Classic TV Ratings and Rankings: 1955-56 Season

1955 - 56 saw I LOVE LUCY pushed out of the #1 position by rookie game show THE $64,000 QUESTION. The game show started a phenomenon  that the other networks quickly tried to copy.

CBS was the network to beat. It posted 7 of the top 10 programs and a total of 17 in the top 30. ABC, again, was only able to produce one top 30 series (DISNEYLAND, #4). NBC took the remaining 12, top 30 slots.

This was the last time we would see the DuMont Network. most of its more popular programs migrated to ABC. The failed network was only producing 2 programs for a total of 2.5 hours.

1955 saw the debut of the long running GUNSMOKE premiere. This is also the season THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW was names. It was formally TOAST OF THE TOWN.

THE JOHNNY CARSON SHOW debuted on CBS. It was only on for one season and afterwards, Carson moved to the daytime game show WHO DO YOU TRUST for five years before becoming host of NBC's THE TONIGHT SHOW.

Top 30 Network Programs by household ratings

(34.9 million television homes)

1. The $64,000 Question (CBS) - 47.5
2. I Love Lucy (CBS) - 46.1
3. The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS) - 39.5
4. Disneyland (ABC) - 37.2
5. The Jack Benny Program (CBS) - 37.2
6. December Bride (CBS) - 37.0 
7. You Bet Your Life (NBC)  - 35.4
8. Dragnet (NBC) - 35.0
9. The Millionaire (CBS) - 33.8
10. I've Got a Secret (CBS) - 33.5
11. General Electric Theater (CBS) - 32.9
12. Private Secretary (CBS) - 32.4 
13. Ford Theater (NBC) - 32.4
14. The Red Skelton Show (CBS) - 32.3
15. The George Gobel Show (NBC) 31.9
16. Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (CBS) - 31.1

17. The Lineup (CBS) - 30.8
18. The Perry Como Show (NBC) - 30.3
19. The Honeymooners (CBS) - 30.2
20. Adventures of Robin Hood (CBS) - 30.1
21. The Life of Riley (NBC) - 29.9
22. Climax! (CBS) - 29.6
23. Your Hit Parade (NBC) - 29.1
24. Jane Wyman's Fireside Theater (NBC) - 29.0
25. Lux Video Theater (NBC) - 28.9
26. This I Your Life (NBC) - 28.0
27. The George Burns/Gracie Allen Show (CBS) - 27.6
28. People Are Funny (NBC) - 27.6
29. The Chevy Show (NBC) - 27.4
30. You'll Never Get Rich (CBS) - 27.3