The following is the 1956–57 network television schedule for the three major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1956 through March 1957. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1955–56 season.
This was the first season after DuMont ceased operations, leaving ABC, CBS, and NBC as the only major U.S. television networks (collectively becoming known as the "Big Three") until Fox began airing prime time programming in April 1987.
The 1956–57 network television schedule continued the trend of the previous season, with ABC and CBS scheduling more and more westerns and adventure series during prime time. In addition to its current stable of Westerns, which included Cheyenne, The Lone Ranger, and The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, ABC scheduled two new Western TV series: Broken Arrow and The Adventures of Jim Bowie, while CBS added Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre to its line-up, which already included Gunsmoke and Sergeant Preston of the Yukon. Castleman and Podrazik (1984) called the rush to schedule Western series on network television during this era "a virtual stampede".Castleman, H. and Podrazik, W. (1984) The TV Schedule Book: Four Decades of Network Programming from Sign-on to Sign-off. McGraw-Hill. pg 79-85.
CBS "inherited Sunday afternoon NFL contests from the defunct DuMont network in the fall of 1956". Accordingly, "the expansion into Sunday sports by CBS (and NBC) meant that the traditional afternoon 'egghead' slots for highbrow programming had to be broken up, pushing those shows into the few odd spots still open in the day, or eliminating them completely. This reflected the networks' shift in emphasis during the mid-1950s, slanting television much more toward broad-based popular entertainment. Increasingly, this meant television programming produced in Hollywood [...] In 1957, the amount of prime time programming originating on the West Coast jumped from 40% to 71%." a change in no small part accelerated by the fact DuMont produced a large portion of its programming in Chicago and to a lesser extent Washington in addition to New York.
NBC, behind CBS in the network Nielsen ratings, hired Robert Kintner to revamp NBC's schedule. According to Castleman and Podrazik (1982), NBC's plan was to launch a program which would compete directly with CBS's second most popular series, The Ed Sullivan Show, on Sunday, the most heavily viewed TV night: "Sullivan's show was popular enough to boost the ratings of the programs on both before and after his; as a result, CBS had a chain of hits to begin the evening." NBC's strategy was designed to weaken CBS's Sunday night line-up. NBC's new program, The Steve Allen Show, debuted in the summer to get a head start on the competition. Although the two programs enjoyed a fierce rivalry, Sullivan's program would remain wildly popular, finishing second among all TV programs in the ratings that year, while Allen's show missed the top 30.Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine. p 1681. .
Beginning this season, NBC had at least one show in color for every day of the week.
Each of the 30 highest-rated shows is listed with its rank and rating as determined by Nielsen Media Research.Highest-rated series is based on the annual top-rated programs list compiled by Nielsen Media Research and reported in: Brooks, Tim & Marsh, Earle (2007). The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows (9th ed.). New York: Ballantine. .
Legend
Schedule New series are highlighted in bold. Repeat airings or same-day rebroadcasts are indicated by . All times are U.S. Eastern and Pacific Time (except for some live sports or events). Subtract one hour for Central, Mountain, Alaska and Hawaii–Aleutian times.
Sunday Network7:00 p.m.7:30 p.m.8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m. ABC You Asked for It The Original Amateur Hour Press Conference Omnibus CBS Lassie (24/29.5) The Jack Benny Show (10/32.3) / Private Secretary (25/29.0) The Ed Sullivan Show (2/38.4) General Electric Theater (3/36.9) Alfred Hitchcock Presents (6/33.9) The $64,000 Challenge (22/29.7)(Tied with The Phil Silvers Show) What's My Line? (26/28.9)(Tied with Climax!) NBC Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers Circus Boy The Steve Allen Show Goodyear Television Playhouse (In COLOR) / The Alcoa Hour (In COLOR) The Loretta Young Show National Bowling Championships
Notes: On NBC, Hallmark Hall of Fame (In COLOR) aired as a monthly series, 7:30–9 p.m. On CBS, Air Power, narrated by Walter Cronkite, aired from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on November 11, 1956, and from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. from November 18, 1956 to May 5, 1957.
Monday Network7:00 p.m.7:30 p.m.8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m. ABC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00) / Bold Journey The Danny Thomas Show The Voice of Firestone Life Is Worth Living Lawrence Welk's Top Tunes and New Talent Mid-winter Wire Service CBS Fall Local programming (7:00) / The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (28/27.8) Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (12/31.9) I Love Lucy (1/43.7) December Bride (5/35.2) Studio One Summer Richard Diamond, Private Detective NBC Fall The Golden Touch of Frankie Carle (7:30) / The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (Sporadically in COLOR) Stanley Medic Robert Montgomery Presents (In COLOR) Spring Tales of Wells Fargo
Notes: On NBC, Producers' Showcase (COLOR) aired as a monthly series, from 8–9:30 p.m. On March 18, 1957, the popular Western series Tales of Wells Fargo debuted, replacing Stanley Monday nights on NBC at 8:30 PM EST. From July 1 to September 23, 1957, the summer series Richard Diamond, Private Detective, starring David Janssen, aired on CBS at 8:30-9 p.m. It returned for a second irregular season on the CBS Thursday schedule from January 2 to June 26, 1958.
Tuesday Network7:00 p.m.7:30 p.m.8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m. ABC Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00) / Cheyenne / Conflict The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (18/31.0) Broken Arrow Du Pont Theater It's Polka Time CBS Local programming (7:00) / Name That Tune (30/27.2) The Phil Silvers Show (22/29.7)(Tied with The $64,000 Challenge) The Brothers The Herb Shriner Show The Red Skelton Show (In COLOR)(15/31.4)(Tied with The Lineup) The $64,000 Question (4/36.4) Do You Trust Your Wife? NBC Fall The Jonathan Winters Show (7:30) / The Big Surprise Noah's Ark (In COLOR) The Jane Wyman Show Armstrong Circle Theatre / The Kaiser Aluminum Hour Break the $250,000 Bank (In COLOR)Spring Panic!Summer The Andy Williams and June Valli Show (7:30) / Summer Playhouse The Nat King Cole Show
Notes: On March 5, 1957, the suspense drama Panic! replaced Noah's Ark, a Jack Webb production, on the NBC schedule. On NBC, Summer Playhouse was a summer anthology series made up of reruns of episodes of other anthology series.
Wednesday Network7:00 p.m.7:30 p.m.8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m. ABC Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00) / Disneyland (13/31.8)(Tied with The Millionaire) Navy Log The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet Ford Theatre The Wednesday Night Fights CBS Fall Local programming (7:00) / Pick the Winner The Arthur Godfrey Show (Sporadically in COLOR) The Millionaire (13/31.8)(Tied with Disneyland) I've Got a Secret (7/32.7)(Tied with Gunsmoke) The United States Steel Hour / The 20th Century Fox Hour November Giant Step Summer My Friend Flicka The Vic Damone Show NBC Coke Time with Eddie Fisher (7:30) / The Adventures of Hiram Holliday Father Knows Best Kraft Television Theatre (In COLOR) This Is Your Life Twenty-One
Note: On CBS, Pick the Winner aired as an interim U.S. election coverage series in September and October from 7:30 to 8 p.m. It previously had aired in 1952.
Thursday Network7:00 p.m.7:30 p.m.8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m. ABC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00) / The Lone Ranger Circus Time Wire Service Ozark Jubilee December Air Time '57 Mid-winter The Danny Thomas Show Bold Journey Spring Telephone Time Summer Cowtown Rodeo Compass / Industries for America Focus CBS Local programming (7:00) / Sergeant Preston of the Yukon The Bob Cummings Show Climax! (26/28.9)(Tied with What's My Line?) (In COLOR) Playhouse 90 NBC Fall The Dinah Shore Show (7:30) / You Bet Your Life (17/31.1) Dragnet (11/32.1) The People's Choice The Ford Show (19/30.7) Lux Video Theatre (In COLOR)Summer The Andy Williams and June Valli Show (7:30) /
Note: On CBS, Shower of Stars (In COLOR) aired once a month, 8:30–9:30 p.m.
Friday Network7:00 p.m.7:30 p.m.8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m. ABC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie (7:00) / The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin The Adventures of Jim Bowie Crossroads Treasure Hunt The Vise The Ray Anthony Show Spring The Ray Anthony Show Date with the Angels Summer The Big Beat CBS Fall Local programming (7:00) / My Friend Flicka The West Point Story Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre Crusader Schlitz Playhouse The Lineup (15/31.4)(Tied with The Red Skelton Show) Person to Person Winter Mr. Adams and Eve Late winter DMN Fall Ethel Barrymore Theatre Winter NBC Fall Coke Time with Eddie Fisher (7:30) / The Life of Riley (Sporadically in COLOR) The Walter Winchell Show The Joseph Cotten Show The Big Story Gillette Cavalcade of Sports (10:00) / Red Barber's Corner (10:45) (In COLOR) Spring Blondie Summer The Big Moment
Notes: On CBS, Mr. Adams and Eve premiered on January 4, 1957. On NBC, The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (In COLOR) aired once a month, 10–11 p.m.
Saturday Network7:00 p.m.7:30 p.m.8:00 p.m.8:30 p.m.9:00 p.m.9:30 p.m.10:00 p.m.10:30 p.m. ABC Fall Famous Film Festival Lawrence Welk's Dodge Dancing Party Masquerade Party Summer The Billy Graham Crusade CBS Fall Beat the Clock The Buccaneers The Jackie Gleason Show (29/27.6) The Gale Storm Show Hey, Jeannie! Gunsmoke (7/32.7)(Tied with I've Got a Secret) High Finance Winter Spring My Friend Flicka Mid-spring Beat the Clock Summer The Jimmy Dean Show NBC Fall People Are Funny (21/30.2) The Perry Como Show (9/32.6) (In COLOR) Caesar's Hour The George Gobel Show Your Hit Parade (In COLOR) Summer The Julius LaRosa Show (In COLOR) The George Sanders Mystery Theater Dollar a Second Encore Theatre Adventure Theater Mid-summer Dollar a Second Notes: On NBC, Saturday Color Carnival (COLOR) aired as a monthly series, 9:00–10:30 p.m. The 1957 version of the NBC summer series Encore Theatre consisted of reruns of episodes of Ford Theatre.
By network
ABC
Returning Series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet The Adventures of Rin-Tin-Tin Break the Bank Cheyenne Compass Crossroads The Danny Thomas Show Disneyland Dollar a Second Du Pont Theater Famous Film Festival Focus Ford Theatre Industries for America It's Polka Time John Daly and the News Kukla, Fran and Ollie Lawrence Welk's Dodge Dancing Party The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp Life Is Worth Living The Lone Ranger Masquerade Party Navy Log (moved from CBS) Omnibus (moved from CBS) The Original Amateur Hour Ozark Jubilee Press Conference (moved from NBC) Telephone Time (moved from CBS) The Vise The Voice of Firestone The Wednesday Night Fights You Asked for It
New Series The Adventures of Jim Bowie Air Time '57 * The Big Beat * The Billy Graham Crusade * Bold Journey * Broken Arrow Circus Time Conflict Date with the Angels * The Gale Storm Show Lawrence Welk's Top Tunes and New Talent Open Hearing * The Ray Anthony Show Treasure Hunt Wire Service
Not returning from 1955–56: The Big Picture Casablanca Chance of a Lifetime Combat Sergeant The Dotty Mack Show Down You Go Ethel and Albert G.E. Summer Originals Grand Ole Opry King's Row Life Begins at Eighty Medical Horizons MGM Parade Outside U.S.A. Paris Precinct Star Tonight Stop the Music Talent Varieties Tomorrow's Careers