The Aldrich Family was a popular situation comedy broadcast on NBC from 1939 to 1953. Originally a summer replacement show for The Jack Benny Program, The Aldrich Family became an instant hit after its debut and later maintained a high rating for 13 years. Ezra Stone first starred the central character Henry Aldrich, 16-year old student at Central High School in the town of Centerville. Norman Tokar, Raymond Ives, Bobby Ellis took over the role in the next few years' run, as each one of them went to the army during the war years. Katharine Raht played Henry's mother Alice, and House Jameson as Henry's father Sam Aldrich. Henry's sister Mary was portrayed by at least a dozen actresses over the years; one of them Betty Field. Jackie Kelk played Henry's best buddy Homer Brown. The show was created and written by Clifford Goldsmith, the highest-paid playwright in the radio. The Aldrich Family show also became a prototype for the teen-oriented situation comedies that followed on radio and television.
