This episode focuses on the sitcoms: "I Love Lucy," "The Honeymooners," "Make Room for Daddy," "The Andy Griffith Show" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show." The last remaining Honeymooner, Joyce Randolph, offers surprising insights into the mind of Jackie Gleason.
Don Knotts and Andy Griffith star in "The Andy Griffith Show."Similarly, Marlo Thomas speaks candidly about her father, Danny. Andy Griffith offers forceful opinions about the people and techniques that made his show work. In a rare occurrence, both Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke recount their years on "The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Watch the full episode. See more Pioneers of Television.
Societal changes are often mirrored in the subject and placement of situation comedies. In the 1940s and '50s, most half-hour comedies centered around a married couple or couples. As the fabric of American society began to morph, however, so did our entertainment. In the 1960s, sitcoms began to focus on single-parent or blended families or whole communities.
Tuesday at 9 p.m. on PBS-HD.
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