first tv couple in a double bed - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

gregrob · 05-11-2003, 08:09 AM

Bewitched broke the double bed barrier by allowing Samantha and Darrin to be shown in a double bed although the show never seems to get the credit for it. People mistakenly say the Brady Bunch or All in the Family was the first show to have a couple shown in a double bed. Although Darrin and Samantha do keep their distance in the bed, the show still does deserve credit for being brave enough to break the double bed barrier. I often wonder how the censors of 1964 decided to allow this. I can never find any real significant info on it. Anybody know how allowing a couple to be shown in a double bed came to be?

pandora_spocks · 05-11-2003, 03:51 PM

Never really thought about it that way. Could you imagine Samantha and Darrin in separate beds? It makes me wonder how Rob and Laura or even Lucy and Ricky had kids. Must've been real magic..hehe.

Sean Snow · 05-11-2003, 04:16 PM

There was a show before Bewitched where the two main characters slept in the same bed - Mary Kay & Johnny, which ran from the late '40s into the very early '50s. Mary Kay and Johnny were married in real life and on the show, so the censors allowed them to be shown in the same bed.

Arfies · 05-11-2003, 10:12 PM

I heard about Mary Kay & Johnny too, and did some research: Turns out that married couples sleeping in the same bed wasn't really a big deal until 1951, when the television code expressly forbid it.

So in that sense, Bewitched was breaking barriers. And Dick York and Elizabeth Montgomery weren't married in "real life".

WstrnElect · 06-01-2003, 09:42 AM

I did not know about Mary Kay and Johnny, so technically I guess that was the first one. I have said for years that Bewitched broke the double bed barrier, and considering the Television Code changes that took place in 1951, it should remain as the first "modern" show to hold the honor.

I recently learned that the Hayes Commission, which was primarily responsible for all of the ridiculous censorship in movies and television through the middle part of the 20th century, had its roots in a national Catholic organization in the 1930's. Of course, we all know now how effective that censorship was within the Church itself.

One of the things I loved about BW, especially in the earliest episodes, was the way EM and DY were able to portray a very strong underlying sexual vibe. In the premiere, when Darrin and Samantha are just about to enter the bedroom on their honeymoon, Samantha decides that this is the moment to tell Darrin she is a witch. She says "Let's talk", and then the way Dick York says "WHAT!?" is nothing less than Emmy material. An absolutely classic scene.

OK, now that I've defended Bewitched's place in TV history, I have to point something else out. It actually shares the double bed honor with another series, which also premiered in 1964. Any guesses? You probably won't believe the answer.

Kurt

Arfies · 06-01-2003, 09:56 AM

The Munsters.

WstrnElect · 06-01-2003, 10:04 AM

Yes, the Munsters is the correct answer. You guys are good.

Novarro · 06-09-2003, 10:36 PM

Yeah isn't that strange. "The Brady Bunch" is ALWAYS credited as being the first series to show the husband and wife sharing the same bed but Samantha and Darrin always slept together right from 1964. Bewitched once again as in alot of things was ahead of its time.
Simon

Novarro · 06-09-2003, 10:42 PM

And.... Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York were so perfect together that they really looked like a real life married couple. I could NEVER imagine those two in seperate beds it would have ruined the great chemistry between them and (being naughty here) I always thought that Sam and Darren would have had a wonderful sex life anyway as they were always hugging and kissing on the show!
Simon

Just Popped In · 06-16-2003, 02:19 AM

Just Popped In · 06-16-2003, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Novarro
And.... Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York were so perfect together that they really looked like a real life married couple. I could NEVER imagine those two in seperate beds it would have ruined the great chemistry between them and (being naughty here) I always thought that Sam and Darren would have had a wonderful sex life anyway as they were always hugging and kissing on the show!
Simon

I always wonder how awkward that must have felt for the director William Asher, having been Liz's husband and all.

Joeytrom · 08-01-2003, 01:32 PM

Ozzie and Harriet slept in the same bed on their show (though not in the first season) from 1953 on.

shocolah · 08-02-2003, 09:11 PM

I am almost 100 percent positive that in one ep of "I Love Lucy", Fred and Ethel shared the same bed. I think it was the one where all four of them were staying at this place and there was a train that kept going by which shook the entire room. They kept switching beds around (not the one where Lucy tried to sleep in the hammock and she kept falling out of it)...but at one point, Fred and Ethel decided to share the big double bed for a minute or two. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am sure I've seen this one a couple of times.

TVgen62 · 08-04-2003, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WstrnElect
Yes, the Munsters is the correct answer. You guys are good.

Bewitched premiered 09/17/64, one week before The Munsters (which premiered 09/24/64).

treky · 08-07-2003, 01:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by shocolah
I am almost 100 percent positive that in one ep of "I Love Lucy", Fred and Ethel shared the same bed. I think it was the one where all four of them were staying at this place and there was a train that kept going by which shook the entire room. They kept switching beds around (not the one where Lucy tried to sleep in the hammock and she kept falling out of it)...but at one point, Fred and Ethel decided to share the big double bed for a minute or two. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am sure I've seen this one a couple of times.

you're right about that "I Love Lucy" episode, which aired in Jan. 1955 (it's one of the shows "Hollywood episodes") and that has been mentioned as the first show to have a married couple "hit the sheets". However, some people don't count it, as it was a comic scene. It's also been mentioned that "The Flintstones" was also the first show to show it, but, again, some people don't count that because it was animated. Also, sometimes Fred & Wilma had a double bed & sometimes they had single beds.

05-11-2003, 08:09 AM	#1
gregrob Frequent Poster Member Join Date: Aug 13, 2002 Posts: 126	first tv couple in a double bed Bewitched broke the double bed barrier by allowing Samantha and Darrin to be shown in a double bed although the show never seems to get the credit for it. People mistakenly say the Brady Bunch or All in the Family was the first show to have a couple shown in a double bed. Although Darrin and Samantha do keep their distance in the bed, the show still does deserve credit for being brave enough to break the double bed barrier. I often wonder how the censors of 1964 decided to allow this. I can never find any real significant info on it. Anybody know how allowing a couple to be shown in a double bed came to be?

05-11-2003, 10:12 PM	#4
Arfies Forum Regular Memberific Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: There beneath the blue suburban skies, in summer, meanwhile back.... Posts: 259	I heard about Mary Kay & Johnny too, and did some research: Turns out that married couples sleeping in the same bed wasn't really a big deal until 1951, when the television code expressly forbid it. So in that sense, Bewitched was breaking barriers. And Dick York and Elizabeth Montgomery weren't married in "real life". __________________ The largest collection of Bewitched fan fiction on the Net! http://bewitchingtales.feytripper.com/

06-01-2003, 09:42 AM	#5
WstrnElect Occasional Poster Member Join Date: Jun 01, 2003 Posts: 5	Double Bed I did not know about Mary Kay and Johnny, so technically I guess that was the first one. I have said for years that Bewitched broke the double bed barrier, and considering the Television Code changes that took place in 1951, it should remain as the first "modern" show to hold the honor. I recently learned that the Hayes Commission, which was primarily responsible for all of the ridiculous censorship in movies and television through the middle part of the 20th century, had its roots in a national Catholic organization in the 1930's. Of course, we all know now how effective that censorship was within the Church itself. One of the things I loved about BW, especially in the earliest episodes, was the way EM and DY were able to portray a very strong underlying sexual vibe. In the premiere, when Darrin and Samantha are just about to enter the bedroom on their honeymoon, Samantha decides that this is the moment to tell Darrin she is a witch. She says "Let's talk", and then the way Dick York says "WHAT!?" is nothing less than Emmy material. An absolutely classic scene. OK, now that I've defended Bewitched's place in TV history, I have to point something else out. It actually *shares* the double bed honor with another series, which also premiered in 1964. Any guesses? You probably won't believe the answer. Kurt

06-16-2003, 02:19 AM	#10
Just Popped In Forum Regular Lucy & Ricky forever Join Date: Nov 16, 2002 Location: Monterey Peninsula, California Posts: 304	. Last edited by Just Popped In : 08-08-2003 at 03:18 PM.

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05-11-2003, 03:51 PM	#2
pandora_spocks Forum Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 30, 2002 Posts: 21,527	Never really thought about it that way. Could you imagine Samantha and Darrin in separate beds? It makes me wonder how Rob and Laura or even Lucy and Ricky had kids. Must've been real magic..hehe.

05-11-2003, 04:16 PM	#3
Sean Snow Forum Veteran moo Join Date: May 06, 2001 Location: Georgia Posts: 10,345	There was a show before Bewitched where the two main characters slept in the same bed - Mary Kay & Johnny, which ran from the late '40s into the very early '50s. Mary Kay and Johnny were married in real life and on the show, so the censors allowed them to be shown in the same bed.

06-01-2003, 09:56 AM	#6
Arfies Forum Regular Memberific Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: There beneath the blue suburban skies, in summer, meanwhile back.... Posts: 259	The Munsters.

06-01-2003, 10:04 AM	#7
WstrnElect Occasional Poster Member Join Date: Jun 01, 2003 Posts: 5	Yes, the Munsters is the correct answer. You guys are good.

06-09-2003, 10:36 PM	#8
Novarro Frequent Poster Member Join Date: Jun 02, 2002 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 191	Yeah isn't that strange. "The Brady Bunch" is ALWAYS credited as being the first series to show the husband and wife sharing the same bed but Samantha and Darrin always slept together right from 1964. Bewitched once again as in alot of things was ahead of its time. Simon

06-09-2003, 10:42 PM	#9
Novarro Frequent Poster Member Join Date: Jun 02, 2002 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 191	And.... Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York were so perfect together that they really looked like a real life married couple. I could NEVER imagine those two in seperate beds it would have ruined the great chemistry between them and (being naughty here) I always thought that Sam and Darren would have had a wonderful sex life anyway as they were always hugging and kissing on the show! Simon

08-01-2003, 01:32 PM	#12
Joeytrom Frequent Poster Member Join Date: Aug 03, 2002 Posts: 59	Ozzie and Harriet slept in the same bed on their show (though not in the first season) from 1953 on.

08-02-2003, 09:11 PM	#13
shocolah Forum Regular Bring Back The Wonder Years!!! Join Date: Sep 01, 2001 Posts: 509	I am almost 100 percent positive that in one ep of "I Love Lucy", Fred and Ethel shared the same bed. I think it was the one where all four of them were staying at this place and there was a train that kept going by which shook the entire room. They kept switching beds around (not the one where Lucy tried to sleep in the hammock and she kept falling out of it)...but at one point, Fred and Ethel decided to share the big double bed for a minute or two. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I am sure I've seen this one a couple of times.