1960s Timeline

Mar. 20, 1962 - “Empire,” a one-hour Western television series set on a 500,000-acre ranch in New Mexico, is planned for the NBC schedule next season. It will appear Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. and will star Richard Egan as the general manager of the ranch. Also appearing in the series will be Charles Bronson, Ryan O’Neal, and Terry Moore. Produced by Screen Gems, it will be sponsored on alternate weeks by the Chrysler Corporation. On other weeks, General Mills and the American Tob

Mar. 18, 1962 - Tonight on “Bonanza,” the Cartwrights encourage young genius Albert Michelson (Douglas Lambert) to pursue his scientific experiments. They also try to discover why schoolmaster George Norton expelled Albert from school and seems determined to stand in the way of his appointment to the prestigious Annapolis Naval Academy. 9 p.m. on #NBC. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows #tvprog

Mar. 15, 1962 - “The Beverly Hillbillies,” a comedy series starring Buddy Ebsen and Irene Ryan, has been added to the CBS-TV schedule for next fall. It will be televised on Wednesdays from 9 to 9:30 p.m. The show depicts a rural family who become millionaires and move to Beverly Hills, Calif. A featured player in the cast will be Max Baer Jr., son of the late prizefighter. “Beverly Hillbillies” will be written and produced by Paul Henning. The sponsors are the R.J. Reynolds C

Mar. 11, 1962 - Tonight on “Bonanza,” the Cartwrights may have to take the law into their own hands when Virginia City's temporary sheriff, rancher Asa Moran (Arthur Franz, pictured), uses his new badge as a license to kill. 9 p.m. on #NBC. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows #tvprogram #tvdrama #tvcomedy #tvwestern

Mar. 5, 1962 - Tonight on “The Rifleman,” when Mark and Lucas meet Micah on the trail while transporting a prisoner for execution, Mark discovers the prisoner is a man who saved his life three years earlier. Lucas gets angry when Mark helps the condemned prisoner escape. 8:30 p.m. on #ABC. #tv #classictv #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #classictvlosangeles #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows #tvprogram #TvPersonality #TVNews #tvdrama #tvwestern

Mar. 4, 1962 - Tonight on “Bonanza,” the Cartwright boys help cowhand Hank Myers (Vaughn Monroe) romance reluctant teacher Abigail Jones (Eileen Ryan). 9 p.m. on #NBC. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows #tvprogram #tvdrama #tvcomedy #tvwestern

Feb. 18, 1962 - Tonight on “Bonanza,” Adam Cartwright (Pernell Roberts, pictured) stops to aid injured rancher Matt Grant (John Archer). Adam then takes him home and stays to help Matt’s wife and son while he recovers. What Adam doesn't know is that Matt is part of a gang of rustlers. And now that Adam can identify him, the gang wants him dead. 9 p.m. on #NBC. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows

Feb. 17, 1962 - Tonight on “Gunsmoke,” man named Lute (John Kerr right) has been hired to kill Matt, but when he falls in love with a decent girl (Elizabeth MacRae, left), he has a change of heart — or does he? 10 p.m. on #CBS. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows #tvprogram #tvdrama #tvcomedy #tvwestern

Feb. 15, 1962 - Tonight on “The Untouchables,” in the Gypsy quarter of Chicago, drunkenness is taking its toll in fights and killings. The local community elders, known as “The Senate,” want to bring it to an end but come into conflict with Janos Colescou (Charles Bronson, pictured), owner of much of the illicit liquor distribution in the area. Colescou kills the head of the Senate, Victor Bartok, and when the opposition continues, he kills his brother Fedor. Clearly, this is

Feb. 15, 1962 - Richard Boone, star of the television series “Have Gun - Will Travel,” is planning to return to Broadway at the end of the year as the star of “Sergeant Steiner.” The drama was adapted by Julius Epstein from Willi Heinrich’s book “The Cross of Iron.” The story, which deals with a German infantry platoon on the Russian front during World War II, shows how men react under pressure. In Los Angeles today, Mr. Boone said he would make 38 installments of “Have Gun -

Feb. 13, 1962 - Tonight on “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” a man who has been pretending to be paralyzed for the insurance money tries to fake a miracle recovery. With David Opatoshu and Miriam Colon (pictured). 8:30 p.m. on #NBC. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows #tvprogram #tvdrama #tvcomedy #tvwestern #medicalshow #medicaldrama #crimeshow #crimeseries #sitcom

Feb. 11, 1962 - A color television series based on Owen Wister’s “The Virginian,” the novel about cowboy life in Wyoming, will be presented next season by NBC on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9 p.m. It will be the first western TV program to present regular 90-minute episodes. NBC has known since last October that this would be the fifth and final season for “Wagon Train” on the network. About 10 days ago, NBC notified its affiliated stations of its plan to present “The Virginian”

Feb. 10, 1962 - Tonight on “Gunsmoke,” Chester is getting home-cooked meals from, and giving guitar lessons to, a spirited young woman (Sue Ane Langdon). But is she only trying to make her estranged sweetheart jealous? 10 p.m. on #CBS. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows #tvprogram #tvdrama #tvcomedy #tvwestern

Feb. 9, 1962 - Tonight on “Rawhide,” Favor (Eric Fleming) and Nolan (Sheb Wooley), warned not to cross Pawnee lands, ride to a nearby fort for details. They find the fort undermanned and awaiting reinforcements. Favor and Nolan are drafted into the Army to rescue six soldiers held hostage. But are the six soldiers hostages — or deserters? 7:30 p.m. on #CBS. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows #t

Feb. 8, 1962 - Whether “The Untouchables” and Eliot Ness will go on rooting out racketeers for the enjoyment of TV viewers next season is a matter that will be decided in a few weeks. A spokesman for ABC said today that next season’s plans for the show were “uncertain.” Robert Stack, who stars as the leader of the incorruptible band of Federal agents, said today that his three-year contract with the show expires at the end of the season. “I have not had any specific offer to

Feb. 6, 1962 - Tonight on “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” when a woman (Lola Albright) is forced by a murderer (Charles Bronson, pictured) to drive him to safety, she deliberately passes up chances to escape. 8:30 p.m. on #NBC. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows #tvprogram #tvdrama #tvcomedy #tvwestern #medicalshow #medicaldrama #crimeshow #crimeseries #sitcom

Feb. 4, 1962 - Tonight on “Bonanza,” the Cartwrights pretend the Ponderosa belongs to the town drunk when his aging mother arrives from Ireland for a visit. 9 p.m. on #NBC. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows #tvprogram #tvdrama #tvcomedy #tvwestern

Feb. 1, 1962 - Tonight on “The Untouchables,” when a top gangster is killed by Federal Agents, a mysterious man known only as “The Partner” orders that the agent responsible be eliminated. With guest star Dyan Cannon. 10 p.m. on #ABC. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows #tvprogram #tvdrama #tvcomedy #tvwestern #medicalshow #medicaldrama #crimeshow #crimeseries #sitcom

Jan. 31, 1962 - Tonight on “Naked City,” a widowed gangster (Richard Conte, pictured) is being challenged for custody of his son by his sister in-law. To show the court that he is a positive influence, the gangster needs to convince his son's teacher (Myron McCormick) to change a failing grade to an “A.” The teacher is stubborn, so the gangster offers the tempting bribe of a chorus girl. 10 p.m. on #ABC. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercia

Jan. 31, 1962 - Tonight on “The Joey Bishop Show,” Joey receives an audit notice for his 1959 tax return, and discovers that his mother accidentally threw away all his records. His imagination runs wild in a nightmare in which the IRS prosecutes Joey for fraud. 8:30 p.m. on #NBC. #tv #classictv #1960s #classictvshow #classictvshows #classictvcommercial #ClassicTvSeries #tvshow #tvseries #tvshows #tvprogram #tvdrama #tvcomedy #tvwestern #medicalshow #medicaldrama #crimeshow #c