What was so great about September?
New TV shows!

I think I first learned to read with the TV Guide!
The fall season did force me back into the drudgery of school and homework, but it also brought a miracle to our household: the fall lineup of new TV shows. Each year something new was guaranteed to premiere on our television screens, and the older shows that remained gained newer notoriety simply for the fact that they were popular enough to be granted another season. As a kid, the new fall lineup of TV shows made September worthwhile

I couldn't wait to get my hands on the September TV Guide to see what was in store for fall. Throughout the 60's decade, some of the finest television programs all presented themselves during the fall opening season. Many of my favorites seemed to fall in the years of 1964-1965. Some new comic shows like The Addams Family, Bewitched and Gilligan's Island were brand new as well as some solid drama and action shows. Old favorites still visited me on weekly basis via our television screen and some newer, more exciting shows like Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Daniel Boone debuted. I had favorites that ranged from fantastic to duds. Despite all the new stuff and all the glitz and glam of the season premieres, nothing could pry me away from Combat!

What Happened?

Mediocre shows were sad in the sense that they could have had a chance, but were doomed from the start. They didn't seem to invest any thought, or style into their productions, and relied almost 100% on scripts and acting. That's like putting ketchup on everything; it doesn't always work. "Garrison's Guerillas" and "The Rat Patrol" were absolutely boring to me. In the case of these so-so programs, the blend of scripts vs. stars often failed. Good directors and writers were like separating the wheat from the chaff. When a show skimped on its budget, it was a recipe for disaster. Star Trek was a classic example of NBC's prime time suicide when all of these factors came into play. Star Trek was a superior program that was literally cut off at the knees, forced into a slow prime time death, washed ashore and left to founder in its final season.

Another example of a mediocre show was "Cimarron Strip". Here was a program with a great star, but the show still sat around waiting for the bus. Cashing in on the unique 90-minute time slot idea originally mastered by the show's superior predecessor "The Virginian", Cimarron couldn't seem t' set a saddle.

Bombs Away!

TV show bombs were, well, bad. No other word describes them. The dud shows made me ask the question "what happened?" When I was growing up, looking forward to all of these wonderful new season premieres, these dud shows were like nothing more than prime time fillers. I often watched them simply because there was nothing else.

Interestingly enough, some of these shows I actually liked. One of these was "Kentucky Jones" that lasted only one season. It was in fierce time-slot competition with Gilligan's Island and Lawrence Welk. I rarely got to see the show as there were very few opportunities when the television set was not shared by others. There were quite a few bombs, and it seemed then like they outnumbered the good shows.

Jonny Quest was a show that absolutely thrilled me. Bear in mind, that like most everyone else in my neighborhood, I had to see this marvelous show in black and white. Color television was just barely coming into its own. Color sets were introduced in the mid-50's, but very few TV shows were made in color, therefore it made little sense to own one.

Around 1966, many more programs were being produced in color. Jonny Quest was top-notch all the way; the graphics and animation were of comic book quality-which at the time-was a very high standard. The show's often 3-D simulation, (something only financially feasible with animation), made it spellbinding and impossible to lift one's eyes from.

Characters & Guest Stars

1st row L-R: Albert Salmi, Inger Stevens, Claude Akins, James Best, Nita Talbot and Jesse White.
2nd row L-R: John McGiver, Pamelyn Ferdin, Ruta Lee, John Anderson, John Dehner and Brenda Scott
3rd row L-R: Slim Pickens, Strother Martin, Anne Francis, Susan Oliver, Richard Andersen and Janet MacLachlan

Fall Premieres Through the Years:

1960-1961:

"Gunsmoke 1955-1975", "My Three Sons 1960-1972", "Cheyenne", "Sugarfoot", "The Andy Griffith Show 1960-1968", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1955-1962", "The Ed Sullivan Show 1948-1971", "Perry Mason 1957-1966", "The Twilight Zone 1959-1964", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color 1952-1992", "The Real McCoys", "77 Sunset Strip", "Wagon Train 1957-1965", "Dennis The Menace" "Wanted: Dead or Alive"

1961-1962:

"Hazel", "The Ed Sullivan Show 1948-1971", "Wagon Train 1957-1965", "Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1955-1962", "Gunsmoke 1955-1975", "The Andy Griffith Show 1960-1968", "Bonanza 1959-1973", "My Three Sons 1960-1972", "Perry Mason 1957-1966", "The Twilight Zone 1959-1964", "Lassie", "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color 1952-1992", "Ben Casey", "My Three Sons", "Candid Camera", "Dr. Kildare", "Sing Along with Mitch", "The Flintstones", "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis", "The Donna Reed Show", "The Defenders", "Have Gun, Will Travel",

1962-1963:

"The Patty Duke Show", "The Beverly Hillbillies", "McHale's Navy 1962-1966", "The Virginian", "My Three Sons 1960-1972", "The Andy Griffith Show 1960-1968", "The Ed Sullivan Show 1948-1971", "What's My Line", "The Dick Van Dyke Show" "Rawhide", "Perry Mason 1957-1966", "The Twilight Zone 1959-1964", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour 1962-1965", "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color 1952-1992", "Bonanza 1959-1973", "Route 66", "Gunsmoke 1955-1975", "Stoney Burke", "Wagon Train 1957-1965", "Combat 1962-1967"

1963-1964:

"The Outer Limits", "The Addams Family", "The Andy Griffith Show 1960-1968", "Bewtiched 1964-1972", "The Travels of Jamie McPheeters", "Arrest and Trial", "My Three Sons 1960-1972", "McHale's Navy 1962-1966", "The Patty Duke Show", "The Ed Sullivan Show 1948-1971", "Candid Camera", "Petticoat Junction 1963-1970", "Perry Mason 1957-1966", "The Twilight Zone 1959-1964", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour 1962-1965", "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color 1952-1992", "Bonanza 1959-1973", "Wagon Train 1957-1965", "Combat 1962-1967" , "The Farmer's Daughter", "Burke's Law", "Gunsmoke 1955-1975"

1964-1965:

"Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 1964-1968", "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. 1964-1969", "The Man from Uncle 1964-1968", "Gilligan's Island", "Bewtiched 1964-1972", "The Patty Duke Show", "My Three Sons 1960-1972", "McHale's Navy 1962-1966", "The Andy Griffith Show 1960-1968", "The Ed Sullivan Show 1948-1971", "Candid Camera", "Petticoat Junction 1963-1970", "Perry Mason 1957-1966", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour 1962-1965", "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color 1952-1992", "Bonanza 1959-1973", "Gunsmoke 1955-1975", "Wagon Train 1957-1965", "Combat 1962-1967", "The Addams Family"

1965-1966:

"The Wild, Wild West", "Hogan's Heroes 1965-1971", "Gilligan's Island", "I Dream of Jeannie 1965-1970", "Bewtiched 1964-1972", "McHale's Navy 1962-1966", "My Three Sons 1960-1972", "Get Smart 1965-1970", "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 1964-1968", "The Man from Uncle 1964-1968", "Perry Mason 1957-1966", "The Ed Sullivan Show 1948-1971", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour 1962-1965", "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color 1952-1992", "Bonanza 1959-1973", "Combat 1962-1967" , "The Patty Duke Show", "The Addams Family", "The Andy Griffith Show 1960-1968", "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. 1964-1969",

1966-1967:

"Batman", "Bewtiched 1964-1972", "The Wild, Wild West", "Gilligan's Island", "McHale's Navy 1962-1966", "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 1964-1968", "The Man from Uncle 1964-1968", "Hogan's Heroes 1965-1971", "Perry Mason 1957-1966", "The Ed Sullivan Show 1948-1971", "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color 1952-1992", "Bonanza 1959-1973", "Combat 1962-1967" , "The Time Tunnel", "My Three Sons 1960-1972", "The Addams Family", "I Dream of Jeannie 1965-1970", "The Andy Griffith Show 1960-1968", "It's About Time", "The Rat Patrol", "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. 1964-1969", "Family Affair", "The Monkees", "Get Smart 1965-1970", "Hogan's Heroes 1965-1971", "The Pruitts of Southampton," "Star Trek", "Green Acres", "Mission: Impossible 1966-1973"

1967-1968:

"The Wild, Wild West", "Tarzan", "Batman", "Bewtiched 1964-1972", "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. 1964-1969", "I Dream of Jeannie 1965-1970", "My Three Sons 1960-1972", "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea 1964-1968", "The Man from Uncle 1964-1968", "The Ed Sullivan Show 1948-1971", "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color 1952-1992", "Bonanza 1959-1973", "Combat 1962-1967" , "The Andy Griffith Show 1960-1968", "It's About Time", "The Rat Patrol", "Family Affair", "The Monkees, "Get Smart 1965-1970"," "The Pruitts of Southampton," "Star Trek", "Ironside 1967-1975", "Mission: Impossible 1966-1973", "Hogan's Heroes 1965-1971", "Green Acres 1965-1971",

1968-1969:

"The Mod Squad", "The Wild, Wild West", "Bewtiched 1964-1972", "I Dream of Jeannie 1965-1970", "My Three Sons 1960-1972", "The Ed Sullivan Show 1948-1971", "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color 1952-1992", "Bonanza 1959-1973", "Mission: Impossible 1966-1973", "Land of the Giants", "Hogan's Heroes 1965-1971", "Mayberry R.F.D. 1968-1971", "Family Affair", "Star Trek", "Green Acres 1965-1971", "Get Smart 1965-1970", "It Takes a Thief", "Ironside 1967-1975"

1969-1970:

"The Mod Squad", "The Courtship of Eddie's Father", "Room 222", "The Brady Bunch", "Bewtiched 1964-1972", "I Dream of Jeannie 1965-1970", "My Three Sons 1960-1972", "The Ed Sullivan Show 1948-1971", "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color 1952-1992", "Bonanza 1959-1973", "Hogan's Heroes 1965-1971", "Mayberry R.F.D. 1968-1971", "Family Affair", "It Takes a Thief", "Land of the Giants", "Star Trek", "Green Acres 1965-1971", "Ironside 1967-1975", "Get Smart 1965-1970",