The family sitcom, Father Knows Best, ran for six seasons and 203 episodes, from 1954 until 1960.
The show is one of the few to have successfully switched networks, moving from CBS to NBC and then back to CBS. In its last season on NBC, it was tied for 23rd place on the list of top-rated shows. After the move back to CBS, it tied for 13th for the 1958-59 season and then, in its final season, became even more popular and tied for sixth. That would be like ending The Mentalist today.
In 1977, Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin reunited for two CBS TV movies, The Father Knows Best Reunion and Father Knows Best: Home For Christmas. If the movies had performed better, it’s believed that a new series would have followed. For whatever reason, it didn’t happen.
Several years later, on May 9, 1984, the cast reunited again and Young answered a question that had been bugging fans for years. Why did he end the show when it was still very popular?
He said, “A lot of people say, ‘Why did you quit when you were still in the top 10?’ I said, ‘What better time to leave?’ While you’re still welcome, not waiting until you’re shoved out the door. I did it because, actually, the show was changing. Bill [Bud] would be drafted, there was a draft at that particular time, and he’d be gone. Elinor [Betty] would fall in love, get married, and she’d be gone. Then we’d have one left [Kathy] which changes the whole structure of the show.”
What do you think? Do you think it was smart to end Father Knows Best when they did? What other shows should have ended when the kids had grown up?
I’ve got to say, today is September 9, 2021, and I am on the last few episodes of Season 6. I was born in 1958 so, unfortunately, I missed out on the childhood experience of enjoying the sitcom. This is the very first time I have watched this show and, quite honestly, this is the finest family entertainment I have ever had the honor of viewing. I’m serious, not one episode was a disappointment. Robert Young played a loving husband and father, an upstanding businessman and behaved with everyone in the most ethical fashion, always. Can one imagine what it… Read more »
This program was the very best in family entertainment, evident by its’ many years on the screen. Tremendous acting across the board from experienced and known actors/actresses.
Program will go on for and on. I’m retired and still watch episodes on the net.
All family sit-coms should end just the way Robert Young suggested. As a matter of fact, no sit-com should run more than three years. After that, the actors are bored, the writers come up with unbelievable stories, and the fans watch simply because they have gotten used to watching.
Dramatic shows have a longer period of feasibility, such as five years, simply because there are more story possibilities and usually more cast members to feature. However, series like The Closer and Burn Notice really should start thinking about hanging it up. The writers are obviously scrambling.
I accept Robert Young’s explanation (though, it does beg the question why neither of the Nelson sons, Ricky and David, were drafted?) I’m just happy that dvds were invented and someone enterprising enough came along to put together such handsome collector’s editions. Also, kudos to David Hartman and the folks at Good Morning America for making this clip available. It was like that last scene in “Our Town”, I couldn’t listen to them long enough.
Sure wish they I could find a good copy of the 2 reunion TV movies they did circa 1977. Anyone? Talking about Father Knows Best.