My Favorite 1960’s Sitcom Is ______! What About Yours?
I always love a good sitcom. I love to laugh, forget about life and watch a show that can poke fun at everyday situations. The definition of a sitcom is a combination of two words - Situation Comedy. I am sure at least a handful or two of readers didn’t know that. A sitcom is typically a thirty minute television stage comedy which can be a humorous drama based on situations that might arise in day-to-day life.
I can still recall growing up as a youngster (yes very young) in the 1960’s and watching a bunch of sitcoms. From time to time I will still channel surf looking for a good comedy. I remember getting dressed in the morning and catching 15 minutes of a show–I never had to watch it in its entirety because they were never that deep.
Here is a partial list of the sitcoms from the 1960’s.
Bewitched
F Troop
Family Affair
Get Smart
Gilligan’s Island
Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.
Green Acres
Hogan’s Heroes
I Dream of Jeannie
The Lucy Show
McHale’s Navy
Mister Ed
My Three Sons
Petticoat Junction
The Addams Family
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Dick Van Dyke Show
A number of these were my favorites. If I had to narrow the list to one and only one I would go with Get Smart. The show debuted in 1965 and lasted until 1970. I still chuckle as Maxwell Smart and Agent 99 fight the bad guys every week and of course always won.
Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia’s write-up on Get Smart:
The series starred Don Adams as bumbling secret agent Maxwell Smart, Agent 86. Barbara Feldon character (Agent 99) is never named; even after Smart married her, he (and everyone else) continued to always address her as “99″. Smart and 99 worked for CONTROL, a secret U.S. Government spy agency based in Washington, D.C. (123 Main Street). Together, the pair investigated and opposed various threats to the world while Smart’s bumbling caused complications. However, at each story’s climax, Smart never failed to save the day, typically thanks to his own dumb luck and 99’s competence. Looking on was the long-suffering Chief (played by Edward Platt), who was always addressed as “Chief”. The show was created by none other than Mel Brooks.
The nemesis of CONTROL was KAOS, and KAOS’s Vice President of Public Relations and Terror, Siegfried (Bernie Kopell), showed up often as Maxwell Smart’s opponent, or would-be assassin. Though on opposite sides, Max and Siegfried clicked personally, and spoke fondly of one another-even when trying to kill each other.
I still get a kick out of Hymie the Robot!
- What shows did I leave off the list?
- Did you have a favorite?
- What sitcom brings back favorite memories of your childhood?
I look forward to reading your choices.
June 15th, 2007 at 10:04 am
Favorite? No question…..GREEN ACRES!!!
Is there anything funnier than Lisa boiling water and serving it to Oliver for dinner and calling it Hot Water Soup?
Also loved Hogan. Scenes like when Hogan would be in Col. Klink’s office with 6-7 high ranking German officers and the phone would ring and it would be for Hogan….hilarious!
June 15th, 2007 at 10:16 am
You forgot my favorite, BRADY BUNCH. Here’s a story of a lovely lady…
June 15th, 2007 at 11:01 am
I loved I DREAM OF JEANNIE growing up and always did that arm crossing thing with the little head boink to pretend I could change things like magic!
Three other favorites not on the list: LEAVE IT TO BEAVER(1957-1963), THE MUNSTERS (1964-1966) and the short lived GIDGET (1965-1966)
I watched all these as reruns in the 80’s since I wasn’t even around in the 60’s!
June 15th, 2007 at 1:26 pm
What about “All In The Family?” …..I loved that one …. and The Dick Van Dyke Show too! Those were the days when you sat down with your family and watched your shows…no VCRs, TIVO, etc. …and there was good stuff to watch!
June 18th, 2007 at 11:00 am
The best ever was the Andy Griffith show. As a former member of the TAGSRWC - The Andy Griffith Show Rerun Watchers club, I tend to think there are quite a few of us. Opie was the best!
June 18th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Just thought you might be interested in knowing that Get Smart will be made into a movie next year starring Steve Carell as Maxwell Smart and Anne Hathaway as Agent 99. Enjoy!
June 18th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
For me, the gold standard of TV sitcoms (not just 60’s) is CAR 54 WHERE ARE YOU? which had a brief two-year run on NBC in the early 60’s. It starred Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynn (pre-Munsters) as cops in the 53rd Precinct Bronx, New York. To this day, I still chuckle about situations from the show (”Oh, Oh! Jumpin’ Jehospaphat!”) and keep in mind this show has not been available in reruns for quite some time–I’m remembering it from it’s original showings. Remember the theme song?
“There’s a hold up in the Bronx,
Brooklyn’s broken out in fights,
There’s a traffic jam in Harlem,
That’s backed-up to Jackson Heights,
There’s a scout troop short a child,
Kruschev’s due at Idlewyld,
Car 54 Where Are You?”
I’ve been jonesing for a DVD set for years and would buy it in a New York minute.
Another great but forgotten sitcom of the 60’s was HE AND SHE staring Dick Benjamin and Paula Prentice as a young married couple living in NY. He was a TV writter for a show featuring a super hero played by Jack Cassidy (David’s father) who had way more ego than talent. It was on CBS for 1 season in the mid 60’s.
June 18th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
Lauren,
You made my day. I didn’t know a movie is coming out. I like Steve Carell - very funny in The Office
Thanks.
Merrill
June 18th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
These are great — though I have to confess that I’ve seen most (but not all) of the shows referenced as re-runs.
This post is another reminder of how cool DVRs are… Although I don’t want to encourage my kids to watch too much TV, the other day I was trying to think of a neat program they might enjoy. I did a keyword search on “Rogers”, and now we have some fantastic episodes of “Mister Rogers Neighborhood” waiting for us whenever the need arises. Its a great program to re-visit with 35 years of hindsight. Beyond the requisite sneakers and sweaters, Mr. Rogers never talked down to children, taught great lessons, and was a lot of fun. In the past week I’ve already visited (or re-visited) factories making apple juice, Cheerios, and Fig Newtons. Take that, SpongeBob!!!
June 18th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
I have to go with My Three Sons - how can you resist that theme song, the the feet moving and of course, Uncle Charlie.
Also loved Get Smart and most others on the list.
Saw Jim Neighbors in Hawaii last year and when I looked at him, a could almost year the words of Gomer Pyle coming out of his mouth.
where are all these good shows today - give me some of these any day - thank god for TV Land
June 18th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Let’s hear it for the “cone of silence”! I, too look forward to the film and hope that it measures it for those of us old enough to make the comparison.
June 19th, 2007 at 6:47 am
I think I probably watched every show you listed - hundreds of them. My faves would have to be Get Smart and I Love Lucy. I often thought my parents had offered their own antics to the writers of ILL. As for Get Smart - not only do I still quote Max “Would you believe?” “The Cone of Silence” but I am a mystery buff - and am now addicted to the L&O shows, as well as the lighter fare - such as Columbo, (I own only series 1 & 2 so far) and Murder She Wrote, Diagnosis Murder, Perry Mason, etc… it is a SICKNESS!