Video: 'The Defenders TV Intro'

(Sunday, May 26, 1963, 10 p.m. EDT) — The courtroom drama The Defenders captured top honors tonight at the 15th Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five Emmys including Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Drama for the second year in a row.

The Dick Van Dyke Show, the situation comedy about a television comedy writer, was hailed as the Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Humor. Continue reading ‘The Defenders’ and ‘The Dick Van Dyke Show’ top Emmys 50 years ago this hour (1963) →

Video: '1963 General Hospital Promo'

(Monday, April 1, 1963, 1:00 p.m. EST) — General Hospital, a daytime television medical drama, debuted this afternoon on ABC, starring John Beradino and Emily McLaughlin.

Video: 'COMBAT! s.1 ep.23: "Survival" (1963)' (Mar. 12, 1963)

(Tuesday, March 12, 1963, 7:30 p.m. EST) — Lt. Hanley and the squad escape capture during an artillery barrage, but Sgt. Saunders is unknowingly left behind in the fiery chaos on tonight’s episode of the ABC-TV war drama series Combat!.

In 1997, the episode was ranked #74 on TV Guide‘s 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.

Video: 'It May Look Like a Walnut!' (Feb. 6, 1963)

(Wednesday, February 6, 1963, 9:30 p.m. ET) — Rob has a dream, inspired by a late-night horror movie on TV, involving walnuts, missing thumbs, and a creature named Kolac on tonight’s episode of the CBS-TV sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show.

In 1997, the episode was ranked #15 on TV Guide‘s 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time.

(Sunday, February 3, 1963, 8 p.m. EST) — Cassius Clay (later named Muhammad Ali) was interviewed by Ed Sullivan on tonight’s edition of the CBS-TV variety show The Ed Sullivan Show.

Video: 'Tell Us The Poodle Story'

(Sunday, January 6, 1963) — Wild Kingdom, a television show that features wildlife and nature, debuted this afternoon on NBC. It was hosted by Marlin Perkins and Jim Fowler.