If there is a 50s show than Father Knows Best is definitely it. No other television
series so typically presented our ideal version of the American family in the Eisenhower years.
It's leads were refugees from motion pictures. Both Robert Young and Jane Wyatt did their share films in Hollywood. But films were being made less and so Young and Wyatt went where the work was, the small screen.
And they got their career roles as Jim and Margaret Anderson all American couple. Jim was an insurance agent, Margaret was a homemaker. In those years of defined parental roles it was unthinkable she would hold down a job as well.
The kids in descending order were Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin. Young had cute nicknames for them, princess, Bud, and kitten respectively. Their problems were always G rated.
Father Knows Best began on radio in 1949 than switched to television in 1954. Except for Young it was a different cast on radio.
For us boomers, the Andersons have a special place in our collective memories.
It's leads were refugees from motion pictures. Both Robert Young and Jane Wyatt did their share films in Hollywood. But films were being made less and so Young and Wyatt went where the work was, the small screen.
And they got their career roles as Jim and Margaret Anderson all American couple. Jim was an insurance agent, Margaret was a homemaker. In those years of defined parental roles it was unthinkable she would hold down a job as well.
The kids in descending order were Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin. Young had cute nicknames for them, princess, Bud, and kitten respectively. Their problems were always G rated.
Father Knows Best began on radio in 1949 than switched to television in 1954. Except for Young it was a different cast on radio.
For us boomers, the Andersons have a special place in our collective memories.