The 1949–50 network television schedule for the four major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1949 through March 1950. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1948–49 season. This was the first season in which all four networks offered at least some prime time programming all seven nights of the week.
The schedule below reflects the fall lineup as it all settled into place throughout October 1949, before any subsequent time changes were made and additional new series appeared in November.
New series are highlighted in bold.
Notable debuts during the season included The Plainclothesman with its unusual camera work, the popular The Lone Ranger (which is one of the few 1940s television series to be given a DVD release), The Ed Wynn Show (a short-lived series featuring popular performers as guests and the first variety show from the West Coast), and the unsuccessful series The Life of Riley, one of the first sitcoms to be produced on film as opposed to live transmission. Continuing from the prior season were the highly popular variety series Toast of the Town, the critically well-received and popular anthology series Studio One, the critically panned but popular Captain Video and His Video Rangers which was one of the earliest sci-fi TV series, the well received by critics and viewers anthology series Kraft Television Theater, the popular Kukla, Fran and Ollie, and the popular in some regions drama/comedy The Goldbergs (which is also one of the few 1940s television series to be given a DVD release).
Legend
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 Stained Glass Windows ABC Penthouse Players Think Fast The Little Revue Let There Be Stars Celebrity Time Youth on the March CBS Fall Tonight on Broadway This Is Show Business Toast of the Town The Fred Waring Show The Week in Review (10:00) / Local Programming (10:15) Local Programming SpringStarlight Theatre Summer The Robert Q. Lewis Show (9:00–9:15) DMN Front Row Center Chicagoland Mystery Players Cinema Varieties Cross Question Local Programming NBC Leave It to the Girls The Aldrich Family The Chesterfield Supper Club Colgate Theatre The Philco Television Playhouse Garroway at Large Local Programming
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 News and Views (7:00) / Club Seven (7:15) Author Meets the Critics Your Witness Photoplay Time ABC Barn Dance Mr. Black Roller Derby CBS The Roar of the Rails (7:00) / The Paul Arnold Show (7:15) CBS Television News (7:30) / The Sonny Kendis Show (7:45) / Ruthie on the Telephone (7:55) The Silver Theatre Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts The Black Robe The Goldbergs Studio One DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers The Vincent Lopez Show (7:30) / Manhattan Spotlight (7:45) Newsweek Views the News The Al Morgan Show And Everything Nice Wrestling From Sunnyside Gardens NBC Kukla, Fran and Ollie Mohawk Showroom (7:30) / Camel News Caravan (7:45) Chevrolet Tele-Theater The Voice of Firestone Candid Camera Cities Service Band of America Quiz Kids Local Programming
Notes: Beginning July 18, 1949, The Magic Cottage aired on DuMont Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
On NBC, The Black Robe aired at various times on Mondays from August through October 1949.
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 News and Views (7:00) / Club Seven (7:15) On Trial Local Programming Oboler Comedy Theater Local Programming Tomorrow's Boxing ChampionsCBS Fall Your Sports Special (7:00) / Local Programming (7:15) CBS Television News (7:30) / The Sonny Kendis Show (7:45) / Ruthie on the Telephone (7:55) Uptown Jubilee Local Programming Suspense The Week in Sports (10:00) / Local Programming (10:15) Local Programming November Actors Studio DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers The Vincent Lopez Show (7:30) / Manhattan Spotlight (7:45) Court of Current Issues The O'Neills Feature Theater Local ProgrammingNBC Kukla, Fran and Ollie Mohawk Showroom (7:30) / Camel News Caravan (7:45) Texaco Star Theater Fireside Theater The Life of Riley The Original Amateur Hour Notes: Beginning July 18, 1949, The Magic Cottage aired on DuMont Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
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 Fall News and Views (7:00) / Club Seven (7:15) Local Programming Actors Studio (through October)Photocrime Local Programming Wrestling from the Rainbo in Chicago October Local ProgrammingCBS Your Sports Special (7:00) / The Paul Arnold Show (7:15) CBS Television News (7:30) / Earl Wrightson at Home (7:45) Arthur Godfrey and His Friends The Bigelow Show International Boxing Club BoutsDMN FallCaptain Video and His Video Rangers The Vincent Lopez Show (7:30) / Manhattan Spotlight* (7:45) Local ProgrammingThe PlainclothesmanFamous Jury Trials Local Programming December The Vincent Lopez Show (7:30) / Easy Aces (7:45) Summer The Vincent Lopez Show (7:30) / Manhattan Spotlight (7:45)NBC Kukla, Fran and Ollie Mohawk Showroom (7:30) / Camel News Caravan (7:45) The Crisis The Clock Kraft Television Theater Break the Bank Local Programming Manhattan Spotlight was replaced by Easy Aces from December 1949 to June 1950. Notes: Beginning July 18, 1949, The Magic Cottage aired on DuMont Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
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 News and Views (7:00) / Club Seven (7:15) The Lone Ranger Stop the Music Crusade in EuropeStarring Boris Karloff Roller Derby Spring Blind Date Summer Blind Date CBS To the Queen's Taste CBS Television News (7:30) / The Sonny Kendis Show (7:45) / Ruthie on the Telephone (7:55) The Front Page Inside U.S.A. with Chevrolet The Ed Wynn Show Local Programming DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers The Vincent Lopez Show (7:30) / Manhattan Spotlight (7:45) Mystery Theater The Morey Amsterdam Show Boxing From Sunnyside Gardens NBC Fall Kukla, Fran and Ollie Mohawk Showroom (7:30) / Camel News Caravan (7:45) Hollywood Premiere Mary Kay and Johnny Fireball Fun-For-All Martin Kane, Private Eye The Wayne King Show Winter The Black Robe
Notes: Beginning July 18, 1949, The Magic Cottage aired on DuMont Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
On NBC, The Black Robe aired from 8:00 to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time from January to March 1950. The Wayne King Show was seen only on NBC's Midwest Network.
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 News and Views (7:00) / Club Seven (7:15) Local Programming Majority Rules Blind DateAuction-AireFun for the Money Roller Derby Spring CBS Your Sports Special (7:00) / The Paul Arnold Show (7:15) CBS Television News (7:30) / The Sonny Kendis Show (7:45) / Ruthie on the Telephone (7:55) Mama Man Against Crime Ford Theatre / 54th Street Revue People's Platform Capitol Cloak Room DMN Captain Video and His Video Rangers The Vincent Lopez Show (7:30) / Manhattan Spotlight (7:45) Hands of Murder Broadway to Hollywood – Headline Clues Fishing and Hunting Club Local Programming Amateur Boxing Fight ClubNBC Kukla, Fran and Ollie Mohawk Showroom (7:30) / Camel News Caravan (7:45) Hopalong Cassidy Bonny Maid Versatile Varieties The Big Story Gillette Cavalcade of Sports (10:00) / Greatest Fights of the Century (10:45) Notes: Beginning July 18, 1949, The Magic Cottage aired on DuMont Monday through Friday from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
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 News and Views (7:00) / Local Programming (7:15) Hollywood Screen Test Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club Local Programming CBS Fall Lucky Pup (6:45) / Local Programming (7:15) In the First Person (7:30) / Blues by Bargy (7:45) / Ruthie on the Telephone (7:55) Local Programming Premiere Playhouse Local Programming Spring Lucky Pup (6:45) / Blues by Bargy (7:15) In the First Person (7:30) / Ruthie on the Telephone (7:55) Summer Big Top DMN Fall Captain Video and His Video Rangers Local Programming Spin the Picture Cavalcade of Stars Wrestling From Marigold Winter Dinner Date With Vincent Lopez Local Programming NBC Fall Local Programming The Nature of Things (7:30) / Leon Pearson and the News (7:45)Meet Your Congress Mixed Doubles Who Said That? Meet the Press Local Programming NovemberThe Black Robe Local Programming February Your Show of ShowsThe Black Robe April Local Programming
Notes: In the half-hour preceding prime time, ABC aired one of the first television westerns, The Marshal of Gunsight Pass, with 22 live episodes between March 12 and September 30, 1950.
From January 28 to July 29, 1950, Dinner Date With Vincent Lopez aired Saturdays from 8 to 8:30pm ET on DuMont.
On NBC, The Black Robe aired from 10:00 to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday from November to December 1949 after airing at various times on Monday from August to October 1949. Your Show of Shows premiered at 9:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, February 25, 1950.
By network
ABC
Returning Series ABC Barn Dance ABC Penthouse Players Actors Studio Author Meets the Critics Blind Date Buzzy Wuzzy Celebrity Time Club Seven Crusade in Europe Fun for the Money Hollywood Screen Test News and Views On Trial Paul Whiteman's TV Teen Club Photoplay Time Roller Derby Stained Glass Windows Think Fast Tomorrow's Boxing Champions Versatile Varieties The Voice of Firestone You Asked For It
New Series Auction-Aire The Boris Karloff Mystery Playhouse Buck Rogers * Let There Be Stars The Little Revue The Lone Ranger Majority Rules Mr. Black Mysteries of Chinatown * Oboler Comedy Theater Paul Whiteman's Goodyear Revue Photocrime The Ruggles Starring Boris Karloff Volume One * Your Witness Youth on the March Wrestling from the Rainbo in Chicago
Not returning from 1948–49: ABC Feature Film America's Town Meeting Critic at Large Fashions on Parade The Gay Nineties Revue Kiernan's Corner Movieland Quiz Quizzing the News The Southernaires Quartet Sports with Joe Hasel Stand By for Crime Tales of the Red Caboose Teenage Book Club That Reminds Me Three About Town Wrestling from Washington, D.C.
CBS
Returning Series 54th Street Revue Actors Studio (moved from ABC) Arthur Godfrey and His Friends Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts The Bigelow Show CBS Television News Earl Wrightson at Home The Fred Waring Show Ford Theatre The Goldbergs In the First Person International Boxing Club Bouts Lamp Unto My Feet Lucky Pup Mama Our Miss Brooks People's Platform Premiere Playhouse The Roar of the Rails Ruthie on the Telephone The Sonny Kendis Show Studio One Suspense The Ted Steele Show (moved from DuMont) This is Show Business Toast of the Town To the Queen's Taste Tonight on Broadway The Week in Review Your Sports Special
New Series Abe Burrows' Almanac * The Alan Young Show Big Top * The Bigelow Show Capitol Cloak Room Detective's Wife * The Ed Wynn Show Escape * The Front Page The Garry Moore Show * Inside U.S.A. with Chevrolet Joey Faye's Frolics * The Ken Murray Show * Man Against Crime The Paul Arnold Show Romance The Show Goes On * The Silver Theatre Stage 13 * The Stage Door * Starlight Theatre * Television Theatre * The Trap * Uptown Jubilee The Web * The Week in Sports
Not returning from 1948–49: Adventures in Jazz The Dennis James Carnival Capital Billy's Mississippi Music Hall Kobbs' Korner Face the Music People's Platform Places Please Sportman's Quiz Tournament of Champions Wesley What's It Worth
DuMont
Returning series And Everything Nice Bowling Headliners (moved from ABC) Broadway to Hollywood Captain Video and His Video Rangers Cavalcade of Stars Court of Current Issues Cross Question Feature Theater Front Row Center