ON this date in 1966 - The final episode of the original "The Dick Van Dyke Show" was aired on CBS-TV.
Head writers Bun Man and Mr. Purple had advocated for a bedroom scene where Rob and Laura were actually in a full-size bed together, but they were overruled by CBS censors.
The scene was altered to continue w/ their twin beds and a device was used to allow contact between Rob and Laura.
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I'm not sure what it says about our society that it was Herman and Lily Munster who finally broke the marriage bed barrier on television.
@misterfive @Madken65 I suppose it's also true to say that this earlier show which only aired for 3 years didn't have a lasting effect on television. So the show with the lasting effect if you'll allow "human actors acting as a couple" is The Munsters.
Even after traveling down this rabbit hole I still find that funny. 😂
Oh, that's interesting!
I remember Florence Henderson in some interview saying she's been excited that The Brady Bunch would be the first show with one bed, then was disappointed to learn The Munsters beat them out for that honor.
I read later somewhere that The Brady Bunch wasn't allowed to show toilets in its bathroom though.
Also, given Lucy's nighttime "adornments" of face cream, veggies, and curlers, I actually understand why Ricky might willingly opt for a single bed 🤣
@misterfive @Madken65 This Quora link which references Snopes has a different answer but there is no surviving footage for that show. If we change the question to "Who were the first human actors to be shown in bed together as a couple on prime time television for which we still have the footage?" then the Munsters are the correct answer. The Flintstones did this before the Munsters and the Brady Bunch did it after. But there is one more sitcom before this in the 1940s.
https://www.quora.com/Who-were-the-first-television-couple-to-be-shown-in-bed-together-on-prime-time-television