Father Knows Best, one of the most beloved old time radio shows! Wonder what Insurance Agent Jim Anderson would be like in todays World? Starting on NBC in August of 1949 Father knows best hit the airwaves. The setting was an unspecified mid west town where Robert Young played the Jim Anderson role. His wife, Margaret was played by both June Whitley, and old time radio actress Jean Vander Pyl.
Well, if Father Knows Best, that means he has kids! Three of them, Betty, Bud, and Kathy. The kids are usually the start of whatever mishap, or situation is going on in that weeks episode. As happens quite often, old time radio shows became TV shows, as is the case of Father Knows Best. But the old time radio version of this sit-com had Jim Anderson a bit more sarcastic than in the TV series. He rules a little stricter in the old time radio version. Just a little something different from the usual old time radio to TV show progression. In a way the radio version of Jim Anderson seems more believable than the TV show because of this.
The wife, Margaret, is a stereo typical old time radio or TV mother. A rock, the sound of reason, full of common sense, and she plays off of Jim Anderson's character. Many times during an episode of Father Knows Best, Jim is at wits end, and luckily he has Margaret there to keep him in line!
The kids are a major part of this OTR classic. First, there's daughter Betty, played by Rhoda Williams. She plays a typical boy crazy teenage girl, and everything that happens is big drama. The son Bud, is played by Ted Donaldson. Bud is a typical all American boy who can never make his allowance last. He also comes off at time as a bit of a dimwit, and his favorite phrase is 'Holy Cow', out of the 3 kids he seems to be the one that sticks in most peoples minds. Last, but not least, there's Kathy, played by old time radio actress Norma Jean Nillson. Kathy complains a lot about her role in the Family. Being the youngest, she feels sometimes left out. But she's also the banker for Betty and Bud, always lending them money to help their allowances to stretch out. Speaking of allowances, that's a topic that shows up in quite a few shows.
Most episodes deal with the day to day life of raising 3 kids. Sometimes there's an episode that deals with Jim or Margaret's problems. But for the most part, Father Knows Best is about raising a family. As far as old time radio sit-com style shows go, Father Knows Best is one of the better ones. When Father Knows Best moved from radio to TV, Robert Young was the only character who kept his role. The old time radio version of Father Knows Best ended in 1953, and there were 197 episodes produced.
Just an interesting tidbit for fans of Father Knows Best, it has been rumored for a while that there is going to be a movie remake of Father Knows Best.
There are 111 episodes available, the most believed to still be in existence. Available as a two disc MP3 CD set, which contains all 111 episodes.
