Launched in 2003, Television Obscurities is dedicated to the study and preservation of the forgotten history of television in the United States. For the past 15 years, I’ve researched, watched, and written about short-lived TV shows, unsold pilot episodes, fall preview specials, network image campaigns, and so much more. Check out my blog, follow me on Twitter, and contact me with any questions.
Blog
Jeopardy! Airing 4 Weeks of Episodes From the Vault
Starting July 20 and continuing through August 14, long-running game show Jeopardy! will air selected episodes from the Jeopardy! Vault.
Status of Kraft Television Theatre, Season 10
What’s the status of Kraft Television Theatre, Season 10? NBC broadcast 53 episodes between September 1957 and September 1957. At least 46 episodes survive.
The Smith Family Available on DVD
The Smith Family (ABC, 1971-1972) starring Henry Fonda and Ron Howard, is available now on DVD from VEI and CBS DVD.
Articles
Enjoy more than 80 articles covering a variety of topics, from short-lived TV shows like The New People and The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. to untold stories about the TV networks and the TV industry.
Spotlight
Each Spotlight focuses on either a short-lived TV show like The Second Hundred Years and Struck By Lightning or an unsold pilot like “Men Against Evil” (1966) and “The Karen Valentine Program” (1974).
Exhibits
Browse early program guides from the 1940s, watch vintage sponsor spots for Marlboro Cigarettes or Breck Shampoo, read a promotional booklet for an unsold dramatic anthology, and more.
TV’s Lost & Found
Sadly, much of our television history no longer exists. Many early, live broadcasts were never recorded. Others that were recorded (on film or videotape) were later destroyed, erased, or misplaced. The search for lost and missing television never ends.