Television’s Top 100
The Most-Watched American Broadcasts, 1960–2010
$49.95
In stock
About the Book
Remember the finales of M*A*S*H, Cheers and Seinfeld? Do you know who shot J.R. on Dallas? This entertaining survey recounts these and other memorable events that generated some of American television’s biggest audiences when they were first telecast from 1960 to the present.
Here you will find the inside stories about the most popular specials, movies, miniseries and series episodes in television history, from Number 100 to the top of the list. Weekly series and recurring specials like the Super Bowl are represented by their highest-rated individual entry to allow a diverse selection. Included are appendices with facts and figures about the Top 100, and a chronological listing of these unforgettable programs.
About the Author(s)
Bibliographic Details
Wesley Hyatt
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 204
Bibliographic Info: appendices, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2012
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4891-3
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8696-0
Imprint: McFarland
Table of Contents
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS vi
PREFACE 1
100. Fatal Vision 5
99. Roots: The Next Generations 7
98. The 13th Annual Emmy Awards 8
97. Eight Is Enough 10
96. Fish 12
95. The Andy Williams Christmas Show 14
94. The Flip Wilson Show 16
93. Peter Pan 18
92. Brian’s Song 19
91. Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders 21
90. Return to Mayberry 23
89. 60 Minutes 25
88. Ben Casey 26
87. Friends and Nabors 28
86. A Case of Rape 29
85. The Longest Yard 31
84. The Night Stalker 33
83. The Ten Commandments 34
82. How the West Was Won 36
81. The Cotton Bowl 37
80. Summer Olympics 38
79. The Andy Griffith Show 39
78. Bonnie and Clyde 41
77. The Dean Martin Show 43
76. The Sound of Music 44
75. Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii 46
74. AFC Division Championship Game 48
73. Born Free 49
72. Sanford and Son 51
71. Here’s Lucy 52
70. Christmas with the Bing Crosbys 54
69. The Waltons 55
68. The Red Skelton Hour 57
67. The Rose Bowl 59
66. Candid Camera 61
65. Mork & Mindy 62
64. Happy Days 64
63. You Again? 66
62. The Lucy Show 68
61. A Charlie Brown Christmas 69
60. Holocaust 71
59. The Dick Van Dyke Show 73
58. Rhoda 75
57. Planet of the Apes 76
56. Laverne & Shirley 78
55. Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C 80
54. The Andy Griffith Special 82
53. Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In 83
52. The Wizard of Oz 85
51. The Burning Bed 87
50. Mayberry R.F.D 89
49. The Ropers 90
48. Wagon Train 92
47. Little Ladies of the Night 94
46. Shogun 95
45. Rocky 97
44. Ben-Hur 99
43. Ali-Spinks Fight 101
42. Jeremiah Johnson 103
41. Helter Skelter 104
40. Marcus Welby, M.D 106
39. John Wayne: Swing Out Sweet Land 108
38. The Bridge on the River Kwai 109
37. Three’s Company 111
36. Patton 113
35. The Birds 115
34. True Grit 116
33. Carol & Company 118
32. Danny Thomas Special: Wonderful World of Burlesque 120
31. The Poseidon Adventure 121
30. Jaws 123
29. Family Ties 125
28. Michael Jackson Talks to … Oprah 126
27. The Godfather 128
26. World Series Game 6 130
25. All in the Family 132
24. Gunsmoke 133
23. The Winds of War 135
22. The Cosby Show 137
21. Seinfeld 138
20. Bonanza 140
19. Miss America Pageant 142
18. Cinderella 144
17. Love Story 145
16. Airport 147
15. NFC Championship Game 148
14. The Thorn Birds 149
13. The Academy Awards 151
12. The Beverly Hillbillies 152
11. The Ed Sullivan Show 154
10. Cheers 156
9. The Fugitive 157
8. The Day After 159
7. The Bob Hope Christmas Special 161
6. Gone with the Wind 162
5. XVII Winter Olympics 164
4. Super Bowl XVI 166
3. Roots 167
2. Dallas 169
1. M*A*S*H 171
APPENDIX A: CHRONOLOGY 173
APPENDIX B: TOP-RATED SHOWS PRIOR TO 1960 175
APPENDIX C: TOP 100 FACTS AND FIGURES 176
BIBLIOGRAPHY 177
INDEX 183
Book Reviews & Awards
“This is an entertaining and historical look back on some of the most popular and memorable events that generated the largest American television audiences”—ARBA.
