Television: The First Fifty Years's primary photo
  • Television: The First Fifty Years (1999)
  • Video | 120 min | Documentary
Television: The First Fifty Years (1999)
Video | 120 min | Documentary

Trace the history of television and its impact on American culture with clips, newsreels, and exclusive interviews from television greats like Walter Cronkite, Carol Burnett, and Jay Leno.
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Edit Released
Updated Dec 31, 1999

Release date
1999 (United States)

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Cast

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193 cast members
Name Known for
Eddie Albert
Self - Interviewee / Oliver Wendell Douglas Self - Interviewee / Oliver Wendell Douglas   See fewer
Jed Allan
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Dayton Allen
Insp. John J. Fadoozle (archive sound) Insp. John J. Fadoozle (archive sound)   See fewer
Fred Allen
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Gracie Allen
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Marty Allen
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Steve Allen
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Fran Allison
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Desi Arnaz
Ricky Ricardo (archive footage) Ricky Ricardo (archive footage)   See fewer
James Arness
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Tom Arnold
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Max Baer Jr.
Jethro Bodine (archive footage) Jethro Bodine (archive footage)   See fewer
Lucille Ball
Self - Interviewee / Lucy Ricardo Self - Interviewee / Lucy Ricardo   See fewer
Billy Barty
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
The Beatles
Themselves (archive footage) Themselves (archive footage)   See fewer
Bea Benaderet
Kate Bradley (archive footage) Kate Bradley (archive footage)   See fewer
Jack Benny
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Milton Berle
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Carl Betz
Dr. Alex Stone (archive footage) Dr. Alex Stone (archive footage)   See fewer
Amanda Blake
Self - Interviewee / Kitty Russel Self - Interviewee / Kitty Russel   See fewer
Dan Blocker
Hoss Cartwright (archive footage) Hoss Cartwright (archive footage)   See fewer
Richard Boone
Paladin (archive footage) Paladin (archive footage)   See fewer
Grace Boyd
Self - Interviewee (archive footage) Self - Interviewee (archive footage)   See fewer
William Boyd
Hopalong Cassidy (archive footage) Hopalong Cassidy (archive footage)   See fewer
Joyce Brothers
Self - Interviewee / Dr. Brothers Self - Interviewee / Dr. Brothers   See fewer
Carol Burnett
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
George Burns
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Edd Byrnes
Self - Interviewee / Kookie Self - Interviewee / Kookie   See fewer
Sid Caesar
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Bob Carroll Jr.
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Johnny Carson
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Imogene Coca
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Bud Collyer
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Chuck Connors
Lucas McCain (archive footage) Lucas McCain (archive footage)   See fewer
Wally Cox
Robinson J. Peepers (archive footage) Robinson J. Peepers (archive footage)   See fewer
Walter Cronkite
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Bing Crosby
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Bob Crosby
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Sammy Davis Jr.
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Madelyn Davis
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
William Demarest
Uncle Charlie O'Casey (archive footage) Uncle Charlie O'Casey (archive footage)   See fewer
Joyce DeWitt
Self - Interviewee / Janet Wood Self - Interviewee / Janet Wood   See fewer
Diana Douglas
Elly May Clampett (archive footage) Elly May Clampett (archive footage)   See fewer
Fran Drescher
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
David Duchovny
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Roger Ebert
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Buddy Ebsen
Jed Clampett (archive footage) Jed Clampett (archive footage)   See fewer
Barbara Eden
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Linda Ellerbee
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Dick Elliott
Bartender (archive footage) Bartender (archive footage)   See fewer
Dale Evans
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Shelley Fabares
Mary Stone (archive footage) Mary Stone (archive footage)   See fewer
Stanley Fafara
Whitey Whitney (archive footage) Whitey Whitney (archive footage)   See fewer
Norman Fell
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Bob Finkel
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Frank Fontaine
Crazy Guggenheim (archive footage) Crazy Guggenheim (archive footage)   See fewer
Michael Forest
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Fred Foy
Self (archive sound) Self (archive sound)   See fewer
Anne Francis
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Arlene Francis
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
William Frawley
Fred Mertz (archive footage) Fred Mertz (archive footage)   See fewer
Robert Fuller
Self - Interviewee / Dr. Kelly Brackett / Cooper Smith / Jess Harper Self - Interviewee / Dr. Kelly Brackett / Cooper Smith / Jess Harper   See fewer
Jackie Gleason
Joe the Bartender / Ralph Kramden (archive footage) Joe the Bartender / Ralph Kramden (archive footage)   See fewer
Arthur Godfrey
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Frank Gorshin
The Riddler (archive footage) The Riddler (archive footage)   See fewer
Linda Gray
Self - Interviewee / Sue Ellen Ewing Self - Interviewee / Sue Ellen Ewing   See fewer
Lorne Greene
Ben Cartwright (archive footage) Ben Cartwright (archive footage)   See fewer
Shecky Greene
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Larry Hagman
Self - Interviewee / J. R. Ewing Self - Interviewee / J. R. Ewing   See fewer
Deidre Hall
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Monty Hall
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Jonathan Harris
Self - Interviewee / Dr. Zachary Smith Self - Interviewee / Dr. Zachary Smith   See fewer
David Hasselhoff
Self - Interviewee / Mitch Buchanon Self - Interviewee / Mitch Buchanon   See fewer
Goldie Hawn
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Linda Henning
Self - Interviewee / Betty Jo Bradley Self - Interviewee / Betty Jo Bradley   See fewer
Howard Hesseman
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Charlton Heston
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Dwayne Hickman
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Bob Hope
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Ron Howard
Self - Interviewee / Opie Taylor / Ritchie Cunningham Self - Interviewee / Opie Taylor / Ritchie Cunningham   See fewer
Arte Johnson
Self / Wolfgang (archive footage) Self / Wolfgang (archive footage)   See fewer
The June Taylor Dancers
Themselves (archive footage) Themselves (archive footage)   See fewer
Robert Keeshan
Self - Interviewee / Original Clarabelle / Captain Kangaroo Self - Interviewee / Original Clarabelle / Captain Kangaroo   See fewer
Pert Kelton
Alice Kramden (archive footage) Alice Kramden (archive footage)   See fewer
Dorothy Kilgallen
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Tommy Kirk
Self - Interviewee / Joe Hardy Self - Interviewee / Joe Hardy   See fewer
Jack Klugman
Oscar Madison (archive footage) Oscar Madison (archive footage)   See fewer
Kay Kyser
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Bert Lahr
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Michael Landon
Joe Cartwright (archive footage) Joe Cartwright (archive footage)   See fewer
Allan Lane
Mr. Ed (voice) (archive footage) Mr. Ed (voice) (archive footage)   See fewer
Norman Lear
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Jay Leno
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Jerry Lewis
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Liberace
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Art Linkletter
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Stanley Livingston
Self - Interviewee / Chip Douglas Self - Interviewee / Chip Douglas   See fewer
Peter Lupus
Self - Interviewee / Willy Armitage Self - Interviewee / Willy Armitage   See fewer
Gisele MacKenzie
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Fred MacMurray
Steve Douglas (archive footage) Steve Douglas (archive footage)   See fewer
Patrick Macnee
Self - Interviewee / John Steed Self - Interviewee / John Steed   See fewer
Joe Mantell
Angie (archive footage) Angie (archive footage)   See fewer
Randolph Mantooth
Self - Interviewee / Paramedic John Gage Self - Interviewee / Paramedic John Gage   See fewer
Nancy Marchand
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
The Marquis Chimps
Themselves (archive footage) Themselves (archive footage)   See fewer
Dean Martin
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Dick Martin
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Jerry Mathers
Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver (archive footage) Theodore 'Beaver' Cleaver (archive footage)   See fewer
Bob May
Robot (archive footage) Robot (archive footage)   See fewer
David McCallum
Illya Kuryakin (archive footage) Illya Kuryakin (archive footage)   See fewer
Joseph McCarthy
Self - Senator McCarthy (archive footage) Self - Senator McCarthy (archive footage)   See fewer
Phyllis McGuire
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Ed McMahon
Self - Interviewee (archive footage) Self - Interviewee (archive footage)   See fewer
The Men of Texaco Quartet
Themselves (archive footage) Themselves (archive footage)   See fewer
Ethel Merman
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Clayton Moore
Lone Ranger (archive footage) Lone Ranger (archive footage)   See fewer
Harry Morgan
Officer Bill Gannon (archive footage) Officer Bill Gannon (archive footage)   See fewer
Barry Morse
Lt. Philip Gerard (archive footage) Lt. Philip Gerard (archive footage)   See fewer
Erin Murphy
Self - Interviewee / Tabitha Stephens Self - Interviewee / Tabitha Stephens   See fewer
Edward R. Murrow
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
David Nelson
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Harriet Nelson
Self / Harriet Nelson (archive footage) Self / Harriet Nelson (archive footage)   See fewer
Ozzie Nelson
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Ricky Nelson
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
John Newland
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Bobby Nicholson
J. Cornelius Cobb (archive footage) J. Cornelius Cobb (archive footage)   See fewer
Richard Nixon
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Sheree North
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Kim Novak
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Hugh O'Brian
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Carroll O'Connor
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Greg O'Neil
Narrator (voice) Narrator (voice)   See fewer
Johnny Olson
Self (archive sound) Self (archive sound)   See fewer
Betsy Palmer
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Patty Petersen
Trisha Stone (archive footage) Trisha Stone (archive footage)   See fewer
Paul Petersen
Self - Interviewee / Jeff Stone Self - Interviewee / Jeff Stone   See fewer
Jo Ann Pflug
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Paul Picerni
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Tom Poston
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Dick Powell
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Victoria Principal
Self - Interviewee / Pamela Barnes Ewing Self - Interviewee / Pamela Barnes Ewing   See fewer
Tony Randall
Self - Interviewee / Harvey Weskitt Self - Interviewee / Harvey Weskitt   See fewer
Donna Reed
Donna Stone (archive footage) Donna Stone (archive footage)   See fewer
George Reeves
Clark Kent / Superman (archive footage) Clark Kent / Superman (archive footage)   See fewer
Diana Rigg
Emma Peel (archive footage) Emma Peel (archive footage)   See fewer
Jeannine Riley
Billie Jo Bradley (archive footage) Billie Jo Bradley (archive footage)   See fewer
Pernell Roberts
Adam Cartwright (archive footage) Adam Cartwright (archive footage)   See fewer
Fred Rogers
Self - Interviewee / Mr. Rogers Self - Interviewee / Mr. Rogers   See fewer
Roy Rogers
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Steve Rossi
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Dan Rowan
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
George Schlatter
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Tom Selleck
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Doc Severinsen
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Jay Silverheels
Tonto (archive footage) Tonto (archive footage)   See fewer
Frank Sinatra
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Gene Siskel
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Red Skelton
Sheriff Deadeye (archive footage) Sheriff Deadeye (archive footage)   See fewer
Bob Smith
Buffalo Bob Smith / Howdy Doody (voice) (archive footage) Buffalo Bob Smith / Howdy Doody (voice) (archive footage)   See fewer
Howard K. Smith
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Roger Smith
Jeff Spencer (archive footage) Jeff Spencer (archive footage)   See fewer
Robert Stack
Self - Interviewee / Eliot Ness Self - Interviewee / Eliot Ness   See fewer
Rod Steiger
Self - Interviewee / Marty Piletti Self - Interviewee / Marty Piletti   See fewer
Jerry Stiller
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Milburn Stone
Doc Adams (archive footage) Doc Adams (archive footage)   See fewer
Susan Strasberg
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Ed Sullivan
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Allen Swift
Phineas T. Bluster (archive sound) Phineas T. Bluster (archive sound)   See fewer
Burr Tillstrom
Kukla / Ollie (archive footage) Kukla / Ollie (archive footage)   See fewer
Kam Tong
Hey Boy (archive footage) Hey Boy (archive footage)   See fewer
Doreen Tracey
Self - Interviewee / Mouseketeer Self - Interviewee / Mouseketeer   See fewer
Dick Tufeld
Robot (archive sound) Robot (archive sound)   See fewer
Judy Tyler
Princess Summerfall Winterspring (archive footage) Princess Summerfall Winterspring (archive footage)   See fewer
Dick Van Patten
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Vivian Vance
Ethel Mertz (archive footage) Ethel Mertz (archive footage)   See fewer
Robert Vaughn
Self - Interviewee / Napoleon Solo Self - Interviewee / Napoleon Solo   See fewer
Mike Wallace
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Ray Walston
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Burt Ward
Self - Interviewee / Robin Self - Interviewee / Robin   See fewer
John Wayne
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Dennis Weaver
Self - Interviewee / Chester Goode Self - Interviewee / Chester Goode   See fewer
Jack Webb
Sgt. Joe Friday (archive footage) Sgt. Joe Friday (archive footage)   See fewer
Lawrence Welk
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Adam West
Self - Interviewee / Batman (archive footage) Self - Interviewee / Batman (archive footage)   See fewer
Guy Williams
Self (archive footage) Self (archive footage)   See fewer
Van Williams
Britt Reid / The Green Hornet (archive footage) Britt Reid / The Green Hornet (archive footage)   See fewer
Henry Winkler
Self - Interviewee Self - Interviewee   See fewer
Pat Woodell
Bobbie Jo Bradley (archive footage) Bobbie Jo Bradley (archive footage)   See fewer
Jane Wyatt
Margaret Anderson (archive footage) Margaret Anderson (archive footage)   See fewer
Alan Young
Self - Interviewee / Wilbur Post Self - Interviewee / Wilbur Post   See fewer
Robert Young
Jim Anderson (archive footage) Jim Anderson (archive footage)   See fewer
Efrem Zimbalist Jr.
Stuart Bailey (archive footage) Stuart Bailey (archive footage)   See fewer
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