Father Knows Best
37 episodes
Art of Salesmanship
Jim tries to encourage Bud to take after him in salesmanship.
Father's Private Life
Jim comes home tired one day and is harangued by the kids. So, he and Margaret set up new rules to give him some time to relax—but it ends up backfiring.
Lessons in Civics
A new highway is getting built, and for that the old community hall is going to be pulled down. That's something Jim wouldn't like to see since the hall is a historical monument, and also, memories from his youth are connected with this hall. Everyone from the family sees how much the hall means to Jim, and they use different ways to organize help.
First Disillusionment
Bud loses a job to a boy who fakes his resumé, which leads him to believe it is alright to do this himself
Woman in the House
Margaret is forced to invite a woman over who makes her uncomfortable because she is Jim's friend's wife.
New Girl at School
Bud learns that the girl he likes is dating his best friend.
Kathy Makes Magic
Kathy gets a new magic set, from a trade with a friend, and becomes convinced she can truly wield magic.
Advantage to Betty
Betty has recently taken up tennis at school and is chosen for a photo shoot for the paper. This causes friction between her and her doubles partner, Eula, who is the team’s best player.
The Big Test
Bud is accused of cheating because he is suddenly getting high grades in class.
Father Is a Dope
After commenting on a sitcom (“Father Does It Again”) the family watches together one night, Jim speaks about how TV fathers are often portrayed as dumb in comparison with their families. Later, he plans on going hunting and starts believing that Margaret and the kids are secretly trying to get him to stay.
Spirit of Youth
When Jim gets an invitation to a dance for his class reunion—class of ‘33—the kids start behaving as if their parents are ancient. Then, when the kids at their alma mater treat them the same, Jim and Margaret deal with the thought of getting older.
Bud, the Ladykiller
Bud gets irritated by a girl (whom he refers to as “Dumb Dora”) who has a crush on him, hurts her feelings when his irritation leads to cruelty, and must make amends.
Margaret's Premonition
Margaret has a premonition of danger for Jim’s upcoming business trip, and tries to get Jim to postpone it. But Jim believes it’s a bunch of superstitious nonsense, and insists on going anyway.
Stage to Yuma
Tate Idsen saves a stagecoach from savage Indians in a flashback sequence.
Bad Influence
Bud gets in trouble when his latest friend turns out to be a kleptomaniac.
Betty Hates Carter
Betty is indignant when Jim arranges a date for her with an old insurance salesman buddy’s son, Carter.
Jim, the Tyrant
Jim comes home early from work, after a long, hard day, and expects to gain comfort from his family, but is quickly disillusioned when they all are too absorbed in their own interests and tasks to pay attention to him. This just makes his mood more sour and he declares at dinner that if he must, he will become a tyrant. This leads to unwelcome consequences.
Betty's Brother
Bud is having trouble in school and the family are hard-pressed to find out why. Eventually, Jim and Margaret come to the conclusion that, since he’s entered high school, he’s lost his confidence over being constantly compared to Betty and her accomplishments.
Betty Earns a Formal
Betty gets a job to pay for a new, expensive formal for the Cinderella Ball at the country club.
The House Painter
Jim has a bet with Betty and Margaret concerning human nature, integrity and the man painting their house—Mr. Everett.
Bud, the Wallflower
Bud seems determined not to go to a Senior/Freshman dance that is Sadie Hawkins-themed.
The Bus to Nowhere
Betty becomes irritable with her family as she goes through an existential crisis.
Kathy, the Indian Giver
Kathy is taught about fair trading from her father—and ends up trading her doll for a real baby.
The Historical Andersons
When Bud receives an assignment to write a term paper about a Revolutionary War hero, he ends up researching the life of a relative—Major Nathaniel Oliver Anderson.
The Grass is Greener
Jim’s old college friend, Charlie Bradley, a successful industrial tycoon, is in town. Charlie, along with Jim, were a part of a group known as The Four Musketeers, in college. Of the four, Jim appears to be the least ‘successful.’
The Persistent Guest
Bud’s new friend, Fred, won't leave the Anderson house.
Family Reunion
The family tries to think up excuses to keep from going to Margaret's family reunion.
Family Dines Out
Betty tells a wealthy friend, Eloise Sanders, that she’s going to a charity dinner at a club. But it’s expensive and she hasn’t asked her father, yet.
Bud, the Boxer
Bud gets in a tussle with a boy, Eddie, at school, then dreads facing him the next day because the kid wants to fight him. Jim makes Bud face him in a boxing ring to settle it, knowing that Bud will have to face Eddie, eventually. Later, Jim has Bud take boxing lessons.
Betty, Girl Engineer
Betty takes a vocational guidance course and signs up to get practical experience to become an engineer, but she gets a lot of flack for it because she’s a girl.
The Martins and the Coys
Jim and a family friend, Frank, fight over an insurance claim and dissolve their friendship over it. Betty and his son, Bob, are dating and this affects them, too.
Dilemma for Margaret
Margaret is asked to represent her branch of the PTA by giving a speech, but later decides against doing so because of some mischief Betty gets into.
Hero Father
Bud boasts to his friends, Sandy and Kippy, that his dad can get Duke Snider’s All-Stars to come to Springfield.
Father, the Naturalist
Jim fights the elements to collect plants for Kathy's nature folder.
The Ten Dollar Question
Jim makes a bet: the kid who doesn't tattle for one week will receive ten dollars.
Adopted Daughter
Kathy finds a receipt for $25 from the adoption center and believes she was adopted.
Betty's Graduation
While the family is readying for Betty’s graduation, Betty becomes conflicted about the event.