TV was brand-new in the 1950s, and in a decade that began with U.S. troops dying in Korea and ended with the threat of nuclear holocaust hanging over our heads, people needed to laugh. The landmark situation comedies of the 1950s provided ample opportunity to do just that.

Television became a friendly medium for well-known stars of the big screen, such as William Bendix in "The Life of Riley," Eve Arden in "Our Miss Brooks" and Robert Young in "Father Knows Best."

These shows, along with "Ozzie and Harriet" and "December Bride," are memorable but forgotten to anyone under 55 or the most militant nostalgia TV fan. Though entertaining, they now seem dated and would be uninteresting except for their ability to showcase the talents of true comedic artists.

There are just three sitcoms from the 1950s that still play well five or six decades after their first viewing. Their ability to convey a timeless comedy stems from their outstanding costs. The shows are "The Honeymooners," "Leave It to Beaver" and, of course, "I Love Lucy," the sit-com that set the standard for all others.

"The Honeymooners" featured hilarious scripts and an outstanding cast that included Jackie Gleason, Audrey Meadows, Art Carney and Joyce Randolph. Gleason's Ralph Kramden, an excitable bus driver, was not a typical 50s sit-com hero. The show depicted Ralph with all his foibles, funny but essentially human. That is why "The Honeymooners" is still popular today while other Top 10 shows of the period have been forgotten. Carney, of course, was hilarious as neighbor Ed Norton, delivering one of the best comedic performances in a supporting role in the history of television.

Like other 1950s shows, the problems experienced by the young Cleavers, Wally and Beaver, on "Leave It to Beaver" are minor and easily solvable. Unlike other shows, the situations are believable and the characters' interrelationships are true and honest. The give-and-take between the brothers is similar, to this day, to that experienced by siblings in real-life homes, and the admission by parents that yes, it is possible for them to err, too, was a welcome departure from the perfect homes portrayed in other shows.

"Lucy" reigned at the top during its first run, and even though the cameras eventually stopped rolling, it has never been off the small screen. Generations of new fans have come to appreciate the comedic genius of Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance and William Frawley. The writing was brilliant, and the acting simply tremendous. The show's comic energy has never lessened over all these decades. Lucy setting her fake nose on fire when Bill Holden visits is just as funny now as it was 50 years ago.

Learn more about this author, Jake Betz.
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