Father Knows Best debuted on the CBS network on October 5, 1954. The show was an instant hit, thanks in part to its relatable family dynamic.
The show followed the lives of the Anderson family, a middle-class American family living in the fictional town of Springfield.
The father, Jim, was a wise and gentle patriarch, while the mother, Margaret, was a loving homemaker.
The couple had three children: Betty, the eldest daughter; Bud, the mischievous middle child; and Kathy, the youngest daughter.
Father Knows Best quickly became one of America’s most popular sitcoms, airing for six seasons on CBS before moving to NBC for its seventh and final season. Today, the show is considered a television classic.
About The Cast
The cast of Father Knows Best is one of the most iconic ensembles in television history. The show, which aired from 1954 to 1960, starred Robert Young as Jim Anderson, the patriarch of the Anderson family.
Young was an experienced actor, having appeared in over 100 films before landing the role on Father Knows Best.
He brought a calm and reassuring presence to the role, making it easy for viewers to believe that he really was a wise and loving father. Jane Wyatt played his wife, Margaret, who was always supportive of her husband and children.
Elinor Donahue played the eldest child, Betty, who was often getting into scrapes but was also fiercely independent. Billy Gray played Bud, the middle child who was always up for a adventure. And Lauren Chapin rounded out the cast as Kathy, the youngest child who was always full of energy.
Together, this talented cast created a television classic that remains popular to this day.
