List of TV Guide covers (1950s)

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

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1953-04-03 Desiderio Alberto Arnaz IV (using Desi Arnaz Jr.'s legal name) & uncaptioned inset photo of Lucille Ball Photo montage Unknown
1953-04-10 Dragnet's Jack Webb
1953-04-17 Uncaptioned Lucille Ball, Arthur Godfrey, Milton Berle, Imogene Coca & Sid Caesar Illustration Jack Weaver
1953-04-24 Ralph Edwards
1953-05-01 Eve Arden
1953-05-08 Arthur Godfrey Photograph
1953-05-15 David & Ricky Nelson
1953-05-22 Uncaptioned Red Buttons
1953-05-29 Uncaptioned Queen Elizabeth II
1953-06-05 Jerry Lewis & Dean Martin
1953-06-12 Eddie Fisher
1953-06-19 Ed Sullivan
1953-06-26 Dinah Shore
1953-07-03 Uncaptioned Perry Como
1953-07-10 Dave Garroway & Mr. Muggs
1953-07-17 Uncaptioned Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz
1953-07-24 Uncaptioned Groucho Marx Illustration Bob Taylor
1953-07-31 Max Liebman, Sid Caesar & Imogene Coca
1953-08-07 Ray Milland: Moves to TV
1953-08-14 Patti Page
1953-08-21 Super Circus Mary Hartline & Claude Kirchner Photo illustration
1953-08-28 Uncaptioned Jayne Meadows & Audrey Meadows
1953-09-04 Back to School With Mr. Peepers/Uncaptioned Marion Lorne & Wally Cox Illustration
1953-09-11 Joan Caulfield & Ralph Edwards This Is Your Life Photograph
1953-09-18 Fall Preview 1953–1954 Shows
1953-09-25 George Reeves — — Man and Superman Photo montage
1953-10-02 Red Skelton: A Career at Stake
1953-10-09 Preview: Bishop Sheen's New Book
1953-10-16 Picture Story — 1953 T-Venus Winners (Three uncaptioned actresses, one of whom is Angie Dickinson) Photograph
1953-10-23 Arthur Godfrey Photo montage
1953-10-30 Buelah Witch & Friends Illustration
1953-11-06 Warren Hull
1953-11-13 Jimmy Durante
1953-11-20 Dorothy McGuire & Julius La Rosa
1953-11-27 Lugene Sanders — 'Babs Riley'
1953-12-04 Loretta Young
1953-12-11 Jack Webb: Quitting Dragnet
1953-12-18 Bob Hope: On The Run Photo illustration
1953-12-25 Merry Christmas with uncaptioned Perry Como, Patti Page & Eddie Fisher

1954

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1954-01-01 Bing Crosby Photograph
1954-01-08 Joan Caulfield
1954-01-15 Martha Raye
1954-01-22 I've Got a Secret
1954-01-29 Robert Montgomery
1954-02-05 Jack Benny Photograph
1954-02-12 Red Buttons
1954-02-19 Ann Sothern
1954-02-26 Liberace Photograph
1954-03-05 Marion Marlowe & Frank Parker
1954-03-12 Maria Riva
1954-03-19 Groucho Marx
1954-03-26 Jackie Gleason Photograph William Kahn
1954-04-02 Eve Arden
1954-04-09 Charlie Applewhite & Milton Berle
1954-04-16 TV Guide Awards
1954-04-23 Lucille Ball Photograph
1954-04-30 Ben Alexander & Jack Webb
1954-05-07 Nelsons — Mother (Harriet Nelson) & Sons (Ricky Nelson & David Nelson)
1954-05-14 Frank Sinatra Photograph
1954-05-21 Patricia Benoit & Wally Cox
1954-05-28 Gale Storm
1954-06-04 Arthur Godfrey
1954-06-11 Ben Blue & Alan Young
1954-06-18 Rise Stevens & Ed Sullivan
1954-06-25 Howdy Doody & Bob Smith Photograph
1954-07-02 Joan Davis & Jim Backus
1954-07-09 Arlene Francis
1954-07-17 Roy Rogers
1954-07-24 Jack Webb & Ann Robinson
1954-07-31 William Bendix
1954-08-07 Perry Como & Friends
1954-08-14 Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis Photograph
1954-08-21 Jayne Meadows & Steve Allen
1954-08-28 Roxanne
1954-09-04 Eddie Fisher
1954-09-11 Betty Hutton
1954-09-18 Liberace
1954-09-25 Fall Preview 1954–1955 Shows Text graphic
1954-10-02 Teresa Wright & Dick Powell in The Long Goodbye
1954-10-09 Lucille Ball
1954-10-16 Red Buttons Photograph
1954-10-23 Walt Disney with his studio's cartoon characters Photo illustration Walt Disney Productions
1954-10-30 Joan Caulfield & Barry Nelson
1954-11-06 Gracie Allen & George Burns
1954-11-13 Joanne Rio & Liberace
1954-11-20 Bebe Daniels & Ralph Edwards
1954-11-27 Peter Lawford & Marcia Henderson
1954-12-04 George Gobel
1954-12-11 Marion Marlowe
1954-12-18 Imogene Coca
1954-12-25 Ozzie Nelson & Family

1955

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1955-01-01 Loretta Young of The Loretta Young Show Photograph Elmer Holloway
1955-01-08 Arthur Godfrey
1955-01-15 I've Got a Secret
1955-01-22 Ed Sullivan
1955-01-29 Martha Raye
1955-02-05 Edward R. Murrow
1955-02-12 Your Hit Parade
1955-02-19 Sid Caesar Photograph Philippe Halsman
1955-02-26 Steve Allen & Judy Holliday
1955-03-05 Liberace
1955-03-12 Dinah Shore
1955-03-19 Art Carney
1955-03-26 Gale Gordon & Eve Arden
1955-04-02 Tony Martin
1955-04-09 Gloria Marshall & Bob Cummings
1955-04-16 Garry Moore
1955-04-23 Gale Storm
1955-04-30 Buddy Ebsen & Fess Parker
1955-05-07 Robin Morgan & Peggy Wood
1955-05-14 Perry Como
1955-05-21 Audrey Meadows & Jackie Gleason
1955-05-28 Ralph Edwards
1955-06-04 Eddie Fisher
1955-06-11 Gail Davis
1955-06-18 Danny Thomas
1955-06-25 Sid Caesar, Barbara Nichols & Cliff Norton
1955-07-02 Tommy Rettig with Lassie & Lee Aaker with Rin Tin Tin Photograph Graphic House
1955-07-09 Patti Page
1955-07-16 Julius La Rosa
1955-07-23 Janet Leigh & Jack Webb
1955-07-30 Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Margaret Whiting & Barbara Whiting
1955-08-06 Art Linkletter
1955-08-13 Roxanne & Bud Collyer
1955-08-20 Hal March
1955-08-27 Groucho Marx
1955-09-03 Jody Carson & Johnny Carson of The Johnny Carson Show Photograph Gaby Rona
1955-09-10 Arthur Godfrey
1955-09-17 Milton Berle & Esther Williams
1955-09-24 Fall preview 1955–1956 Shows Illustration
1955-10-01 Mickey Mouse
1955-10-08 George Burns & Gracie Allen
1955-10-15 Richard Boone
1955-10-22 Peggy King & George Gobel
1955-10-29 Phil Silvers Photograph Philippe Halsman
1955-11-05 Nanette Fabray
1955-11-12 Liberace
1955-11-19 Jack Benny
1955-11-26 Martha Raye of The Martha Raye Show with her head leaning out of a picture frame Photograph Philippe Halsman
1955-12-03 Mary Healy & Peter Lind Hayes
1955-12-10 Lucille Ball
1955-12-17 Robert Montgomery
1955-12-24 A Christmas image of a TV antenna decorated with ornaments and beads Photograph Larry Fritz
1955-12-31 Cleo (dog) of The People's Choice

1956

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1956-01-07 Arthur Godfrey
1956-01-14 Loretta Young
1956-01-21 Lawrence Welk
1956-01-28 Janis Paige
1956-02-04 Judy Tyler
1956-02-11 Perry Como
1956-02-18 Jimmy Durante
1956-02-25 Gisele MacKenzie
1956-03-03 Lynn Dollar & Hal March
1956-03-10 Frances Rafferty & Spring Byington
1956-03-17 Maurice Evans & Lilli Palmer
1956-03-24 Dave Garroway
1956-03-31 Arlene Francis & John Daly
1956-04-07 Jayne Meadows, Garry Moore & Faye Emerson
1956-04-14 Grace Kelly
1956-04-21 Nanette Fabray
1956-04-28 Red Skelton
1956-05-05 George Gobel & Mitzi Gaynor
1956-05-12 Bernadette O'Farrell & Richard Greene
1956-05-19 Phil Silvers & Elisabeth Fraser
1956-05-26 Alice Lon & Lawrence Welk
1956-06-02 Sid Caesar & Janet Blair
1956-06-09 Patti Page
1956-06-16 Elinor Donahue, Robert Young, Lauren Chapin & Billy Gray
1956-06-23 Steve Allen
1956-06-30 Bob Cummings
1956-07-07 Lassie Photograph Garrett-Howard
1956-07-14 Gordon MacRae & Sheila MacRae
1956-07-21 Bill Lundigan & Mary Costa
1956-07-28 Gail Davis of Annie Oakley Photograph Garrett-Howard
1956-08-04 Jackie Cooper & Cleo (dog)
1956-08-11 Democratic Convention Illustration KMLG-Barron
1956-08-18 GOP Convention Illustration Kramer, Miller, Lomden, Glassman
1956-08-25 Esther Williams
1956-09-01 Alice Lon
1956-09-08 Elvis Presley
1956-09-15 Fall Preview 1956–1957 Shows
1956-09-22 Hal March Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1956-09-29 Jackie Gleason
1956-10-06 Gale Storm
1956-10-13 The Nelson Family
1956-10-20 Phyllis Goodkind & Perry Como
1956-10-27 Alfred Hitchcock
1956-11-03 Edward R. Murrow Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1956-11-10 Loretta Young Photograph Elmer Holloway
1956-11-17 Buddy Hackett
1956-11-24 Nanette Fabray
1956-12-01 Gracie Allen & George Burns Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1956-12-08 Victor Borge
1956-12-15 Dinah Shore
1956-12-22 Merry Christmas
1956-12-29 Jeannie Carson

1957

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1957-01-05 Arthur Godfrey Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1957-01-12 Lucille Ball
1957-01-19 Jerry Lewis
1957-01-26 Bob Hope Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1957-02-02 Jane Wyman
1957-02-09 Hugh O'Brian
1957-02-16 Jane Wyatt & Robert Young
1957-02-23 Charles Van Doren
1957-03-02 Dorothy Collins & Gisele MacKenzie
1957-03-09 Arthur Godfrey & Pat Boone
1957-03-16 The Emmy Awards
1957-03-23 Tennessee Ernie Ford Illustration Ernest Chiriaka
1957-03-30 Julie Andrews
1957-04-06 Lawrence Welk Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1957-04-13 Nanette Fabray of The Kaiser Aluminum Hour in a baseball uniform (a baseball preview feature was included in this issue) Photograph Herb Ball
1957-04-20 Loretta Young
1957-04-27 Groucho Marx Illustration Al Parker
1957-05-04 Hal March & Robert Strom
1957-05-11 James Arness of Gunsmoke Photograph Garrett-Howard
1957-05-18 Esther Williams
1957-05-25 Sid Caesar Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1957-06-01 Ida Lupino & Howard Duff
1957-06-08 Lassie
1957-06-15 Red Skelton
1957-06-22 Jack Bailey
1957-06-29 Gale Storm
1957-07-06 What's My Line? Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1957-07-13 Gail Davis
1957-07-20 Julius La Rosa
1957-07-27 Garry Moore
1957-08-03 Cleo (dog)
1957-08-10 Ann B. Davis & Bob Cummings
1957-08-17 Phil Silvers Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1957-08-24 Marjorie Lord & Danny Thomas
1957-08-31 Clint Walker of Cheyenne Photograph Warner Bros.
1957-09-07 Janette Davis & Arthur Godfrey
1957-09-14 Fall Preview 1957–1958 Shows featuring a close-up of the eye of Polly Bergen Photograph Arthur Williams
1957-09-21 Pat Boone
1957-09-28 Gracie Allen & George Burns
1957-10-05 Joan Caulfield
1957-10-12 This Is The Week To Watch Photo montage
1957-10-19 Loretta Young
1957-10-26 Peter Lawford & Phyllis Kirk
1957-11-02 Lucille Ball Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1957-11-09 James Garner
1957-11-16 Patti Page
1957-11-23 Mary Martin
1957-11-30 Alfred Hitchcock Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1957-12-07 Dinah Shore Illustration Al Parker
1957-12-14 Walt Disney
1957-12-21 Season's Greetings
1957-12-28 Ricky Nelson of The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet Photograph John Engstead

1958

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1958-01-04 Lawrence Welk
1958-01-11 Gisele MacKenzie
1958-01-18 John Payne
1958-01-25 Sid Caesar & Imogene Coca Photograph Philippe Halsman
1958-02-01 Walter Winchell
1958-02-08 Peggy King & Tab Hunter
1958-02-15 A Great Week
1958-02-22 Rosemary Clooney
1958-03-01 Lassie Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1958-03-08 Arthur Godfrey
1958-03-15 Amanda Blake & James Arness
1958-03-22 Perry Como Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1958-03-29 Tennessee Ernie Ford Photograph Paul W. Bailey
1958-04-05 Gale Storm
1958-04-12 Hugh O'Brian Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1958-04-19 Polly Bergen
1958-04-26 Guy Williams of Zorro Photograph Dave Preston
1958-05-03 Shirley Temple
1958-05-10 Richard Boone of Have Gun Will Travel Photograph Philippe Halsman
1958-05-17 Danny Thomas
1958-05-24 Dick Clark
1958-05-31 Phyllis Kirk
1958-06-07 Pat Boone
1958-06-14 Jane Wyatt & Robert Young
1958-06-21 Ed Sullivan
1958-06-28 Jerry Mathers
1958-07-05 Bill Cullen of The Price Is Right
1958-07-12 Lucille Ball
1958-07-19 Dale Robertson
1958-07-26 Paula Raymond & Marvin Miller
1958-08-02 Walter Brennan
1958-08-09 Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme
1958-08-16 Robert Horton & Ward Bond
1958-08-23 Edie Adams & Janet Blair
1958-08-30 Bud Collyer, Polly Bergen & Kitty Carlisle
1958-09-06 Arthur Godfrey
1958-09-13 Lennon Sisters & Lawrence Welk
1958-09-20 Fall Preview 1958–1959 Shows
1958-09-27 Garry Moore
1958-10-04 Dick Clark
1958-10-11 Barrie Chase & Fred Astaire
1958-10-18 Perry Como
1958-10-25 George Burns
1958-11-01 Jack Paar
1958-11-08 Loretta Young
1958-11-15 Warner Anderson & Tom Tully
1958-11-22 Ronald Reagan & Nancy Reagan Photograph Garrett-Howard
1958-11-29 Victor Borge
1958-12-06 James Arness
1958-12-13 Danny Thomas
1958-12-20 Special Holiday Issue
1958-12-27 David Nelson & Ricky Nelson

1959

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1959-01-03 Lola Albright & Craig Stevens of Peter Gunn Photograph
1959-01-10 Milton Berle Illustration Al Hirschfeld
1959-01-17 James Garner & Jack Kelly of Maverick Photograph Gene Trindl
1959-01-24 Red Skelton of The Red Skelton Show
1959-01-31 George Gobel of The George Gobel Show
1959-02-07 Johnny Crawford & Chuck Connors of The Rifleman
1959-02-14 Alfred Hitchcock of Alfred Hitchcock Presents Photograph Max Yavno
1959-02-21 Barbara Hale & Raymond Burr of Perry Mason Photograph
1959-02-28 Richard Boone
1959-03-07 Walter Brennan
1959-03-14 Arthur Godfrey
1959-03-21 Ann Sothern
1959-03-28 Tennessee Ernie Ford of The Ford Show
1959-04-04 Efrem Zimbalist Jr. & Roger Smith of 77 Sunset Strip
1959-04-11 Ward Bond
1959-04-18 Dinah Shore
1959-04-25 Dick Powell
1959-05-02 Hugh O'Brian
1959-05-09 Edward Byrnes
1959-05-16 Loretta Young
1959-05-23 Bob Hope
1959-05-30 Steve McQueen of Wanted: Dead or Alive Photograph Gene Trindl
1959-06-06 Gale Storm
1959-06-13 Pat Boone
1959-06-20 Robert Young & Lauren Chapin
1959-06-27 Lloyd Bridges of Sea Hunt Photograph Russ Halford
1959-07-04 Jon Provost & Lassie
1959-07-11 Lola Albright & Craig Stevens
1959-07-18 Janet Blair
1959-07-25 John Russell
1959-08-01 Dave Garroway
1959-08-08 Donna Reed
1959-08-15 Lawrence Welk
1959-08-22 Bess Myerson, Henry Morgan, Betsy Palmer & Bill Cullen of I've Got a Secret
1959-08-29 Dick Clark of American Bandstand
1959-09-05 James Garner & Jack Kelly
1959-09-12 Arthur Godfrey
1959-09-19 Fall Preview: 1959–1960 Shows
1959-09-26 Jackie Cooper & Abby Dalton
1959-10-03 June Allyson
1959-10-10 Robert Taylor
1959-10-17 Ingrid Bergman
1959-10-24 Jay North alongside the animated Dennis the Menace Photo Illustration North: Richard R. Hewett

Dennis: Hank Ketcham

1959-10-31 Fred Astaire & Barrie Chase of Another Evening With Fred Astaire Photograph Elmer Holloway
1959-11-07 Jack Benny
1959-11-14 Perry Como
1959-11-21 Clint Walker of Cheyenne
1959-11-28 Art Carney
1959-12-05 Gayle Polayes, Joan Chandler & Dwayne Hickman of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis Photograph Peter Samerjan
1959-12-12 Danny Thomas
1959-12-19 Merry Christmas
1959-12-26 Loretta Young

Sources

  • 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