1954–55 United States network television schedule

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The following is the 1954–55 network television schedule for the four major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1954 through March 1955. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1953–54 season.

Fall 1954 marked a big change for television when ABC announced a network deal with a significant Hollywood producer. ABC had contracted with Walt Disney to produce a new series called Disneyland (as part of the deal, the network provided funding towards the construction of Walt's amusement park of the same name, opening in July 1955). The series was an instant hit, and marked the beginning of the networks allowing Hollywood programs into their schedules. Thus, Disney became the third significant Hollywood film producer to venture into television production, after Jerry Fairbanks and Hal Roach.

ABC president Leonard Goldenson decided in early 1954 that a television network was not the place for religious programs; as a result, Billy Graham's religious series, Hour of Decision, did not appear on ABC's fall 1954 schedule. Goldenson told Graham that the series was canceled because the poor ratings the series received were hurting the "flow" of ABC's entertainment programs. However, later critics, such as R.D. Heldenfels (1994), reject the stated reason for the cancellation. According to Heldenfels, since Hour of Decision was the last program that ABC aired on Sunday nights (at 10:30), "flow would not have been an issue"; ABC did not air anything in place of the canceled series and gave the slot back to its local affiliates. Heldenfels believes Goldenson "simply felt uncomfortable about organized religion".[1] Another 1953–54 ABC religious series, This Is the Life, also failed to make the 1954–55 ABC schedule.

DuMont's 1954–55 schedule would be the last year the failing television network planned a seven night program schedule, and even this schedule was full of holes. Heldenfels states that the 1954 DuMont schedule "was a checkerboard of programs and empty spaces for [local] stations to fill".[2] DuMont did not bother to schedule anything against ABC's Disneyland, NBC's new series Caesar's Hour, or either of CBS's Arthur Godfrey programs, conceding those slots (and others) to the bigger networks. However, DuMont continued to air Bishop Fulton Sheen's program Life Is Worth Living against NBC's popular The Buick-Berle Show. DuMont's counter-programming strategy, scheduling a religious program against Milton Berle's bawdy show, had met with success in previous years. The rivalry between the programs had caused Berle to joke, "He uses old material, too." Sheen, for his part, once introduced himself as "Uncle Fultie".[3] Still, DuMont's limited success in counter-programming a few slots would not be enough to save the network; Heldenfels states that the DuMont network's programs "resemble the grasping of program straws as much or more as they look like a strategic plan."[4] DuMont would cancel Life Is Worth Living in April 1955, along with most of its remaining programs.[5]

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.[6]

  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 You Asked For It The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse The Big Picture 9:00 The Walter Winchell Show / 9:15 The Martha Wright Show Soldier Parade Break the Bank Local
CBS Fall Lassie The Jack Benny Show (7/38.3) / Private Secretary (19/32.2) Toast of the Town (5/39.6) General Electric Theater (17/32.6) Father Knows Best What's My Line?
Spring
NBC Fall People Are Funny Mister Peepers The Colgate Comedy Hour (27/28.0) The Philco Television Playhouse/Goodyear Television Playhouse The Loretta Young Show (28/27.7)
Winter The Bob Cummings Show
DMN Local Opera Cameos Local Rocky King, Inside Detective Life Begins at Eighty The Music Show Local
  • On NBC, The Roy Rogers Show (30/26.9) aired 6:30–7:00 pm, and the Sunday edition of Max Liebman Presents made its debut as a monthly series, airing 7:30–9:00 pm On CBS, beginning this season, The Jack Benny Program alternated with Private Secretary as a bi-weekly series.
  • , an anthology series, appeared for the first of fifty-three episodes on the CBS 1954–1955 Sunday schedule at 10:00 pm EST, beginning April 3, 1955.

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 Kukla, Fran and Ollie / 7:15 John Daly and the News Jamie The Voice of Firestone Boxing from Eastern Parkway
Follow-up The Name's the Same
CBS Local 7:30 Douglas Edwards with the News / 7:45 The Perry Como Show The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (26/29.0) Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (18/32.5) I Love Lucy (1/49.3) December Bride (10/34.7) Westinghouse Studio One
NBC Local 7:30 / 7:45 Camel News Caravan Caesar's Hour Medic Robert Montgomery Presents Local
DMN 7:00 Captain Video / 7:15 DuMont Evening News Local The Ilona Massey Show Local Boxing From St. Nicholas Arena

Note: On NBC, Producers' Showcase made its debut as a monthly series, airing 8:00–9:30 pm

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 Kukla, Fran and Ollie / 7:15 John Daly and the News Cavalcade of America Local Twenty Questions Make Room for Daddy The United States Steel Hour/The Elgin TV Hour Stop the Music
CBS Fall Local 7:30 Douglas Edwards with the News / 7:45 The Jo Stafford Show The Red Skelton Show Meet Millie Danger Life with Father See It Now
Follow-up The Halls of Ivy
Summer The $64,000 Question
NBC Local 7:30 The Dinah Shore Show / 7:45 Plymouth News Caravan The Buick-Berle Show (11/34.6)/The Bob Hope Show/The Martha Raye Show Fireside Theatre (20/31.1) Armstrong Circle Theatre Truth or Consequences It's a Great Life
DMN 7:00 Captain Video / 7:15 DuMont Evening News Local Life Is Worth Living Studio 57 One Minute Please Local

Note: Beginning this season, Chrysler's Plymouth division alternated with R.J. Reynolds as sponsor of Camel News Caravan on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Bob Hope Show and The Martha Raye Show each appeared monthly.

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 Kukla, Fran and Ollie / 7:15 John Daly and the News Disneyland (6/39.1) The Stu Erwin Show Masquerade Party Local
CBS Fall Local 7:30 Douglas Edwards with the News / 7:45 The Perry Como Show Arthur Godfrey and His Friends (22/29.8) Strike It Rich I've Got a Secret (13/34.0) 10:00 Pabst Blue Ribbon Bouts (25/29.1) / 10:45 /10–11:00 The Best of Broadway (once a month)
Winter The Millionaire (16/33.0)
NBC Fall Local 7:30 Coke Time with Eddie Fisher / 7:45 Camel News Caravan I Married Joan My Little Margie (29/27.1) Kraft Television Theatre This Is Your Life (12/34.5) Big Town
Winter Norby (Color)
Spring Local
DMN 7:00 Captain Video / 7:15 DuMont Evening News Local Concert Tonight
(Chicago Symphony) 		Down You Go Local

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 Kukla, Fran and Ollie / 7:15 John Daly and the News The Lone Ranger The Mail Story Treasury Men in Action So You Want to Lead a Band Kraft Television Theatre Local
CBS Fall Local 7:30 Douglas Edwards with the News / 7:45 The Jane Froman Show The Ray Milland Show* Climax!/Shower of Stars (once a month) Four Star Playhouse Name That Tune
Spring Willy
Summer The Bob Cummings Show
NBC Local 7:30 The Dinah Shore Show / 7:45 Plymouth News Caravan You Bet Your Life (4/41.0) Dragnet (3/42.1) Ford Theatre (9/34.9) Lux Video Theatre
DMN 7:00 Captain Video / 7:15 DuMont Evening News Local They Stand Accused What's the Story Local

* formerly Meet Mr. McNutley

Note: On CBS, Willy moved from Saturday to Thursday in April.

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 Kukla, Fran and Ollie / 7:15 John Daly and the News The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin (23/29.5) The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet The Ray Bolger Show* Dollar a Second The Vise Local
CBS Local 7:30 Douglas Edwards with the News / 7:45 The Perry Como Show Mama Topper (24/29.4) Schlitz Playhouse of Stars Our Miss Brooks The Lineup Person to Person
NBC Local 7:30 Coke Time with Eddie Fisher / 7:45 Camel News Caravan The Red Buttons Show/The Jack Carson Show (once a month) The Life of Riley (21/30.9) The Big Story Dear Phoebe 10:00 Gillette Cavalcade of Sports / 10:45
DMN 7:00 Captain Video / 7:15 DuMont Evening News Local The Stranger Local Chance of a Lifetime Time Will Tell

* formerly Where's Raymond?

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 Local The Dotty Mack Show 9:00 / 9:45 The Stork Club Local
CBS Fall The Gene Autry Show Beat the Clock The Jackie Gleason Show (2/42.4) Two for the Money (14/33.9) My Favorite Husband That's My Boy Willy
Winter Professional Father
Spring Damon Runyon Theater
Summer
NBC Fall Watch Mr. Wizard Ethel and Albert The Mickey Rooney Show: Hey, Mulligan The Imogene Coca Show Texaco Star Theater:The Jimmy Durante Show/The Donald O'Connor Show The George Gobel Show (8/35.2) Your Hit Parade (15/33.6)
Summer The Soldiers The Amazing Dunninger Musical Chairs
DMN Local National Football League Professional Football

Note: On NBC, the Saturday edition of Max Liebman Presents debuted as a monthly series, airing 9:00–10:30 pm. On ABC, Ozark Jubilee premiered in January from 9:00–10:00 p.m. On CBS, Willy moved from Saturday to Thursday in April.

The Soldiers, a live military sitcom starring Hal March, Tom D'Andrea, and John Dehner, produced and directed by Bud Yorkin, aired eleven episodes on NBC Saturday schedule between June 25 and September 3, 1955.

Notes[]

  1. ^ Heldenfels, R. D. (1994). Television's Greatest Year: 1954. New York: Continuum, pg 79–80. ISBN 0-8264-0675-0.
  2. ^ Heldenfels, pg 24.
  3. ^ Pride of Peoria. AmericanCatholic.com
  4. ^ Heldenfels, pg 194.
  5. ^ Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (1984). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (3rd ed.). New York: Ballantine. ISBN 0-345-31864-1.
  6. ^ 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.

By network[]

ABC[]

CBS[]

DuMont[]

NBC[]

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

References[]

  • McNeil, Alex. (1996). Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. Fourth edition. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-024916-8.
  • Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (1984). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (3rd ed.). New York: Ballantine. ISBN 0-345-31864-1.
  • Heldenfels, R(ichard) D. (1994). Television's Greatest Year: 1954. New York: Continuum. ISBN 0-8264-0675-0.
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