50th Anniversary of 1974 TV Classics: From ‘Little House’ to ‘Happy Days’

Celebrating their 50th anniversaries this year are 15 classic TV shows from 1974, many of which have stood the test of time and continue to impact audiences. Whether you’re in the mood for laughs, tears, or thrills, these shows covered a range of emotions and genres. For a dose of humor, you have Good Times, Chico and the Man, and Happy Days.

If you’re looking for something more emotional, the heartwarming stories of the Ingalls family in Little House on the Prairie are sure to bring a tear to your eye. Thrills were delivered by Kolchak: The Night Stalker, while Saturday morning memories were provided by Land of the Lost and The New Adventures of Gilligan. Superhero fans could turn to Shazam!, while police dramas were exemplified by The Rockford Files and Police Woman.

Without further ado, here’s a look back at these memorable shows.

TITLE: Chico and the Man

SEASONS/EPISODES: 4 Seasons (1974 to 1978)/88 Episodes

CAST: Freddie Prinze (Chico Rodriguez) and Jack Albertson (Ed Brown, aka “The Man”)

PREMISE: The series focuses on Mexican American Chico Rodriguez who arrives at the garage of the cantankerous — often racist — owner Ed Brown. Chico eventually becomes both a worker and a “tenant” in the garage, leading to an evolving bond between them.

Note: Actor Freddie Prinze struggled with depression and unfortunately took his life towards the end of the third season. Subsequent episodes attempted to replace his character, but the show was eventually canceled after the fourth season.

TITLE: The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast

SEASONS/EPISODES: 10 Seasons (1974 to 1984)/54 specials and shows

CAST: Dean Martin and a rotating panel of celebrities, including Jack Benny, George Burns, James Stewart, and Bob Hope.

PREMISE: Dean Martin served as the host while various celebrities took turns roasting a featured guest each episode.

TITLE: Good Times

SEASONS/EPISODES: 6 Seasons/133 Episodes

CAST: Esther Rolle (Florida Evans), John Amos (James Evans), Ja’Net DuBois (Willona Woods), among others.

PREMISE: Set in Chicago, the show chronicles the comedic and dramatic experiences of the Evans family. It was a spin-off of Maude, which in turn spun off from All in the Family. The balance between serious themes and comedic elements, especially the popularity of Jimmie Walker’s character J.J., was a central aspect of the show.

TITLE: Happy Days

SEASONS/EPISODES: 11 Seasons/255 Episodes

CAST: Ron Howard (Richie Cunningham), Henry Winkler (Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli), and others.

PREMISE: Set in Milwaukee during the 1950s, originally focused on teenager Richie Cunningham and his misadventures with friends. The show evolved, emphasizing Richie’s friendship with the cool-kid Fonzie. This evolution saw the show gain enormous popularity.

TITLE: Harry O

SEASONS/EPISODES: 2 Seasons/44 Episodes

CAST: David Janssen (Harry Orwell) with recurring characters played by Henry Darrow and Farrah Fawcett.

PREMISE: Harry Orwell, a former San Diego cop, turns to private investigation after being forced into retirement due to an injury. Operating out of his beach house, he tackles various cases to make ends meet.

TITLE: Hong Kong Phooey

SEASONS/EPISODES: 1 Season/16 Episodes

CAST: Scatman Crothers (voice of Hong Kong Phooey/Penrod “Penry” Pooch), Kathy Gori, Joe E. Ross, Don Messick.

PREMISE: This animated series parodied the Kung Fu movie craze, featuring a clumsy police station janitor who transforms into the titular masked hero to fight crime.

TITLE: Kolchak: The Night Stalker

SEASONS/EPISODES: 1 Season/20 Episodes

CAST: Darren McGavin (Carl Kolchak), Simon Oakland, Jack Grinnage.

PREMISE: Spinning off from two successful TV movies, the series followed reporter Carl Kolchak, who uncovers supernatural occurrences. The show’s influence extended to inspiring Chris Carter’s creation of The X-Files.

TITLE: Land of the Lost

SEASONS/EPISODES: 3 Seasons/43 Episodes

CAST: Wesley Eure (Will Marshall), Kathy Coleman, Spencer Milligan, among others.

PREMISE: After an earthquake, the Marshall family finds itself in a realm populated by prehistoric creatures, humanoid insects, and other fantastical beings. The show was later remade in 1991 and turned into a feature film in 2009.

TITLE: Little House on the Prairie

SEASONS/EPISODES: 9 Seasons/204 Episodes plus 4 specials

CAST: Michael Landon (Charles Ingalls), Karen Grassle, Melissa Gilbert, among others.

PREMISE: Loosely based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s best-selling books, the series chronicled the lives of the Ingalls family from the 1870s to the 1890s.

TITLE: The New Adventures of Gilligan

SEASONS/EPISODES: 2 Seasons/24 Episodes

VOICE CAST: Bob Denver (Gilligan), Alan Hale Jr. (The Skipper), Jim Backus, and others.

PREMISE: An animated, more kid-friendly version of what would have been season 4 of the original Gilligan’s Island, featuring the comic misadventures of seven stranded castaways.

TITLE: Planet of the Apes

SEASONS/EPISODES: 1 Season/14 Episodes

CAST: Roddy McDowall (Galen), Ron Harper, James Naughton, among others.

PREMISE: Modern astronauts land in a future where intelligent apes rule and humans are inferior. They partner with a sympathetic chimpanzee named Galen to evade capture.

TITLE: Police Woman

SEASONS/EPISODES: 4 Seasons/91 Episodes

CAST: Angie Dickinson (Sgt. “Pepper” Anderson), Earl Holliman, and others.

PREMISE: The show revolved around Sgt. Pepper Anderson, part of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Criminal Conspiracy Unit, who undertakes undercover assignments to combat crime.

TITLE: Rhoda

SEASONS/EPISODES: 5 Seasons/110 Episodes

CAST: Valerie Harper (Rhoda Morgenstern), Julie Kavner, David Groh, among others.

PREMISE: A spin-off of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, the series follows Rhoda as she moves back to New York, navigates family dynamics, marries and divorces Joe Gerard, and lives her life as a single woman again.

TITLE: The Rockford Files

SEASONS/EPISODES: 6 Seasons/123 Episodes

CAST: James Garner (Jim Rockford), Noah Beery Jr., Joe Santos.

PREMISE: Jim Rockford, a private investigator and paroled convict, takes on cases that often lead to trouble despite his best efforts to avoid it.

TITLE: Shazam!

SEASONS/EPISODES: 3 Seasons/28 Episodes

CAST: Michael Gray (Billy Batson), Jackson Bostwick (the first Captain Marvel), John Davey, among others.

PREMISE: Based on the DC comic, young Billy Batson travels the country with his “Mentor” in a motorhome. When in need, Billy transforms into Captain Marvel by saying the word “Shazam” to help those they encounter.