Insurance saleman James Anderson (Robert Young) portrayed the ideal father, protector, provider, confidant and advisor, while wife Margaret (Jane Wyatt), immaculately starched and attired, silently attended to daily routines and insured a smooth-running household. Happiness and laughter comes from three children on the stairs: 15-yr. old "Princess" Betty (Elinor Donahue), 14-yr. old "Bud" James Jr. (Billy Gray), and last but not least, 9-yr. old "Kitten" Kathy. The Andersons were the typical family that all Americans strove to be. If yours wasn't the idyllic family situation, you could embrace the mellow and benevolent wisdom of Jim Anderson and perhaps resolve some problems in your own home. You could count on Betty being dressed like a "princess" in all the latest styles, sometimes with the curt disapproval of Father Jim, while Bud encountered everyday problems with shyness and learned to overcome his fears with his father's steady hand.
Unlike families of today inundated with physical, psychological and financial problems, the Andersons would have been the envied middle-class family. Their situations would consist of father taking over Bud's newspaper route when he accidently had a back injury (Father Delivers the Papers), or spending an uncomfortable night with Kitten in her outdoor playhouse (The Promised Playhouse), or showing Betty that "Father Knows Best" when he insists that she return a broach that was given to her by a young admirer (Father of the Year). Even in the 50's, the fight against Christmas commercialism was being fought when father strives to introduce the family to the tradition of cutting down the tree on a cold Christmas Eve, only to get stranded in a mountain cottage with a kind old gentleman named "Nick" (The Christmas Story).
Bonus features include New Cast Interviews where Elinor Donahue and Lauren Chapin revealed Elinor's jitters when auditioning for Betty. Lauren admitted that she wasn't hired for the part of Kathy because of her acting ability, but moreso, because she favored Robert Young's daughter. Robert Young's Home Movies show footage from the 1930's to the 1970's narrated by grandson, Bill Proffitt. You'll tour Robert Young's California homes and footage from the set of Father Knows Best. Rare "Behind the Scenes" color footage, "24 hours in Tyrantland" was a special episode created for the U.S. Treasury and shown to civic groups, schools, etc. to promote the sale of U.S. Savings Bonds. Window on Main Street is the pilot episode of Young's series which aired in 1961 after Father Knows Best ended. Unfortunately, editing is not at its pinnacle and you might find that some scenes end abruptly or seem to have an inopportune end; however, this is, no doubt, a classic icon of the 50's and great entertainment for the entire family. The only precaution to parents would be the third disc begins with sponsor Kent Cigarettes and with father James Anderson lighting up.
The stories of Father Knows Best: Season One are not only heart-warming, but filled with parental advice which enriched and comforted parents everywhere. Betty was a typical teen filled with enthusiasm, and with Bud mistakes were a common occurrence, while ever-smiling Kitten could never keep a secret and made the smooth routine of life quite difficult. But constant and true and filled with understanding, wisdom and love were their parents, Jim and Margaret -- America's favorite family -- to console, guide and encourage their children into adulthood.
