The Ratings Game

[W. Gray]

This is a listing of the most popular over the air television show by year since Nielsen began ratings. I have never seen American Idol but a lot of people apparently have.

We have been called several times by Nielsen representatives and asked to participate but I turned them down each time. Apparently, they pay you something but I still don't care to participate.

We don't watch local news anymore unless something is brewing. We read the Denver Post and watch national news on cable alone. All of our evening viewing is on cable rather than the over the air network programs.

1951   Texaco Star Theater NBC
1952   Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts CBS
1953   I Love Lucy CBS
1954   I Love Lucy CBS
1955   I  Love Lucy CBS
1956   The $64,000 Question CBS
1957   I Love Lucy CBS
1958   Gunsmoke CBS
1959   Gunsmoke CBS
1960   Gunsmoke CBS
1961   Gunsmoke CBS
1962   Wagon Train NBC
1963   The Beverly Hillbillies CBS
1964   The Beverly Hillbillies CBS
1965   Bonanza NBC
1966   Bonanza NBC
1967   Bonanza NBC
1968   The Andy Griffith Show CBS
1969   Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In NBC
1970   Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In NBC
1971   Marcus Welby, M.D. ABC
1972   All in the Family CBS
1973   All in the Family CBS
1974   All in the Family CBS
1975   All in the Family CBS
1976   All in the Family CBS
1977   Happy Days ABC
1978   Laverne & Shirley ABC
1979   Three's Company ABC
1980   60 Minutes CBS
1981   Dallas CBS
1982   Dallas CBS
1983   60 Minutes CBS
1984   Dallas CBS
1985   Dynasty ABC
1986   The Cosby Show NBC
1987   The Cosby Show NBC
1988   The Cosby Show NBC
1989   The Cosby Show NBC
1990   The Cosby Show & Roseanne NBC & ABC
1991   Cheers NBC
1992   60 Minutes CBS
1993   60 Minutes CBS
1994   Home Improvement ABC
1995   Seinfeld NBC
1996   ER NBC 1997 ER NBC
1998   Seinfeld NBC
1999   ER NBC
2000   Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? ABC
2001   Survivor: The Australian Outback CBS
2002   Friends NBC
2003   CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CBS
2004   CSI: Crime Scene Investigation CBS
2005   American Idol Fox
2006   American Idol Fox
2007   American Idol Fox

[Wilma]

Do you think we could back to the 60's, 70's and early 80's?

[W. Gray]

I was thinking the same thing when I saw some of those recent programs but I would go back even earlier.

One of the cable channels here has carried the Texaco Star Theater with Milton Berle and the Martin and Lewis Colgate-Palmolive programs from the late 40s and early 50s. Those were recorded live with something called kineoscope, in which they apparently set up a motion picture camera in front of a TV monitor and filmed the show as broadcast.

They have also had Your Show of Shows with Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner, and gang.

They were just as funny now as when I watched them as a kid.

They also had Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town but I never was interested in it when I was a kid and this time around, I had to turn to something else.

[archeobabe]

I wish that more of the old shows were shown here.  They had more sense than the shows today.

[Bonnie M.]

You may need to watch it twice; once to watch the Burma shave signs change and once to catch all the pictures plus listening to the music of the Statler Brothers.   You may need to copy and paste.

For those of you too young to remember 'too bad you missed it!!'   

http://oldfortyfives.com/DYRT.htm

[W. Gray]

That is really cool.

I have heard that song by the Statler Brothers many times but never in that light.

A lot of that stuff seems like yesterday.

[W. Gray]

I had to play this again this morning and then set a bookmark on my browser.

This is somewhat reminiscent of my grandmother going around singing "Bicycle Built for Two."

I dont recall movies being taboo on Sunday but then I dont ever remember back then going to a movie other than on a Friday or Saturday night.

[Diane Amberg]

That was fun. I remember most of it, some as a child, some as an adult.

[Ole Granny]

I missed this post last night but was sure great to wake up to this and get me moving.  I remember all of this, I'm afraid.
But very lucky too.  Make sure you view the rest of the site - 50's, 60's, cars etc.  Ther  songs certainly bring back memories.  The Longton Cafe use to have a little dancing floor where all of these songs were played.  I was at the Cafe in Longton when I heard about the plane crash with Buddly Holly, Big Bopper etc.  We played Chantilly Lace over and over.  Still makes me sad. Staler Brothers were always my favorite. 

Ole Granny

[Jo McDonald]

Bonnie and I remember well the dance floor at the Longton Cafe, don't we, Bonnie?
What wonderful times we had there and the memories are fond ones, that is for sure.