DVDs
All six seasons (203 episodes) of Father Knows Best have been released. Its pretty rare for a tv show from the 1950s to have all its seasons released on dvd. We thank the Young Family Trust and the Morgan Rodney Trust for making this possible! DVDs can be purchased through shoutfactory.com, Amazon.com, or Ebay.com.
The Season 1 DVD Set.
Release Date: April 1, 2008
26 Episodes of America’s Favorite Family, the Andersons! Loaded with Rare and Revealing Extras Including New Interviews, Home Movies and a Never-Before-Aired Episode. This is a must-have for any fan, young or old! Pluses: 12 episodes are uncut, running 26 minutes. Minuses: 14 episodes are edited, running 23 minutes.
DISC 1
1 Bud Takes Up The Dance 22:30
2 Lesson In Citizenship 25:09 Unedited
3 The Motor Scooter 22:31
4 Football Tickets 22:28
5 Live My Own Life 25:19 Unedited
6 Grandpa Jim’s Rejuvenation 25:19 Unedited
7 Bud’s Encounter With The Law 22:32
BONUS – DADDY’S GIRLS with Lauren Chapin and Elinor Donahue
DISC 2
8Thanksgiving Day 25:26 Unedited w/season 2 Scott Paper Sponsored Opening
9 Second Honeymoon 22:24
10 Typical Father 25:28 Unedited
11 Margaret Goes Dancing 25:27 Unedited
12 The Christmas Story 22:32
13 Sparrow In The Window 22:22
14 Boy’s Week 22:39
BONUS – ROBERT YOUNG’S HOME MOVIES
BONUS – BEHIND THE SCENES
DISC 3
15 A Friend Of Old George’s 22:29
16 Bud The Snob 25:19 Unedited
17 The Promised Playhouse 25:19 Unedited
165 The Promised Playhouse 1958 Flashback 22:29
18 Jim The Farmer 25:19 Unedited
19 Father Of The Year 25:12 Unedited
20 The Mink Coat 22:34
BONUS – 24 HOURS IN TYRANTLAND rare unaired episode
DISC 4
21 The Matchmaker 25:41 Unedited w/original Kent Cigarette’s Opening!
22 Bud The Bridesmaid 22:34
23 Proud Father 22:29
24 Father Delivers The Papers 22:32
25 No Partiality 25:36 Unedited
26 Close Decision 22:33
BONUS – WINDOW ON MAIN STREET Unedited w/some commercials
The Season 2 DVD set
Release Date: November 11, 2008
Mr. Bill Proffitt, Robert Young’s grandson and executive producer of the DVD Set, has been hard at work to give us the best presentation possible. Here are the results: The Season 2 DVD set comes on 5 discs and includes 37 episodes. Each episode is uncut running slightly under 26 minutes. There are no music alterations. The Screen Gems logo is on the ending credits and some episodes have the original sponsored opening and closing credits, and episode 34 has “next week’s teaser” with Robert Young, things us fans LOVE! As a bonus, there is another episode from Robert Young’s next series after FKB, Window on Main Street. And there are new interviews from Elinor Donahue and Lauren Chapin!
DISC 1
27 Art of Salesmanship 25:51
28 Father’s Private Life 25:55
29 Lessons in Civics 25:55
30 First Disillusionment 25:54
31 Woman in the House 25:54
32 New Girl at School 25:54
33 Kathy Makes Magic 25:55
178 FKB Flashback Episode: “First Disillusionment,” which aired during the sixth season (11/16/1959) 25:13 (no opening credits)
DISC 2
34 Advantage to Betty 26:14 w/sponsor opening and teaser for next week!
35 The Big Test 25:57 w/sponsor opening
36 Father Is a Dope 25:56 w/sponsor opening
37 Spirit of Youth 25:54
38 Bud, the Ladykiller 25:53
39 Margaret’s Premonition 25:53
40 Stage to Yuma 25:50 (the “famous” lost episode!)
41 Bad Influence 25:55
DISC 3
42 Betty Hates Carter 25:54
43 Jim, the Tyrant 25:51
44 Betty’s Brother 25:49
45 Betty Earns a Formal 25:49
46 The House Painter 25:47
47 Bud, The Wallflower 25:47
48 The Bus to Nowhere 25:47
Window on Main Street: “The Teacher” 29:06 (Robert Young’s next series after “Father Knows Best”, includes original commercials!)
DISC 4
49 Kathy, the Indian Giver 25:51
50 The Historical Andersons 25:49
51 The Grass is Greener 25:48
52 The Persistent Guest 25:48
53 Family Reunion 25:48
54 Family Dines Out 25:45 w/sponsor opening
55 Bud, the Boxer 25:51
Daddy’s Girls (Interview), Part 2: 10:35 All-new with Elinor Donahue and Lauren Chapin
DISC 5
56 Betty, Girl Engineer 25:49
57 The Martins and the Coys 25:48
58 Dilemma for Margaret 25:48
59 Hero Father 25:49
60 Father, the Naturalist 25:46
61 The Ten Dollar Question 25:47
62 Adopted Daughter 25:49
63 Betty’s Graduation 25:51
The Season 3 DVD set
Release Date: June 9, 2009
Includes 37 uncut episodes (including the popular Christmas episode “Angel’s Sweater”), and 2 episodes of “Window on Main Street”, Robert Young’s next series after Father Knows Best. Plus there are 3 radio programs including the very first audition broadcast!
All episodes are uncut, no music alterations, and the Screen Gems logo is on the ending credits. A few episodes have sponsor products on the ending credits as well. Unfortunately there are no episodes that have the original season 3 opening (season 1 syndicated openings are used), but hey, you can watch it on this website – we aim to please!
Disc 1 (minutes of each episode included in title)
64 No Apron Strings 25:48
65 Never In Twain 25:47
66 Betty Goes To College 25:44
67 Man About Town 25:42
68 The Homing Pigeon 25:44
69 Spaghetti For Margaret 25:45
70 Betty’s Birthday 25:45
BONUS – Window on Main Street “A Doctor Comes To Town” 25:48
Disc 2
71 Bud, The Millionaire 25:42
72 The Old Days 25:42
73 Whistle Bait 25:44
74 The Great Guy 25:42
75 The Family Goes To New York 25:45
76 Betty Goes Steady 25:43
77 The Good Prospect 25:44
78 The Angel’s Sweater 25:47
BONUS – Father Knows Best? – 1st Radio Program 30:54
Disc 3
79 The Promising Young Man 25:42
80 Margaret Hires A Gardener 25:44
81 Swiss Family Anderson 25:44
82 Brief Holiday 25:44
83 The Lawn Party 25:43
84 Short Wave 25:43
85 Carnival 25:44
BONUS – Father Knows Best? – Radio Program 25:39
Disc 4
86 Betty And The Jet Pilot 25:43
87 Trip To Hillsborough 25:44
88 An Evening To Remember 25:44
89 Bud Buys A Car 25:44
90 Safety First 25:44
91 Bud, The Hero 25:44
92 Betty, The Track Star 25:43
93 The Spelling Bee 25:46
BONUS – Father Knows Best? – Radio Program 26:29
Disc 5
94 Bud, the Philanthropist 25:43
95 Baby In the House 25:45
96 Class Prophecy 25:43
97 The Art of Romance 25:44
98 Margaret Disowns Her Family 25:45
99 Grandpa Retires 25:42
100 Shoot For The Moon 25:40
BONUS – Window on Main Street “Chambermaid” 25:43
Season 4 DVD. It is a 5 disc set with 33 uncut episodes from the 1957-1958 season.
Release Date: March 23, 2010
3 Emmy’s were awarded this season: Robert Young as best actor, Jane Wyatt as best actress, and Peter Tewksbury as best director in Episode #128, “A Medal for Margaret”.
Guest stars this season include Greer Garson, Barbara Eden and Susan Oliver among others. Also interesting is a “lost or rare” episode, #111 Mr. Beal Meets his Match. This episode was not in the syndication package in the 80s-90s on the CBN-Family Channel (because it was so different from the series regular format- kind of a Twlight Zone Anderson Family meets the devil, no kidding! You’ve “gotta” see it to believe it!) Shout Factory did a great job by attaching the correct season opening to these episodes and keeping the Screen Gems logo at the end; even though Screen Gems-Sony no longer has rights to these episodes. It’s a nice touch to keep these in- the way fans remember it.
Disc 1 (Minutes of each episode included in title)
101 Follow the Leader 25:34
102 The Awkward Hero 25:33
103 The Good Neighbor 25:31
104 Bud, The Executive 25:34
105 Sentenced to Happiness 25:34
106 Mother Goes To School 25:35
Bonus: Window on Main St
“The boy who got it made” 25:43
Disc 2
107 The Indispensable Man 25:34
108 Kathy’s Big Chance 25:35
109 Margaret Learns to Drive 25:31
110 The Way of a Dictator 25:34
111 Mr. Beal Meets His Match 25:31
112 Kathy Makes a Wish 25:35
113 Man with a Plan 25:33
Bonus: Radio Program
A New Housekeeper 29:31
Disc 3
114 Big Sister 25:28
115 Calypso Kid 25:27
116 Father’s Biography 25:32
117 The Rivals 25:33
118 Bud, the Mind Reader 25:32
119 Margaret’s Other Family 25:32
120 The Trial 25:29
Bonus: Radio Program
New Arrangements 29:33
Disc 4
121 Revenge is Sweet 25:31
122 Country Cousin 25:31
123 Poor Old Dad 25:34
124 Betty’s Crusade 25:32
125 Young Love 25:36
126 Tell It to Mom 25:33
127 A Friend In Need 25:32
Bonus: Radio Program
Vacation Arrives 29:43
Disc 5
128 A Medal For Margaret 25:31
129 The Weaker Sex 25:31
130 Jim, The Answer Man 25:30
131 Bud Quits School 25:31
132 A Matter of Pride 25:32
133 Betty Finds a Cause 25:32
Bonus: Window on Main St
“The Haunted House ” 25:45
Season 5 six-disc set with 38 episodes (WOW!) from the 1958-1959 season.
Release Date: August 17, 2010
Guest stars this season include Dick York (Bewitched), Rita Moreno, Roberta Shore (The Virginian), and Jonathan Harris (Lost in Space) among others.
What you get:
Thumbs up: 37 of the 38 episodes are uncut, running over 25 minutes each. For bonuses, you get a rare “next week tag” after episode 167, and 2 episodes of “Window on Main Street”! Most prints are excellent and look better than the day they originally aired.
Thumbs down: #165, The Promised Playhouse, is an edited version running 23 minutes. (An original 26 minute version from 1955 is on the season 1 DVD.) Also, #170, Margaret Goes Dancing, is really a 1st season print as there is no flashback sequence – too bad – but it does run 26 minutes. The episodes have the syndicated openings and most episodes have the 1980s “COLEX” tag instead of the original Screen Gems logo. Also the DVD menus don’t list the episode numbers.
Disc 1 (Minutes of each episode included in the title)
134 Vine Covered Cottage 25:39
135 Be Kind to Bud Week 25:40
136 Kathy’s Romance 25:40
137 Voice from the Past 25:40
138 Frank’s Family Tree 25:41
139 Always Plan Ahead 25:41
140 Second Wedding 25:41
Disc 2
141 Bud, the Caretaker 25:40
142 Betty, the Pioneer Woman 25:41
143 Fair Exchange 25:39
144 Bud, the Snob 25:38
145 Margaret Wins a Car 25:40
146 The Great Experiment 25:44
Disc 3
147 The Christmas Story 25:39
148 The Basketball Coach 25:39
149 Kathy, Girl Executive 25:41
150 The good Samaritan 25:39
151 The Ideal Father 25:39
152 Big Shot Bud 25:38
153 Hard Luck Leo 25:40
Disc 4
154 Bud, the Campus Romeo 25:39
155 Crisis Over a Kiss 25:39
156 Kathy Grows Up 25:40
157 A Man of Merit 25:39
158 Betty Makes a Choice 25:40
159 It’s a Small World 25:39
Disc 5
160 Two Loves has Bud 25:38
161 An Extraordinary Woman 25:38
162 The Art of Romance 25:47
163 Formula for Happiness 25:38
164 Bud and the Debutante 25:38
165 The Promised Playhouse 22:43
Bonus: Window on Main St
“The Editor’s Daughter” 25:54
Disc 6
166 The Meanest Professor 25:37
167 Live my Own Life 26:01
168 Bud has a Problem 25:37
169 Great Anderson Mystery 25:38
170 Margaret Goes Dancing 25:25
171 The Gold Turnip 25:35
Bonus: Window on Main St
“The Big Spender” 25:49
Season 6 five-disc set with the final 32 episodes from the 1959-1960 season.
Release Date: April 19, 2011
Guest stars this season include Robert Reed (The Brady Bunch), Marion Ross (Happy Days), Roberta Shore (The Virginian), David White (Bewitched) and James Franciscus (Longstreet, Beneath the Planet of the Apes) among others.
What you get:
Thumbs up: All 32 episodes are uncut, running over 25 minutes each. The correct season opening is attached to all the episodes. The lost episode #202 “Not His Type” has been found and is included (wasn’t part of the 1980’s-90s syndication package). The Screen Gems logo is attached at the end. The prints are so clear you can see fingerprints on the kitchen cabinets (check out episode “Day in the Country” and watch for it!). There were 5 flashback episodes and they are all correct. Also the dvd menus have the episode numbers (they were missing in season 5).
Thumbs down: Some episodes have the season 5 closing arrangement rather than the season 6 version, but the credits themselves are all correct.
Disc 1
#172 A Day in the Country 25:26
#173 Bud Branches Out 25:22
#174 The Gardner’s Big Day 25:24
#175 The Imposter 25:27
#176 Bud Play’s It Safe 25:27
#177 Bicycle Trip for Two 25:27
#178 First Disillusionment 25:26
Disc 2
#179 Margaret’s Old Flame 25:25
#180 Kathy Becomes a Girl 25:26
#181 Bud, the Willing Worker 25:27
#182 Turn the Other Cheek 25:26
#183 Good Joke on Mom 25:28
#184 Betty’s Double 25:26
#185 Father, the Naturalist 25:27
Disc 3
#186 Bud Hides Behind a Skirt 25:28
#187 Togetherness 25:28
#188 Second Best 25:27
#189 Kathy’s Big Deception 25:27
#190 Cupid Knows Best 25:25
#191 The Big Test 25:29
#192 Jim’s Big Surprise 25:28
Disc 4
#193 Time to Retire 25:26
#194 Bud, the Speculator 25:27
#195 The $500 Letter 25:27
#196 Adopted Daughter 25:27
#197 Family Contest 25:24
#198 Love and Learn 25:26
#199 Blind Date 25:26
Disc 5
#200 Betty’s Career Problem 25:28
#201 Bud Lives It Up 25:27
#202 Not His Type 25:26
#203 Betty’s Graduation 25:26
Window on Main Street “Day in the Life of an Editor” 25:19
Window on Main Street “$1.19 Thief” 25:13
