Bygone TV
Old TV Shows From The Beginning Through 1969

I Love Lucy, Wagon Train, $64,000 Question - the pioneering days of television gave us variety shows, drama and many quizzes.

If quizzes were a reflection of parlor games that theoretically could be played at home, in its early days television also reflected the more public entertainments found on radio and in the theater.

As for news, the early output used Movietone Newsreels (usually shown at the movie theater). NBC's "Camel Newsreel", sponsored by Camel Cigarettes, had John Cameron Swayze presenting the latest newsreels. It wasn't long before NBC gathered and presented its own news. It was not uncommon in those days, for the newsreader to be puffing on a cigarette whilst reading out the news.

And now, on with the shows.