Season 2
SEASON TWO
#27 Art of Salesmanship
Original Airdate: NBC August 31, 1955
Jim, upset over Bud’s inability to sell, decides to teach the boy the proper way to conduct door-to-door sales. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#28 Father’s Private Life
Original Airdate: NBC September 7, 1955
Jim tells his family to solve their own problems. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
# 29 Lessons in Civics
Original Airdate: NBC September 14, 1955
The Anderson family embarks on a venture to save the old meeting hall from being torn down to make room for a highway. Written by Dorothy Cooper and Directed by William D. Russell.
#30 First Disillusionment
Original Airdate: NBC September 21, 1955
Bud applies for a part-time job in a sporting goods store and is turned down in favor of a boy who fakes an impressive resume. Bud decides that dishonesty is the key to success, and writes a letter to the store manager informing him that the other boy is not to be trusted. Jim intercepts the letter, but seeing how the boy is about to be fired, allows Bud to think his letter did the damage to teach him a lesson. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#31 Woman in the House
Original Airdate: NBC September 28, 1955
Virg Carlson asks the Andersons to invite his wife Jill to be their houseguest, and the Andersons agree. Jill has a very wield personality, which irritates Margaret. Jim, sensing Margaret’s unhappiness, decides to suggest that Jill return to her hotel. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#32 New Girl at School
Original Airdate: NBC October 5, 1955
Bud falls in love with April, the new girl in school, and is crushed when he learns that she is dating his best friend. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#33 Kathy Makes Magic
Original Airdate: NBC October 12, 1955
Kathy Anderson receives a magic set, believes she has supernatural powers, and starts casting spells. Later, she believes a spell she has cast on Bud will cause him to die. Kathy prays for her to be taken instead of Bud. Bud recovers, and Kathy consequently is convinced she will now die. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#34 Advantage to Betty
Original Airdate: NBC October 19, 1955
Betty is named queen of the school sports banquet because of her beauty, causing a fight between her and Eula Craig, a real athlete. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#35 The Big Test
Original Airdate: NBC October 26, 1995
Bud is promised a boat if his science grades improve. While studying alone after school, the questions to the test fall on the floor. Bud picks them up just as his teacher Mr. Glover enters the room. Mr. Glover assumes he has been cheating, and withholding his name, he asks the advice of the student council on the proper course to pursue. Betty Anderson, council chairman, suggests the student be given the exam; if he does well he will convict himself. Betty finds out the student was Bud, warns him of the trap and advises him not to do well on the test. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#36 Father is a Dope
Original Airdate: NBC November 2, 1955
Jim thinks his family is trying to trick him into skipping his hunting trip, only to discover that their excuses for keeping him home are all valid. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#37 Spirit of Youth
Original Airdate: NBC November 9, 1955
Margaret and Jim go off to their college reunion to prove to their children they are still young at heart. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#38 Bud, the Ladykiller
Original Airdate: NBC November 16, 1955
After Bud helps a young girl break out of her shell, she drops him for another man. Written by Sumner Long & Dorothy Cooper and Directed by William D. Russell.
#39 Margaret’s Premonition
Original Airdate: NBC November 30, 1955
The family is convinced that Margaret has psychic powers and she warns Jim not to make a trip. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#40 Stage to Yuma
Original Airdate: NBC December 7, 1955
In a flashback sequence, Tate Ibsen saves six passengers riding in a stagecoach from doom by defeating savage Indians. Written by D. D. Beauchamp and Directed by William D. Russell.
Interesting Note: This is one of the “lost” episodes of Father Knows Best. It hasn’t aired in syndication since the 1980s. The first minute has Robert Young telling the TV audience they are doing a different show tonight. Then, the rest of the epsiode deals with a stagecoach run in the 1800s. Robert Young is the only cast member in this episode (along with Sarah Selby who usually plays his secretary in the series) , but he doesn’t play “Jim Anderson”, he is “Tate Ibsen”.
#41 Bad Influence
Original Airdate: NBC December 14, 1955
Bud takes up with a kleptomaniac to teach him there is more to life than material goods. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#42 Betty Hates Carter
Original Airdate: NBC December 28, 1955
After Betty sets up a date between Carter Mawson and her girlfriend Janie, she decides that she wants Carter for herself. Written By Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#43 Jim, the Tyrant
Original Airdate: NBC January 4, 1956
Jim has a bad day at the office so he takes his frustrations out on his family. Written by Roswell Rogers & Herman J. Epstein and Directed by William D. Russell.
#44 Betty’ Brother
Original Airdate: NBC January 11, 1956
After Betty is chosen to appear on a TV youth program, Bud starts failing his subjects and causing trouble. Written by Paul West and Directed by William D. Russell.
#45 Betty Earns a Formal
Original Airdate: NBC January 18, 1956
Betty takes a part-time job to earn enough money to buy a dress for the high school dance.
#46 The House Painter
Original Airdate: NBC Janaury 25, 1956
A house painter rekindles Jim’s belief that integrity and pride are basic human drives. Written by Roswell Rogers and William D. Russell.
#47 Bud, the Wallflower
Original Airdate: NBC February 1, 1956
Bud decides to go camping with Jim when he is not invited to the Sadie Hawkins dance. Written by Paul West and Directed by William D. Russell.
#48 The Bus to Nowhere
Original Airdate: NBC February 8, 1956
Betty feels life is devoid of significance and sets out on a journey to find the true meaning of life. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#49 Kathy, the Indian Giver
Original Airdate: NBC February 15, 1956
Jim tires in vain to show Kathy the importance of keeping a promise. Written by Kay Leonard and Directed by William D. Russell.
#50 The Historical Andersons
Original Airdate: NBC February 22, 1956
Bud, while preparing a school report, is surprised to discover that Major Nathan Anderson, his revolutionary ancestor, was a traitor. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#51 The Grass is Greener
Original Airdate: NBC February 29, 1956
After a business tycoon arrives in town, Jim feels his life has not been as successful as he had hoped. Written by Dorothy Cooper and Directed by William D. Russell.
#52 The Persistent Guest
Original Airdate: NBC March 7, 1956
Fred, a shabbily dressed schoolmate of Bud’s, takes up permanent residence with the Andersons after being deserted by his divorced parents. Written by Paul West and Directed by William D. Russell.
Interesting Note: This episode deals with being homeless, and though it has a simple, too-easy-to-be-true ending, the production company dealt with a social issue way ahead of its time.
# 53 Family Reunion
Original Airdate: NBC March 14, 1956
Margaret is both hurt and frantic when her family conceive a series of excuses for not attending her family reunion.Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#54 Family Dines Out
Original Airdate: NBC March 28, 1956
Bud needs his family’s support to hold a job at the same time Jim and Margaret have accepted a dinner invitation with Betty at a country club. Written by Dorothy Cooper and Directed by William D. Russell.
#55 Bud, the Boxer
Original Airdate: NBC April 4, 1956
Jim decides to teach Bud how to fight in order to defend himself against the school bully. Written by Paul West and Directed by William D. Russell.
#56 Betty, Girl Engineer
Original Airdate: NBC April 11, 1956
Betty decides to become an engineer, but on her first assignment she is harassed by a man who believes that a woman’s place is in the home. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#57 The Martins and the Coys
Original Airdate: NBC April 18, 1956
Jim and his neighbor Frank start a feud that leaves Betty and Frank’s son Bob caught in the middle. Written by Paul West and Directed by William D. Russell.
#58 Dilemma for Margaret
Original Airdate: NBC April 25, 1956
Margaret accepts an invitation to speak to a PTA seminar and reluctantly admits she is unable to control her own children, because Betty is involved in vandalism.
Interesting Note: This is a classic episode that deals with social pressure, and in doing the right thing.
#59 Hero Father
Original Airdate: NBC May 2, 1956
Jim arranges for baseball great Duke Snider and his touring All-Stars to play a game in their town. Written by Dorothy Cooper and Directed by William D. Russell.
#60 Father, the Naturalist
Original Airdate: NBC May 9, 1956
Jim Spends a harrowing night in the woods to help Kathy complete her nature folder to become a Tribal Princess in the Little Squaws. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#61 The Ten Dollar Question
Original Airdate: NBC May 16, 1956
Jim decides to offer a ten-dollar prize to the member of his family who refrains from tattling for a whole week. Written by Barbara Hammer & Dorothy Cooper and Written by William D. Russell.
#62 Adopted Daughter
Original Airdate: NBC May 23, 1956
Kathy thinks she is an adopted child when she finds a check that shows her parents paid $25 to the children’s society. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
#63 Betty’s Graduation
Original Airdate: NBC May 30, 1956
Betty refuses to attend her high school graduation because she fears the best days of her life are behind her and can never be recaptured. Written by Roswell Rogers and Directed by William D. Russell.
