Father Knows Best was a popular TV and radio sitcom airing between 1950 through the early 1960s. The series was portrayed as an ideal middle-class American lifestyle.
The series began August 25, 1949, on NBC Radio. Set in the Midwest, it starred Robert Young as General Insurance agent Jim Anderson. His wife Margaret was first portrayed by June Whitley and later by Jean Vander Pyl. The Anderson children were Betty (Rhoda Williams), Bud (Ted Donaldson) and Kathy (Norma Jean Nillson). Others in the cast were Eleanor Audley, Herb Vigran and Sam Edwards. Sponsored through most of its run by General Foods, the series was heard Thursday evenings on NBC until March 25, 1954.
The show is often regarded as an example of the conservative and paternalistic nature of American family life in the 1950s and it is also cited as an overly rosy portrayal of American family life.
481220 Father Knows Best Audition Show.mp3 500112 e021 Father Knows Best Elusive Card Game.mp3 500504 e037 Father Knows Best An Uncontrolled Dog.mp3 500511 e038 Father Knows Best The Golf Challenge.mp3 500518 e039 Father Knows Best Betty's Screen Test.mp3 500525 e040 Father Knows Best Superstitious Folk.mp3 500608 e041 Father Knows Best Time for a New Car.mp3 500615 e042 Father Knows Best Father's Day Trip.mp3 500622 e043 Father Knows Best A New Housekeeper.mp3 500629 e044 Father Knows Best New Arrangements.mp3 500706 e045 Father Knows Best Vacation Arrives.mp3 500907 e046 Father Knows Best An Efficient House.mp3 500914 e047 Father Knows Best Family Car Stolen.mp3 500921 e048 Father Knows Best Who Has the Time.mp3 500928 e049 Father Knows Best The New Girlfriend.mp3 501005 e050 Father Knows Best Family Spending.mp3 501012 e051 Father Knows Best The Skunk Must Go.mp3 501026 e053 Father Knows Best A Spooky Cemetery.mp3 501102 e054 Father Knows Best Too Many Problems.mp3 501116 e056 Father Knows Best Enterprising Kids.mp3 501123 e057 Father Knows Best Happy Thanksgiving.mp3 501207 e059 Father Knows Best A French Teacher.mp3 501214 e060 Father Knows Best Father Becomes Ill.mp3 501221 e061 Father Knows Best A Hans Christian Anderson Christmas.mp3 501228 e062 Father Knows Best Party Preparations.mp3 510104 e063 Father Knows Best Taking on City Hall.mp3 510111 e064 Father Knows Best Missing Furniture.mp3 510118 e065 Father Knows Best Redecoration Woes.mp3 510125 e066 Father Knows Best Sound Matchmaking.mp3 510201 e067 Father Knows Best Jim Inherits a Ranch in Arizona.mp3 510208 e068 Father Knows Best What Was His Name.mp3 510215 e069 Father Knows Best Orchid for a Lady.mp3 510222 e070 Father Knows Best Always Tell Truth.mp3 510315 e073 Father Knows Best Tax Interruptions.mp3 510322 e074 Father Knows Best Helping out the Boss.mp3 510329 e075 Father Knows Best Both Bosses Visit.mp3 510405 e076 Father Knows Best It Pays to Borrow.mp3 510419 (078) Anniversary Secret.mp3 510426 (079) Aunt Martha Visits.mp3 510503 (080) A Missing Salesman.mp3 510510 (081) Junk Around the House.mp3 510517 (082) Locked out of the House.mp3 510524 (083) Anniversary Event.mp3 510531 (084) Going to New York.mp3 510614 (085) Father's Day Picnic.mp3 510621 (086) Mother Drives a Car.mp3 510628 (087) Wedding Preparation.mp3 510705 (088) Meaning of Freedoms.mp3 510920 e089 Father Knows Best A Diet Discussion.mp3 520417 e119 Father Knows Best New Washing Machine.mp3 520515 e123 Father Knows Best Self Reliance.mp3 520703 (130) Vacation Arrives.mp3 520911 e132 Father Knows Best Watching the Dog.mp3 520918 e133 Father Knows Best Weekend Activity.mp3 520925 e134 Father Knows Best Should Women Work.mp3 521009 e135 Father Knows Best Betty and Crooner.mp3 521016 e136 Father Knows Best Bud Quits School.mp3 521030 e138 Father Knows Best Carnival in Town.mp3 521106 (139) Selling the House.mp3 521113 (140) The Missing Pipes.mp3 521120 (141) The Phantom Prowler.mp3 521211 (144) A Worried Waitress.mp3 521218 (145) The Kids Revolt.mp3 521225 e146 Father Knows Best Shared Christmas Gifts.mp3 530101 (147) Southern Manners.mp3 530108 (148) Second Family Car.mp3 530115 e149 Father Knows Best The Boy Next Door.mp3 530129 e151 Father Knows Best Bud Dislikes Girls.mp3 530205 e152 Father Knows Best Aunt Thelma Visits.mp3 530212 e153 Father Knows Best Babysitting Miseries.mp3 530219 e154 Father Knows Best Modernizing the Home.mp3 530226 e155 Father Knows Best Banged up Fender.mp3 530305 e156 Father Knows Best Overdue Vacation.mp3 530312 e157 Father Knows Best To Build a Brick Wall.mp3 530319 e158 Father Knows Best The Missing Wedding Ring.mp3 530326 e159 Father Knows Best Uninsured Robin.mp3 530402 e160 Father Knows Best Bud's Panama Cat Business Venture.mp3 530409 e161 Father Knows Best How to Face Problems.mp3 530416 e162 Father Knows Best Family Getaway to Beaver Falls.mp3 530423 e163 Father Knows Best Old Father Time.mp3 530430 e164 Father Knows Best Springtime Woes.mp3 530507 e165 Father Knows Best The Good Old Days.mp3 530514 e166 Father Knows Best Sophisticated Bud.mp3 530521 e167 Father Knows Best Paper Drive Management.mp3 530910 e168 Father Knows Best Remembering Names.mp3 530917 e169 Father Knows Best Big Inheritance.mp3 530924 e170 Father Knows Best Mind Your Manners.mp3 531001 e171 Father Knows Best A Date MixUp with Leonard and Ralph and Betty.mp3 531008 e172 Father Knows Best The Value of Money.mp3 531015 e173 Father Knows Best The Life of the Party.mp3 531022 e174 Father Knows Best Too Many Peanuts.mp3 531029 (175) Halloween Blues.mp3 531105 e176 Father Knows Best Moving to Chicago.mp3 531112 e177 Father Knows Best Betty's Engagement.mp3 531119 (178) Missing Uncle.mp3 531126 e179 Father Knows Best Thanksgiving.mp3 531203 e180 Father Knows Best Too Many Rabbits.mp3 531224 e183 Father Knows Best Christmas Program.mp3 531231 e184 Father Knows Best New Year's Sitter.mp3 540107 e185 Father Knows Best Taking Pictures.mp3 540114 e186 Father Knows Best An Unusual Bet.mp3 540121 e187 Father Knows Best The Mink Coat Nose.mp3 540128 e188 Father Knows Best Trash Can Lids.mp3 540204 e189 Father Knows Best The Telephone MixUp.mp3 540218 e191 Father Knows Best Betty's Freedom.mp3 540225 e192 Father Knows Best Check Writing.mp3 540304 e193 Father Knows Best Spring Cleaning.mp3 540311 e194 Father Knows Best False Elopement.mp3 540318 e195 Father Knows Best Income Tax MixUp.mp3 540325 e196 Father Knows Best Rainy Day Activity.mp3