Obscure Classic TV Shows - Post Your Favorites! (5 Viewers)

[The 1960's]

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The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet (1952-1966) Stars Ozzie Nelson Harriet Nelson David Nelson

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Ozzie and Harriet Nelson raise their two sons Ricky and David. As the sons age, they experience teenage dating problems, marriage and careers.

S01E12 Boys’ Christmas Money (Dec.19.1952) Stars Ozzie Nelson Harriet Nelson David Nelson Ricky Nelson Don DeFore Bob Sweeney Carl Greyson

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The boys want to earn extra money for Christmas, so Ozzie gives them permission to look for work.

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Check out the Longstreet, The Brady Bunch and Mod Squad commercials!!​

 

[The 1960's]

Wonderful World of Little Julius (Nov.24.1960) Stars Eddie Hodges Sam Levene Gregory Ratoff

(Pilot 1)​

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(Pilot 2)​

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[The 1960's]

Telephone Time aka As It Happened (1956-1958) Stars John Nesbitt Frank Baxter Maurice Marsac Peter Brocco Florenz Ames Norbert Schiller Paul Bryar Gene Roth Hugo Haas Grandon Rhodes Ralph Moody Lowell Gilmore Oliver McGowan ay Montgomery

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Anthology series originally featured plays by host, John Nesbitt for season one. Beginning in September 1957, works from other authors were presented as well until series ended in April 1958. Frank Baxter hosted the third and final season.

S03E13 Novel Appeal (Dec.03.1957) Stars Frank Baxter Claudette Colbert John Dierkes

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A famous author sets out to prove that a convicted murderer is innocent of his crimes.

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[The 1960's]

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The Red Skelton Hour (1951-2016) Stars Red Skelton David Rose and His Orchestra Art Gilmore

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Long-running weekly show that spotlighted legendary comedian and beloved television clown, Red Skelton. Each show featured comedy skits, gags, and vignettes starring Skelton and guest performers.

S01E13 The Skeltons at Home (Dec.23,1951) Stars Red Skelton Betty Bartholomew Agnes Fowler Lucy Knoch Bob LeMond Pat McGeehan Shirley Mitchell Bo Roos Bo Roos Georgia Skelton Richard Freeman Skelton Valentina Marie Skelton

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In this Christmas episode, Mr. and Mrs. Red Skelton and their real-life children, Richard and Valentina are visited by friends Bo Roos and Gene Fowler. Red's TV characters, including Clem Kadiddlehopper, also drop by to wish Red's family a Merry Christmas.

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Same show better quality with commercials but colorized​

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[The 1960's]

TV Reader's Digest (1955-1956) Stars Hugh Reilly Gene Raymond Helen Mowery Paul Cavanagh Anthony Eustrel Louis Jean Heydt Dabbs Greer

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Family-oriented stories from the pages of "Reader's Digest" were dramatized on film.

S01E07 A Matter of Life and Death (Feb.28.1955) Stars Bobby Driscoll Minor Watson Walter Baldwin Frank Ferguson Ella Ethridge Erville Alderson Jimmy Ogg Eddy Waller Selmer Jackson Paul Hoffman

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A young man that Is born into the hateful, ignorant world of family feuding in the old south, rebels against it by leaving it, and becomes an educated man, a famed neurosurgeon. The conflict of the story comes when he must operate on the brain of grandson of his childhood enemy from the feuding clan.

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S01E18 France's Greatest Detective (May.16.1955) Stars Hugh Reilly Arthur Franz Lawrence Dobkin Ian MacDonald Edgar Barrier Philip Van Zandt Peter Brocco Gene Reynolds Paul Frees Claude Akins Belle Mitchell

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The story of Alphonse Bertillion, a low level employee of the French police, who developed a theory of identifying suspects by their unique physical measurements, like the size of the head. At first his superiors are skeptical, but statistics taken of a man in question exposes his guilt in a murder case.

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S02E19 Return from Oblivion (Feb.20.1956) Stars Lyle Bettger Robert Osterloh Marjorie Masson Adrienne Marden Emerson Treacy Kathleen O'Malley Phil Barnes Danny Dunbar Ralph Manza Gene Raymond Richard Reeves

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A businessman develops a persecution complex.

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S02E31 Britain's Most Baffling Murder Case (May.14.1956) Stars Barry Bernard Paul Cavanagh Noel Drayton Anthony Eustrel Arthur Gould-Porter Gene Raymond Philip Tonge Rhys Williams

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When the wife of a mild-mannered insurance salesman is murdered, the police immediately suspect the husband, William Herbert Wallace.

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[The 1960's]

Science Report (1961) Fox MovieTone/UPI Unsold Pilot​

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[The 1960's]

It's Polka Time (1956-1957) Stars Bruno 'Junior' Zielinski The Stan Wolowic's Band The Polka Chips The Kanal Siodmy Dancers Carolyn De Zurik

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The “It’s Polka Time” TV Show with Stan Wolowic and the Polka Chips began in the summer of 1956. The band included in addition to Stan Wolowic on accordion, Wally Moore, banjo, Tommy Thomas, drums, Jack Cordaro, clarinet, Chick Hurt, Banjo, Jack Taylor Bass. Rusty Gill was featured on vocals and guitar, his wife Carolyn DeZurik was also featured on vocals and yodeling. Most of these guys were in a group called the Kentucky Ramblers, this group moved to Chicago in the 1930s and joined the WLS staff and became the Prairie Ramblers, before becoming the “Chips”. They claim that Wally Moore wrote lyrics for all of the Polka Chips songs. The Show was on from July 1956 to September 1957. It was produced at WBKB's 190 North State St. studios and broadcast locally over WBKB Channel 7 and nationally over the ABC Network.

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Franzl Lang - Happy Yodeling​

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Franz "Franzl" Lang (28 December 1930 – 6 December 2015), known as the Yodel King (German: Jodlerkönig), was an alpine yodeller from Bavaria, Germany. Lang's genre is German folk music; he typically sang in the Bavarian dialect of the rural Alpine regions.

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[The 1960's]

Wizard of Oz (1964) DuPont Presents Stars Marcia Rodd (see ozmuseum.com)​

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[The 1960's]

The Vice aka The Pendulum (1954-1961) Stars Donald Gray Colin Tapley Ron Randell Robert Arden John Stuart Neil McCallum Hal Osmond Michael Balfour Patrick Holt Teresa Thorne Sandra Dorne Alastair Hunter

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This British production featured lesser-known actors in filmed plays showing people caught in "the vise" of fate created by their own deeds.

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S02E12 Side Entrance (Sep.23.1955) Stars John Bentley John Loder Jennifer Jayne Philip Friend Thea Gregory Jack Melford Alan Robinson Edward Malin Arnold Bell

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[The 1960's]

Continued from Nov 7, 2021

The Tab Hunter Show (1960-1961) Stars Tab Hunter Richard Erdman Jerome Cowan Reta Shaw

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Paul Morgan makes his living through his cartoon strip "Bachelor at Large", which largely describes his amorous adventures in and around California's Malibu Beach. His boss John, best friend Peter, and housekeeper Thelma each take different views of his romantic romps.

S1E23 Me and My Shadow (Feb.19.1961) Stars Tab Hunter Richard Erdman Jerome Cowan Norman FellJack Albertson Joan Staley Danielle De Metz Jane Wald Claudia Brack Annalena Lund

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Concerned that some of Paul's escapades could lead to a fatal accident - thus ending the most popular strip in his syndication stable - John decides to insure Paul's life for a substantial amount of money. As a backup plan he arranges for another cartoonist to take over the strip in case of a less permanent injury, much to Paul's disgust.

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[JamesSmith]

Domestic Life (1984 CBS). Martin Mull's short live sitcom featuring him working as an anchor of a tv station with his non typical family. Only about 13 episodes. I loved it. The relationship between Mull's character and his genius son was great.
Silly, broad comedy that I enjoy. Why am I sucker for these half a season programs that get cancelled so quickly?

--jthree

 

[The 1960's]

Domestic Life (1984 CBS). Martin Mull's short live sitcom featuring him working as an anchor of a tv station with his non typical family. Only about 13 episodes. I loved it. The relationship between Mull's character and his genius son was great.
Silly, broad comedy that I enjoy. Why am I sucker for these half a season programs that get cancelled so quickly?

--jthree

I cannot help you with that. I only post tv shows no therapy included. LOL

I can see that it is obscure. Not a single episode available anywhere. Just clips.

And now it's time for some Country Christmas. (I know you've all been waiting for this one!)

 

[The 1960's]

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Ozark Jubilee (1955-1961) Stars Red Foley Shug Fisher Joe Slattery Tommy Sosebee

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A country & western variety show featuring many top names in country music.

S02E13 (Dec.24.1955) Stars Red Foley The Foggy River Boys Arlie Duff Harold Hawkshaw Hawkins Harold Hawkshaw Hawkins The Oklahoma Wranglers The Oklahoma Wranglers Joe Slattery Tommy Sosebee

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[The 1960's]

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The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives (1933) Directors Hugh Harman (uncredited) Rudolf Ising (uncredited)​

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Christmas Eve. A poor orphan boy trudges through the snow, pathetically. He finally arrives at his miserable cabin. While he is crying, Santa arrives and, singing the title song, offers to take the boy to his workshop. They arrive, and the toys go wild (in the full version, they sing the title song, but this has been censored in some versions due to outdated stereotypes). He plays with a few toys. A candle falls off the tree and starts a fire. The toys try in vain to fight the fire; the boy hooks up a hose to a set of bagpipes and takes care of it.

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[The 1960's]

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Hazel (1961-1966) Stars Shirley Booth Bobby Buntrock Don DeFore Whitney Blake Maudie Prickett Ray Fulmer Lynn Borden Julia Benjamin Howard Smith Robert B. Williams Cathy Lewis

S01E12 Hazel's Christmas Shopping (Dec. 21.1961) Stars Shirley Booth Don DeFore Whitney Blake Bobby Buntrock Byron Foulger Eleanor Audley Helen Spring Maudie Prickett Robert B. Williams Robert Whaley Hope Cameron Dan Tobin Jonathan Hole

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To those who are wondering, where's all the really good Christmas themed episodes? Well I can tell you I've gathered close to 125 shows to date and I've been holding back all the best stuff as we draw closer to Christmas Day!!​

 

[The 1960's]

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The Bob Hope All Star Christmas Comedy Special TV Special (Dec.19.1977) Stars Bob Hope Perry Como Olivia Newton-John Mark Hamill Earl Campbell Dave Goelz Jim Henson Richard Hunt Les Brown and His Band of Renown The Muppets Jerry Nelson Ozzie Newsome Frank Oz Dennis Thurman Doug Williams Rusty Gilligan

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[The 1960's]

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Fanny Cradock Cooks for Christmas (1975) Star Fanny Cradock​

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The inimitable no-nonsense cook shares her unique style of festive gastronomy.​

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[Purple Wig]

Sam Benedict (1962-1963) Stars Edmond O'Brien Richard Rust Joan Tompkins

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Sam Benedict is the go to lawyer in the San Francisco area with a reputation for winning impossible cases. Trudy has his office running efficiently while Hank keeps things from getting too serious as Benedict's right hand man.

S01E07 Maddon's Folly (Oct.27.1962) Stars Edmond O'Brien Richard Rust Vera Miles Robert Lansing Joan Tompkins Woodrow Parfrey Paul Newlan Ken Renard Richard O'Brien Joel Fluellen Eric Norman Donald Kerr Roy Taguchi Bernard Kates

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An important state political figure, businessman and longtime client of Benedict's dies and leaves his self-centered, neurotic daughter in control of the estate. Unfortunately, the man was secretly taking money that wasn't his, and his daughter may lose everything when it comes out. Meanwhile, Tabor has problems with a case of an architect versus the city over rejected building plans.

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S01E09 Life Is a Lie, Love Is a Cheat (Nov.10.1962) Stars Edmond O'Brien Richard Rust Audrey Meadows Joe Mantell Ed Nelson Joan Tompkins Robert H. Harris Rusty Lane Paul Newlan Ollie O'Toole John Anderson Jeane Wood Roy Glenn Vincent Chase Joyce Meadows

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An aging lady doctor has been taken advantage of financially by a young con man who makes romantic overtures part of his modus operandi. Knowing full well of just how phony he has been, she still hesitates to prosecute him, much to Benedict's consternation. Meanwhile, Tabor's client is an uncooperative writer of rubber cheques.

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S01E10 The Bird of Warning (Nov.17.1962) Stars Edmond O'Brien Richard Rust Diana Hyland Maria Palmer George Tobias Joan Tompkins Robert H. Harris Noah Keen Adam Williams J. Edward McKinley Henry Beckman Ollie O'Toole Will J. White Gale Page

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Hank takes the case of an old flame who is charged with drunken driving. Sam warns him about mixing the personal with the professional, but Hank thinks her case is not as clear-cut as it may seem. Meanwhile, Sam reluctantly represents two old friends who want to divorce each other after twenty years of marriage.

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S01E19 Green Room, Grey Morning (Jan.1.1963) Stars Edmond O'Brien Richard Rust Ruth Roman Tige Andrews Joan Tompkins Sam Gilman Frank Albertson Ken Lynch Ralph Manza Anthony D. Call Bernadette Hale

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A fellow attorney, formerly a prosecutor, calls requesting Sam's assistance, but he is seriously injured in a car accident before Sam can find out what he wanted. When they learn the man was working on trying for a last-minute stay of execution for one of his clients, Sam and Hank are determined to learn what his grounds were for an appeal, and they try to work with the attorney's loyal but distraught assistant to get to the answer. But she seems to be holding something back.

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S01E22 Some Fires Die Slowly (Feb.16.1963) Stars Edmond O'Brien Richard Rust Barry Sullivan James MacArthur Betty Field George Mitchell Karl Swenson Gage Clarke Jesslyn Fax Ted Knight Norman Burton Joseph V. Perry Joyce Meadows

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Sam defends a man who is accused of arson and insurance fraud.

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The Complete Series is available here!
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Watched “Maddon’s Folly” last night, nice introduction to a series I’ve long been curious about. Thanks again for this thread Neal and Marv! (And everyone else who contributes.)

 

[The 1960's]

Watched “Maddon’s Folly” last night, nice introduction to a series I’ve long been curious about. Thanks again for this thread Neal and Marv! (And everyone else who contributes.)

That's great Alan, thanks! Did you watch it here or via YouTube, or did you purchase the DVD?

 

[Purple Wig]

That's great Alan, thanks! Did you watch it here or via YouTube, or did you purchase the DVD?

Watched it here