead" | TBA | TBA | October 20, 1958 |
| 140 | 7 | "Second Wedding" | TBA | TBA | October 27, 1958 |
| 141 | 8 | "Bud, the Caretaker" | TBA | TBA | November 3, 1958 |
| 142 | 9 | "Betty, the Pioneer Woman" | TBA | TBA | November 10, 1958 |
| 143 | 10 | "Fair Exchange" | TBA | TBA | November 17, 1958 |
| 144 | 11 | "Bud, the Snob" | TBA | TBA | November 24, 1958 |
| 145 | 12 | "Margaret Wins a Car" | TBA | TBA | December 1, 1958 |
| 146 | 13 | "The Great Experiment" | TBA | TBA | December 8, 1958 |
| 147 | 14 | "The Christmas Story" | TBA | TBA | December 15, 1958 |
| 148 | 15 | "The Basketball Coach" | TBA | TBA | December 22, 1958 |
| 149 | 16 | "Kathy, Girl Executive" | TBA | TBA | December 29, 1958 |
| 150 | 17 | "The Good Samaritan" | TBA | TBA | January 5, 1959 |
| 151 | 18 | "The Ideal Father" | TBA | TBA | January 12, 1959 |
| 152 | 19 | "Big Shot Bud" | TBA | TBA | January 19, 1959 |
| 153 | 20 | "Hard Luck Leo" | TBA | TBA | January 26, 1959 |
| 154 | 21 | "Bud, the Campus Romeo" | TBA | TBA | February 2, 1959 |
| 155 | 22 | "Crisis Over a Kiss" | TBA | TBA | February 9, 1959 |
| 156 | 23 | "Kathy Grows Up" | TBA | TBA | February 16, 1959 |
| 157 | 24 | "A Man of Merit" | TBA | TBA | February 23, 1959 |
| 158 | 25 | "Betty Makes a Choice" | TBA | TBA | March 2, 1959 |
| 159 | 26 | "It's a Small World" | TBA | TBA | March 9, 1959 |
| 160 | 27 | "Two Loves Has Bud" | TBA | TBA | March 16, 1959 |
| 161 | 28 | "An Extraordinary Woman" | TBA | TBA | March 23, 1959 |
| 162 | 29 | "The Art of Romance" | TBA | TBA | March 30, 1959 |
| 163 | 30 | "Formula for Happiness" | TBA | TBA | April 6, 1959 |
| 164 | 31 | "Bud and the Debutante" | TBA | TBA | April 13, 1959 |
| 165 | 32 | "The Promised Playhouse" | TBA | TBA | April 20, 1959 |
| 166 | 33 | "The Meanest Professor" | TBA | TBA | April 27, 1959 |
| 167 | 34 | "Live My Own Life" | TBA | TBA | May 4, 1959 |
| 168 | 35 | "Bud Has a Problem" | TBA | TBA | May 11, 1959 |
| 169 | 36 | "The Great Anderson Mystery" | TBA | TBA | May 18, 1959 |
| 170 | 37 | "Margaret Goes Dancing" | TBA | TBA | May 25, 1959 |
| 171 | 38 | "The Gold Turnip" | TBA | TBA | June 1, 1959 |
Season 6 (1959–60)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 172 | 1 | "A Day in the Country" | TBA | TBA | October 5, 1959 |
| 173 | 2 | "Bud Branches Out" | TBA | TBA | October 12, 1959 |
| 174 | 3 | "The Gardener's Big Day" | TBA | TBA | October 19, 1959 |
| 175 | 4 | "The Impostor" | TBA | TBA | October 26, 1959 |
| 176 | 5 | "Bud Plays It Safe" | TBA | TBA | November 2, 1959 |
| 177 | 6 | "Bicycle Trip for Two" | TBA | TBA | November 9, 1959 |
| 178 | 7 | "First Disillusionment" | TBA | TBA | November 16, 1959 |
| 179 | 8 | "Margaret's Old Flame" | TBA | TBA | November 23, 1959 |
| 180 | 9 | "Kathy Becomes a Girl" | TBA | TBA | November 30, 1959 |
| 181 | 10 | "Bud, the Willing Worker" | TBA | TBA | December 7, 1959 |
| 182 | 11 | "Turn the Other Cheek" | TBA | TBA | December 14, 1959 |
| 183 | 12 | "Good Joke on Mom" | TBA | TBA | December 28, 1959 |
| 184 | 13 | "Betty's Double" | TBA | TBA | January 4, 1960 |
| 185 | 14 | "Father, the Naturalist" | TBA | TBA | January 11, 1960 |
| 186 | 15 | "Bud Hides Behind a Skirt" | TBA | TBA | January 18, 1960 |
| 187 | 16 | "Togetherness" | TBA | TBA | January 25, 1960 |
| 188 | 17 | "Second Best" | TBA | TBA | February 1, 1960 |
| 189 | 18 | "Kathy's Big Deception" | TBA | TBA | February 8, 1960 |
| 190 | 19 | "Cupid Knows Best" | TBA | TBA | February 15, 1960 |
| 191 | 20 | "The Big Test" | TBA | TBA | February 22, 1960 |
| 192 | 21 | "Jim's Big Surprise" | TBA | TBA | February 29, 1960 |
| 193 | 22 | "Time to Retire" | TBA | TBA | March 7, 1960 |
| 194 | 23 | "Bud, the Speculator" | TBA | TBA | March 14, 1960 |
| 195 | 24 | "The $500 Letter" | TBA | TBA | March 21, 1960 |
| 196 | 25 | "Adopted Daughter" | TBA | TBA | March 28, 1960 |
| 197 | 26 | "Family Contest" | TBA | TBA | April 4, 1960 |
| 198 | 27 | "Love and Learn" | TBA | TBA | April 11, 1960 |
| 199 | 28 | "Blind Date" | TBA | TBA | April 18, 1960 |
| 200 | 29 | "Betty's Career Problem" | TBA | TBA | April 25, 1960 |
| 201 | 30 | "Bud Lives It Up" | TBA | TBA | May 9, 1960 |
| 202 | 31 | "Not His Type" | TBA | TBA | May 16, 1960 |
| 203 | 32 | "Betty's Graduation" | TBA | TBA | May 23, 1960 |
Home media
Shout! Factory has released all six seasons of Father Knows Best on DVD in Region 1. Season 5 and 6 were released as Shout! Select titles, available exclusively through their online store. Season 5 was re-released on April 11, 2017.[6] Season 6 was re-released on July 18, 2017.[7]
In Region 4, Madman Entertainment has released the first two seasons on DVD in Australia.[8][9]
| DVD Name | Ep# | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| Season One | 26 | April 1, 2008 |
| Season Two | 37 | November 11, 2008 |
| Season Three | 37 | June 9, 2009 |
| Season Four | 33 | March 23, 2010 |
| Season Five | 38 | August 17, 2010 April 11, 2017 (re-release) |
| Season Six | 32 | April 19, 2011 July 18, 2017 (re-release) |
Homages
- In a September 2010 episode of the CBS daytime television series The Young and the Restless, newlyweds Billy and Victoria Abbott (portrayed by Billy Miller and Amelia Heinle, respectively) buy a house (exterior located on old Columbia Movie Ranch that was actually used in Father Knows Best and I Dream of Jeannie) that replicates the interior of the Anderson home on a sound stage. They watch Father Knows Best on DVD and often call each other "Jim" and "Margaret." At her wedding, which takes place in the house, Victoria chooses a 1950s-style white dress. Judge Anderson, the minister who marries the couple, was played by Donahue.
Nielsen ratings
The series finished in the Nielsen ratings at #25 for the 1957–1958 season, #14 for 1958–1959 and #6 for 1959–1960.[10]
Syndication
Father Knows Best aired in the 1980s on Superstation WTBS and in the 1990s on The Family Channel. The show also aired on TV Land from 1998–1999 and 2002–2004. Reruns of Father Knows Best air on Antenna TV as part of that channel's regular programming schedule since January 3, 2011 and it also aired weekday afternoons on digital sub-channel ME-TOO in Chicago. Father Knows Best is currently broadcast weekday mornings on fetv. Father Knows Best is also currently streaming free on Vudu, and Amazon Prime.
References
General
- "Shout! Factory Store". Los Angeles: Shout! Factory. 2011. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
- "Father Knows Best – Collector Helps Shout! Include Lost 'Playground' Episode On DVDs!". TVshowsondvd.com. Vancouver: Pacific Online. January 13, 2008. Archived from the original on September 14, 2011. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
Specific
- Father Knows Best (radio). December 20, 1948. Pilot Episode.
- Bawden, James (Fall 2015). "Robert Young -- Family Man". Films of the Golden Age (82): 18–31.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 19, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Brooks, Tim; Marsh, Earle (1999). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present (Twentieth Anniversary ed.). New York: Ballantine Books. p. 338.
- Terrace, Vincent (1993). Television Character and Story Facts: Over 110,000 Details From 1,008 Shows, 1945–1992. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co. Inc. ISBN 0-89950-891-X.
- General 'Wide' Retail Release for 'Season 5,' Starring Robert Young Archived January 10, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- 'Wide' General Retail Release for 'Season 6,' The Show's Final Season Archived April 15, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- Father Knows Best – Season 1 Archived December 30, 2012, at Archive.today
- Father Knows Best – Season 2 Archived July 29, 2012, at Archive.today
- "ClassicTVHits.com: TV Ratings". www.classictvhits.com. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Father Knows Best. |