Sort by Popularity - Most Popular Movies and TV Shows tagged with keyword "early-television"
- Movies or TV
- Genres
- Keywords
- IMDb Rating
- Instant Watch Options
- In Theaters
- Release Year
1. The Scapegoat (2012)
Not Rated | 108 min | Drama
Set in 1952, as England prepares for the coronation, this movie tells the story of two very different men who have one thing in common - a face.
Director: Charles Sturridge | Stars: Matthew Rhys, Eileen Atkins, Anton Lesser, Jodhi May
Votes: 5,345
2. Studio One (1948–1958)
60 min | Drama
A pinnacle of the Golden Age of Television, "Studio One" presented a wide range of memorable dramas and received eighteen Emmy nominations and five wins during its prestigious nine-year run on CBS.
Stars: Betty Furness, Paul Branson, Charlton Heston, Mary Sinclair
Votes: 328
3. My Blue Heaven (1950)
Approved | 96 min | Drama, Musical
Betty Grable and Dan Dailey are a married song and dance team who cannot have children. The movie follows the travails as they try and adopt and keep the kids they adopt while performing on their TV show.
Director: Henry Koster | Stars: Betty Grable, Dan Dailey, David Wayne, Jane Wyatt
Votes: 565
4. Four Star Playhouse (1952–1956)
30 min | Comedy, Crime, Drama
This show featured four rotating stars, Charles Boyer, David Niven, Ida Lupino, and Dick Powell in individual episodes consisting of everything from comedy to drama.
Stars: David Niven, Dick Powell, Charles Boyer, Ida Lupino
Votes: 242
5. Mr. Saturday Night (1992)
R | 119 min | Comedy, Drama
The life of Buddy Young, a comic legend in flashbacks but an old man looking for work in the present.
Director: Billy Crystal | Stars: Billy Crystal, David Paymer, Julie Warner, Helen Hunt
Votes: 6,333 | Gross: $13.35M
6. A Slightly Pregnant Man (1973)
PG | 92 min | Comedy
When a male driving school owner goes to see his doctor with complaints of feeling run down, he is pronounced four months pregnant. When the diagnosis is confirmed by a specialist, the result is an international media frenzy.
Director: Jacques Demy | Stars: Catherine Deneuve, Marcello Mastroianni, Micheline Presle, Marisa Pavan
Votes: 971
7. I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With (2006)
TV-PG | 80 min | Comedy, Romance
About a man who has trouble with his job, trouble with women, and uses food to deal with it all.
Director: Jeff Garlin | Stars: Jeff Garlin, Sarah Silverman, Bonnie Hunt, Dan Castellaneta
Votes: 3,599 | Gross: $0.19M
8. The Goldbergs (1949–1957)
30 min | Comedy
Comedy-drama about a Jewish-American family living in New York City.
Stars: Gertrude Berg, Arlene McQuade, Eli Mintz, Robert H. Harris
Votes: 218
9. Always: Sunset on Third Street (2005)
133 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
Leaving her provincial home, teenage Mutsuko arrives in Tokyo by train to take a job in a major automotive company but finds that she is employed by a small auto repair shop owned by ... See full summary »
Director: Takashi Yamazaki | Stars: Maki Horikita, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Koyuki
Votes: 2,460
10. Kraft Theatre (1947–1958)
60 min | Drama
A well-received anthology series presenting live television dramas.
Stars: Ed Herlihy, Vaughn Taylor, Valerie Cossart, Dan Morgan
Votes: 221
11. BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1950–1959)
Drama
Series of television plays performed live.
Stars: Richard Caldicot, George Woodbridge, Robert Brown, Michael Brennan
Votes: 179
12. The Milton Berle Show (1948–1956)
60 min | Comedy, Family
The Texaco Star Theatre was one of the most popular shows in the history of television. In the first year, Milton Berle was not the permanent emcee, but once he replaced the rotation, the ... See full summary »
Stars: Milton Berle, Sid Stone, Jimmy Nelson, Arnold Stang
Votes: 163
13. Adieu Philippine (1962)
106 min | Drama, Romance
Paris, summer 1960. Michel is about to leave for Algeria for military service. He meets Liliane and Juliette, two inseparable friends. Michel goes on vacation to Corsica, where the two girls decide to join him
Director: Jacques Rozier | Stars: Jean-Claude Aimini, Daniel Descamps, Stefania Sabatini, Yveline Céry
Votes: 1,013
14. Tom Corbett, Space Cadet (1950–1955)
15 min | Action, Adventure, Family
Four centuries into the future, Cadets Tom Corbett, Roger Manning and Astro are training to become Solar Guards. Their ship, the "Polaris" took them to numerous adventures, usually natural catastrophes rather than villains.
Stars: Frankie Thomas, Al Markim, Jan Merlin, Jack Grimes
Votes: 113
15. Dreamboat (1952)
Approved | 83 min | Comedy
Thornton Sayre, a respected college professor, is plagued when his old movies are shown on TV and sets out with his daughter to stop it. However, his former co-star is the hostess of the TV show playing his films and she has other plans.
Director: Claude Binyon | Stars: Clifton Webb, Ginger Rogers, Anne Francis, Jeffrey Hunter
Votes: 954
16. International House (1933)
Passed | 68 min | Comedy
Assorted wacky characters converge on a Chinese hotel to bid on a new invention: television.
Director: A. Edward Sutherland | Stars: W.C. Fields, Peggy Hopkins Joyce, Rudy Vallee, Stuart Erwin
Votes: 1,464
17. Yoyo (1965)
Not Rated | 92 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
A man has everything: dozens of servants, a palace, vast woods, gardens, a lake, mechanical toys, private entertainment troupes of musicians and dancers. He has it all - but love. When ... See full summary »
Director: Pierre Étaix | Stars: Pierre Étaix, Claudine Auger, Philippe Dionnet, Luce Klein
Votes: 1,676
18. Valiant Lady (1953–1957)
15 min | Drama
Helen Emerson was daytime's "valiant lady", a fortyish matron who was widowed in the serial's first year. Helen valiantly endured sudden financial hardship while alternately fretting over ... See full summary »
Stars: Katherine Anderson, Andrew Duggan, Helen Wagner, Ann Thomas
Votes: 19
19. Pioneers of Television (2008–2019)
TV-PG | 55 min | Documentary, History
A documentary series focusing on the legends that helped launched TV and left lasting impression on sitcoms, talk shows, variety shows and game shows in television's early years.
Stars: Dick Van Dyke, Phyllis Diller, Betty White, Florence Henderson
Votes: 254
20. Man Against Crime (1949–1954)
30 min | Action, Drama, Crime
Mike Barnett is the title character, a bright and tough private detective in New York. This very violent show was broadcast live until 1952.
Stars: Ralph Bellamy, Nita Talbot, Henry Lascoe, Jack Warden
Votes: 108
21. The Adventures of Ellery Queen (1950–1956)
30 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Ellery Queen was a mystery writer who assisted his father, a detective with the New York Police Department, in solving murders. Queen's methods were arcane and intellectual rather than ... See full summary »
Stars: Florenz Ames, Lee Bowman, Rex Marshall, Hugh Marlowe
Votes: 65
22. Studio 57 (1954–1958)
30 min | Drama, Family
This dramatic anthology series went into open syndication when the DuMont Television Network ceased operations.
Stars: Joel Aldrich, Tim Graham, Jean Byron, Marguerite Chapman
Votes: 244
23. Rocky King, Detective (1950–1954)
30 min | Action, Drama, Crime
At the end of each show, Rocky King (Roscoe Karns) calls his wife, Mabel, and says, "Case is closed Mabel, I'm coming home".
Stars: Roscoe Karns, Todd Karns, Grace Carney, Stephen Elliott
Votes: 75
24. Your Hit Parade (1950–1959)
30 min | Family, Music
The format was to sing the seven top rated popular songs for the week; the songs were sung by the regular cast of vocalists. An attempt was made to revive the show in 1974 with songs from ... See full summary »
Stars: Dorothy Collins, Snooky Lanson, Raymond Scott, Russell Arms
Votes: 82
25. Gas Light (1939 TV Movie)
95 min | Drama, Thriller
Years after her aunt was murdered in her home, a young woman moves back into the house with her new husband. However, he has a secret that he will do anything to protect, even if means driving his wife insane.
Director: Lanham Titchener | Stars: Dennis Arundell, Gwen Ffrangcon Davies, Elizabeth Inglis, Milton Rosmer
Votes: 66
26. Cavalcade of Stars (1949–1952)
60 min | Family, Comedy, Music
An hour of live variety, in the classic sense of television's Golden Age.
Stars: Sammy Spear and His Orchestra, Jackie Gleason, Jack Lescoulie, The June Taylor Dancers
Votes: 64
27. The Ed Wynn Show (1949–1950)
30 min | Comedy, Music
The comedy on The Ed Wynn Show consisted mostly of old vaudeville schtick, with lots of corny jokes and silly sight gags. Each week, the show would end with Ed retiring to his bed, delivering quips as the credits rolled.
Stars: Ed Wynn, Lud Gluskin, Bob LeMond, William Frawley
Votes: 64
28. Life Is Worth Living (1952–1965)
30 min | Family, Talk-Show
The show featured Most Reverent Fulton J. Sheen, the Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of New York City, offering anecdotes and moral lessons. Many of the talks were about the evils of the Communist form of government.
Stars: Fulton J. Sheen, Don Russell
Votes: 99
29. The Big Time (2002 TV Movie)
100 min | Drama
In 1948 Manhattan, a diverse group of people are committed to making the fledgling Empire Network a success. Among them: a naive young woman who's hired as a script girl; an idealistic ... See full summary »
Director: Paris Barclay | Stars: Dylan Baker, Molly Ringwald, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Hendricks
Votes: 188
30. Mary Kay and Johnny (1947–1950)
30 min | Comedy
The adventures and misadventures of the strait-laced bank employee Johnny Stearns and his zany wife Mary Kay.
Stars: Mary Kay Stearns, John Stearns, Nydia Westman, Howard Fischer
Votes: 54
31. The Lawrence Welk Show (1951–1955)
60 min | Music
A musical variety show, hosted by the big band leader Lawrence Welk. The show started in 1951 as a local production by KTLA, the first commercial television station in California. The show ... See full summary »
Stars: Lawrence Welk, Dick Dale, Myron Floren, Lawrence Welk and His Orchestra
Votes: 48
32. Stump the Stars (1947– )
30 min | Game-Show
Television's first treatment of "Charades" as played by Hollywood celebrities. The giveaway was the use of gestures that defined "film", "TV show", "book" or "song" as well as "small word (... See full summary »
Stars: Mike Stokey, Vincent Price, Sebastian Cabot, Beverly Garland
Votes: 106
33. The George Gobel Show (1954–1960)
30 min | Comedy, Talk-Show
For Gobel's half-hour series, he used a successful comedy format of a monologue segment, followed by a story set up segment, then a musical interlude with the show's girl singer, then the main skit with the guest performers.
Stars: George Gobel, Jeff Donnell, John Scott Trotter, Peggy King
Votes: 84
34. The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong (1951– )
30 min | Adventure, Mystery
Madame Liu-Tsong owned an art gallery, from which adventure and mystery emanated.
Stars: Anna May Wong, DeForest Kelley, Midge Ware, Martin Brandt
35. Shadow of the Cloak (1951–1952)
30 min | Action, Drama, Mystery
Peter House was an agent for International Security Intelligence in this live spy series.
Stars: Helmut Dantine, Boris Aplon, Joe Silver, Judson Pratt
36. Master of Dark Shadows (2019)
92 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Master of Dark Shadows reveals the fascinating impact of the ground-breaking Gothic drama Dark Shadows and award-winning filmmaker Dan Curtis.
Director: David Gregory | Stars: Alan Ball, Nancy Barrett, Michael Brockman, David Bushman
Votes: 189
37. Front Page Detective (1951–1953)
30 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A newspaper columnist who helps police solve especially difficult mysteries. The title derived from a popular mystery magazine of the same name.
Stars: Edmund Lowe, Paula Drew, George Pembroke, Norman Budd
Votes: 54
38. Newsfront (1978)
PG | 110 min | Drama, History
In post-war Australia the men and women of Cinetone struggle to produce the weekly news reels for the movie-going public.
Director: Phillip Noyce | Stars: Bill Hunter, Gerard Kennedy, Wendy Hughes, Chris Haywood
Votes: 902
39. The Plainclothesman (1949–1954)
30 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
A crime program, with a twist - The Lieutenant (Ken Lynch) was never seen on camera, as the program used the subjective first-person camera technique as did the 1947 film "Lady in the Lake".
Stars: Ken Lynch, Jack Orrison, Jack Davis, John Shay
Votes: 18
40. The Admiral Broadway Revue (1949– )
60 min | Comedy, Music
A comedy/variety show featuring the early performances of Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca.
Stars: Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Marge Champion, Gower Champion
Votes: 28
41. My Hero (1952–1953)
30 min | Comedy
A well-meaning but bumbling real-estate agent always getting into trouble with his boss and has to be constantly rescued by his secretary, who loves him.
Stars: Robert Cummings, Julie Bishop, John Litel, Arthur Q. Bryan
Votes: 59
42. La fessée (1937)
88 min | Comedy
Director: Pierre Caron | Stars: Albert Préjean, Marguerite Moreno, Armand Bernard, Mireille Perrey
Votes: 43
43. The Dinah Shore Show (1951–1960)
15 min | Comedy, Music
Dinah hosted this 15 minute live musical and variety show, two nights a week. It led to her own hour long show in 1956.
Stars: Dinah Shore, Art Baker, The Skylarks, Ticker Freeman
Votes: 69
44. Cabaret (1936– )
25 min | Music, Comedy
Televised Cabaret featuring different guests from music, comedy and novelty acts every week.
Stars: Walsh and Barker, Eric Cardi, Charles Harrison, Edward Cooper
45. Hands of Mystery (1949–1952)
30 min | Drama, Mystery, Musical
Hands of Murder (also known as Hands of Mystery and Hands of Destiny) was an American mystery/anthology series that aired on the DuMont Television Network.; seen on Friday nights.
Stars: Stephen Elliott, Ruth White, Hugh Franklin, Nat Polen
Votes: 25
46. The Brighter Day (1954–1962)
25 min | Drama
"Our years are as the falling leaves. We live, we love, we dream, and then we go. But somehow, we keep hoping that our dreams come true on that brighter day." These words opened this ... See full summary »
Stars: Blair Davies, Mona Bruns, Hal Holbrook, Mary Linn Beller
Votes: 34
47. The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre (1948–1950)
30 min | Drama
This was an anthology series which aired live. It often featured adaptations of one-act stage plays.
Stars: Guy Kibbee, Faye Emerson, John Conte, Vicki Cummings
Votes: 52
49. Hawkins Falls: A Television Novel (1950–1955)
15 min | Drama
Life in small-town America during the 1950s. Broadcast live, some episodes survive as kinescopes.
Stars: Bernardine Flynn, Toni Gilman, Maurice Copeland, Wed Howard
Votes: 28
50. Patrol Car (1954–1956)
30 min | Crime, Drama
Dramatization of murder investigations and other criminal cases that Detective Superintendent Robert Fabian, a real-life Scotland Yard Inspector and the host of the show, worked on.
Stars: Bruce Seton, Robert Raglan, Philip Dale, Jack Melford
Votes: 23