5 Interesting TV Facts About Old Shows

There is nothing better than curling up to watch your favorite TV show. In fact, almost every household in America has at least one TV in their house. 

All sorts of TV shows have been around for many years, laying the foundation for the shows you love to watch today. 

Have you ever been curious about old TV shows? Read on to learn some interesting TV facts from the earliest TV entertainment.

1. Fun TV Facts About the History of TV 

Although TV has been around since the late 1920s, it didn’t grow in popularity until after World War II. Once the 1950s hit, tv shows became a part of many Americans’ daily lives. 

The amount of TV series grew exponentially during this time as well. By the end of the 1950s, TV became the primary source of entertainment, kicking radio to the curb. 

2. I Love Lucy Introduces Reruns 

You’d be hard-pressed to find a show as iconic as the 1950s sitcom I Love Lucy. This classic tv show wasn’t just popular but also known as being one of the first TV shows to have reruns. 

Kinescope was the film type of choice for TV shows filmed before this time. Kinescope was so fragile that it disintegrated with each TV broadcast. I Love Lucy made the switch to 35 mm film, which was more robust and could handle many broadcasts.

3. The Characters of Hogan’s Heroes 

Hogan’s Heroes was a sitcom that took place during World War II. The setting of this show was a Nazi-run prisoner of war camp in Germany. Even though this show was a comedy, it shed light on the terrible things that happened during the war. 

Some of the main characters on this show were the Nazi guards in charge of the camp. What audiences may not have known was that many of the actors playing these guards were Jewish in real life.

4. The Rise of the Cartoon 

Sunday morning cartoons are a staple in many households. Crusader Rabbit aired in 1949 and was the first cartoon to hit home televisions. If you wanted to see a cartoon before this aired, you would have to go to a theater. 

Cartoons grew in popularity and by the 1960s, there was a wide variety for people to choose from. 

Cartoons from the 50s to the 80s used an animation technique called limited animation. This style of cartooning reused common cartoon elements so the artist didn’t have to redraw every frame over and over again.  

5. The Leave It to Beaver Toilet Scene

The first time ever a toilet tank showed up on a TV show was in Leave it to Beaver in 1957. Showing a toilet on national TV was too thought to be vulgar for the American people to see. 

Three years later, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho would feature one of the first flushing toilet scenes ever in cinema. The idea of what was risque has changed quite a bit throughout the years! 

Modern TV Has Classic TV to Thank!

Many of the modern TV shows that you enjoy today have evolved from ideas first explored by classic TV shows. It will be exciting to see how this form of entertainment evolves and what TV facts will look like for future viewers! 

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