Primetime ratings from the 60's.

[Paul Raven]

Inspired by Soapsuds posting 1965 ratings in the 70's thread, I've decided to start one for the 1960's. That may be too far back for a lot of you, but hopefully there will be some interest.

Ratings collection was very different in those days and networks had to wait weeks to get a full nationwide picture of how shows were performing. Most new shows got a full season to prove themselves.

Here's the numbers for the Top 40 shows Sept 29-Oct 10 1965.

1 Bonanza (NBC) 29.7

2 Andy Griffith Special* (CSB) 27.4

3 Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C. (CBS) 26.0

4 Andy Griffith (CBS) 24.5

5 Get Smart* (NBC) 24.2

6 Bewitched (ABC) 24.0

7 Red Skelton (CBS) 23.9

8 Lucy Show (CBS) 23.8

9 Dick Van Dyke (CBS) 23.4

9 Shenandoah* (ABC) 23.4

11 Beverly Hillbillies (CBS) 23.1

12 Gunsmoke (CBS) 22.7

13 Green Acres* (CBS) 22.6

13 Hogan's Heroes* (CBS) 22.6

15 Man From U.N.C.L.E. (NBC) 22.5

16 Ed Sullivan (CBS) 22.3

17 Virginian (NBC) 21.6

18 Daniel Boone (NBC) 21.4

18 Thursday Night Movie* (CBS) 21.4

20 Lawrence Welk (ABC) 21.0

21 The Munsters (CBS) 20.9

22 F Troop* (ABC) 20.8

23 My Three Sons (CBS) 20.7

24 Gilligans Island (CBS) 20.6

24 Flipper (NBC) 20.6

26 I Dream of Jeannie* (NBC) 20.6

27 FBI Story* (ABC) 20.4

28 My Favorite Martian (CBS) 19.9

29 Combat (ABC) 19.8

30 Fugitive (ABC) 19.7

30 Hazel (CBS) 19.7

30 Petticoat Junction (CBS) 19.7

30 Wild Wild West* (CBS) 19.7

34 Run For Your Life* (NBC) 19.6

34 Jesse James* (ABC) 19.6

36 Laredo* (NBC) 19.5

37 Smothers Brothers* (CBS) 19.3

37 Saturday Night Movie (NBC) 19.3

37 McHales Navy (ABC) 19.3

40 Peyton Place II (ABC) 19.1

40 Sunday Movie (ABC) 19.1

*New Show.

  Top 5

CBS 3 NBC  2 ABC 0

Top 10

CBS 6 NBC 2  ABC 2

Top 15

CBS 10 NBC 3 ABC 2

Top 20

CBS 12 NBC 5  ABC 3

Top 30

CBS 16 NBC 7 ABC 7 

Top 40

CBS 20 NBC 10 ABC 11

[Soapsuds]

November 1966

 

Please register in order to view this content

[Soapsuds]

Please register in order to view this content

Week of October 9th 1967

[Paul Raven]

All of the networks movie nights in the Top 30.

By seasons end the ABC Sunday and Wednesday movies finished out of the Top 30.

ABC struggling. Despite Bewitched in the Top 10 they couldn't build a competitive night around it. That Girl followed Bewitched, which finished the season #11, but Marlo didn't make the Top 30. Competition from CBS Movie and second half of Ironside on NBC was too strong.

NBC had the same issue with Bonanza, a Top 5 show, but follow up High Chapparal  was nowhere to be seen.

[soapfan770]

Thanks starting this…definitely wayyyy before my time and existence but interesting to look through nonetheless.

I never knew Hazel aired its final  season on CBS. I remember trying to watch reruns of that years ago and found it appallingly bad LOL. 

My Three Sons move from ABC to CBS and William Fawley leaving due to bad health proved more successful….though I will say I’m always surprised to see how long the show lasted and how it was milked to death. The later years could’ve easily been a brand new show compared to the earlier years 

Interesting to see CBS just dominate and also display a wide variety of mostly higher quality programming.

[Soapsuds]

Please register in order to view this content

[Paul Raven]

ABC failing to land a single show in the Top 20. They were so far behind the eight ball in those years with only Bewitched, FBI and a few other shows making any impression.

Smothers Brothers was the first show to make any impact on Bonanza but controversy over their content and clashes with CBs saw them cancelled.

NBC's  Wednesday and Thursday lineups were the only nights all the shows made the Top 20.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

arland

[Soapsuds]

Please register in order to view this content

[Soapsuds]

Please register in order to view this content

[Paul Raven]

My Three Sons got a big (short lived) boost from a wedding episode-Robbie/Katie I think.

Bill Cosby had a 2 season run on NBC B/w Disney and Bonanza but didn't really score in the ratings.

[Soapsuds]

Please register in order to view this content

[Soapsuds]

Please register in order to view this content

[Paul Raven]

Night by night

Mon 

Gunsmoke taking the 7.30 slot over Jeannie on NBC before Laugh In takes 8-9 but Here's Lucy competitive at 8.30.

Then CBS sweeps the night with Mayberry, Family Affair and Carol Burnett. NBC holds up with the Monday movie. ABC completely out of the race with Avengers, Peyton Place, Outcasts and Big Valley.

Tues

Mod Squad beats Lancer as lead in but after 8.30 ABC loses momentum.  It Takes a Thief, NYPD and That's Life are nowhere to be seen. Jerry Lewis flops for NBC .At 8.30 Red Skelton and Julia are competitive but Doris Day beats the Tuesday movie which has the advantage of CBS news as  it's 10pm competition.

Wed

The Virginian takes the first 90 mins  over Daktari/Good Guys  and Here Comes the Brides/Peyton Place. CBS takes the next hour Beverly Hillbillies/Green Acres. Kraft Music Hall is 2nd in the timeslot but no network makes the Top 40 at 10pm. Jonathan Winters,The Outsider and the last hour of ABC's movie fail to impress.

Thurs

Strong for NBC . Daniel Boone/Ironside/Dragnet/Dean Martin take every timeslot except 8.30 where Bewitched stands alone for ABC. Lead-ins Ugliest Girl in Town/Flying Nun and lead outs That Girl/Journey to the Unknown flop.

CBS first  half hour is also a disaster Blondie provides a poor lead in to Hawaii Five O but the Thursday movie manages a Top 40 placement.

Fri

Gomer Pyle at #2 helping Friday Movie hit Top 40 but lead in Wild Wild West out of Top 40.

Neither ABC- Operation Entertainment/Felony Squad/Don Rickles/Will Sonnett/Judd for the Defense or NBC Tarzan/Name of the Game/Star Trek were competitive.

Sat 

Jackie Gleason takes the first hour over Adam 12/Get Smart and Newlywed/Dating Game.

At 8.30 My Three Sons, Ghost and Mrs Muir and Lawrence Welk are all close in the ratings. NBC takes 9-11 with a movie but CBS hangs in there with Hogan's Heroes/Petticoat Junction.

Hollywood Palace and Mannix fall out of top 40.

Sun 

Land of the Giants, Lassie/Gentle Ben and Huckleberry Finn/Disney in the lead in hour. ABC beats Ed Sullivan and Disney/Mothers in Law before Bonanza takes over at 9 defeating Smothers Brothers and ABC movie. At 10 Mission Impossible leads over High Chapparal and the final hour of the movie.