Two 1950’s TV Shows

 

I remember, vaguely, when we got our first television.  Maybe I was 4, 5, or 6 years old and thus 1957, 1958, or 1959.  I cannot even remember my Dad bringing it home or setting up.  I don’t remember the brand.

What I do remember is that we lived on Freeland in the city of Detroit.  That first TV was black and white.  It had a pretty small screen maybe 13” like the laptop I am writing this piece on.  What I remember most about that TV is that the length of the TV, from front to rear, being at least twice the height or width of the front of the set.

Of course, I remember the children shows of the era:  Romper Room, Captain Kangaroo, Mighty Mouse, The Mickey Mouse Club, and local shows that included Captain Jolly and Soupy Sales.

There were also series that I watched that included The Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, and Superman that were on early enough for someone that went to bed at 7 pm to watch. I am not sure when The Three Stooges entered the picture, or rather the TV,  but they were certainly a game changer.

There are two shows, more obscure than those listed that I really enjoyed watching:  Sky King and You Asked For It.  I am not sure how popular those shows were back then, but I really liked them.  I imagine they weren’t really popular as I have never really seen either syndicated.  For some reason, these two shows popped into my head the other day.  I decided to search for them on Comcast.  There were four episodes of Sky King and one of You Asked For It on Hulu.  I watched on of each.

Sky King (1952-59) was a centered around Schuyler "Sky" King, a daring aviator played by Kirby Grant, who protects the innocent and fights crime from the skies. Together with his niece Penny and their Collie Clipper, Sky got into a crime fighting adventure in each episode.  Sky helped solve each crime using his flying skills in his trusty Cessna named Songbird.  The lived and solved crimes in, I am guessing, California.  I was enamored with his flying skills and the aerial camerawork.  I wanted to learn to fly and own my own plane someday.

You Asked For It (1950-59) was a TV show that captivated me and introduced a world of curiosity and wonder. Each episode involved requests from viewers ranging from extraordinary feats, super cool inventions, to mind-bending experiments. The host, Art Baker, was captivating and a natural storyteller.  With the assistance of team of experts, the show took on the challenge to fulfill these unique requests, delivering demonstrations and uncovering secrets that fascinated me. You Asked For was entertaining and, for me, very educational.  I was always amazed and satisfied.  The show impressed with ingenuity of people and the power of the human spirit.  I remember seeing cars that drove into the water and became boats, personal helicopters, jugglers, acrobats, sharpshooters, and so much more.

These two TV shows really came to life on our first little TV.  It was a great saunter down Nostalgia Lane.