Dan Cirucci: 1964: When CBS Was The King Of Tv

Monday, March 30, 2026

1964: When CBS Was The King Of Tv

MONDAY MARCH 30, 1964 CBS PRIMETIME:

7:30 pm "To Tell the Truth" - "Episode #8.172" - Host: Bud Collyer - Panelists: Tom Poston, Peggy Cass, Orson Bean, Kitty Carlisle - Announcer: Johnny Olson

8:00 pm "I've Got a Secret" - "Episode #12.28" - Moderator: Garry Moore - Guest Star: Bette Davis - Panelists: Bill Cullen, Betsy Palmer, Henry Morgan, Bess Myerson - Announcer: John Cannon

8:30 pm "The Lucy Show" - "Lucy and the Scout Trip" (Ep #2.26) - Cast: Lucille Ball, Vivian Vance, Gale Gordon - Featuring: Jimmy Garrett, Ralph Hart - Guest Cast: Desi Arnaz IV., Barry Livingston

9:00 pm "The Danny Thomas Show" - "Pupa Loves Rusty"

(Ep #11.26) - Cast: Danny Thomas, Marjorie Lord, Rusty Hamer, Angela Cartwright - Guest Cast: Piccola Pupa, Ricky Kelman, Michael Agate

9:30 pm - "The Andy Griffith Show" - "Divorce, Mountain Style"

(Ep #4.25) - Cast: Andy Griffith, Ronny Howard, and Don Knotts - Featuring: Howard McNear - Guest Cast: Bob Denver, Maggie Peterson, The Dillards (Doug Dillard, Rodney Dillard, Mitch Jayne, Dean Webb), and Denver Pyle

10:00 pm "East Side, West Side" - "Nothing But the Half Truth" (Ep #1.24) - Cast: George C. Scott, Elizabeth Wilson, Cicely Tyson - Guest Cast: Linden Chiles, John McMartin, Colleen Dewhurst, Maria Brenes, Reni Santoni, Epy Baca, Luis Arroyo, Leon Janney, Joshua Shelley, Mark Gordon, Robert Fields, Robert Barend, and David Susskind

Games, Comedy, and Drama

"To Tell the Truth" had young actor, Luke Halpin, trying to stump the panel; The first "Flipper" movie had been released but the second and the series not yet

What was Bette Davis' secret? Did the panel guess it?

Lucy - Danny - Andy

The realism of "East Side, West Side" starring George C. Scott was praised by the critics, but was too much for the viewers who were just in Mayberry - It lasted one season - Director Tom Gries won an Emmy for his work on the show

Note:

"To Tell the Truth" was #24 in the ratings and was CBS's #16 series

"I've Got a Secret" was #12 and CBS's #11 series overall

"The Lucy Show" was #6 and CBS's #5 series

"The Danny Thomas Show" was #9 and CBS's #8 series

"The Andy Griffith Show" was #5 and was CBS's #4 series

For the 63-64 season, CBS had 15 of the Top Twenty Series

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About Dan Cirucci

He's been cited by the late Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed across all media.

He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, a Save Jersey blog columnist, frequent guest on the Matt Rooney radio show and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV.

Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates.

Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post, Broad and Liberty and other print and online platforms.

A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission.

He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups.

In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Cirucci's passions include all things Italian, politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel.

He and his wife Carole have two grown children and seven grandchildren.

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