1960s Timeline

Jan. 1, 1962 - Tonight on “The Andy Griffith Show,” local farmer Jeff Pruitt (Alan Hale Jr., right) comes to town to pick a wife....

Dec. 30, 1961 - Tonight on “Gunsmoke,” a band of outlaws offers to pay Matt to make himself scarce while they rob the bank. If he...

Dec. 30, 1961 - Tonight on “The Defenders,” Lawrence agrees to defend a racketeer charged with the murder of a rival. With Martin Balsam....

Dec. 29, 1961 - Tonight on “The Twilight Zone,” hot-shot Lieutenant Katell (Dean Stockwell, left) tries to make his mark on the last day...

Dec. 25, 1961 - Tonight on “The Andy Griffith Show,” when Barney is offered the sheriff’s position in a nearby town, he and Andy trade...

Dec. 23, 1961 - Tonight on “Gunsmoke,” an ill-mannered young mountain man (Don Dubbins, right) is told by his father that it's time he...

Dec. 23, 1961 - Tonight on “The Defenders,” rich Mr. Gideon, after marrying for the sixth time, has invited all his slightly flaky...

Dec. 22, 1961 - Tonight on “The Twilight Zone,” an Army major awakens in a small room with no idea of who he is or how he got there....

Dec. 22, 1961 - Tonight on “Rawhide,” a man and his wife con the drovers into pooling their efforts to prepare a Christmas celebration...

Dec. 19, 1961 - Tonight on “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” a wounded cop-killer rushes to get his prescription for a painkiller filled. With...

Dec. 19, 1961 - Tonight on “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” Rob and Buddy treat Sally (Rose Marie, center) as “one of the guys,” even in the...

Dec. 18, 1961 - Tonight on “The Andy Griffith Show,” no one will admit that Aunt Bee's homemade pickles are terrible. Andy switches them...

Dec. 16, 1961 - Tonight on “Gunsmoke,” a homesteader hires a man to create a fake scandal with his wife (Lois Nettleton, pictured) so...

Dec. 16, 1961 - Tonight on “The Defenders,” Dwight Harkavy (Kent Smith, pictured) has killed a prowler on his property — the ex-husband...

Dec. 15, 1961 - Tonight on “The Twilight Zone,” janitor Woodrow Mulligan (Buster Keaton) gets a trip from 1890 to 1962 courtesy of his...

Dec. 12, 1961 - Tonight on “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” Rob buys Laura a hideous necklace but Laura can't bring herself to tell Rob how she...

Dec. 11, 1961 - Tonight on “The Andy Griffith Show,” when Andy and Barney have a chance to join an exclusive men's club, Andy wonders how...

Dec. 9, 1961 - Tonight on “Gunsmoke,” a young outlaw (Ben Cooper) finds he has a knack for medicine and turns straight, telling Doc...

Dec. 9, 1961 - Tonight on “The Defenders,” the Prestons defend a policeman who killed the teenage boy that attacked his five-year-old...

Dec. 8, 1961 - Tonight on “Rawhide,” a woman (Phyllis Thaxter) wanders into camp needing help. She is an actress who one of the men...