Favorite Sitcoms from the 50's & 60's that I Grew Up With
by Remnant_Of_The_Abyss | created - 07 Apr 2011 | updated - 26 Jun 2011 | PublicGrowing up in the 1960's, I watched many a sitcom. Some of the titles were in re-run (the 1950's shows), but I watched them just the same as a pre-teen boy.
I suppose some of these shows helped shape me, in who I am today. I've probably watched every show from every title, multiple times.
Titles are listed by watched/liked the most, in order, to the best of my recollection. Making this list has been a trip down memory lane and it was a lot of fun to create. It's been years since I've thought about many of these shows. Thanks to IMDb for having a great database that I could search from!
Feel free to leave comments, and cheers to the great sitcoms of the 1960's!
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1. Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964–1969)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, War
The misadventures of a bumbling U.S. Marine named Gomer Pyle.
Stars: Jim Nabors, Frank Sutton, Ronnie Schell, Roy Stuart
Votes: 4,155
2. Gilligan's Island (1964–1992)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
Four men and three women are stranded on an uncharted island following a torrential storm.
Stars: Bob Denver, Alan Hale Jr., Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer
Votes: 16,849
3. Get Smart (1965–1970)
TV-G | 25 min | Action, Adventure, Comedy
Maxwell Smart, a highly intellectual but bumbling spy working for the CONTROL agency, battles the evil forces of rival spy agency KAOS with the help of his competent partner Agent 99.
Stars: Don Adams, Barbara Feldon, Edward Platt, Robert Karvelas
Votes: 13,770
4. Mister Ed (1961–1966)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
The misadventures of a wisecracking talking horse and his human owner.
Stars: Allan Lane, Alan Young, Connie Hines, Mister Ed
Votes: 4,659
5. I Love Lucy (1951–1957)
TV-Y | 30 min | Comedy, Family
The wife of a band leader constantly tries to become a star - in spite of her having no talent, and gets herself (along with her best friend) into the funniest predicaments.
Stars: Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, William Frawley
Votes: 28,893
6. The Beverly Hillbillies (1962–1971)
TV-G | 25 min | Comedy, Family
A nouveau-riche hillbilly family moves to Beverly Hills and shakes up the privileged society with their hayseed ways.
Stars: Buddy Ebsen, Donna Douglas, Irene Ryan, Max Baer Jr.
Votes: 10,998
7. The Andy Griffith Show (1960–1968)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
Widower Sheriff Andy Taylor, and his son Opie, live with Andy's Aunt Bee in Mayberry, North Carolina. With virtually no crimes to solve, most of Andy's time is spent philosophizing and calming down his cousin Deputy Barney Fife.
Stars: Andy Griffith, Ron Howard, Don Knotts, Frances Bavier
Votes: 16,956
8. F Troop (1965–1967)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Western
The misadventures of the staff and neighbors of a remote U.S. Army outpost in the Wild West.
Stars: Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch, Ken Berry, Melody Patterson
Votes: 3,322
9. I Dream of Jeannie (1965–1970)
TV-G | 25 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
A United States astronaut finds his life vastly complicated when he stumbles on to a bottle containing a female genie.
Stars: Barbara Eden, Larry Hagman, Bill Daily, Hayden Rorke
Votes: 17,425
10. Hogan's Heroes (1965–1971)
TV-PG | 25 min | Comedy, War
The inmates of a German World War II prisoner of war camp conduct an espionage and sabotage campaign right under the noses of their warders.
Stars: Bob Crane, Werner Klemperer, John Banner, Robert Clary
Votes: 12,305
11. The Abbott and Costello Show (1952–1957)
TV-G | 25 min | Comedy, Family, Mystery
Bud and Lou are unemployed actors living in Mr. Fields' boarding house. Lou's girlfriend Hillary lives across the hall. Any premise would lead to slapstick, puns, lots of gimmicks from their movies.
Stars: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Sid Fields, Gordon Jones
Votes: 1,349
12. The Honeymooners (1955–1956)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Family
A bus driver and his sewer worker friend struggle to strike it rich while their wives look on with weary patience.
Stars: Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows, Joyce Randolph
Votes: 6,227
13. My Favorite Martian (1963–1966)
TV-Y7 | 30 min | Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi
An exoanthropologist from the planet Mars, stranded on Earth, is rescued by Tim O'Hara, a newspaper reporter who introduces the Martian to his friends and the authorities as his uncle Martin.
Stars: Ray Walston, Bill Bixby, Pamela Britton, Alan Hewitt
Votes: 2,991
14. The Munsters (1964–1966)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
A family of friendly monsters have misadventures, never quite understanding why people react to them so strangely.
Stars: Fred Gwynne, Al Lewis, Yvonne De Carlo, Butch Patrick
Votes: 16,872
15. The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961–1966)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
The misadventures of a TV writer both at work and at home.
Stars: Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam
Votes: 11,866
16. Green Acres (1965–1971)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
A New York City attorney and his wife attempt to live as genteel farmers in the bizarre community of Hooterville.
Stars: Eddie Albert, Eva Gabor, Tom Lester, Pat Buttram
Votes: 7,622
17. McHale's Navy (1962–1966)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, War
The misadventures of a misfit PT boat crew during World War II.
Stars: Ernest Borgnine, Joe Flynn, Tim Conway, Carl Ballantine
Votes: 3,270
18. Bewitched (1964–1972)
TV-G | 25 min | Comedy, Family, Fantasy
A witch married to an ordinary man cannot resist using her magic powers to solve the problems her family faces.
Stars: Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, Dick Sargent, Agnes Moorehead
Votes: 24,336
19. The Lucy Show (1962–1968)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy
The wacky misadventures of a forever-scheming woman, her reluctant best friend, and her cantankerous boss.
Stars: Lucille Ball, Gale Gordon, Vivian Vance, Jimmy Garrett
Votes: 3,146
20. My Three Sons (1960–1972)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
Widower Steve Douglas raises three sons with the help of his father-in-law, and is later aided by the boys' great-uncle. An adopted son, a stepdaughter, wives, and another generation of sons join the loving family in later seasons.
Stars: Fred MacMurray, Stanley Livingston, Don Grady, Barry Livingston
Votes: 4,474
21. Dennis the Menace (1959–1963)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
Television episodes built around the same sorts of incidents found in Hank Ketcham's long-running comic strip.
Stars: Herbert Anderson, Jay North, Gloria Henry, Billy Booth
Votes: 2,541
22. Leave It to Beaver (1957–1963)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
The misadventures of a suburban boy, family and friends.
Stars: Jerry Mathers, Hugh Beaumont, Barbara Billingsley, Tony Dow
Votes: 9,331
23. Batman (1966–1968)
TV-G | 25 min | Action, Crime, Fantasy
The Caped Crusader and his young ward battle evildoers in Gotham City.
Stars: Adam West, Burt Ward, Alan Napier, Neil Hamilton
Votes: 26,102
I've still got original Batman cards!
This one was on at night, close to bedtime for me back then. It was a real treat to be allowed to watch it.
24. Flipper (1964–1967)
Not Rated | 30 min | Adventure, Family
Ranger Porter Ricks is responsible for the animal and human life in Coral Key Park, Florida. Stories center on his 15-year-old son Sandy and 10-year-old Bud and, especially, on their pet dolphin Flipper.
Stars: Brian Kelly, Luke Halpin, Tommy Norden, Flipper
Votes: 2,916
25. Here's Lucy (1968–1974)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy
Lucy Carter, a widow with two teen children, takes a job as a secretary for her stuffy brother-in-law.
Stars: Lucille Ball, Gale Gordon, Lucie Arnaz, Desi Arnaz Jr.
Votes: 1,786
26. Lassie (1954–1974)
TV-G | 30 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
The ongoing saga of the Martin family and their beloved collie, Lassie.
Stars: Lassie, Jon Provost, June Lockhart, Hugh Reilly
Votes: 3,801
27. It's About Time (1966–1967)
30 min | Comedy, Sci-Fi
Two astronauts traveling faster than light go back in time to prehistoric Earth. Unable to return, they make friends with the "natives".
Stars: Frank Aletter, Jack Mullaney, Imogene Coca, Joe E. Ross
Votes: 576
28. Hazel (1961–1966)
30 min | Comedy
The misadventures of the Baxter family and their live-in maid, Hazel Burke.
Stars: Shirley Booth, Bobby Buntrock, Don DeFore, Whitney Blake
Votes: 2,118
29. Gentle Ben (1967–1969)
30 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
The adventures in the Florida Everglades of game warden Tom Wedloe, his wife Ellen, their son Mark, and Mark's tame bear Ben.
Stars: Dennis Weaver, Clint Howard, Beth Brickell, Bruno the Bear
Votes: 702
30. The Patty Duke Show (1963–1966)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family, Music
Teenager Patty Lane and her worldly identical cousin Cathy navigate family and high school life.
Stars: Patty Duke, Jean Byron, William Schallert, Paul O'Keefe
Votes: 1,546
31. That Girl (1966–1971)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
An aspiring actress moves from her hometown of Brewster, New York, to try to make it big in New York City, having to take several offbeat "temp" jobs to support herself in between her various auditions and bit parts.
Stars: Marlo Thomas, Ted Bessell, Lew Parker, Bernie Kopell
Votes: 3,257
32. Lost in Space (1965–1968)
TV-G | 60 min | Adventure, Comedy, Family
A space colony family struggles to survive when a spy/accidental stowaway throws their ship hopelessly off course.
Stars: Guy Williams, June Lockhart, Mark Goddard, Marta Kristen
Votes: 8,850
33. Father Knows Best (1954–1960)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Family
The popular radio show comes to life in this hit sitcom about a wise family man, Jim Anderson, his common-sense wife Margaret and their children Betty, Bud and Kathy.
Stars: Robert Young, Lauren Chapin, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray
Votes: 2,637
34. The Flying Nun (1967–1970)
TV-G | 30 min | Comedy, Fantasy
The misadventures of a nun who can fly and her convent and neighbours.
Stars: Sally Field, Marge Redmond, Madeleine Sherwood, Alejandro Rey
Votes: 2,794
35. My Mother the Car (1965–1966)
TV-PG | 30 min | Comedy, Fantasy
The story of the relationship between a man and his mother, the latter having been reincarnated as a 1928 Porter automobile.
Stars: Jerry Van Dyke, Maggie Pierce, Ann Sothern, Cindy Eilbacher
Votes: 753
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