1960s TV Shows That Have Been Forgotten
Each decade, television shows come and go, with some leaving a more significant mark than others.
While some older shows remain popular and continue to be played as reruns today, that’s not the case for many of them. Although some shows have their moment in the limelight, most don’t make it past the first season or two and are eventually overlooked altogether. These are the shows from the 1960s that were slowly forgotten. Do you remember any of them?
The Brothers Brannagan Was Very Low-Budget
The Brothers Brannagan was an American crime drama show that aired from September 1960 to July 1961. The show follows to two brother detectives, Mike, and Bob Brannagan, played by Stephen Dunne and Mark Roberts, respectively.
The two detectives worked out of the Mountain Shadows and Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, where they solved the majority of their crimes. The series was shot on an incredibly low-budget although actors such as Barney Phillips, Paul Bryar, Vic Morrow, among others had guest appearances.
Death Valley Days Featured Ronald Reagan
Death Valley Days started as an old radio show but was soon turned into a television anthology series. The show told the real accounts of the Old West, particularly in the Death Valley region of southeastern California.
The radio show began in 1930 and ran until 1945. It then became a syndicated show from 1952 to 1970, with reruns with new narration continuing to 1975. The show was hosted by Stanley Andrews, Ronald Reagan, Rosemary DeCamp and Dale Robertson. Hosting the series was Reagan’s final work as an actor.
Johnny Midnight Took Audiences All Around New York City
Starring Edmond O’Brien as Johnny Midnight, the show was a crime drama that aired for one season in syndication from January 3, 1960, to September 21, 1960. Johnny Midnight is a New York actor turned private detective, whose cases usually take place on Broadway and Times Square, two places he’s very familiar with from his former profession.
The show was also narrated by O’Brien and had a supporting cast including Arthur Batanides, Barney Phillips, and Yuli Shimoda.
The Jim Backus Show Wasn’t About Backus
Starring Jim Backus of Gilligan’s Island and the voice of Mr. Magoo, The Jim Backus Show follows the character Mike O ‘Toole, an editor who runs as second-rate news service that he’s trying to keep from going under.
Sometimes called Hot Off the Wire, the series shot 39 episodes which aired in broadcast syndication in 1960 and 1961. The series also starred Nita Talbot, Bobs Watson, and George Ives who played the other primary characters.
There Were Over 100 Episodes Of Mack & Meyer For Hire
Aired in syndication between 1963 and 1964, Mack & Meyer for Hire was a sitcom starring Mickey Deems and Joey Faye, produced by Trans-Lux Television. Mack and Meyer are two handymen who do odd jobs around town in order to make some quick money. Being a comedy, their schemes usually backfire or issues come about due to everyday problems.
Each episode was approximately 12 minutes longs, with over 100 episodes produced during its year-long run. Being so short in run time, the segments were usually part of a larger program, which featured numerous short episodes one after another.
Ripcord Helped Popularize Skydiving
With a total of 76 episodes running between 1961 and 1963, Ripcord was a syndicated show that followed a skydiving service company called Ripcord. The series starred Larry Pennell, Ken Curtis, Paul Comi, and later Shug Fisher.
The show told the story of characters Ted McKee and Jim Buckley as they put their special skydiving abilities to the test such as chasing criminals or risky rescue missions. The show was praised for the impressive stunts performed by stuntmen Bob Fleming and Joe Mangione, with both almost perishing during filming.
Miami Undercover Was Actually Filmed In Miami
Miami Undercover was a crime drama series that aired in syndication from January to October of 1961, with a total of 38 episodes. The show stars Lee Bowman, who is best known for previously playing Ellery Queen, as well as Rocky Graziano.
Bowman and Graziano are private investigators in Miami who are hired by Miami hotel owners to fight crime in the city. Except for the first two episodes, the show was actually shot in Miami, where the cast and crew stayed at the Eden Roc Hotel.
Our Man Higgins Started As A Radio Show
Our Man Higgins was an American sitcom that aired on ABC from October 3, 1962, to May 17, 1963. The show follows the life of an English butler who is hired by an American family. It then chronicles the cultural clash between the butler and family and an eventual blending of both cultures.
The show stars Stanley Holloway, as well as Frank Maxwell, Audrey Totter, K.C. Butts, and Regina Groves. The show initially started as a 13-episode NBC radio comedy series in 1951 titled It’s Higgins.
Sea Hunt Ran For Four Seasons
Aired in syndication from 1958 to 1961, Sea Hunt ran for four seasons with a total of 155 episodes produced. The show starred Lloyd Bridges as former United States frogman, Mike Nelson. Although Nelson is retired, his unique set of skills such as scuba diving leads him to be called upon for dangerous freelance missions.
Traveling aboard his ship the Argonaut, he’s involved in numerous adventures ranging from rescuing children from a flooded cave to salvaging bicycle parts. The show was well-received during its four seasons and is regarded as one of the most-watched syndicated TV series in the United States.
It’s A Man’s World Was Described As progressive
Airing on NBC from September 17, 1962, to January 28, 1963, It’s a Man’s World is an American comedy-drama series. The show focuses on four men who live on a houseboat called The Elephant docked on the Ohio River. The characters include a pre-law student, his younger brother, another college student from an affluent family, and a talented guitarist from North Carolina.
The four boys are played by Glenn Corbett, Michael Burns, Ted Bessell, and Randy Boone, respectively. The show was considered “ahead of its time,” even though it lasted such a short amount of time.
The Hathaways Never Had A Chance
Airing from October 1961 to March 1962, The Hathaways was a 26-episode comedy series on ABC. The show starred Jack Weston and Peggy Cass who are the “parents” to three performing chimpanzees in suburban Los Angeles.
Weston portrayed real estate agent Walter Hathaway, and Cass, Walter’s wife, Elinore, who is in charge of booking performances for the Marquis Chimps. Unfortunately, ratings for the show were so low that ABC had to self-sponsor the series – which eventually resulted in its cancellation.
Diagnosis: Unknown Barely Lasted One Summer
Aired in the summer of 1960, Diagnosis: Unknown originally aired as a replacement for The Gary Moore Show. The series followed a pathologist at a hospital who is recruited to help the police solve unconventional crimes.
While this show failed, another version debuted on CBS in 1993 called Diagnosis Murder. That show, while technically unrelated, had an eerily similar plot. Diagnosis: Unknown ran for nine episodes before being canceled at the end of the summer.
Adam-12 Brought Procedurals To The Country
Sometimes, when your show is the first to do something, it gets lost in history. That might be what happened to Adam-12. The police procedural premiered in 1968 and ran until 1975, but you’d be hard-pressed to find it in syndication today.
The show, created by Jack Webb and Robert Cinader, followed the adventures of the LAPD Rampart Division. It has been credited with helping introduce police procedures and vocabulary to the public eye.
The Good Guys Lasted Two Seasons
For 42 episodes in the late ’60s The Good Guys entertained audiences on CBS. It was produced by Talent Associates and followed a group of friends as they tried “get rich quick” schemes that never worked.
When it premiered the show was panned by critics. One of the actors, Bob Denver, recalled, “I still had some animus at how CBS threw us in the dumper. Herb Edelman and I’d done The Good Guys…but sour critics said it should have been just called ‘Guys’.”
The Great Adventure Was A Rollicking Good Time
Airing on CBS in 1963 and 1963, The Great Adventure was a historical anthology series. It was narrated by Van Heflin and provided dramatizations of famous American’s lives that lasted for one hour. Twenty-six episodes were produced.
Some stories that were featured on the show were Harriet Tubman, Nathan Hale, Sitting Bull, and the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Several celebrities were featured as well, including Rip Torn, Ruby Dee, Ivan Dixon, and Ossie Davis.
