Series Description

The Father Knows Best TV show was a 30 minute family comedy series with moments of drama that aired on CBS. It was about the inter-personal relationships between loving parents and their children. Each and every episode had a wholesome message such as "What's more important ... career or family?" ... or ... "How to allow your children to choose their own path in life even if you don't approve". The parents made mistakes as all parents do and so did the kids, but by the end of each episode, love prevailed and their family was secure.

Father Knows Best Cast

Robert Young .... James "Jim" Anderson Sr.
Jane Wyatt .... Margaret Anderson
Billy Gray .... James "Bud" Anderson Jr.
Elinor Donahue .... Betty "Princess" Anderson
Lauren Chapin .... Kathy "Kitten" Anderson

Father Knows Best Trivia

Before the TV show, there was a Father Knows Best radio show that aired from August 25, 1949 through November 19, 1953! Robert Young was the only cast member to make the transition from radio to television.

The series was so popular that repeats continued to be shown in primetime for three years after production ended and during the daytime for another 5 years after that! The public couldn't believe that the show was ending as it was still #6 in the ratings at the time. The main reason given was that the main premise of the show was a father guiding his children towards adulthood. Well, Betty and Bud were pretty much grown up. Another reason given was that after 6 years of the same series, many of those involved were "losing their creative juices". They wanted to go out on top rather than let the show deteriorate.

Robert Young has a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (Approximately 100 feet west of Mann's Chinese Theater).

Most programs at the time were filmed with 3 cameras in front of a live audience. Father Knows Best used only one camera and no audience.

Some well-known guest stars on the TV show included Cornell Wilde, Barbara Eden, Robert Reed (Dad on "The Brady Bunch), John McIntire (Wagon Train), and John Daly (The Moderator of the "What's My Line" quiz show).

Unfortunately, 13 episodes can not be found. "Stagecoach to Yuma" (#40) and "Not His Type" (#202) were original episodes. The other 11 were "flashback" shows. The distributors decided that "flashbacks" would not work well in syndication and apparently disposed of them.

In 1959, the U.S. Treasury department paid to have a 30 minute Father Knows Best episode produced. It was circulated to schools, churches and other groups for the purpose of selling savings bonds. It never aired on tv. The title was "24 Hours in Tyrantland".

Jim Anderson was the manager of "General Insurance Company".

The show's theme song was entitled, "Waiting". While they were never used on the program, there were Lyrics written. Here they are:
"Waiting, for love to find us, is something worth waiting for. Someday, my arms will hold you, my lips will kiss you, forever more. Yes, waiting, can be so lonely, yet somehow we'll see it through. Knowing, there's someone waiting right there just for you".

Episodes List With Original Air Dates Some episodes of this program were rebroadcast (as "flashbacks") in the final
two seasons. This accounts for why some episode titles are listed twice.

Season 1

1... Bud Takes Up The Dance (10/3/1954)
2... Lesson In Citizenship (10/10/1954)
3... Motor Scooters (10/17/1954)
4... Football Tickets (10/24/1954)
5... Live My Own Life (10/31/1954)
6... Grandpa Jim's Rejuvenation (11/7/1954)
7... Bud's Encounter With The Law (11/14/1954)
8... Thanksgiving Day (11/21/1954)
9... Second Honeymoon (11/28/1954)
10. Typical Father (12/5/1954)
11. Margaret Goes Dancing (12/12/1954)
12. The Christmas Story (12/19/1954)
13. Sparrow At The Window (12/26/1954)
14. Boy's Week (1/2/1955)
15. A Friend Of Old George's (1/9/1955)
16. Bud - The Snob (1/16/1955)
17. The Promised Playhouse (1/23/1955)
18. Jim - The Farmer (1/30/1955)
19. Father Of The Year (2/6/1955)
20. The Mink Coat (2/13/1955)
21. The Matchmaker (2/20/1955)
22. Bud - The Bridesmaid (2/27/1955)
23. Proud Father (3/6/1955)
24. Father Delivers The Papers (3/13/1955)
25. No Partiality (3/20/1955)
26. Close Decision (3/27/1955)

Season 2

27. Art Of Salesmanship (8/31/1955)
28. Father's Private Life (9/9/1955)
29. Lesson in Civics (9/14/1955)
30. First Disillusionment (9/21/1955)
31. Woman In The House (9/28/1955)
32. New Girl At School (10/5/1955)
33. Kathy Makes Magic (10/12/1955)
34. Advantage To Betty (10/19/1955)
35. The Big Test (10/26/1955)
36. Father Is A Dope (11/2/1955)
37. The Spirit Of Youth (11/9/1955)
38. Bud - The Ladykiller (11/16/1955)
39. Margaret's Premonition (11/30/1955)
40. Stagecoach To Yuma (12/7/1955)
41. Bad Influence (12/14/1955)
42. Betty Hates Carter (12/28/1955)
43. Jim - The Tyrant (1/4/1956)
44. Betty's Brother (1/11/1956)
45. Betty Earns A Formal (1/18/1956)
46. The House Painter (1/25/1956)
47. Bud - The Wallflower (2/1/1956)
48. Bus To Nowhere (2/8/1956)
49. Kathy - The Indian Giver (2/15/1956)
50. The Historical Andersons (2/22/1956)
51. The Grass Is Greener (2/29/1956)
52. The Persistent Guest (3/7/1956)
53. Family Reunion (3/14/1956)
54. Family Dines Out (3/28/1956)
55. Bud - The Boxer (4/4/1956)
56. Betty - Girl Engineer (4/11/1956)
57. The Martins And The Coys (4/18/1956)
58. Dilemma For Margaret (4/25/1956)
59. Hero Father (5/2/1956)
60. Father - The Naturalist (5/9/1956)
61. The $10,000 Question (5/16/1956)
62. Adopted Daughter (5/23/1956)
63. Betty's Graduation (5/30/1956)

Season 3

64. No Apron Strings (9/12/1956)
65. Never The Twain (9/19/1956)
66. Betty Goes To College (9/26/1956)
67. Man About Town (10/3/1956)
68. The Homing Pigeon (10/10/1956)
69. Spaghetti For Margarett (10/17/1956)
70. Betty's Birthday (10/24/1956)
71. Bud - The Millionaire (10/31/1956)
72. The Old Days (11/7/1956)
73. Whistle Bait (11/14/1956)
74. The Great Guy (11/21/1956)
75. The Family Goes To New York (11/28/1956)
76. Betty Goes Steady (12/5/1956)
77. The Good Prospect (12/12/1956)
78. The Angel's Sweater (12/19/1956)
79. The Promising Young Man (12/26/1956)
80. Margaret Hires A Gardener (1/2/1957)
81. Swiss Family Anderson (1/9/1957)
82. Brief Holiday (1/16/1957)
83. The Lawn Party (1/23/1957)
84. Short Wave (1/30/1957)
85. Carnival (2/6/1957)
86. Betty And The Jet Pilot (2/13/1957)
87. A Trip To Hillsborough (2/20/1957)
88. An Evening To Remember (2/27/1957)
89. Bud Buys A Car (3/13/1957)
90. Safety First (3/20/1957)
91. Bud - The Hero (3/27/1957)
92. Betty - The Track Star (4/3/1957)
93. The Spelling Bee (4/17/1957)
94. Bud - The Philanthropist (4/24/1957)
95. Baby In The House (5/1/1957)
96. Class Prophecy (5/8/1957)
97. The Art Of Romance (5/15/1957)
98. Margaret Disowns Her Family (5/22/1957)
99. Grandpa Retires (5/29/1957)
100. Shoot For The Moon (6/5/1957)

Season 4

101. Follow The Leader (9/28/1957)
102. The Awkward Hero (10/2/1957)
103. The Good Neighbor (10/9/1957)
104. Bud - The Executive (10/16/1957)
105. Sentenced To Happiness (10/23/1957)
106. Mother Goes To School (10/30/1957)
107. The Indispensable Man (11/6/1957)
108. Kathy's Big Chance (11/13/1957)
109. Margaret Learns To Drive (11/20/1957)
110. The Way Of The Dictator (12/4/1957)
111. Mister Beal Meets His Match (12/11/1957)
112. Kathy Makes A Wish (12/25/1957)
113. Man With A Plan (1/1/1958)
114. Big Sister (1/8/1958)
115. Calypso Bud (1/15/1958)
116. Father's Biography (1/22/1958)
117. The Rivals (1/29/1958)
118. Bud - The Mind Reader (2/5/1958)
119. Margaret's Other Family (2/12/1958)
120. The Trial (2/19/1958)
121. Revenge Is Sweet (2/26/1958)
122. Country Cousin (3/5/1958)
123. Poor Old Dad (3/12/1958)
124. Betty's Crusade (3/19/1958)
125. Young Love (3/26/1958)
126. Tell It To Mom (4/2/1958)
127. A Friend In Need (4/16/1958)
128. Medal For Margaret (4/23/1958)
129. The Weaker Sex (4/30/1958)
130. Jim - The Answer Man (5/14/1958)
131. Bud Quits School (5/21/1958)
132. A Matter Of Pride (6/4/1958)
133. Betty Finds A Cause (6/11/1958)

Season 5

134. Vine Covered Cottage (9/15/1958)
135. Be Kind To Bud Week (9/22/1958)
136. Kathy's Romance (9/29/1958)
137. A Voice From The Past (10/6/1958)
138. Frank's Family Tree (10/13/1958)
139. Always Plan Ahead (10/20/1958)
140. Second Wedding (10/27/1958)
141. Bud - The Caretaker (11/3/1958)
142. Betty - The Pioneer Woman (11/10/1958)
143. Fair Exchange (11/17/1958)
144. Bud - The Snob (11/24/1958)
145. Margaret Wins A Car (12/1/1958)
146. The Great Experiment (12/8/1958)
147. The Christmas Story (12/15/1958)
148. The Basketball Coach (12/22/1958)
149. Kathy - Girl Executive (12/29/1958)
150. The Good Samaritan (1/5/1959)
151. The Ideal Father (1/12/1959)
152. Big Shot Bud (1/19/1959)
153. Hard Luck Leo (1/26/1959)
154. Bud - The Campus Romeo (2/2/1959)
155. Crisis Over A Kiss (2/9/1959)
156. Kathy Grows Up (2/16/1959)
157. A Man Of Meritb (2/23/1959)
158. Betty Makes A Choice (3/2/1959)
159. It's A Small World (3/9/1959)
160. Two Loves Has Bud (3/16/1959)
161. An Extraordinary Woman (3/23/1959)
162. The Art Of Romance (3/30/1959)
163. Formula For Happiness (4/6/1959)
164. Bud And The Debutante (4/13/1959)
165. The Promised Playhouse (4/20/1959)
166. The Meanest Professor (4/27/1959)
167. Live My Own Life (5/4/1959)
168. Bud Has A Problem (5/11/1959)
169. The Great Anderson Mystery (5/18/1959)
170. Margaret Goes Dancing (5/25/1959)
171. The Gold Turnip (6/1/1959)

Season 6

172. A Day In The Country (10/5/1959)
173. Bud Branches Out (10/12/1959)
174. Gardener's Big Pay (10/19/1959)
175. The Imposter (10/26/1959)
176. Bud Plays It Safe (11/2/1959)
177. Bicycle Trip For Two (11/9/1959)
178. First Disillusionment (11/16/1959)
179. Margaret's Old Flame (11/23/1959)
180. Kathy Becomes A Girl (11/30/1959)
181. Bud - The Willing Worker (12/7/1959)
182. Turn The Other Cheek (12/14/1959)
183. Good Joke On Mom (12/28/1959)
184. Betty's Double (1/4/1960)
185. Father - The Naturalist (1/11/1960)
186. Bud Hides Behind A Skirt (1/18/1960)
187. Togetherness (1/25/1960)
188. Second Best (2/1/1960)
189. Kathy's Big Deception (2/8/1960)
190. Cupid Knows Best (2/15/1960)
191. The Big Test (2/22/1960)
192. Jim's Big Surprise (2/29/1960)
193. Time To Retire (3/7/1960)
194. Bud - The Speculator (3/14/1960)
195. The $500 Letter (3/21/1960)
196. Adopted Daughter (3/28/1960)
197. Family Contest (4/4/1960)
198. Love and Learn (4/11/1960)
199. Blind Date (4/18/1960)
200. Betty's Career Problem (4/25/1960)
201. Bud Lives It Up (5/9/1960)
202. Not His Type (5/16/1960)
203. Betty's Graduation (5/23/1960)

TV Specials

Father Knows Best Reunion (5/15/1977)
Home For Christmas (12/18/1977)