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The best TV comedies of the 1960s

The 1960's provided television viewers with some fresh new sitcoms as well as updated some old favorites to reflect changes in the wishes and opinions of the viewers and the mass market. Some of the best were "The Dick VanDyke Show", "Andy Griffith Show", and "Bewitched".

The Andy Griffith Show started in the 1950's and told the story of a recently widowed sheriff, his young son Opie and the characters that surrounded him in the small town of Mayberry RFD (RFD stands for Rural Farm Delivery - which was commonly used on mail in areas where there were few people. Often letters contained only the name of the recipient and the town and RFD.)

In the 1960's the views and opinions of America started changing and the Andy Griffith Show gradually reflected this. For instance one episode was centered on the theme of teenagers. Opie turned thirteen and was invited to play his guitar in a local band made up of older kids. His band members told him that he had to act tougher to create an image. They also pushed him away from his schoolwork in order to spend more time rehearsing and hanging out with the band. His father wasn't happy with this, but found a gentle way of encouraging his interest in music while impressing upon his son the importance of placing his schoolwork first. What made it one of the best of the many sitcoms of the era was the way it reflected changes in society, as the 'rebelious teen' was a rather new phenomenon in America following World War Two. It kept his squeaky clean image while addressing troubling topics.

The Dick VanDyke Show centered upon a middle-class couple, Rob and Laura Petrie, played by Dick VanDyke and Mary Tyler Moore. Dick played a comedy writer and his writing team members played by comedy veterans Morie Amsterdam and Rose Marie provided lots of situations and laughs. The show took a couple of bold steps forward that wouldn't even be noticed today. One was Laura Petrie's capris pants. Aside from a few appearances by Lucille Ball in capris pants, house dresses and aprons were the standard issue for sitcom wives. Another topic that was new to American viewers was Laura's pregnancy and the eventual episode where their son, Ritchie, was born. The naming of Ritchie was a particularly comical and clever episode, as any new parents of any age can appreciate.

Millie and Jerry Krumbermacher were the VanDyke's neighbors and friends. Carl Reiner started as an off-screen character, the star of the show that Rob and his team wrote for. Eventually


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The best TV comedies of the 1960s

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The best TV comedies of the 1960s

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