Great 50's retrospective

[LennG]

If you lived thru the 50's, know anything about the 50s, or have seen countless clips from the 50's you may have seen the beginning of this one, but hang in there as once it gets going, it really takes off with some really wonderful memories.

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Feeling a little nostalgic tonight Lenn?

Nice clip. Surprised no Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Tom Jones, Kirk Douglas, Jimmy Stewart, Danny Thomas, Danny "f...n" Kaye (as pronounced by Chevy Chase in one of his "Vacation" movies, etc. Might have missed it, but I didn't see Kim Novak, Sophia Loren, Natalie Wood... 

I did appreciate the many quick shots of Audrey Hepburn, whose movies I still enjoy, and who doesn't like checking out Elizabeth Taylor

I lived in the 50s, but since I was born in '53, and living on a dairy farm in rural upstate, I did not get a lot of entertainment on our 1-channel, brown and white TV. I remember always watching Jackie Gleason with my parents, and my mother would always point out one of the June Taylor dancers who graduated high school with her. Other than that, I watched Ed Sullivan, Lassie, The Real McCoys, Sky King, and kid cartoons on Saturday morning after my chores were done. Somehow, I ended up watching "The African Queen" and "Bridge Over River Kwai" more than once as it was a favorite of my parents and whatever they watched, I watched... Not sure, but I think Sonny and Cher, Smother's Brothers, and Glenn Campbell were all 60's shows that I liked, as well as Candid Camera...was the Carol Burnett Show a 60's show??? 

My thoughts of the 50's were the birth of the boomers, pride in the country from kicking ass in major wars, everyone smoked (except my parents...who didn't drink either). I think of teens and young men in their hot rods lining up at diners, Elvis on the radio, Doo Wop music, and that it was a very romantic period (nothing like the 60s  ) - maybe that's why so many of us boomers were made then...LOL. Or maybe I think it was the romantic period because of that song by Ronnie Milsap, "Lost in the Fifties Tonight", a song that I still love

I have pretty good memories of the 60's...Vietnam (that was a biggie), flower children, Haight Ashbury, the Beatles, JFK assassination, LBJ saying, "I come to you tonight with a heavy heart", Sharon Tate brutality by Charles Manson and his "family", Sean Connery and Steve McQueen, Burt Lancaster and Henry Fonda. TV shows improved with the Beverly Hillbillies, Giligan's Island, etc., and for me personally, my favorite show, "Lost in Space"

Anyway, thanks for sharing Lenn

[LennG]

 I was born in 1946, so my memories of the 50s were as a teen would view things. For whatever reason, we started out with one TV, but in a year or two, when they started making some 'portable' that you could move from room to room, we had that as I rarely liked what my parents watched. I also shared a bedroom with my brother and since I am 6 years older, I went to sleep a lot later than he did. So I used to move the 'portable' TV into the kitchen, and fuss with those rabbit ears until I got something watchable.
Obviously, as a kid, I watched all the favorite kids shows, from the ones you mentioned (I LOVED Sky King--had a crush on Penny), to Pinkie Lee, on to Rin-Tin-Tin (also a huge favorite of mine--and it carried over as I still love those westerns). While my parents were into Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen was more my style. When they watched Milton Berle, I was into the Twilight Zone, One Step Beyond, and another in that style I just can't recall at this moment.
I was a huge fan of the original Lassie, and when Timmy sort of took over, it wasn't must-watch TV for me anymore.

I wasn't old enough to really appreciate the music of the 50's until I got into the 60's. My main interest was still sports, and I still cry whenever I think about my beloved Brooklyn Dodgers and them leaving an 11-year-old boy who just lived for them. I was also a huge Ranger fan, Knicks fan, and Giants fan. I rooted for them all, but the Dodgers were my love. When they left, I still followed, but the Giants and the Rangers became my heroes. Especially when Tittle came to the Giants, I was hooked forever and that is why, to this day, he is still my favorite all-time Giant.

Back to TV, so I still remember watching faithfully, each week, Donna Reed, Ozzie and Harriet, Father Knows Best and Beaver. I remember Ricky Nelson as a kif, who always sang a song at the end of each Ozzie and Harriet show. I loved Life of Riley with William Bendix, Our Miss Brooks with Eve Arden, My Little Margie with Gale Storm, and Have Gun Will Travel with Richard Boone. To be honest I was never a huge fan of Gunsmoke or Bonanzo though I did watch from time to time. I loved Alfred Hitchcock Presents, 77 Sunset Strip, and Richard Diamond, Private Eye (trivia on this show. He always called into his switchboard and a lovely lady always answered.
The lady that was there (Sam), you never saw her face, only her head, legs, and other assorted shots, the seiest voice--Mary Tyler Moore before she became famous).

I could go on forever, but if anyone else wants to contribute, let's hear from you.

[LennG]

Check this out on the Twilight Zone


https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/recaps/13-twilight-zone-episodes-that-send-shivers-down-your-spine/ss-BB1hc6uq?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=09c66829630d420583228d3ea1901b70&ei=61

[Jolly Blue Giant]

Check this out on the Twilight Zone


https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/recaps/13-twilight-zone-episodes-that-send-shivers-down-your-spine/ss-BB1hc6uq?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=09c66829630d420583228d3ea1901b70&ei=61

I have vague memories of the Twilight Zone. "Serving Man" was hilarious. I also remember one where a person had the ability to freeze time. But he freezes time before a nuclear bomb hits and he can't unfreeze it or he's dead. Rod Serling was (still is) is a rock star in Binghamton. Born in Syracuse, then moved to Binghamton when he was 2-years-old. There's a museum in Binghamton in his honor as well as his original home and there are honorary pictures of him at the opera house and other venues. Not a lot of famous people from Binghamton...there was that one girl who was bent over in the back room in "Road House", and some guy who was in "Casino" and had a large role, but I can't remember his name. Lot of famous people born in Syracuse (Tom Cruise, Richard Gere (born in Philly, raised in Syracuse), the Baldwin brothers, Megyn Kelly, Robert DeNiro Sr., off the top of my head

My life basically began in the 60's...not a lot of memories from the 50's. I remember my grade school teachers, working in the hayfields, getting the cows, some fishing memories, trips to Florida to visit my mother's side of the family, and when my father bought a brand spanking new fire engine red '58 Oldsmobile

[LennG]

Ha, I had to laugh at that car your Dad bought. My Dad was about as conservative as they come. He always bought Fords (don't even ask me why) and whatever the going 4 door coupes there were.

It's funny, as I said he always bought Fords and always used. When he finally retired I told him to go out and treat himself to a new car after all those used Fords. He bought some Mercury Comet (still a Ford product) but he loved that car till he passed. My brother ended up with it.