The Ten Funniest Situation Comedy Episodes By Decade: the 1950s

This may seem like a silly question but that’s never stopped me before: does a situation comedy have to be funny to be successful?

For me, the answer is no. There are many shows from the classic TV era that I own and enjoy in which laugh-out-loud moments are rare. I love them because of their familiar characters, their worldviews and their values, and because they have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Watching them is like visiting old friends.

But funny is good too, so I thought it might be fun to do a series of pieces on the ten funniest sitcom episodes from the 1950s, ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Obviously I have not watched every episode of every show from any of these decades, but I think I’ve seen enough to provide some informed recommendations.

Before getting started with the 1950s picks, a couple of ground rules: This is for sitcoms only, which eliminates some brilliant comic moments from variety shows like those hosted by Sid Caesar and Ernie Kovacs (and for later lists, Carol Burnett). And though I’m usually not a fan of quotas, I placed a two-episode limit on any one series – otherwise it would be too easy to pick ten Honeymooners classics and call it a day.

Ready? Here we go – though I reserve the right to amend this list with an entry from The Jack Benny Show as soon as I gain access to more episodes.

I Love Lucy

“Lucy Does a TV Commercial” (1952)

If there were a Louvre Museum for television comedy, the Vitameatavegamin bit would be its Mona Lisa. While the brilliance of Lucy’s performance in this one seminal scene deserves every accolade it has received, it also overshadows the fact that the rest of the episode is packed with laughs as well. 

The Honeymooners

“The $99,000 Answer” (1956)

Alice: For the last time, Ralph, I'll be very happy if you win the 600 bucks.
Ralph: $600? Peanuts! What am I gonna do with peanuts?
Alice: Eat 'em, like any other elephant.

Fans of “the classic 39” could probably make a case for almost every episode as deserving of this list. But “The $99,000 Answer” achieves classic status even among classics. It has everything Honeymooners fans treasure –Ralph launches another get-rich-quick scheme, assisted and aggravated by Ed Norton, and a deservedly famous final twist that brings Ralph’s dreams of wealth crashing down. 

The Phil Silvers Show

“Court Martial” (1956)

It’s not easy to upstage Silvers as Sgt. Bilko – unless you’re a chimpanzee. In this brilliantly chaotic episode, Fort Baxter tries to set a record by inducting more than 300 new recruits in less than two hours; at some point during the frenzied confusion they mistakenly induct a monkey. A court martial is hastily assembled with Bilko serving as defense counsel. It’s one of the funniest scenes ever broadcast, not just for what was scripted but for the chimp’s antics, which do not conform with how the scene was written. The show’s cast of vaudeville veterans, long accustomed to coping with the unexpected, just go with it, improvising around everything the monkey does. 

Leave it to Beaver

“The Haircut” (1957)

Yes, nearly all the laughs flow from one sight gag. But it’s a good one. After Beaver loses the money he was given to get a haircut (a whole $1.75!), he asks Wally to do the honors, with predictably disastrous results. The boys try to hide Beaver’s scalping by donning stocking caps that they can’t take off, as part of a secret club initiation. But Ward and June ain’t falling for that. Barbara Billingsley’s reaction when she first sees what Wally wrought is priceless. 

The Donna Reed Show

“Sleep No More My Lady” (1959)

The preternaturally beautiful Donna Reed could never be Lucille Ball, and her long-running series rarely put her in the type of bizarre situations that Lucy Ricardo caused every week. But that doesn’t mean she couldn’t thrive in physical comedy or farce. In “Sleep No More My Lady” Donna inadvertently overdoses on tranquilizers before her husband is to deliver a speech at a medical convention. That scene, and the hotel room hijinks that follow, offered Reed a rare chance to be something other than the poised and perfect homemaker. 

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show

“Harry Morton’s Cocktail Party” (1955)

Given my limited exposure to this wonderful series, it’s possible that there may be 50 episodes funnier than “Harry Morton’s Cocktail Party.” But this one certainly deserves a place on this list. George provides the details: “Blanche just told me that she slugged a masher in a book shop. And Harry Morton is inviting this important executive to dinner tonight to make a good impression on him. Wouldn't it be funny if they turned out to be the same man? It better be funny or I'll certainly speak to my writers!” The episode ends with a Burns and Allen vaudeville bit, as funny now as it was 70 years ago:

Gracie, on her Uncle Harvey: You don't want to hear about the job he had helping that plumber? Well, the only reason he lost the job is because he did what the plumber told him to.

George: That's why he lost it?

Gracie: Well, yes. You see, what happened was they were trying to hammer some pipe through a hole in the wall, so the plumber held it and he said to Uncle Harvey, ‘Now, when I nod my head, you hit it with that big hammer…’

The Honeymooners

“The Golfer” (1955)

“Hellloooooo, ball!”

Ralph believes the key to career advancement at the bus company is getting to know the new manager over a round of golf. Now, he just needs to learn how to play the game in two days. From the moment Gleason appears in his golf outfit, this episode offers non-stop laughs. 

I Love Lucy

“Job Switching” (1952)

As with “Lucy Does a TV Commercial,” Job Switching” is an episode famous for one unforgettable scene, that also delivers big laughs before and after its most memorable moment. Ricky and Fred’s attempts at ironing and cooking ‘pollo y arroz’ are nearly as entertaining as Lucy and Ethel frantically wrapping those accelerating assembly line chocolates. 

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis

“Love is a Science” (1959)

The series’ third episode is propelled to greatness by Sheila James’s first appearance as Zelda Gilroy, Charles Lane at his grouchy best as Dobie’s science teacher, and money-mad Thalia Menninger, who insists that Dobie give up poetry (“Name me one rich poet”) and study to become a doctor: “Do you realize the money there is in hospitals? Do you know the markup in oxygen alone? And the poor customers, what can they do? You’ve got ‘em flat on their backs!” 

The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet

“Tutti-Fruitti Ice Cream” (1957)

After reading a news story about a lost boy enjoying tutti-frutti ice cream at the police station, Ozzie gets a craving for the stuff. As with so many Ozzie & Harriet episodes, a simple slice of everyday life develops into a surreal adventure, as Ozzie (and eventually his wife and neighbor) set out on an all-night quest for tutti-frutti. The highlight is an out-of-nowhere 1920s-themed musical dream sequence. 

Next: The 1960s

Classic TV 101: The 1950s

 Television existed in the 1940s but did not achieve mass media status until the next decade. In the 1950s the program genres and production techniques that still define the medium were established and refined, and dozens of shows were introduced that are still finding new audiences on cable and DVD.

A TV set was a big investment back then, and even once prices began dropping there were many who felt the whole concept was just a passing fad. But then came Milton Berle and Howdy Doody,  Lucy Ricardo and Davy Crockett, and by the end of the decade there was a television in 9 out of every 10 American households.

Television history starts here, and these – in no particular order – are the shows you should know. For those that are not available on home video or through streaming services, there are plenty of clips on YouTube and other video sites.

The Twilight Zone

Some shows from the 1950s remain the gold standard for their genres, and The Twilight Zone is one of them. Rod Serling’s brilliant science fiction anthology series featured some of the best television writing of the decade, and can still scare the bejeezus out of viewers who grew up on Freddie and Jason. 

The Goldbergs

Two years before I Love Lucy, The Goldbergs established the viability of television situation comedy, with characters that were already beloved after nearly 20 years on radio. Star Gertrude Berg (Molly Goldberg) was also the series’ producer and most prolific writer. 

Texaco Star Theater

No one was responsible for the sale of more television sets than Milton Berle, aptly dubbed “Mr. Television.” Berle’s characters and skits have not aged as gracefully as many of his contemporaries, but his Tuesday night comedy-variety series was America’s first must-see TV. 

Gunsmoke

Westerns thrived on television in the 1950s. In the 1958-’59 season there were 30 western series in prime time. You don’t need to sample them all but you should know Gunsmoke. It ran 20 years and more than 600 episodes, all featuring James Arness as Marshal Matt Dillon.

What’s My Line?

Several game shows aired in prime time in the 1950s, and one of the best was What’s My Line. Unlike later generations of game shows featuring screaming contestants and hosts with the subtlety of used car salesmen, this was an elegant, cultured series with a witty celebrity panel and a distinguished journalist as its host.

Dragnet

Another successful radio adaptation, Dragnet introduced viewers to the no-nonsense L.A. police detective Sgt. Joe Friday, as played by Jack Webb. The series became known for its staccato dialogue exchanges and iconic theme (the opening four notes once ranked only behind Beethoven’s Fifth in instant recognition). Friday was so admired by real cops that the real Los Angeles Police Department retired his badge number. 

Howdy Doody

TV’s first kiddie show phenomenon, and one of the first series to awaken advertisers to the impact of the new medium; when Howdy and Buffalo Bob endorsed a product, sales skyrocketed. The Howdy Doody puppet is now on display at the Smithsonian. 

Leave it to Beaver

A family situation comedy that defined both its era and its genre, and that introduced a character in Eddie Haskell that became synonymous with sycophantic weasels. 

Your Show of Shows

A towering achievement of TV’s Golden Age, Your Show of Shows presented 90 minutes of often inspired live sketch comedy, every week, for four years. The series was fueled by genius both in front of the camera (Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Carl Reiner) and in the writer’s room (Mel Brooks, Neil Simon, Larry Gelbart). It also inspired The Dick Van Dyke Show and the film (and Broadway musical) My Favorite Year.

The Honeymooners

Episodes from “the classic 39” have been on television almost non-stop for more than half a century. Jackie Gleason and Art Carney were the medium’s first great comedy team, and Carney’s Ed Norton is the forefather of every wacky TV neighbor from Gladys Kravitz to Cosmo Kramer.

The Ernie Kovacs Show

Where other comedians were content to play on television, Ernie Kovacs was the only personality who would play with television, creating surreal audio and visual tricks that were decades ahead of their time. 

The Original Amateur Hour

Hosted by Ted Mack, the Ryan Seacrest of the Eisenhower era, television’s first talent show aired for 22 years. It launched very few careers, but contestants included Pat Boone and a 7-year-old singer named Gladys Knight.

I Love Lucy

I trust no explanation is necessary. Laugh-out-loud moments can be found in every episode, and Desi Arnaz was an important pioneer in how situation comedies were staged and shot before a live audience. 

Perry Mason

Television’s first courtroom drama set the standard for dozens of subsequent legal shows, though no TV lawyer ever had a higher winning percentage than Perry Mason. Raymond Burr’s portrayal of Mason created an idealized image of the crusading attorney that defined that profession on TV for decades.

Playhouse 90

The dramatic anthology series has disappeared, but in the 1950s there were several outstanding programs that performed movie-length dramatic scripts live every week. Start with Playhouse 90 and “Requiem for a Heavyweight,” written by Rod Serling and starring Jack Palance.

Amos & Andy

One of TV’s most controversial series, and worth a look just for the discussions it generated on racial stereotypes at a time when the South was still segregated. Amos & Andy also has a number of defenders in the African-American community, and it’s worth reading that side of the argument as well. Plus, it’s still a very funny show.

Arthur Godfrey and His Friends

Arthur Godfrey was one of Golden Age TV’s most unique personalities. His folksy charm attracted millions of viewers to both daytime and prime time series, but when he fired one of his “friends,” singer Julius LaRosa, during a live broadcast, fans saw a darker side to Godfrey and never forgave him. 

The Mickey Mouse Club

In 1955, nine of the ten most-watched afternoon television shows were episodes of The Mickey Mouse Club (#10 was a World Series game). Ambitious for its time (and for now, really), the merry (and very talented) Mousketeers hosted one hour of singing, dancing, serials, news, cartoons, travelogues and guest stars. Why? Because they liked you. 

The Phil Silvers Show

As inveterate gambler and con man Sgt. Ernie Bilko, Phil Silvers created one of television’s most lovable rats. Concerns over portraying a military man as a flim-flam artist dissipated after voluntary enlistments actually rose during the years the series aired. 

Toast of the Town

Better known as The Ed Sullivan Show, this was the variety series that introduced The Beatles to America, and censored Elvis Presley by only shooting his performances from the waist up. All that, plus it turned an Italian mouse puppet named Topo Gigio into a household name.

The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet

The real Nelson family – Ozzie, Harriet and sons David and Ricky – played themselves on this whimsical scripted sitcom that lasted 14 seasons, and launched Ricky into a music career that landed him in the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. This series is an inspired and inventive treasure that deserves to be much better known today.

American Bandstand

Another show that probably needs no introduction. Hosted by Dick Clark, American Bandstand came of age alongside rock music and integrated its teenage audience before that was a common practice. In the 1950s, even its dancers had their own fan clubs.

The Steve Allen Show

Steve Allen was the first host of The Tonight Show, and also headlined a prime time variety series that invented many of the comedy bits still being used by David Letterman and Conan O’Brien. If you’re sampling online, start with the “Man on the Street” interviews, featuring Don Knotts, Tom Poston and Louis Nye. 

The Donna Reed Show

Not a groundbreaking series, but one of the warmest, friendliest and loving family situation comedies ever created. 

Extra Credit

For those seeking even more wholesome, black-and-white TV goodness, try these 1950s gems:

Father Knows Best

The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show

I Married Joan

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis

The Jack Benny Show

Maverick

The Red Skelton Show

Our Miss Brooks

Next Week: The 1960s