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What sitcoms aired in the 1940s, and do they survive at all?

posted 12 years ago by Thor-Delta
9 replies | jump to latest

I know of the following:
"Pinwright's Progress" (1946-1947, BBC) - No surviving episodes (ability to record live TV did not exist at the time)
"Mary Kay and Johnny" (1947-1950, DuMont, then CBS, then NBC) - At least 1 surviving episode
"The Laytons" (1948-1949, DuMont) - No surviving episodes
"The Growing Paynes" (1948-1949, DuMont) - at least 2 surviving episodes, maybe 4
"The Life of Riley" (1949-1950, NBC) - Complete run survives of this early filmed series

What other sitcoms aired in the 1940s?

What is the oldest surviving British sitcom episode? Would I be correct to presume it comes from the 1950s?

Du Mont is always stimulated by Milton Berle's horizontal resolution, if not his jokes

[–] stranddan 12 years ago

We got our first TV in 1949, the tail end of the decade. I remember a sitcom with Stu Irwin and (I think) his wife. Harry Von Zell may have been the neighbor, unless I'm thinking of the wrong sitcom. I don't recall other sitcoms -- my mind has retained Kukla, Fran & Ollie, Milton Berle, and Ted Mack.

[–] stranddan 12 years ago

I should have looked this up before I posted. Harry von Zell was the neighbor in the Burns & Allen Show, not Stu Erwin's. And Erwin's show is listed as 1950. Sorry 'bout that!

[–] Thor-Delta 12 years ago

Stu Erwin's show may have started in 1950....but in any case, it is a very underrated series! One of the first filmed sitcoms to use neither laugh-track or studio audience.

Du Mont is always stimulated by Milton Berle's horizontal resolution, if not his jokes

[–] Patricia91 12 years ago

The Goldbergs (1949-50)
The Aldrich Family (1949-53)
Mama (1949-57) aka I Remember Mama

[–] Thor-Delta 12 years ago

Damn! How could I forget "The Goldbergs" and "Mama"? Thanks for reminding me!

I was recently watching the "Ultimate Goldsbergs" DVD set. Seems that there are 5 surviving 1949-era episodes.

I don't know if any of the 1949 "Mama" episodes survive, but it seems unlikely.

I think "The Ruggles" has a surviving episode from 1949 (along with a much large number of 1950 and 1951 episodes).

The TV version of "The Aldrich Family" seems to have vanished off the face of the earth. UCLA archive has one episode circa 1950-1951, and a 1953 episode is held by the Paley Center for Media. The Library of Congress and Musuem of Broadcast Communications don't seem to have any episodes at all.

Du Mont is always stimulated by Milton Berle's horizontal resolution, if not his jokes

[–] Patricia91 12 years ago

I remember Henry Aldrich from radio. Very funny.

[–] Thor-Delta 12 years ago

You probably already know this, but over 70 episodes seem to survive of the radio show.

Du Mont is always stimulated by Milton Berle's horizontal resolution, if not his jokes

[–] thextguy 12 years ago

I have one episode of the TV series 'The Aldrich Family' from June 18, 1950 broadcast on NBC. It's posted it on youtube in two parts (file size limited to 15 min. so I had to post it in two parts.)

It is about Henry Aldrich going to a costume party. Henry's father (Sam) and his pal Homer are played by the same actors as on the radio series (but Henry himself, his mom and sister are played by different actors on the TV series).