This is a list of issue covers of TV Guide magazine for the decade of the 1950s, from its national launch in April 1953 through December 1959. The entries on this table include each cover's subjects and their artists (photographer or illustrator). This list is for the regular weekly issues of TV Guide; any one-time-only special issues are not included. From April 3, 1953 to July 9, 1954, the magazine organized their TV listings from Friday to Thursday. Starting July 17, 1954, the pattern was reorganized in order from Saturday to Friday and would be done in this manner until April 3, 2004.
1953
edit| Issue date | Cover subject | Cover type | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4/3/1953 | Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV (using Desi Arnaz Jr.'s legal name) & uncaptioned inset photo of Lucille Ball | Photo montage | Unknown |
| 4/10/1953 | Dragnet's Jack Webb | ||
| 4/17/1953 | Uncaptioned Lucille Ball, Arthur Godfrey, Milton Berle, Imogene Coca & Sid Caesar | Illustration | Jack Weaver |
| 4/24/1953 | Ralph Edwards | ||
| 5/1/1953 | Eve Arden | ||
| 5/8/1953 | Arthur Godfrey | Photograph | |
| 5/15/1953 | David & Ricky Nelson | ||
| 5/22/1953 | Uncaptioned Red Buttons | ||
| 5/29/1953 | Uncaptioned Queen Elizabeth II | ||
| 6/5/1953 | Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin | ||
| 6/12/1953 | Eddie Fisher | ||
| 6/19/1953 | Ed Sullivan | ||
| 6/26/1953 | Dinah Shore | ||
| 7/3/1953 | Uncaptioned Perry Como | ||
| 7/10/1953 | Dave Garroway & Mr. Muggs | ||
| 7/17/1953 | Uncaptioned Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz | ||
| 7/24/1953 | Uncaptioned Groucho Marx | Illustration | Bob Taylor |
| 7/31/1953 | Max Liebman, Sid Caesar & Imogene Coca | ||
| 8/7/1953 | Ray Milland: Moves to TV | ||
| 8/14/1953 | Patti Page | ||
| 8/21/1953 | Super Circus Mary Hartline & Claude Kirchner | Photo illustration | |
| 8/28/1953 | Uncaptioned Jayne Meadows & Audrey Meadows | ||
| 9/4/1953 | Back to School With Mr. Peepers/Uncaptioned Marion Lorne & Wally Cox | Illustration | |
| 9/11/1953 | Joan Caulfield & Ralph Edwards This Is Your Life | Photograph | |
| 9/18/1953 | Fall Preview 1953-1954 Shows | ||
| 9/25/1953 | George Reeves — — Man and Superman | Photo montage | |
| 10/2/1953 | Red Skelton: A Career at Stake | ||
| 10/9/1953 | Preview: Bishop Sheen's New Book | ||
| 10/16/1953 | Picture Story — 1953 T-Venus Winners (Three uncaptioned actresses, one of whom is Angie Dickinson) | Photograph | |
| 10/23/1953 | Arthur Godfrey | Photo montage | |
| 10/30/1953 | Buelah Witch & Friends | Illustration | |
| 11/6/1953 | Warren Hull | ||
| 11/13/1953 | Jimmy Durante | ||
| 11/20/1953 | Dorothy McGuire & Julius La Rosa | ||
| 11/27/1953 | Lugene Sanders — 'Babs Riley' | ||
| 12/4/1953 | Loretta Young | ||
| 12/11/1953 | Jack Webb: Quitting Dragnet | ||
| 12/18/1953 | Bob Hope: On The Run | Photo illustration | |
| 12/25/1953 | Merry Christmas with uncaptioned Perry Como, Patti Page & Eddie Fisher |
1954
edit| Issue date | Cover subject | Cover type | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/1/1954 | Bing Crosby | Photograph | |
| 1/8/1954 | Joan Caulfield | ||
| 1/15/1954 | Martha Raye | ||
| 1/22/1954 | I've Got a Secret | ||
| 1/29/1954 | Robert Montgomery | ||
| 2/5/1954 | Jack Benny | Photograph | |
| 2/12/1954 | Red Buttons | ||
| 2/19/1954 | Ann Sothern | ||
| 2/26/1954 | Liberace | Photograph | |
| 3/5/1954 | Marion Marlowe & Frank Parker | ||
| 3/12/1954 | Maria Riva | ||
| 3/19/1954 | Groucho Marx | ||
| 3/26/1954 | Jackie Gleason | Photograph | William Kahn |
| 4/2/1954 | Eve Arden | ||
| 4/9/1954 | Charlie Applewhite & Milton Berle | ||
| 4/16/1954 | TV Guide Awards | ||
| 4/23/1954 | Lucille Ball | Photograph | |
| 4/30/1954 | Ben Alexander & Jack Webb | ||
| 5/7/1954 | Nelsons — Mother (Harriet Nelson) & Sons (Ricky Nelson & David Nelson) | ||
| 5/14/1954 | Frank Sinatra | Photograph | |
| 5/21/1954 | Patricia Benoit & Wally Cox | ||
| 5/28/1954 | Gale Storm | ||
| 6/4/1954 | Arthur Godfrey | ||
| 6/11/1954 | Ben Blue & Alan Young | ||
| 6/18/1954 | Rise Stevens & Ed Sullivan | ||
| 6/25/1954 | Howdy Doody & Bob Smith | Photograph | |
| 7/2/1954 | Joan Davis & Jim Backus | ||
| 7/9/1954 | Arlene Francis | ||
| 7/17/1954 | Roy Rogers | ||
| 7/24/1954 | Jack Webb & Ann Robinson | ||
| 7/31/1954 | William Bendix | ||
| 8/7/1954 | Perry Como & Friends | ||
| 8/14/1954 | Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis | Photograph | |
| 8/21/1954 | Jayne Meadows & Steve Allen | ||
| 8/28/1954 | Roxanne | ||
| 9/4/1954 | Eddie Fisher | ||
| 9/11/1954 | Betty Hutton | ||
| 9/18/1954 | Liberace | ||
| 9/25/1954 | Fall Preview 1954-1955 Shows | Text graphic | |
| 10/2/1954 | Teresa Wright & Dick Powell in The Long Goodbye | ||
| 10/9/1954 | Lucille Ball | ||
| 10/16/1954 | Red Buttons | Photograph | |
| 10/23/1954 | Walt Disney with his studio's cartoon characters | Photo illustration | Walt Disney Productions |
| 10/30/1954 | Joan Caulfield & Barry Nelson | ||
| 11/6/1954 | Gracie Allen & George Burns | ||
| 11/13/1954 | Joanne Rio & Liberace | ||
| 11/20/1954 | Bebe Daniels & Ralph Edwards | ||
| 11/27/1954 | Peter Lawford & Marcia Henderson | ||
| 12/4/1954 | George Gobel | ||
| 12/11/1954 | Marion Marlowe | ||
| 12/18/1954 | Imogene Coca | ||
| 12/25/1954 | Ozzie Nelson & Family |
1955
edit| Issue date | Cover subject | Cover type | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/1/1955 | Loretta Young of The Loretta Young Show | Photograph | Elmer Holloway |
| 1/8/1955 | Arthur Godfrey | ||
| 1/15/1955 | I've Got a Secret | ||
| 1/22/1955 | Ed Sullivan | ||
| 1/29/1955 | Martha Raye | ||
| 2/5/1955 | Edward R. Murrow | ||
| 2/12/1955 | Your Hit Parade | ||
| 2/19/1955 | Sid Caesar | Photograph | Philippe Halsman |
| 2/26/1955 | Steve Allen & Judy Holliday | ||
| 3/5/1955 | Liberace | ||
| 3/12/1955 | Dinah Shore | ||
| 3/19/1955 | Art Carney | ||
| 3/26/1955 | Gale Gordon & Eve Arden | ||
| 4/2/1955 | Tony Martin | ||
| 4/9/1955 | Gloria Marshall & Bob Cummings | ||
| 4/16/1955 | Garry Moore | ||
| 4/23/1955 | Gale Storm | ||
| 4/30/1955 | Buddy Ebsen & Fess Parker | ||
| 5/7/1955 | Robin Morgan & Peggy Wood | ||
| 5/14/1955 | Perry Como | ||
| 5/21/1955 | Audrey Meadows & Jackie Gleason | ||
| 5/28/1955 | Ralph Edwards | ||
| 6/4/1955 | Eddie Fisher | ||
| 6/11/1955 | Gail Davis | ||
| 6/18/1955 | Danny Thomas | ||
| 6/25/1955 | Sid Caesar, Barbara Nichols & Cliff Norton | ||
| 7/2/1955 | Tommy Rettig with Lassie & Lee Aaker with Rin Tin Tin | Photograph | Graphic House |
| 7/9/1955 | Patti Page | ||
| 7/16/1955 | Julius La Rosa | ||
| 7/23/1955 | Janet Leigh & Jack Webb | ||
| 7/30/1955 | Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Margaret Whiting & Barbara Whiting | ||
| 8/6/1955 | Art Linkletter | ||
| 8/13/1955 | Roxanne & Bud Collyer | ||
| 8/20/1955 | Hal March | ||
| 8/27/1955 | Groucho Marx | ||
| 9/3/1955 | Jody Carson & Johnny Carson of The Johnny Carson Show | Photograph | Gaby Rona |
| 9/10/1955 | Arthur Godfrey | ||
| 9/17/1955 | Milton Berle & Esther Williams | ||
| 9/24/1955 | Fall preview 1955-1956 Shows | Illustration | |
| 10/1/1955 | Mickey Mouse | ||
| 10/8/1955 | George Burns & Gracie Allen | ||
| 10/15/1955 | Richard Boone | ||
| 10/22/1955 | Peggy King & George Gobel | ||
| 10/29/1955 | Phil Silvers | Photograph | Philippe Halsman |
| 11/5/1955 | Nanette Fabray | ||
| 11/12/1955 | Liberace | ||
| 11/19/1955 | Jack Benny | ||
| 11/26/1955 | Martha Raye of The Martha Raye Show with her head leaning out of a picture frame | Photograph | Philippe Halsman |
| 12/3/1955 | Mary Healy & Peter Lind Hayes | ||
| 12/10/1955 | Lucille Ball | ||
| 12/17/1955 | Robert Montgomery | ||
| 12/24/1955 | A Christmas image of a TV antenna decorated with ornaments and beads | Photograph | Larry Fritz |
| 12/31/1955 | Cleo (dog) of The People's Choice |
1956
edit| Issue date | Cover subject | Cover type | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/7/1956 | Arthur Godfrey | ||
| 1/14/1956 | Loretta Young | ||
| 1/21/1956 | Lawrence Welk | ||
| 1/28/1956 | Janis Paige | ||
| 2/4/1956 | Judy Tyler | ||
| 2/11/1956 | Perry Como | ||
| 2/18/1956 | Jimmy Durante | ||
| 2/25/1956 | Gisele MacKenzie | ||
| 3/3/1956 | Lynn Dollar & Hal March | ||
| 3/10/1956 | Frances Rafferty & Spring Byington | ||
| 3/17/1956 | Maurice Evans & Lilli Palmer | ||
| 3/24/1956 | Dave Garroway | ||
| 3/31/1956 | Arlene Francis & John Daly | ||
| 4/7/1956 | Jayne Meadows, Garry Moore & Faye Emerson | ||
| 4/14/1956 | Grace Kelly | ||
| 4/21/1956 | Nanette Fabray | ||
| 4/28/1956 | Red Skelton | ||
| 5/5/1956 | George Gobel & Mitzi Gaynor | ||
| 5/12/1956 | Bernadette O'Farrell & Richard Greene | ||
| 5/19/1956 | Phil Silvers & Elisabeth Fraser | ||
| 5/26/1956 | Alice Lon & Lawrence Welk | ||
| 6/2/1956 | Sid Caesar & Janet Blair | ||
| 6/9/1956 | Patti Page | ||
| 6/16/1956 | Elinor Donahue, Robert Young, Lauren Chapin & Billy Gray | ||
| 6/23/1956 | Steve Allen | ||
| 6/30/1956 | Bob Cummings | ||
| 7/7/1956 | Lassie | Photograph | Garrett-Howard |
| 7/14/1956 | Gordon MacRae & Sheila MacRae | ||
| 7/21/1956 | Bill Lundigan & Mary Costa | ||
| 7/28/1956 | Gail Davis of Annie Oakley | Photograph | Garrett-Howard |
| 8/4/1956 | Jackie Cooper & Cleo (dog) | ||
| 8/11/1956 | Democratic Convention | Illustration | KMLG-Barron |
| 8/18/1956 | GOP Convention | Illustration | Kramer, Miller, Lomden, Glassman |
| 8/25/1956 | Esther Williams | ||
| 9/1/1956 | Alice Lon | ||
| 9/8/1956 | Elvis Presley | ||
| 9/15/1956 | Fall Preview 1956-1957 Shows | ||
| 9/22/1956 | Hal March | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 9/29/1956 | Jackie Gleason | ||
| 10/6/1956 | Gale Storm | ||
| 10/13/1956 | The Nelson Family | ||
| 10/20/1956 | Phyllis Goodkind & Perry Como | ||
| 10/27/1956 | Alfred Hitchcock | ||
| 11/3/1956 | Edward R. Murrow | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 11/10/1956 | Loretta Young | Photograph | Elmer Holloway |
| 11/17/1956 | Buddy Hackett | ||
| 11/24/1956 | Nanette Fabray | ||
| 12/1/1956 | Gracie Allen & George Burns | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 12/8/1956 | Victor Borge | ||
| 12/15/1956 | Dinah Shore | ||
| 12/22/1956 | Merry Christmas | ||
| 12/29/1956 | Jeannie Carson |
1957
edit| Issue date | Cover subject | Cover type | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/5/1957 | Arthur Godfrey | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 1/12/1957 | Lucille Ball | ||
| 1/19/1957 | Jerry Lewis | ||
| 1/26/1957 | Bob Hope | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 2/2/1957 | Jane Wyman | ||
| 2/9/1957 | Hugh O'Brian | ||
| 2/16/1957 | Jane Wyatt & Robert Young | ||
| 2/23/1957 | Charles Van Doren | ||
| 3/2/1957 | Dorothy Collins & Gisele MacKenzie | ||
| 3/9/1957 | Arthur Godfrey & Pat Boone | ||
| 3/16/1957 | The Emmy Awards | ||
| 3/23/1957 | Tennessee Ernie Ford | Illustration | Ernest Chiriaka |
| 3/30/1957 | Julie Andrews | ||
| 4/6/1957 | Lawrence Welk | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 4/13/1957 | Nanette Fabray of The Kaiser Aluminum Hour in a baseball uniform (a baseball preview feature was included in this issue) | Photograph | Herb Ball |
| 4/20/1957 | Loretta Young | ||
| 4/27/1957 | Groucho Marx | Illustration | Al Parker |
| 5/4/1957 | Hal March & Robert Strom | ||
| 5/11/1957 | James Arness of Gunsmoke | Photograph | Garrett-Howard |
| 5/18/1957 | Esther Williams | ||
| 5/25/1957 | Sid Caesar | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 6/1/1957 | Ida Lupino & Howard Duff | ||
| 6/8/1957 | Lassie | ||
| 6/15/1957 | Red Skelton | ||
| 6/22/1957 | Jack Bailey | ||
| 6/29/1957 | Gale Storm | ||
| 7/6/1957 | What's My Line? | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 7/13/1957 | Gail Davis | ||
| 7/20/1957 | Julius La Rosa | ||
| 7/27/1957 | Garry Moore | ||
| 8/3/1957 | Cleo (dog) | ||
| 8/10/1957 | Ann B. Davis & Bob Cummings | ||
| 8/17/1957 | Phil Silvers | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 8/24/1957 | Marjorie Lord & Danny Thomas | ||
| 8/31/1957 | Clint Walker of Cheyenne | Photograph | Warner Bros. |
| 9/7/1957 | Janette Davis & Arthur Godfrey | ||
| 9/14/1957 | Fall Preview 1957-1958 Shows featuring a close-up of the eye of Polly Bergen | Photograph | Arthur Williams |
| 9/21/1957 | Pat Boone | ||
| 9/28/1957 | Gracie Allen & George Burns | ||
| 10/5/1957 | Joan Caulfield | ||
| 10/12/1957 | This Is The Week To Watch | Photo montage | |
| 10/19/1957 | Loretta Young | ||
| 10/26/1957 | Peter Lawford & Phyllis Kirk | ||
| 11/2/1957 | Lucille Ball | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 11/9/1957 | James Garner | ||
| 11/16/1957 | Patti Page | ||
| 11/23/1957 | Mary Martin | ||
| 11/30/1957 | Alfred Hitchcock | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 12/7/1957 | Dinah Shore | Illustration | Al Parker |
| 12/14/1957 | Walt Disney | ||
| 12/21/1957 | Season's Greetings | ||
| 12/28/1957 | Ricky Nelson of The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet | Photograph | John Engstead |
1958
edit| Issue date | Cover subject | Cover type | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4/1958 | Lawrence Welk | ||
| 1/11/1958 | Gisele MacKenzie | ||
| 1/18/1958 | John Payne | ||
| 1/25/1958 | Sid Caesar & Imogene Coca | Photograph | Philippe Halsman |
| 2/1/1958 | Walter Winchell | ||
| 2/8/1958 | Peggy King & Tab Hunter | ||
| 2/15/1958 | A Great Week | ||
| 2/22/1958 | Rosemary Clooney | ||
| 3/1/1958 | Lassie | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 3/8/1958 | Arthur Godfrey | ||
| 3/15/1958 | Amanda Blake & James Arness | ||
| 3/22/1958 | Perry Como | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 3/29/1958 | Tennessee Ernie Ford | Photograph | Paul W. Bailey |
| 4/5/1958 | Gale Storm | ||
| 4/12/1958 | Hugh O'Brian | Illustration | Al Hirschfeld |
| 4/19/1958 | Polly Bergen | ||
| 4/26/1958 | Guy Williams of Zorro | Photograph | Dave Preston |
| 5/3/1958 | Shirley Temple | ||
| 5/10/1958 | Richard Boone of Have Gun Will Travel | Photograph | Philippe Halsman |
| 5/17/1958 | Danny Thomas | ||
| 5/24/1958 | Dick Clark | ||
| 5/31/1958 | Phyllis Kirk | ||
| 6/7/1958 | Pat Boone | ||
| 6/14/1958 | Jane Wyatt & Robert Young | ||
| 6/21/1958 | Ed Sullivan | ||
| 6/28/1958 | Jerry Mathers | ||
| 7/5/1958 | Bill Cullen of The Price Is Right | ||
| 7/12/1958 | Lucille Ball | ||
| 7/19/1958 | Dale Robertson | ||
| 7/26/1958 | Paula Raymond & Marvin Miller | ||
| 8/2/1958 | Walter Brennan | ||
| 8/9/1958 | Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme | ||
| 8/16/1958 | Robert Horton & Ward Bond | ||
| 8/23/1958 | Edie Adams & Janet Blair | ||
| 8/30/1958 | Bud Collyer, Polly Bergen & Kitty Carlisle | ||
| 9/6/1958 | Arthur Godfrey | ||
| 9/13/1958 | Lennon Sisters & Lawrence Welk | ||
| 9/20/1958 | Fall Preview 1958-1959 Shows | ||
| 9/27/1958 | Garry Moore | ||
| 10/4/1958 | Dick Clark | ||
| 10/11/1958 | Barrie Chase & Fred Astaire | ||
| 10/18/1958 | Perry Como | ||
| 10/25/1958 | George Burns | ||
| 11/1/1958 | Jack Paar | ||
| 11/8/1958 | Loretta Young | ||
| 11/15/1958 | Warner Anderson & Tom Tully | ||
| 11/22/1958 | Ronald Reagan & Nancy Reagan | Photograph | Garrett-Howard |
| 11/29/1958 | Victor Borge | ||
| 12/6/1958 | James Arness | ||
| 12/13/1958 | Danny Thomas | ||
| 12/20/1958 | Special Holiday Issue | ||
| 12/27/1958 | David Nelson & Ricky Nelson |
1959
editSources
edit- Covers and table of contents page descriptions for the various issues.
- TV Guide cover archive website: 1950s
- TV Guide: Fifty Years of Television, New York, NY: Crown Publishers, 2002. ISBN 1-4000-4685-8
- Stephen Hofer, ed., TV Guide: The Official Collectors Guide, Braintree, Mass.: BangZoom Publishers, 2006. ISBN 0-9772927-1-1.
- "50 Greatest TV Guide Covers," article from the June 15, 2002 edition of TV Guide
- Information from ellwanger.tv's TV Guide collection section