27 Pieces of Trivia About Early Television ‘TV Guide’ Totally Missed

Some TV moments happened way earlier than you think
27 Pieces of Trivia About Early Television ‘TV Guide’ Totally Missed
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People no longer have to walk to a theater to see moving pictures? This is insanity! 

Did you like our impression of a person from the 1940s? Now, as we just learned, the very first TV broadcast was a lot earlier than that, but TV as we know it wouldn’t become widespread until the late ‘40s and early ’50s.

Ugh! Why are we giving away facts that you’re about to read moments from now? We just get so excited to share fun TV tidbits like these.

The First Live-Action Batman

DID YOU THINK ADAM WEST WAS THE FIRST LIVE-ACTION BATMAN? BA 1943 SERIAL WILSON, VERSION OF N BATMAN. LEWIS THE (PLEASE IGNORE THE EARS) GRAGKED.COM

Early Bugs Bunny

Bugs Bunny 1938 NOW Happy Rabbit, Bugs Bunny, studio icon who a temporary holds the guest on Porky Guinness Record Pig's wildly for Most popular show, Portrayed and a foil to Animated Daffy Duck's Character In manic energy. Films. CRACKED.COM

The Munsters

The mansion in The Munsters was also used in Desperate Housewives. THE MUNSTERS The appearance of the building was further modified after the first season, supposedly because it was too recognizable. DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES CRACKED.COM

Mickey

Forgotten sitcoms 1964-1965 MICKEY Mickey Rooney had a sitcom just a few years after playing the infamous Japanese neighbor in Breakfast at Tiffany's. But the show couldn't compete with The Dick Van Dyke Show (or survive the suicide of one of its main cast members, actor Sammee Tong). CRACKED.COM

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Group

CBS claimed it was canceling the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour due to its failure to meet deadlines. Behind the scenes, everyone knew the axing was due to the show's political content, including anti-Vietnam comedy sketches. CBS out-and-out refused to run one episode that featured folk singer and anti-war activist Joan Baez. CRACKED.COM

Fred Rogers

Fred Rogers The host and creator Fred Rogers insisted that every word used on the show be intentional. Не did not want to mislead or confuse his preschool audience. CRACKED.COM

I Love Lucy

I LOVE LUCY, CBS The cast's wardrobe, as well as the set and props, were all shades of gray to make sure that the show looked good in black and white. CRACKED.COM

The Addams Family

The Addams Family Producer Scott Rubin came up with the idea of turning The Addams Family TV show into a movie after a bunch of people in a van returning from a 20th Century Fox screening started singing the show's theme song. НЕ PITCHED HIS ADAPTATION IDEA THE NEXT DAY. CRACKED.COM

Star Trek

Chekov was added to Star Trek to attract young viewers. CRACKED.COM Pavel Chekov did not ар- pear on 'Star Trek' until the first episode of the second season. The character was created to attract young viewers by resembling Davy Jones of The Monkees.

Thriller

Anthology Shows LER LLER HRI 1960 - 1962 THRILLER Stephen King considers this one of the best horror shows ever. Boris Karloff hosted this gothic horror show, and even starred in some episodes. The series was canceled when Alfred Hitchcock pulled strings to not have it compete with his own anthology. CRACKED.COM

Gilligan’s Island

GILLIGAN'S ISLAND You can see a flag at half-mast in the intro sequence. MINNOW CHARTER P-FREE LUNCHES President Kennedy was assassinated just before they filmed it. CRACKED.COM

The First Laugh Track

The first laugh track 1950 CRACKED.COM The Hank McCune Show, a TV show about a guy running a variety show, was kind of like an early 30 Rock, except it was cancelled after 3 weeks.

The First Use of Instant Replay

The first instant replay 1963 CRACKED.COM The technology was ready just in time for the big Army-Navy game... at John F. Kennedy Stadium!

The Flintstones

The first infertility arc 1963 CRACKED.COM After Pebbles is added to the Flintstones crew, Barney and Betty work through their depression over being unable to have kids themselves.

The First 24-Hour Newsday

The first 24-hour newsday 1963 CRACKED.COM The networks threw their regular programming out the window to cover the assassination of JFK around the clock.

The Andy Griffith Show

The Andy Griffith Show CRACKED.COM The world was introduced to Andy Griffith in an episode of The Danny Thomas Show. Thomas takes time off from being a good comedian and terrible father to get arrested in the small town of Mayberry.

The Addams Family

The first home computer 1965 CRACKED.COM In The Addams Family, the gigantic family computer, Whizzo, is used to cheat at gambling and help rig an election. Pretty spot-on.

Mary Kay and Johnny

Mary Kay and Johnny 1947-1950 CRACKED.COM The very first U.S. sitcom featured the first time a couple slept in the same bed and the first time a woman's pregnancy was shown on TV.

Candid Camera

Candid Camera 1948 Candia Camela CRACKED COM The show (originally a radio show called Candid Microphone) was the first televised reality show, featuring regular members of the public as its stars.

Another World

Another World 1964 CRACKED.COM The soap opera was the first TV show to address abortion. It would be another eight years until Maude's famous abortion storyline.

Leave It to Beaver

Leave It to Beaver 1957 CRACKED.COM Although not quite the first show to feature a toilet (it was edited out for being too scandalous), it was the first show to show a toilet tank and certainly one of the first to even include a bathroom.

The First Interracial Kiss on TV

You in Your Small Corner 1962 CRACKED COM The first interracial kiss on TV was actually on a live televised play. It features a passionate kiss and implied post-sex scene. If a play doesn't quite count, Emergency Ward 10 also included a kiss before the famous Star Trek smooch.

The Queen’s Messenger

The Queen's Messenger 1928 CRACKED COM The first televised drama was broadcast on September 11, 1928, from Schenectady, New York. It was a radio drama that was adapted for this new-fangled thing called television.

The Ethel Waters Show

The Ethel Waters Show 1939 N в C CRACKED.COM Ethel Waters was the first Black person to star in her own TV show. She would later be the first Black woman to be nominated for a primetime Emmy.

Crusader Rabbit

Crusader Rabbit 1950 CRACKED.COM This cartoon was the first made-for-TV animated show, created by Alexander Anderson and Jay Ward who also created Rocky and Bullwinkle.

I Love Lucy (Again)

I Love Lucy 1953 CRACKED.COM The first televised birth (well, not graphic birth) goes to Lucille Ball, who wasn't even allowed to say the word 'pregnant' because it was too taboo.

The Adventures of Champion

The Adventures of Champion 1955 CRACKED.COM The first TV show spin-off was based on The Gene Autry Show, with the titular Champion being Gene Autry's horse.

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