‘Early TV Memories’ Stamps Commemorate Golden Age of Television

Early TV Memories Background

Howdy Doody
Featuring live-action characters and marionettes, Howdy Doody entertained baby boomers and helped sell television sets to their parents. Puppet Howdy and other residents of Doodyville performed before a live audience of children known as the peanut gallery. Each episode began with a question — “Say, kids, what time is it?” — answered by the children in unison: “It’s Howdy Doody time!”

The Red Skelton Show
Red Skelton was already famous when he brought his store of funny faces and voices to television with this long-running show. He played comic characters such as country boy Clem Kadiddlehopper, boxer Cauliflower McPugg, and Junior the “mean widdle kid,” whose phrase “I dood it!” became popular with viewers. One of his most popular characters, Freddie the Freeloader, is shown in the stamp art.

I Love Lucy
As bandleader Ricky Ricardo and his wife, Lucy, Desi Arnaz and his real-life spouse Lucille Ball waged a comedic battle of the sexes. William Frawley and Vivian Vance played their landlords and best friends, Fred and Ethel Mertz. Lucy and Ethel had wacky adventures like the one depicted in the stamp art, with Ethel and Lucy trying to keep up with candies on a conveyor belt.

Texaco Star Theater
Comedian Milton Berle worked successfully in radio and film before moving to TV, where he became the new medium’s first superstar. His show was known for his clowning, often in outlandish costume and for the quartet that sang the sponsor’s jingle (“Oh, we’re the men of Texaco…”). Berle became known as “Mr. Television” and was credited with driving up television sales.

You Bet Your Life
This game show was built around the personality of its host, comedy star Groucho Marx, who loaded his banter with quips. A toy duck lowered from the ceiling delivered a cash prize when contestants said the week’s “secret word,” a common word selected in advance. The actual quiz was less the focal point than an opportunity to unleash Groucho’s wit.

Hopalong Cassidy
William Boyd, a leading man from the silent film era, gave life to the title character of this Western series. As originally created by novelist Clarence E. Mulford, Hopalong was a rough-talking cowboy. Later, “Hoppy” was made suitable for a broader audience. He appeared on the covers of national magazines and on such items as lunchboxes, roller skates and watches.

Lassie
In 1954, at a time when many Americans had left the countryside for cities and suburbs, Lassie made her television debut, offering viewers a nostalgic look at rural life. Since then, one of the world’s most famous dogs has been welcomed into millions of homes. By performing rescues and other feats, Lassie has become the embodiment of trust, loyalty and friendship.

Dragnet
Between the memorable opening notes of its theme and the concluding details about the fate of its villains, this police procedural emphasized the day-to-day drudgery of detective work instead of pulse-pounding action. Series creator Jack Webb, who starred as Sgt. Joe Friday, told a reporter, “We try to make it as real as a guy pouring a cup of coffee.”

The Phil Silvers Show
This subversive comedy, set at a fictional army base in Kansas, made a hero of conniving Army Master Sergeant Ernest T. Bilko, a con man who flourished even in the confines of the military. With a highly developed sense of irony and acerbic wit that kept his essential decency hidden, Bilko (Phil Silvers, shown in the stamp art) saw through the American dream.

Kukla, Fran and Ollie
The “Kuklapolitan” puppets — chief among them gentle Kukla, who resembled a clown, and Ollie, a mischievous dragon with one prominent tooth — were popular with adults as well as children. The humor in this largely improvised show resided not in slapstick, as in typical puppet theater, but in satire and wit. Host Fran Allison treated the puppet characters as if they were real.

The Ed Sullivan Show
Through more than 20 years on the air, host Ed Sullivan kept Broadway buffs, jazz fans, rock-and-rollers and others entertained on Sunday nights. His long-running variety show — called Toast of the Town in its early years — provided a showcase for virtually every kind of act, from classical musicians, ballet dancers, and comedians to popular performers such as Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, and the Beatles.

The Dinah Shore Show
Dinah Shore, one of the first popular singers on television and the host of several variety shows over the years, was widely known for her warmth, sincerity and relaxed style. She is remembered for singing her sponsor’s theme song (“See the U.S.A. in your Chevrolet”) and for sending the audience off with a farewell kiss at the end of her show. M-wah!

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show
George Burns and Gracie Allen were a popular comedy team from vaudeville and radio. On television, they played versions of themselves, a married couple dealing with various complications. Allen acted the part of the zany blonde who disrupted the order represented by her husband, the “straight man” who moved in and out of the action to comment on it directly.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Film director Alfred Hitchcock presented tales of mystery and suspense in this anthology series. Its memorable theme music was based on Charles Gounod’s “Funeral March of a Marionette.” The balding, rotund Hitchcock introduced each episode and appeared again at the end to offer assurance that evildoers had been punished, addressing the television audience with his trademark drollery and gallows humor.

Perry Mason
In a typical episode of this long-running courtroom drama, protagonist Perry Mason and his team cleared their client of murder charges and identified the actual killer, who was usually present when exposed as the culprit. The stamp art features Mason (Raymond Burr, at right) in confrontation with his customary trial opponent, the formidable District Attorney Hamilton Burger (William Talman).

The Lone Ranger
The year 2008 marked the 75th anniversary of The Lone Ranger. Since his radio debut in 1933, this masked hero has captivated loyal fans in books, movies, comics, and — most successfully of all—television. Clayton Moore played the virtuous if mysterious title character who was beloved for his valor, righteousness, and the jaunty command he gave his white horse: “Hi-yo, Silver, away!”

The Honeymooners
The Honeymooners presented a comic view of working-class life and marriage. Jackie Gleason starred as Ralph Kramden, an irascible bus driver susceptible to get-rich-quick schemes and frequently embroiled in arguments with his more levelheaded wife, Alice. Unfortunately, his longed-for jackpot always failed to materialize. Art Carney, pictured in the stamp art with Gleason, was memorable as Ralph’s neighbor, friend and foil, Ed Norton.

The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone cautioned viewers not to be too sure of anything. Intended for an adult audience, this anthology series focused on the imaginary and the bizarre. Creator Rod Serling wrote many episodes and served as narrator. The stranger-than-fiction dramas were often social commentaries set against a background of fantasy and science fiction.

The Tonight Show
The basic format of this long-running late show — comedy, music, and talk hosted by one magnetic personality — was intact from the beginning. Various hosts have entertained the show’s audience over the years. The first, Steve Allen, pioneered the format and is pictured in the stamp art. Allen is remembered for his genuine wit, talent at the piano and for interacting “live” with his studio audience.

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
Bandleader Ozzie Nelson, his wife, Harriet, and their sons, David and Ricky, played versions of themselves on a set designed to replicate their real-life home. Ozzie seemed to be around all the time, while Harriet ran things effortlessly and was always beautifully dressed. Gentle comedy arose from everyday problems and misunderstandings as their talented sons grew up and married.

Proprietary notice: Howdy Doody photo by: NBC Universal Photo Bank. THE RED SKELTON SHOW © CBS Broadcasting Inc. I LOVE LUCY TM/® & © 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Image of Lucille Ball used with the permission of Desilu, too, LLC. Unforgettable Licensing. TEXACO STAR THEATER photo by: NBC Universal Photo Bank. YOU BET YOUR LIFE photo by: NBC Universal Photo Bank. Groucho Marx™ Groucho Marx Productions, Inc., Los Angeles, CA. HOPALONG CASSIDY is a registered trademark of U.S. Television Office, Inc. LASSIE TM & © Classic Media, Inc., an Ent. Rights co. DRAGNET is a trademark and copyright of Universal Studios. Licensed by Universal Studios Licensing LLLP. All rights reserved. THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW © CBS Broadcasting Inc. KUKLA FRAN & OLLIE is a trademark used under license. © 2009 EML Library Partnership. All rights reserved. THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW® is a registered trademark of SOFA Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Image of Ed Sullivan used with the permission of Sullmark Corp. THE DINAH SHORE SHOW licensed by the Dinah Shore Living Trust, Beverly Hills, California and Jaffe Partners Limited Partnership, Beverly Hills, California. Alfred Hitchcock and the Hitchcock likeness are trademarks and copyrights of The Hitchcock Trust. PERRY MASON used with permission. THE LONE RANGER TM & © Classic Media, Inc., an Ent. Rights co. THE HONEYMOONERS is a trademark used under license. © 2008 jaglea VIP Corp. All Rights Reserved. Unforgettable Licensing. THE HONEYMOONERS © CBS Broadcasting Inc. THE TWILIGHT ZONE © 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. THE TONIGHT SHOW photo by: NBC Universal Photo Bank. The rights to the Steve Allen name and likeness is licensed by Meadowlane Enterprises. The rights to OZZIE AND HARRIET name and likeness is co-owned by David Nelson and the Rick Nelson LLC.