1951–52 United States network television schedule

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The following is the 1951–52 network television schedule for the four major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1951 through March 1952. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1950–51 season. This was the first television season of national network interconnection by coaxial cable and microwave, meaning programming could be transmitted live coast-to-coast (or in the case of filmed programs, distributed simultaneously across the country) if needed.

On Sunday nights, NBC experimented with airing its new comedy-variety program Chesterfield Sound-off Time (featuring Bob Hope, Fred Allen and Jerry Lester as rotating hosts) in an early evening timeslot, 7:00–7:30. Previously, network TV variety programs had only been aired during late evening hours; NBC had experimented with a late-night show, Broadway Open House, with Lester as host the previous season, but that show was not considered a success (it was replaced by the more generic Mary Kay's Nightcap this season). According to television historians Castleman and Podrazik (1982), the experiment was designed to "duplicate the early-evening radio success of Jack Benny".[1] (Benny himself would appear on rival network CBS's The Jack Benny Program immediately following Chesterfield Sound-off Time). Red Skelton also made his network television debut on NBC's Sunday night schedule this season, but long-term success eluded him until after he moved to CBS in the fall of 1953.

Although most TV programming was live, both CBS and NBC also experimented in filmed series; Castleman and Podrazik highlight early filmed hits I Love Lucy on CBS and Dragnet on NBC. Dragnet was "one of NBC's first major experiments in filmed TV series"; the series was added to NBC's regular network schedule in January 1952, after a "preview" on Chesterfield Sound-off Time in December 1951.[1] I Love Lucy was given what historians have called a "choice time slot": Monday night immediately following the number one program on television: Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts. The series "proved the strength and acceptability of TV sitcoms, giving [CBS] a strong weapon against NBC's flashy comedy-variety hours".[1]

DuMont, too, avoided flashy comedy series when in February 1952, in desperation the network added Bishop Fulton Sheen's program, Life Is Worth Living, to its Tuesday night schedule. The religious series was pitted against NBC's hit program Texaco Star Theater, and became the surprise hit of the year, holding its own against Texaco host "Uncle Miltie", and attracting a sponsor, an Emmy, and 10 million viewers.[2] The ABC and CBS programs which aired in the same time slot, Charlie Wild, Private Detective, and The Frank Sinatra Show (respectively), attracted relatively few viewers.[2]

New fall series are highlighted in bold.

Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.[3]

  Yellow indicates the programs in the top 10 for the season.
  Cyan indicates the programs in the top 20 for the season.
  Magenta indicates the programs in the top 30 for the season.

Sunday[]

Network 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Paul Whiteman's Goodyear Revue Admission Free Hour of Decision Youth on the March
CBS The Gene Autry Show This Is Show Business Toast of the Town The Fred Waring Show Celebrity Time What's My Line?
NBC Fall Young Mr. Bobbin The Colgate Comedy Hour (5/45.3) The Philco Television Playhouse (12/40.4) /Goodyear Television Playhouse (16/37.8) The Red Skelton Show (4/50.2) Leave It to the Girls
Summer The Big Payoff
DMN Local Pentagon Rocky King, Inside Detective The Plainclothesman They Stand Accused
  • On CBS, The Jack Benny Show (9/42.8) aired as occasional specials once every six to eight weeks at 7:30-8:00 pm.
  • On NBC, Hopalong Cassidy (28/32.2) aired 6–7 p.m. until December, when it was partly replaced by The Roy Rogers Show (27/32.7), airing 6:30–7 p.m.

Monday[]

Network 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC Fall 7:00 After the Deadlines / 7:15 Local Hollywood Screen Test The Amazing Mr. Malone/Mr. District Attorney Life Begins at Eighty
Spring Mr. District Attorney/Out of the Fog
CBS Local 7:30 Douglas Edwards with the News / 7:45 The Perry Como Show Lux Video Theatre Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (1/53.8) I Love Lucy (3/50.9) It's News to Me Studio One
NBC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie 7:30 / 7:45 Camel News Caravan The Speidel Show/The Paul Winchell Show The Voice of Firestone Lights Out Robert Montgomery Presents (26/34.4) / Somerset Maugham TV Theatre Who Said That?
Follow-up 7:00 Kukla, Fran and Ollie/7:15 Bob and Ray
Spring 7:00–7:15 Kukla, Fran and Ollie
Summer Summer Stock Theatre
DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers Local Stage Entrance The Johns Hopkins Science Review

Notes: On NBC, Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, and Bob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m. Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, while Kukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952. In January 1952, The Speidel Show was renamed for its star, Paul Winchell, becoming The Paul Winchell Show.

Tuesday[]

Network 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC 7:00 After the Deadlines / 7:15 Local The Beulah Show Charlie Wild, Private Detective What Do You Think?
CBS Local 7:30 Douglas Edwards with the News / 7:45 The Stork Club The Frank Sinatra Show Crime Syndicated/City Hospital Suspense Danger MLB
NBC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie 7:30 The Little Show / 7:45 Camel News Caravan Texaco Star Theater (2/52.0) Fireside Theatre (7/43.1) Armstrong Circle Theatre (24/34.7) The Original Amateur Hour
Follow-up 7:00 Kukla, Fran and Ollie/7:15 Bob and Ray
Summer Local Boss Lady
DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers Local What's the Story Keep Posted Cosmopolitan Theatre Hands of Mystery Local

Note: On NBC, Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, and Bob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m. Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, while Kukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952.

Wednesday[]

Network 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC 7:00 After the Deadlines / 7:15 Local Chance of a Lifetime Paul Dixon Show Don McNeill's TV Club/The Arthur Murray Party The Clock Celanese Theater/Pulitzer Prize Playhouse*
CBS Local 7:30 Douglas Edwards with the News / 7:45 The Perry Como Show Arthur Godfrey and His Friends (6/43.3) Strike It Rich (25/34.5) The Web 10:00 Pabst Blue Ribbon Bouts (17/37.5) / 10:45
NBC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie 7:30 / 7:45 Camel News Caravan The Kate Smith Evening Hour Kraft Television Theatre (23/34.8) Break the Bank The Freddy Martin Show
Follow-up 7:00 Kukla, Fran and Ollie/7:15 Bob and Ray
Spring 7:00–7:15 Kukla, Fran and Ollie
DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers Local The Gallery of Mme. Liu-Tsong Shadow of the Cloak Local

Notes: On NBC, Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, and Bob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m. Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, while Kukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952.

(*) From December 1951 to June 1952, these shows were 30 minutes, 10pm to 10:30pm ET

Thursday[]

Network 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC 7:00 After the Deadlines / 7:15 Local The Lone Ranger (18/36.8) Stop the Music Herb Shriner Time Gruen Guild Playhouse Paul Dixon Show 10:30 / 10:45 The Carmel Myers Show
CBS Local 7:30 Douglas Edwards with the News / 7:45 The Stork Club The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show/The Garry Moore Evening Show (Sept-Dec 1951)/Star of the Family (Jan-June 1952) Amos 'n' Andy (13/38.9) The Alan Young Show (22/35.8) Big Town (15/38.5) Racket Squad (29/32.0)
(Tied with Man Against Crime) 		Crime Photographer
NBC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie 7:30 The Little Show / 7:45 Camel News Caravan You Bet Your Life (10/42.1) Treasury Men in Action Ford Festival (The James Melton Show) Martin Kane, Private Eye Wayne King
Follow-up 7:00 Kukla, Fran and Ollie/7:15 Bob and Ray
Winter Dragnet (20/36.3)
(Tied with All-Star Revue) 		Local
Spring Dragnet / Gangbusters (14/38.7) Local
DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers Local Georgetown University Forum Broadway to Hollywood – Headline Clues The Adventures of Ellery Queen Crawford Mystery Theatre The Bigelow Theatre 10:30 Local / 10:45 Football This Week

Notes: Wayne King was seen only on NBC's Midwest Network. On NBC, Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, and Bob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m. Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, while Kukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952.

Friday[]

Network 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC 7:00 After the Deadlines / 7:15 Local /Say It with Acting Mystery Theater The Stu Erwin Show (aka Trouble With Father) Crime with Father Tales of Tomorrow/Versatile Varieties* Hollywood Premiere Theatre/The Dell O'Dell Show
CBS The Stork Club 7:30 Douglas Edwards with the News / 7:45 The Perry Como Show Mama (11/41.3) Man Against Crime (29/32.0)
(Tied with Racket Squad) 		Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Hollywood Opening Night
NBC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie 7:30 / 7:45 Camel News Caravan Quiz Kids We, the People The Big Story The Aldrich Family 10:00 Gillette Cavalcade of Sports (19/36.5) / 10:45
Follow-up 7:00 Kukla, Fran and Ollie/7:15 Bob and Ray
Spring 7:00–7:15 Kukla, Fran and Ollie
DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers Local Twenty Questions You Asked For It Down You Go Front Page Detective Cavalcade of Stars

Notes: Henry Morgan's Great Talent Hunt replaced Versatile Varieties on January 26, 1951.

On NBC, Kukla, Fran and Ollie was reduced from 30 to 15 minutes in November 1951, and Bob and Ray was added at 7:15 p.m. Bob and Ray ran in the 7:15 p.m. time slot Monday through Friday until March 1952 and then on Tuesday and Thursday only until May 1952, while Kukla, Fran and Ollie continued in its 15-minute format at 7:00 p.m. until June 1952.

Saturday[]

Network 7:00 PM 7:30 PM 8:00 PM 8:30 PM 9:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 PM 10:30 PM
ABC The Ruggles The Jerry Colonna Show Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club Harness Racing
CBS Beat the Clock The Ken Murray Show Faye Emerson's Wonderful Town The Show Goes On
NBC Fall One Man's Family All-Star Revue (20/36.3)
(Tied with Dragnet) 		Your Show of Shows (8/43.0) Your Hit Parade
Summer Bob and Ray Blind Date
DMN Local Wrestling From Marigold

Notes: On NBC, All-Star Revue formerly was known as Four Star Revue. Bob and Ray, broadcast earlier in the season as a 15-minute weeknight program, expanded to 30 minutes and ran from July to August at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

By network[]

ABC[]

CBS[]

DuMont[]

NBC[]

Note: The * indicates that the program was introduced in midseason.

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Castleman, Harry; Walter J. Podrazik (1982). Watching TV: Four Decades of American Television. New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 63–72. ISBN 0-07-010269-4.
  2. ^ a b Weinstein, D. (2004). The Forgotten Network: DuMont and the Birth of American Television, p. 156–157. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. ISBN 1-59213-499-8.
  3. ^ Highest-rated series is based on the annual top-rated programs list compiled by Nielsen Media Research and reported in: Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine. ISBN 978-0-345-49773-4.
  • McNeil, Alex. Total Television. Fourth edition. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-024916-8.
  • Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (1964). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (3rd ed.). New York: Ballantine. ISBN 0-345-31864-1.
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