Father Knows Best

Father Knows Best is a much-loved sitcom from the early days of television. It began as a popular radio show in 1949 and in 1954 made the transition to television, maintaining the major themes of the show but recasting the characters with the exception of the father, Jim Anderson, played by Robert Young. The Anderson family was meant to encapsulate the typical and idealized values of the American family in the 1950s. Jim Anderson is confident and hard-working, doing his best every day to provide for his family and steer his three children towards success. His wife, Margaret, is played by Jean Vander Pyl and stands faithfully by her husband. She supports his decisions, but provides an always rational and clear view that helps him through tough times. Their children, Betty, James, and Kathleen, keep their parents busy as they get in and out of trouble. Father Knows Best is a classic sitcom, providing modern viewers with a slice of American history in its portrayal of what was once ordinary life. MORE