Father Knows Best

Name: Father Knows Best
Genre: Comedy, Family
Cast: Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray, Elinor Donahue, Lauren Chapin

TV Series1954 – 196030m6 seasons · 203 episodes

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203Episodes, 6 seasons 0Member reviews 0Lists include it

Comedy Family

Father Knows Best portrayed a family that was surprising similar to real people. The parents managed to ride through almost any family situation without violent injury to their dignity, and the three Anderson youngsters were presented as decently behaved children who respected and loved their parents. A newspaper critic at the time wrote that "Jim Anderson may be the first intelligent father permitted on TV since they invented the thing".

Creator: Ed James
Directors: Herb Wallerstein Donald L. Gold
Stars: Robert Young Jane Wyatt Billy Gray

Where it airs

NBCNetwork, from TVmaze

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Episode guide

Episode scores––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

E1A Day in the CountryOct 5, 1959 · 30m · Margaret is disheartened when the family is delayed in reaching a family reunion due to a car breakdown.Not rated yet

E2Bud Branches OutOct 12, 1959 · 30m · Bud accidentally attends a french class instead of his trigonometry class on the first day, and develops a crush on the french teacher.Not rated yet

E3The Gardener's Big DayOct 19, 1959 · 30m · Fronk (Frank), our favorite gardener is back this time he is selected to represent Springfield to the Governor in a new park dedication. Guest star David White as Mr. Garrett might be recognized as Darrin Stephen's boss Larry Tate from the TV show Bewitched.Not rated yet

E4The ImposterOct 26, 1959 · 30m · A new lawyer comes to town and Betty mistakes him for a shop keeper. The lawyer likes Betty and tries to get her to agree to a date. The lawyer is played by a very young actor who later becomes the 'dad' in the Brady Bunch series (Robert Reed).Not rated yet

E5Bud Plays It SafeNov 2, 1959 · 30m · Bud shows interest in his football coach's daughter to increase his chance of being picked for the team.Not rated yet

E6Bicycle Trip for TwoNov 9, 1959 · 30m · Jim and Margaret are cleaning out old things in the attic. Jim convinces Margaret to relive the experience of a bike ride when they were datinjg in high school. Listen for Jim to call her Maggy.Not rated yet

E7First DisillusionmentNov 16, 1959 · 30m · Bud tries to help Kathy understand that honesty is the best policy by telling (in flashback) the story of when he applied for a newspaper job but was looked over by a boy who lied on his application about his accomplishments and experience. This is a re-cut rerun of season 1 episode 4. The networks commonly did this type of rerun during vacation and holiday weeks. Not normally in syndicated packages.Not rated yet

E8Margaret's Old FlameNov 23, 1959 · 30m · Jim and Margaret join in some of the college's homecoming celebration and they both recall old flames.Not rated yet

E9Kathy Becomes a GirlNov 30, 1959 · 30m · Kathy decides it is time to be a lady to be noticed by the boys in her class.Not rated yet

E10Bud, the Willing WorkerDec 7, 1959 · 30m · Bud sets his sights on a job at a fast pace service station.Not rated yet

E11Turn the Other CheekDec 14, 1959 · 30m · Jim tries to teach Kathy how to be ethical.Not rated yet

E12Good Joke on MomDec 28, 1959 · 30m · Margaret fools the family for a little while about the importance of her lady's organization position in building a new children's clinic.Not rated yet

E13Betty's DoubleJan 4, 1960 · 30m · Selected as a look-a-like for a famous starlet, Betty learns that it isn't that wonderful to just look like somebody famous.Not rated yet

E14Father, the NaturalistJan 11, 1960 · 30m · This is a recut of season 2 episode 34. Jim tells Kathy she can't help her with her homework as he is too busy with having to do chores around the home. Margaret tells the story in flashback of a time years ago when she needed 5 plants to finish the requirements of earning an award.Not rated yet

E15Bud Hides Behind a SkirtJan 18, 1960 · 30m · An out of character story has Bud and Betty driving through town with Bud driving like a mad man or gangster fleeing a bank robbery. When an officer on a motorcycle gives chase Bud jumps out of the car leaving Betty to being blamed for doing the terrible driving and getting 3 citationsNot rated yet

E16TogethernessJan 25, 1960 · 30m · Professional insurance magazine writer wants to write an article on Jim and his family's togetherness and how that helps Jim's insurance business, but finds that Jim's family is just like all families.Not rated yet

E17Second BestFeb 1, 1960 · 30m · Tired of finishing second best in her activities, Betty enters a fencing competition.Not rated yet

E18Kathy's Big DeceptionFeb 8, 1960 · 30m · It is time for the community picnic and Kathy doesn't yet have a date, but tells her family she does have a date.. Trivia: you will 'hear' the thoughts of Kathy and the boy she wants to be her date while they are in Bud's car.Not rated yet

E19Cupid Knows BestFeb 15, 1960 · 30m · Our friend Fronk (Frank) is back and wishes to woo a young lady, so he enlists Betty's help in writing letters to her. When the young lady asks for a photo, Frank puts in a snapshot of Jim, and confusion abounds. Trivia: Listen for Jim's thoughts in voiceover outside of the flower shop, the second time thoughts are heard this season.Not rated yet

E20The Big TestFeb 22, 1960 · 30m · This is a recut of season 2 episode 9. Kathy wants a typewriter and Bud recalls the time he wanted an outboard boat motor and their father made a bargain to buy a boat if Bud would make a good grade on his science test.Not rated yet

E21Jim's Big SurpriseFeb 29, 1960 · 30m · An excited Jim arrives home with promise of news at 4 PM. The family tries to guess the surprise. Trivia: Kathy's swim instructor will later become the mother on the series Happy Days.Not rated yet

E22Time to RetireMar 7, 1960 · 30m · The corporate office sends a memo forcing uncle Arthur to retire as he has reached the mandatory retirement age.Not rated yet

E23Bud, the SpeculatorMar 14, 1960 · 30m · Bud learns about the danger of selling penny stocks as he buys 50 shares at $1 each of a new company, Blue Hill Copper Company. Trivia: A rare 4th wall scene shows the fireplace. In the same scene you will see Kathy's shadow as she waits for her cue to come through a curtained door.Not rated yet

E24The $500 LetterMar 21, 1960 · 30m · A $500 check arrives mysteriously for 'one' member of the Anderson family who had helped someone some years ago. They compete to convince the others it was for a good deed each had done for someone in the past.Not rated yet

E25Adopted DaughterMar 28, 1960 · 30m · This is a recut episode of season 2 episode 36. Kathy accidentally breaks picture frame holding her birth certificate. She asks Bud to help her fix it and they recall the story of when Kathy worried that she might be adopted.Not rated yet

E26Family ContestApr 4, 1960 · 30m · Betty is taking professional looking pictures of her family to enter into a Hawaiian trip contest. She offers to make an anniversary picture for their baker's family which may also be used to enter as competition in the same contest. Kathy tries to prevent them from entering as she really wants the trip for the family. Trivia: Television scripts often include the delivery milkman and their bottles in the late 50's, but rarely show a bakery delivery man. Also this is the first time Betty has been shown to be a skilled photographer and photo developer.Not rated yet

E27Love and LearnApr 11, 1960 · 30m · Bud needs a tutor but resists until one is a pretty girl he knows. Trivia: you will hear Betty interrupt Jim while he says "Father knows (best)" with "crows" so it is said "Father Crows (best)".Not rated yet

E28Blind DateApr 18, 1960 · 30m · Betty is one of three finalists for the senior class Campus Queen. Her snooty friends match her up with what they call a country bumpkin as a blind date and the entire senior class is in on the joke being played on her. Betty begins to get back at them saying "Farewell dear hearts and gentle people" and parades the poor guy around to all the parties and mixers.Quotations: Betty is livid saying "I'll get even with them just you wait!". Quotation: Bud: "Pop went Rudy's little dream and so happily ends another absorbing chapter in the life of Betty Anderson, Girl Avenger".Not rated yet

E29Betty's Career ProblemApr 25, 1960 · 30m · Betty again must compete for a department store job against her college arch rival.Not rated yet

E30Bud Lives It UpMay 9, 1960 · 30m · Another episode with the same rich girl from season 3 episode 4 where Bud signs for hotel extras that spends what in 2016 would be around $2,300 and must come up with a way to pay it or be kicked out of college.Not rated yet

E31Not His TypeMay 16, 1960 · 30m · Betty's friend Diane is planning to marry George soon after college graduation. George is upset due to Diane's possessiveness and decides he wants to date Betty, and Diane agrees if he chooses Betty (saying she is not his type, the title of the episode). Trivia: This is the last episode of the series that is not a 'recut'. However CBS ran the series in prime time for three more years as it was so popular.Not rated yet

E32Betty's GraduationMay 23, 1960 · 30m · This is a recut of season 2 episode 37. Jim discusses a letter from Kathy's school where they report Kathy is not passing her math class. Kathy tells her father that she is not really wanting to graduate from junior high school as it is the happiest time of her life. Jim recalls the story of when Betty didn't want to graduate from high school.Not rated yet

Top cast

Full cast and crew

Robert YoungJames "Jim" Anderson, Sr.Jane WyattMargaret Anderson Billy GrayJames "Bud" Anderson, Jr Elinor DonahueBetty "Princess" Anderson Lauren ChapinKathy "Kitten" Anderson

Cast from TVmaze. People photos show only when a licensed image exists.

Rating breakdown

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By season

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Season 126 episodes · not rated yet

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Season 237 episodes · not rated yet

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Season 337 episodes · not rated yet

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Season 433 episodes · not rated yet

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Season 538 episodes · not rated yet

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Season 632 episodes · not rated yet

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Details

Premiered: October 3, 1954
Ended: May 23, 1960
Status: Ended
Network: NBC
Country of origin: United States
Language: English
Episode runtime: 30m
TVmaze ID: 4537