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
4/3/1953Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz Jr.Photo MontageUnknown
4/10/1953Jack Webb
4/17/1953Lucille Ball, Arthur Godfrey, Milton Berle, Imogene Coca & Sid CaesarillustrationJack Weaver
4/24/1953Ralph Edwards
5/1/1953Eve Arden
5/8/1953Arthur GodfreyPhotograph
5/15/1953David Nelson and Ricky Nelson
5/22/1953Red Buttons
5/29/1953Queen Elizabeth II
6/5/1953Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin
6/12/1953Eddie Fisher
6/19/1953Ed Sullivan
6/26/1953Dinah Shore
7/3/1953Perry Como
7/10/1953Dave Garroway and J. Fred Muggs
7/17/1953Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz (Sr.)
7/24/1953Groucho MarxillustrationBob Taylor
7/31/1953Your Show of Shows
8/7/1953Ray Milland
8/14/1953Patti Page
8/21/1953Super Circus Mary Hartline and Claude Kirchnerphoto illustration
8/28/1953Jayne Meadows and Audrey Meadows
9/4/1953Marion Lorne and Wally Coxillustration
9/11/1953Joan Caulfield & Ralph Edwards of This Is Your LifePhotograph
9/18/1953Fall Preview 1953-1954 Shows
9/25/1953George Reeves as both Superman and Clark Kentphoto montage
10/2/1953Red Skelton
10/9/1953Bishop Fulton J. Sheen
10/16/19531953 T-Venus Winners (includes a young Angie Dickinson)Photograph
10/23/1953Arthur Godfreyphoto montage
10/30/1953Kukla, Fran, and Ollieillustration
11/6/1953Warren Hull
11/13/1953Jimmy Durante
11/20/1953Dorothy McGuire & Julius La Rosa
11/27/1953Lugene Sanders
12/4/1953Loretta Young
12/11/1953Jack Webb
12/18/1953Bob Hopephoto illustration
12/25/1953Christmas with Patti Page, Perry Como, & Eddie Fisher

1954

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1/1/1954Bing CrosbyPhotograph
1/8/1954Joan Caulfield
1/15/1954Martha Raye
1/22/1954I've Got a Secret
1/29/1954Robert Montgomery
2/5/1954Jack BennyPhotograph
2/12/1954Red Buttons
2/19/1954Ann Sothern
2/26/1954LiberacePhotograph
3/5/1954Marion Marlowe & Frank Parker
3/12/1954Maria Riva
3/19/1954Groucho Marx
3/26/1954Jackie GleasonPhotographWilliam Kahn
4/2/1954Eve Arden
4/9/1954Charlie Applewhite and Milton Berle of The Milton Berle Show
4/16/1954TV Guide Awards
4/23/1954Lucille BallPhotograph
4/30/1954Ben Alexander & Jack Webb
5/7/1954Harriet Nelson & sons
5/14/1954Frank SinatraPhotograph
5/21/1954Patricia Benoit & Wally Cox
5/28/1954Gale Storm
6/4/1954Arthur Godfrey
6/11/1954Ben Blue & Alan Young
6/18/1954Rise Stevens & Ed Sullivan
6/25/1954Howdy Doody & Bob SmithPhotograph
7/2/1954Joan Davis & Jim Backus
7/9/1954Arlene Francis
7/17/1954Roy Rogers
7/24/1954Jack Webb & Ann Robinson
7/31/1954William Bendix
8/7/1954Perry Como et al.
8/14/1954Jerry Lewis & Dean MartinPhotograph
8/21/1954Jayne Meadows & Steve Allen
8/28/1954Roxanne
9/4/1954Eddie Fisher
9/11/1954Betty Hutton
9/18/1954Liberace
9/25/1954Fall Preview 1954-1955 Showstext graphic
10/2/1954Teresa Wright & Dick Powell
10/9/1954Lucille Ball
10/16/1954Red ButtonsPhotograph
10/23/1954Walt Disney with his studio's cartoon charactersPhoto illustrationWalt Disney Productions
10/30/1954Barry Nelson & Joan Caulfield
11/6/1954Gracie Allen & George Burns
11/13/1954Joanne Rio & Liberace
11/20/1954Bebe Daniels & Ralph Edwards
11/27/1954Peter Lawford & Marcia Henderson
12/4/1954George Gobel
12/11/1954Marion Marlowe
12/18/1954Imogene Coca
12/25/1954Ozzie Nelson & family

1955

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1/1/1955Loretta Young of The Loretta Young ShowPhotographElmer Holloway
1/8/1955Arthur Godfrey
1/15/1955I've Got a Secret
1/22/1955Ed Sullivan
1/29/1955Martha Raye
2/5/1955Edward R. Murrow
2/12/1955Your Hit Parade
2/19/1955Sid CaesarPhotographPhilippe Halsman
2/26/1955Steve Allen & Judy Holliday
3/5/1955Liberace
3/12/1955Dinah Shore
3/19/1955Art Carney
3/26/1955Gale Gordon & Eve Arden
4/2/1955Tony Martin
4/9/1955Gloria Marshall & Bob Cummings
4/16/1955Garry Moore
4/23/1955Gale Storm
4/30/1955Buddy Ebsen & Fess Parker
5/7/1955Robin Morgan & Peggy Wood
5/14/1955Perry Como
5/21/1955Audrey Meadows & Jackie Gleason
5/28/1955Ralph Edwards
6/4/1955Eddie Fisher
6/11/1955Gail Davis
6/18/1955Danny Thomas
6/25/1955Sid Caesar, Barbara Nichols, and Cliff Norton
7/2/1955Tommy Rettig with Lassie & Lee Aaker with Rin Tin TinPhotographGraphic House
7/9/1955Patti Page
7/16/1955Julius La Rosa
7/23/1955Janet Leigh & Jack Webb
7/30/1955Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Margaret Whiting & Barbara Whiting
8/6/1955Art Linkletter
8/13/1955Roxanne & Bud Collyer
8/20/1955Hal March
8/27/1955Groucho Marx
9/3/1955Jody Carson & Johnny Carson of The Johnny Carson ShowPhotographGaby Rona
9/10/1955Arthur Godfrey
9/17/1955Milton Berle & Esther Williams
9/24/1955Fall preview 1955-1956 ShowsIllustration
10/1/1955Mickey Mouse
10/8/1955George Burns & Gracie Allen
10/15/1955Richard Boone
10/22/1955Peggy King & George Gobel
10/29/1955Phil SilversPhotographPhilippe Halsman
11/5/1955Nanette Fabray
11/12/1955Liberace
11/19/1955Jack Benny
11/26/1955Martha Raye of The Martha Raye Show with her head leaning out of a picture framePhotographPhilippe Halsman
12/3/1955Mary Healy & Peter Lind Hayes
12/10/1955Lucille Ball
12/17/1955Robert Montgomery
12/24/1955A Christmas image of a TV antenna decorated with ornaments and beadsPhotographLarry Fritz
12/31/1955Cleo (dog) of The People's Choice

1956

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1/7/1956Arthur Godfrey
1/14/1956Loretta Young
1/21/1956Lawrence Welk
1/28/1956Janis Paige
2/4/1956Judy Tyler
2/11/1956Perry Como
2/18/1956Jimmy Durante
2/25/1956Gisele MacKenzie
3/3/1956Lynn Dollar & Hal March
3/10/1956Frances Rafferty & Spring Byington
3/17/1956Maurice Evans & Lilli Palmer
3/24/1956Dave Garroway
3/31/1956Arlene Francis & John Daly
4/7/1956Jayne Meadows, Garry Moore & Faye Emerson
4/14/1956Grace Kelly
4/21/1956Nanette Fabray
4/28/1956Red Skelton
5/5/1956George Gobel & Mitzi Gaynor
5/12/1956Bernadette O'Farrell & Richard Greene
5/19/1956Phil Silvers & Elisabeth Fraser
5/26/1956Alice Lon & Lawrence Welk
6/2/1956Sid Caesar & Janet Blair
6/9/1956Patti Page
6/16/1956Elinor Donahue, Robert Young, Lauren Chapin & Billy Gray
6/23/1956Steve Allen
6/30/1956Bob Cummings
7/7/1956LassiePhotographGarrett-Howard
7/14/1956Gordon MacRae & Sheila MacRae
7/21/1956Bill Lundigan & Mary Costa
7/28/1956Gail Davis of Annie OakleyPhotographGarrett-Howard
8/4/1956Jackie Cooper & Cleo (dog)
8/11/1956Democratic ConventionIllustrationKMLG-Barron
8/18/1956GOP ConventionIllustrationKramer, Miller, Lomden, Glassman
8/25/1956Esther Williams
9/1/1956Alice Lon
9/8/1956Elvis Presley
9/15/1956Fall Preview 1956-1957 Shows
9/22/1956Hal MarchillustrationAl Hirschfeld
9/29/1956Jackie Gleason
10/6/1956Gale Storm
10/13/1956The Nelson Family
10/20/1956Phyllis Goodkind & Perry Como
10/27/1956Alfred Hitchcock
11/3/1956Edward R. MurrowillustrationAl Hirschfeld
11/10/1956Loretta YoungPhotographElmer Holloway
11/17/1956Buddy Hackett
11/24/1956Nanette Fabray
12/1/1956Gracie Allen & George BurnsillustrationAl Hirschfeld
12/8/1956Victor Borge
12/15/1956Dinah Shore
12/22/1956Merry Christmas
12/29/1956Jeannie Carson

1957

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1/5/1957Arthur GodfreyillustrationAl Hirschfeld
1/12/1957Lucille Ball
1/19/1957Jerry Lewis
1/26/1957Bob HopeillustrationAl Hirschfeld
2/2/1957Jane Wyman
2/9/1957Hugh O'Brian
2/16/1957Jane Wyatt & Robert Young
2/23/1957Charles Van Doren
3/2/1957Dorothy Collins & Gisele MacKenzie
3/9/1957Arthur Godfrey & Pat Boone
3/16/1957The Emmy Awards
3/23/1957Tennessee Ernie FordIllustrationErnest Chiriaka
3/30/1957Julie Andrews
4/6/1957Lawrence WelkIllustrationAl Hirschfeld
4/13/1957Nanette Fabray of The Kaiser Aluminum Hour in a baseball uniform (a baseball preview feature was included in this issue)PhotographHerb Ball
4/20/1957Loretta Young
4/27/1957Groucho MarxIllustrationAl Parker
5/4/1957Hal March & Robert Strom
5/11/1957James Arness of GunsmokePhotographGarrett-Howard
5/18/1957Esther Williams
5/25/1957Sid CaesarillustrationAl Hirschfeld
6/1/1957Ida Lupino & Howard Duff
6/8/1957Lassie
6/15/1957Red Skelton
6/22/1957Jack Bailey
6/29/1957Gale Storm
7/6/1957What's My Line?IllustrationAl Hirschfeld
7/13/1957Gail Davis
7/20/1957Julius La Rosa
7/27/1957Garry Moore
8/3/1957Cleo
8/10/1957Ann B. Davis & Bob Cummings
8/17/1957Phil SilversIllustrationAl Hirschfeld
8/24/1957Marjorie Lord & Danny Thomas
8/31/1957Clint Walker of CheyennePhotographWarner Bros.
9/7/1957Janette Davis & Arthur Godfrey
9/14/1957"Fall Preview 1957-1958 Shows," featuring a close-up of the eye of Polly BergenPhotographArthur Williams
9/21/1957Pat Boone
9/28/1957Gracie Allen & George Burns
10/5/1957Joan Caulfield
10/12/1957This Is The Week To Watchphoto montage
10/19/1957Loretta Young
10/26/1957Peter Lawford & Phyllis Kirk
11/2/1957Lucille BallIllustrationAl Hirschfeld
11/9/1957James Garner
11/16/1957Patti Page
11/23/1957Mary Martin
11/30/1957Alfred HitchcockillustrationAl Hirschfeld
12/7/1957Dinah ShoreIllustrationAl Parker
12/14/1957Walt Disney
12/21/1957Season's Greetings
12/28/1957Ricky Nelson of The Adventures of Ozzie & HarrietPhotographJohn Engstead

1958

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1/4/1958Lawrence Welk
1/11/1958Gisele MacKenzie
1/18/1958John Payne
1/25/1958Sid Caesar & Imogene CocaPhotographPhilippe Halsman
2/1/1958Walter Winchell
2/8/1958Peggy King & Tab Hunter
2/15/1958A Great Week
2/22/1958Rosemary Clooney
3/1/1958LassieillustrationAl Hirschfeld
3/8/1958Arthur Godfrey
3/15/1958Amanda Blake & James Arness
3/22/1958Perry ComoIllustrationAl Hirschfeld
3/29/1958Tennessee Ernie FordPhotographPaul W. Bailey
4/5/1958Gale Storm
4/12/1958Hugh O'BrianillustrationAl Hirschfeld
4/19/1958Polly Bergen
4/26/1958Guy Williams of ZorroPhotographDave Preston
5/3/1958Shirley Temple
5/10/1958Richard Boone of Have Gun Will TravelPhotographPhilippe Halsman
5/17/1958Danny Thomas
5/24/1958Dick Clark
5/31/1958Phyllis Kirk
6/7/1958Pat Boone
6/14/1958Jane Wyatt & Robert Young
6/21/1958Ed Sullivan
6/28/1958Jerry Mathers
7/5/1958Bill Cullen of The Price Is Right
7/12/1958Lucille Ball
7/19/1958Dale Robertson
7/26/1958Paula Raymond & Marvin Miller
8/2/1958Walter Brennan
8/9/1958Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme
8/16/1958Robert Horton & Ward Bond
8/23/1958Edie Adams & Janet Blair
8/30/1958Bud Collyer, Polly Bergen & Kitty Carlisle
9/6/1958Arthur Godfrey
9/13/1958Lennon Sisters & Lawrence Welk
9/20/1958Fall Preview 1958-1959 Shows
9/27/1958Garry Moore
10/4/1958Dick Clark
10/11/1958Barrie Chase & Fred AstairePhotographElmer Holloway
10/18/1958Perry Como
10/25/1958George Burns
11/1/1958Jack Paar
11/8/1958Loretta Young
11/15/1958Warner Anderson & Tom Tully
11/22/1958Ronald Reagan & Nancy ReaganPhotographGarrett-Howard
11/29/1958Victor Borge
12/6/1958James Arness
12/13/1958Danny Thomas
12/20/1958Special Holiday Issue
12/27/1958David Nelson & Ricky Nelson

1959

Issue date Cover subject Cover type Artist
1/3/1959Lola Albright and Craig Stevens of Peter GunnPhotograph
1/10/1959Milton BerleillustrationAl Hirschfeld
1/17/1959James Garner & Jack Kelly of MaverickPhotographGene Trindl
1/24/1959Red Skelton of The Red Skelton Show
1/31/1959George Gobel of The George Gobel Show
2/7/1959Johnny Crawford & Chuck Connors of The Rifleman
2/14/1959Alfred Hitchcock of Alfred Hitchcock PresentsPhotographMax Yavno
2/21/1959Barbara Hale & Raymond Burr of Perry MasonPhotograph
2/28/1959Richard Boone
3/7/1959Walter Brennan
3/14/1959Arthur Godfrey
3/21/1959Ann Sothern
3/28/1959Tennessee Ernie Ford of The Ford Show
4/4/1959Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Roger Smith of 77 Sunset Strip
4/11/1959Ward Bond
4/18/1959Dinah Shore
4/25/1959Dick Powell
5/2/1959Hugh O'Brian
5/9/1959Edward Byrnes
5/16/1959Loretta Young
5/23/1959Bob Hope
5/30/1959Steve McQueen of Wanted: Dead or AlivePhotographGene Trindl
6/6/1959Gale Storm
6/13/1959Pat Boone
6/20/1959Robert Young & Lauren Chapin
6/27/1959Lloyd Bridges of Sea HuntPhotographRuss Halford
7/4/1959Jon Provost & Lassie
7/11/1959Lola Albright & Craig Stevens
7/18/1959Janet Blair
7/25/1959John Russell
8/1/1959Dave Garroway
8/8/1959Donna Reed
8/15/1959Lawrence Welk
8/22/1959Bess Myerson, Henry Morgan, Betsy Palmer & Bill Cullen of I've Got a Secret
8/29/1959Dick Clark of American Bandstand
9/5/1959James Garner & Jack Kelly
9/12/1959Arthur Godfrey
9/19/1959Fall Preview: 1959-1960 Shows
9/26/1959Jackie Cooper and Abby Dalton
10/3/1959June Allyson
10/10/1959Robert Taylor
10/17/1959Ingrid Bergman
10/24/1959Jay North alongside the animated Dennis the MenacePhoto IllustrationNorth: Richard R. Hewett; Dennis: Hank Ketcham
10/31/1959Fred Astaire and Barrie Chase of Astaire Time
11/7/1959Jack Benny
11/14/1959Perry Como
11/21/1959Clint Walker of Cheyenne
11/28/1959Art Carney
12/5/1959Gayle Polayes, Joan Chandler and Dwayne Hickman of The Many Loves of Dobie GillisPhotographPeter Samerjan
12/12/1959Danny Thomas
12/19/1959Merry Christmas
12/26/1959Loretta 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
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