1955–56 United States network television schedule
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The 1955–56 network television schedule for the four major English language commercial
For years,
CBS had its own Western hit with Gunsmoke, which also debuted in fall 1955. Over the next few years, "the rush to Westerns had become a virtual stampede so that, by the fall of 1959, viewers had their choice from a staggering twenty-eight different Western-based prime time series."[1] Around 1955, live drama anthologies, the staple of early television programming, were being phased out by the networks in favor of filmed fare: Westerns, police dramas, quiz shows, and adventure series.[1]
The struggling
The crumbling and eventual death of the old DuMont Network meant the 1955–56 television season would be the first year in which the three major remaining U.S. television networks would be the only full-time commercial participants in prime time, a situation that was to remain for the next 31 years, until Fox entered prime time on Sunday, April 5, 1987.
This was the first season that CBS and NBC aired some of their prime-time programs in color.
New series are highlighted in bold.
All times are U.S. Eastern and Pacific time (except for some live sports or events). Subtract one hour for Central and Mountain times.
Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.[5]
Legend
- Light blue indicates local programming
- Light green indicates sporting events.
- Light purple indicates movies.
- Red indicates series being burned off and other irregularly scheduled programs, including specials.
- 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 |
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ABC | You Asked For It
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Famous Film Festival | Chance of a Lifetime
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The Original Amateur Hour
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Life Begins at Eighty | Local Programming | ||
CBS | Lassie | The Jack Benny Show (5/37.2) / Private Secretary (12/32.4) (Tied with Ford Theatre) |
The Ed Sullivan Show* (3/39.5) | General Electric Theater (11/32.9) | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Appointment with Adventure | What's My Line? | |
NBC | It's a Great Life | Frontier | Colgate Variety Hour** | Goodyear Television Playhouse/The Alcoa Hour | The Loretta Young Show
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Justice |
*
** formerly The Colgate Comedy Hour.
- On NBC, Color Spread (COLOR) aired as a monthly series, 7:30–9 p.m.
- Appointment with Adventure premiered on CBS on April 3, 1955, and ran through September 1955, before starting its regular second season in the same time slot on October 2, 1955. The anthology series had no host.
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 |
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ABC | 7:00 John Daly and the News
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Topper (repeats) | TV Reader's Digest | The Voice of Firestone | The Dotty Mack Show | Medical Horizons | The Big Picture | Local Programming |
CBS | 7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News | The Adventures of Robin Hood (20/30.1) | The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (27/28.4) (Tied with People Are Funny) |
Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (16/31.1) | I Love Lucy (2/46.1) | December Bride (6/37.0) | Studio One
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NBC | Local | 7:30 The Tony Martin Show / 7:45 Camel News Caravan | Caesar's Hour | Medic | Robert Montgomery Presents | Local Programming | ||
DMN | Local | 9:00 Boxing From St. Nicholas Arena / 10:45 At Ringside |
Note: On NBC, Producers' Showcase aired as a monthly series 8–9:30 p.m. No longer a network operation, DuMont continued airing its Boxing From St. Nicholas Arena on an occasional basis over individual stations until August 6, 1956. On CBS, in most areas, Douglas Edwards With the News aired at 6:45 p.m., while some cities (including New York) aired the 7:15 p.m. edition.
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 | |
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ABC | 7:00 John Daly and the News
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Cheyenne / Casablanca
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The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp | Make Room for Daddy
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Du Pont Cavalcade Theater | Talent Varieties | Local Programming | ||
CBS | Fall | 7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News | Name That Tune | Navy Log | You'll Never Get Rich (30/28.1) | Meet Millie | The Red Skelton Show (In COLOR) (14/32.3) | The $64,000 Question (1/47.5) | My Favorite Husband |
November | The Phil Silvers Show (30/28.1) | Navy Log | |||||||
NBC | Fall | Local | 7:30 The Dinah Shore Show / 7:45 Plymouth News Caravan | The Milton Berle Show (In COLOR)/ The Martha Raye Show / The Chevy Show (29/28.2) | Fireside Theatre (24/29.0) | Armstrong Circle Theatre / Pontiac Presents Playwrights '56 (alternating) | Big Town | ||
Summer | Dear Phoebe | Sneak Preview | The Kaiser Aluminum Hour |
Notes: The Martha Raye Show and The Chevy Show appeared monthly. As of November 1, You'll Never Get Rich officially became The Phil Silvers Show, swapping time periods with Navy Log.
On NBC, Dear Phoebe consisted entirely of reruns of the series from the 1954–1955 season.
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 | |
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ABC | 7:00 John Daly and the News
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Disneyland (4/37.4)
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MGM Parade | Masquerade Party | Break the Bank
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The Wednesday Night Fights* | |||
CBS | Fall | 7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News | Brave Eagle | Arthur Godfrey and His Friends | The Millionaire (9/33.8) | I've Got a Secret (10/33.5) | The United States Steel Hour/The 20th Century Fox Hour | ||
Summer | CBS Cartoon Theatre
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NBC | Local Programming | 7:30 Coke Time with Eddie Fisher / 7:45 Camel News Caravan | Screen Director's Playhouse
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Father Knows Best | Kraft Television Theater
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This Is Your Life (26/28.8) | Midwestern Hayride | ||
DMN | Fall | Local Programming | Hollywood Preview | What's the Story** | Local Programming | ||||
October | Local Programming | ||||||||
Winter | Local Programming |
* Formerly Pabst Blue Ribbon Bouts on CBS.
** What's the Story aired only until September 23, before being cancelled.
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 |
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ABC | 7:00 John Daly and the News
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The Lone Ranger | Life is Worth Living
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Stop the Music | Star Tonight | Down You Go | Outside U.S.A. | Local |
CBS | 7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News | Sergeant Preston of the Yukon | The Bob Cummings Show | Climax! (22/29.6) / Shower of Stars (once a month) | Four Star Playhouse | The Johnny Carson Show | Wanted | |
NBC | Local | 7:30 The Dinah Shore Show / 7:45 Plymouth News Caravan | You Bet Your Life (7/35.4) | The People’s Choice | Dragnet (8/35.0)
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Ford Theatre (In COLOR) (12/32.4) (Tied with Private Secretary) |
Lux Video Theatre (25/28.9) |
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 | |
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ABC | Fall | 7:00 John Daly and the News
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The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
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The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet | Crossroads | Dollar a Second | The Vise | Ethel and Albert | Local |
Summer | Combat Sergeant | ||||||||
CBS | 7:00 Local / 7:15 Douglas Edwards with the News | The Adventures of Champion | Mama | Our Miss Brooks | Crusader | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | The Lineup (17/30.8) | Person to Person | |
NBC | Fall | Local | 7:30 Coke Time with Eddie Fisher / 7:45 Camel News Caravan | Truth or Consequences | The Life of Riley (21/29.9) | The Big Story
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Star Stage | 10:00 Gillette Cavalcade of Sports / 10:45 Red Barber's Corner | |
Summer | The Best in Mystery | ||||||||
Follow-up | Star Stage | ||||||||
DMN | Fall | Local | |||||||
Winter | Local | Hollywood Preview | |||||||
Spring | Local |
Note: On NBC, The Best in Mystery consisted entirely of reruns of episodes of Four Star Playhouse seen previously on CBS.
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 | |
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ABC | Local | Ozark Jubilee | Lawrence Welk's Dodge Dancing Party | Tomorrow's Careers | Local | ||||
CBS | Fall | The Gene Autry Show | Beat the Clock | Stage Show | The Honeymooners (19/30.2) | Two for the Money | It's Always Jan | Gunsmoke | Damon Runyon Theater |
July | High Finance
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NBC | Fall | Local | The Big Surprise | The Perry Como Show (18/30.3)
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People Are Funny (27/28.4) (Tied with The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show) |
Texaco Star Theater (In COLOR) | The George Gobel Show (15/31.9) | Your Hit Parade (23/29.1) | |
Summer | The Julius LaRosa Show (13 weeks)
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The Jimmy Durante Show | Encore Theatre |
Notes:
- On ABC, Grand Ole Opry made its debut as a monthly series, airing 8–9 p.m. from October 15, 1955, to September 26, 1956. On CBS, Ford Star Jubilee made its debut as a monthly series, airing 9:30–11 p.m. On NBC, Max Liebman Presents aired as a monthly series, 9–10:30 p.m.
- High Finance, hosted by Dennis James, debuted on July 7, 1956, at 10:30 on CBS. It ran until December 15, 1956. It replaced The Damon Runyon Theater.
- On NBC, the 1956 version of the summer series Encore Theatre consisted of reruns of episodes of Pepsi Cola Playhouse and Studio 57.
By network
ABC
CBS
DuMont
Returning series
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New series
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Not returning from 1954–55:
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NBC
Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.
References
- ^ ISBN 0-07-010277-5
- ^ Miller, Roger K. (2005-09-16). "TV of 50 Years Ago is Stiff Competition for Today's Shows". Deseret News. Salt Lake City (UT). Retrieved 2009-09-17.
- ISBN 0-14-024916-8
- ISBN 0-345-31864-1.
- ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
- Castleman, H. & Podrazik, W. (1982). Watching TV: Four Decades of American Television. New York: McGraw-Hill. 314 pp.
- McNeil, Alex (1996). Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. Fourth edition. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-024916-8.
- Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (1964). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (3rd ed.). New York: Ballantine. ISBN 0-345-31864-1.