# Do you remember these "B" grade TV shows?



## fuzzybuddy (Feb 29, 2020)

We all remember the biggy TV show- Howdy Doody, Captain Kangaroo , & Sesame Street. But how about the grade "B" ones?  The reason I posted this thread was for some strange reason, I thought of "Sky King"- he  owned a two engine plane used to fight crime I hadn't thought of that program in 65 years." Rin Tin Tin" "Annie Oakley" What others  do you recall that weren't that high in the ratings?


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## Marlene (Feb 29, 2020)

Not sure whether or not these were high or low in the ratings as I was just a kid  Life of Riley, Topper, My Little Margie, Dobie Gillis, Lassie, Zorro, Amos & Andy. . .


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## jujube (Feb 29, 2020)

I loved "Ramar of the Jungle".


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## Gaer (Feb 29, 2020)

You mean all of you remember sitting in front of the radio like I did, or were these all on T.V.?   Geez, I'm AWFUL OLD!  I was 14 before I saw my first T.V. on a cold, snowy day through the window of a hardware store.  "The Lone Ranger" was playing.  It's 2020!  Why am I still here?


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## treeguy64 (Feb 29, 2020)

I think some of the older TV shows cited, here, were not Grade B. Rin Tin Tin was very popular. There was a line of lunch boxes, badges, kids' books, other collectibles. The TV show ran for five years. "Yo Rinny!"  (Rinty)


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## fuzzybuddy (Feb 29, 2020)

There was "Fury"- about a boy and a black stallion.


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## treeguy64 (Mar 1, 2020)

fuzzybuddy said:


> There was "Fury"- about a boy and a black stallion.


FB, how are you judging a given TV series as a B grade? Fury was a great show, and lasted five years. That's hardly typical for B grade shows that come and go in one season, or less. 

I'm honestly interested in your criteria. Let us know, here, please. If it's just by your personal preferences, so be it, but I'd still like to know, as some of the series you slight with the B label were really well done, very popular, long running, and personal favorites of mine.

Thanks!


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## StarSong (Mar 1, 2020)

I watched most of the above, at least on occasion if not regularly.  Never saw a single episode of Annie Oakley, Amos N Andy or Ramar of the Jungle though. 

In addition to the ones mentioned in earlier posts, I quite liked Roy Rogers, Hopalong Cassidy, and Circus Boy.


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## fuzzybuddy (Mar 1, 2020)

I'm calling a "B Show" something that wasn't on in prime time, usually Saturday morning. Prime time was generally shows with bigger budgets, and not necessarily aimed at kids.


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## Pink Biz (Mar 1, 2020)

*Private Secretary with Ann Sothern!*


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## Pepper (Mar 1, 2020)

Pink Biz said:


> *Private Secretary with Ann Sothern!*


But, that was on Prime Time, like My Little Margie, but us kids saw repeats of it during daytime.


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## Pink Biz (Mar 1, 2020)

*The Millionaire! *


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## treeguy64 (Mar 1, 2020)

fuzzybuddy said:


> I'm calling a "B Show" something that wasn't on in prime time, usually Saturday morning. Prime time was generally shows with bigger budgets, and not necessarily aimed at kids.


FB, I think you're all over the place with your Grade B classifications. The shows you designated as such, were, in fact, very popular, very successful. Most were aired during the most popular kid show slots.

As I see it, you gave that Grade B designation to shows that weren't favorites of yours. That's fine, but don't use your personal opinions to denigrate the standings of shows that enjoyed great success in their time.


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## fmdog44 (Mar 1, 2020)

With commercials taking about 20% of an average show most every show is grade B. This being an election year it is best to avoid TV all together until the election is done.


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## Gary O' (Mar 1, 2020)

fuzzybuddy said:


> I'm calling a "B Show" something that wasn't on in prime time, usually Saturday morning. Prime time was generally shows with bigger budgets, and not necessarily aimed at kids.


Considering TV in the fifties, I'm not sure the term 'prime time' was even in existence

But, for me, prime time *was* Howdy Doody time 

But then, we only had three channels
...and one of those was snow time

Other than that, around 11pm or so, this was prime;


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## Butterfly (Mar 2, 2020)

My mother and I loved Topper, with George and Marian Kirby and the martini guzzling St. Bernard!


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## HazyDavey (Mar 2, 2020)

Sergeant Preston of the Yukon and his dog King.

"Well King, this case is closed."


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## Sassycakes (Mar 2, 2020)

Marlene said:


> Not sure whether or not these were high or low in the ratings as I was just a kid  Life of Riley, Topper, My Little Margie, Dobie Gillis, Lassie, Zorro, Amos & Andy. . .



*You mentioned some of my favorite shows that I always watched.I also loved the Lone Ranger and Sky King.There were so many others that I loved and watched all the time.*


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## fuzzybuddy (Mar 2, 2020)

I'm recreating my Saturday morning. "Sky King" was early ,8 or 9. I don't know how I remember this, but "Fury" was on @ 10:30. "Rin Tin Tin" was on @12. Wasn't there a show about a 1880s circus? Of course, there was "Rocky & Bullwinkle". In the afternoon, there were all those Hanna Barbera cartoons. "Deputy Dawg"?, "Huckleberry Hound", "Trixie & Dixie" ?  In the afternoon, Kate Smith had a program with an Indian Princess?, or some kind of story teller? I'm not sure about that.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Mar 2, 2020)

I remember most all the TV shows mentioned. I think Sky King was on at the same time as Fury.  It was always a toss up as to which one to watch. 
Fury usually won out.


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## Lvstotrvl (Mar 2, 2020)

Didn’t anyone watch Lassie? It was on from1954 till 1973.


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## Pepper (Mar 2, 2020)

Yes, and I liked Tommy Rettig, the first kid, better than the second kid, Timmy.  E Ya Kee Porky!


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## Gary O' (Mar 2, 2020)

Pepper said:


> Yes, and I liked Tommy Rettig, the first kid, better than the second kid, Timmy.


Yeah....'Timmy' became a derogatory term in some of my forum haunts

Jeff was much more real, not sappy
I think Lassie didn't really care for Timmy so much
Seems I recall an episode that Lassie left him in the well


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## squatting dog (Mar 2, 2020)

I guess I'd rate "My Mother the car" as B grade.


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## Fyrefox (Mar 3, 2020)

Yup, I've seen and can remember almost all of the shows mentioned here!  Now for something a bit more obscure, did anyone see a show for kids called "_Andy's Gang_," featuring Andy Devine?  It was incredibly cheesy and hokey by today's standards.  Pictured here circa 1958 with Andy is _Midnight the Cat...

_


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## Pappy (Mar 3, 2020)

I remember a morning show called Big John and Sparky. Now I’m going way back, but I listened to it every Saturday morning.


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## Gary O' (Mar 3, 2020)

You know you qualify for senior discounts when;



Pappy said:


> I remember a morning show called Big John and Sparky


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## Pappy (Mar 3, 2020)

Okay folks.....you requested it. Well, maybe you didn’t but here it is:


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## Buckeye (Mar 3, 2020)

When our TV was working, I loved Saturday mornings.  My father had an airplane (Piper something) so I was big on Sky King.


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## fuzzybuddy (Mar 3, 2020)

Yeah, I dimly remember that one. Andy was always the "whacky sidekick" in those western movies. Didn't he have some kind of malady? My impression of him was that he wasn't a healthy guy. He used to show those "Our Gang " Shorts on his TV program. There was "Hop-along Cassidy". He was a 'good' guy, but he wore all black.
OMG. I just thought of "Yogi Bear" , and BooBoo!


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## 911 (Jul 6, 2020)

My favorite show then was “Leave It To Beaver.” I am glad that I can watch it all over again on ME TV in the mornings. Wally reminded me of myself. My mom didn’t wear pearls when she cleaned the house, which was everyday I think.


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## Treacle (Jul 6, 2020)

I remember Lassie and Skippy the Kangaroo over here, don't know many that have been referred to in this post but I once saw a snippet of something called Mister Ed? A guy stood at the stable door and talked to a horse which answered him back ....... or perhaps I had a few too many G and Ts that night.
No, couldn't have  done I was a child- or was I ?☺


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## Keesha (Jul 6, 2020)

Yes. All the ones made in Canada 
Most television made in Canada is inferior. We can usually tell a Canadian made film right away since it usually sucks but we have put out some good shows like ‘Flash Point’
Heartland, When Calls The Heart, Anne of Green Gables and a handful of good movies.


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## Keesha (Jul 6, 2020)

Lvstotrvl said:


> Didn’t anyone watch Lassie? It was on from1954 till 1973.


In my mind, everyone watched Lassie and cried


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## jerry old (Jul 6, 2020)

Sgt Preston, and The Lone Ranger still roam the satellite channels.


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## jujube (Jul 6, 2020)

Lassie was supposed to be so smart but she (by the way, all the Lassies were played by male dogs) just looked that way because the humans were lamebrains.

Timmy was perpetually getting himself stuck in a cave-in, stranded in a raging river, down a hole, whatever and when Lassie would run to get help, the parents would always say something like, "Do you think something has happened to Timmy?  What are you trying to tell us, girl?" and so on, just as if the little brat hadn't done something stupid last week, and the week before, and the week before than, and...………  It's not hard to look smart with all that going on.


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## jerry old (Jul 6, 2020)

Apparently you hadn't heard, Timmy fell into an abandoned oil well pipe.
No one notice, Lassie was tired of messing with 'that dumb kid.'
Three years after Timmy's disappearance the parent's adopted a smart girl-Lassie was
happy, happy.


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## mlh (Jul 6, 2020)

i watched lassie, the lone ranger, mr ed, leave it to beaver and andy griffith. i really enjoyed andy griffith.


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## Damaged Goods (Jul 8, 2020)

fuzzybuddy said:


> I'm calling a "B Show" something that wasn't on in prime time, usually Saturday morning. Prime time was generally shows with bigger budgets, and not necessarily aimed at kids.



Sat. morning?  Rootie Kazootie, Tales of Texas Rangers, Whistling Wizard, and how about that Buster Brown show featuring that crazy frog.


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## Gary O' (Jul 8, 2020)

jujube said:


> Lassie was supposed to be so smart but she (by the way, all the Lassies were played by male dogs) just looked that way because the humans were lamebrains.
> 
> Timmy was perpetually getting himself stuck in a cave-in, stranded in a raging river, down a hole, whatever and when Lassie would run to get help, the parents would always say something like, "Do you think something has happened to Timmy? What are you trying to tell us, girl?" and so on, just as if the little brat hadn't done something stupid last week, and the week before, and the week before than, and...……… It's not hard to look smart with all that going on.


Timmy was a little turd dumb bass city boy that, by the grace and wisdom of Lassie, made it thru from one episode to the next
Now, Jeff, the first kid, was cool
And his fat pal, Porky (?)
They were always doing cool stuff

The reason I pretty much hated Timmy, was he was the epitome of this foster kid my dad had taken to


This is so off topic it may just be back on topic

anyway

reading for those having difficulty in getting to sleep


*Kids of the Hill



We moved*

When I was about 10, we sold the place and moved down the road a bit.
It was at least close enough to town to be able to ride my bike to the hardware store and replenish my stock pile of BBs, and there were more kids, kids a couple three years older than me, kids that had a bit more savvy about important things, things like guns, cigarettes, and wimin.
Man we terrorized that little neighborhood.
There was only six of us, but seems it was more like twenty at times.
Life was pretty good.
We commandeered a little lean-to shed across the gravel road from our house, and there we’d meet, sharin’ whatever we brought. Actually, I couldn’t wait to wake up every summer morning…and sometimes I didn’t.
Both folks worked, and my sister was supposed watch me, so there were long stretches of times, times we just stayed out. If I scheduled things just right, I could technically have just been company droppin’ by.
Then things got different.
I was makin’ a rare appearance at home….hunger, and noticed Mom’s car was in the drive.
Then Dad’s car pulled up.
I was fiddlin’ with some meat and bread when Dad came in the door.
He smiled, looked around, then just busted out bawlin’.
My mind did a little WTF? As I’d never seen him cry before.

Grampa had died.

Well Geez, he’d been wasting away in the nursing home for months…no surprise. But seems that was my Dad’s only link to some sorta ethereal security.
Next thing I know, a few weeks later he’s goin’ off on how this orphan kid was such a great little guy.

So here comes this kid.
Dad shows him around, then he’s gone.
Dad was like that. Not around much. It worked for me, but now this damn kid. Nice kid to boot.
A little too nice. Like the replacement kid on Lassie.
Yeah, the first kid, Jeff, was great, then they replaced him with a kid appropriately named Timmy. Then the show went south, all sappy and effed up. But, right here most of you readers are going ‘What?’
So this kid is my shadow, Dad’s fair haired boy, and I’m guessin’ I’m his guardian.
One of the things us neighborhood kids loved to do was play king of the trees.
Douglas fir trees are plentiful in NW Oregon, and huge. They can reach 300 ft in height, and these were not the exception.
Three or four of us would pick our tree and race each other to the top. Whoever would first get to the point of being able to bend the top over and touch the tip was king. The best part, however, was not being king, but just camping there in the limbs, letting the wind blow us back and forth.
Folks woulda crapped their pants if they’d known what we were doin’.
Well, little Brady (my personal Timmy) wanted to climb.
I became a bit evil right there, and cautioned him that climbing those trees were not the same as yer everyday apple tree…but in the tone of lure and enticement.
The little guy was doin’ quite well, as doug fir limbs are rather close together…hell you could almost walk up them.
Then he musta made a misstep. 
I heard some yelling, and some thumping sounds. 
Then I caught sight of him flopping from one bough to the next.
Kathumping all the way to the bottom.
Seemed like he took forever.

Thing is, there’s about 20 feet of no limbs at the bottom, and he was in no way gonna grab wunna those boards we used to start our climbs.
So he landed in a little Timmy heap, on his shoulder, in the bed of fir needles.

For another evil moment I sat at my treetop, kinda hoping he’d not move, at all, ever.

But the little [censored] just got a dislocated shoulder and some bruises….and a new guardian.

Things sometimes just have a way of workin’ themselves out.


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## Barbiegirl (Jul 9, 2020)

Was this a B show in the ratings? It used to come on in the early morning before the "real" shows. I can still sing the theme song!


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## fuzzybuddy (Jul 12, 2020)

You guys are talking about "Lassie" with Timmy. In my era, we had Jeff, instead of Timmy. I faithfully devoured the show. Tommy Rettig had a distinctive voice.  He was the first owner of Lassie. So , when he reached puberty, he got this really deep male voice, plus he shot up way over a foot. I guess it was hard to play a cute kid, so they brought in Timmy. I was devastated. Ya know, I recently saw an episode of Lassie, with " Jeff", and I could remember every detail of the set. I can't remember some of the places I lived in.


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## JaniceM (Jul 15, 2020)

I don't know anything about ratings, but one of my first favorite shows when I was a youngster was "You Don't Say"-  hosted by  Tom Kennedy.  I used to rush home from school to watch it.


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## fmdog44 (Jul 15, 2020)

Our Miss Brooks, Captain Video


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