1960s Timeline

Mar. 5, 1962 - Tonight on “The Rifleman,” when Mark and Lucas meet Micah on the trail while transporting a prisoner for execution, Mark...

Dec. 30, 1961 - Tonight on “Gunsmoke,” a band of outlaws offers to pay Matt to make himself scarce while they rob the bank. If he...

Dec. 30, 1961 - Tonight on “The Defenders,” Lawrence agrees to defend a racketeer charged with the murder of a rival. With Martin Balsam....

Dec. 29, 1961 - Tonight on “The Twilight Zone,” hot-shot Lieutenant Katell (Dean Stockwell, left) tries to make his mark on the last day...

Dec. 28, 1961 - Tonight on “Dr. Kildare,” a young man is admitted to Blair General Hospital after being stabbed by a street gang. The...

Dec. 26, 1961 - Tonight on “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” Buddy (Morey Amsterdam) has a chance for a head writer job. Rob (Van Dyke) and Sally...

Dec. 25, 1961 - Alfred Hitchcock will dish out a double dose of mystery Sunday evenings on CBS-TV next season. The purveyor of filmed...

Dec. 25, 1961 - Tonight on “The Andy Griffith Show,” when Barney is offered the sheriff’s position in a nearby town, he and Andy trade...

Dec. 24, 1961 - Tonight on “Bonanza,” the Cartwrights take in a young orphaned blind girl (Diane Mountford, pictured right with Dan...

Dec. 23, 1961 - Tonight on “Gunsmoke,” an ill-mannered young mountain man (Don Dubbins, right) is told by his father that it's time he...

Dec. 23, 1961 - Tonight on “The Defenders,” rich Mr. Gideon, after marrying for the sixth time, has invited all his slightly flaky...

Dec. 22, 1961 - Tonight on “The Twilight Zone,” an Army major awakens in a small room with no idea of who he is or how he got there....

Dec. 22, 1961 - Tonight on “Rawhide,” a man and his wife con the drovers into pooling their efforts to prepare a Christmas celebration...

Dec. 21, 1961 - Tonight on “Dr. Kildare,” a bitter, alcoholic department-store Santa is admitted to the hospital on Christmas Eve. The...

Dec. 21, 1961 - Tonight on “The Donna Reed Show,” Johnny Crawford (left) stars as the son of Donna's college roommate who arrives to...

Dec. 20, 1961 - Tonight on “Wagon Train,” Bettina May (Bette Davis) leads three generations of her family across the plains. Other...

Dec. 19, 1961 - Tonight on “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” a wounded cop-killer rushes to get his prescription for a painkiller filled. With...

Dec. 19, 1961 - Tonight on “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” Rob and Buddy treat Sally (Rose Marie, center) as “one of the guys,” even in the...

Dec. 18, 1961 - Tonight on “Ben Casey,” Billy Harris (Bruce Dern) is shot three times while holding up a liquor store. He and the cop...

Dec. 18, 1961 - Tonight on “The Andy Griffith Show,” no one will admit that Aunt Bee's homemade pickles are terrible. Andy switches them...