by Charie Winburn

Created on: June 01, 2009

Situation comedies have always been a part of television programming. However, 1950 was not the best year for sit-coms having only eleven on the air during that year. In 1951 and 1952 only seven of the nineteen comedies renewed and only one, I Love Lucy, made it more than two years. I Love Lucy would prove to revolutionize the television industry and throughout the 50s many new shows would appear leaving the abysmal 11 of 1950 in the dust.

I Love Lucy had a difficult road to get on the air. Producers didn't like the premise of an accented Cuban marrying a ditzy redhead so they chose not to back the show. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz created their own production company and on October 15, 1951 I Love Lucy aired and soon "became the best loved television program of all time" (Richard F. Taflinger)

Through the years many sitcoms have followed the formula set out in I Love Lucy meaning men were loud and firm, women were ditzy yet able to out wit the men and the friends would always be a part of the zany antics. The comedically brilliant, lovable redhead made America laugh, cry and watch more television. The I Love Lucy show produced only 179 episodes and yet the show has been shown in the United States continually since 1951.

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet premiered in 1952 and ran for a record breaking 14 years (that record held until 2004 when "The Simpsons" surpassed that number). All of America wanted to watch Dave and Ricky grow up. Parents watched as the father (who never seemed to go to work) and mother handled every problem and showed parents and children how to live a morally impeccable life. The nuclear family was important to people in the 1950s which is why shows like I Love Lucy and "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" succeeded for so long.

Although it was not a situation comedy The Red Skelton Show must be mentioned when talking about the best shows of the 1950s. Red Skelton had families all over America sitting in front of their televisions laughing until their sides hurt from 1953 through 1971. "Every fall for 18 years, Red visited his own brand of insanity on a suspecting, and laughing, public." ("A History of Comedy in Television") Skelton's mime routines never ceased to bring laughter for hundreds during its run and it had a following to rival even the cult shows of recent years. There was no other place to be when Red Skelton was on except sitting in front of the television with friends and family.

In 1954 Father Knows

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