Q 01/05

Which 1947 series was the first sitcom broadcast on a US television network?

A) The Goldbergs

B) Mary Kay and Johnny

C) I Love Lucy

D) Amos 'n' Andy

Answer · why

B) Mary Kay and Johnny

Mary Kay and Johnny premiered live on DuMont in November 1947 and is counted as the first sitcom on a US network; its married leads shared a bed on sc...

Q 02/05

Which BBC series of 1946 to 1947 was the world's first regular half-hour televised sitcom?

A) Hancock's Half Hour

B) Whack-O! with Jimmy Edwards

C) Pinwright's Progress

D) The Larkins

Answer · why

C) Pinwright's Progress

Pinwright's Progress ran for ten live episodes from Alexandra Palace between 1946 and 1947, making it the first regular half-hour television sitcom.

Q 03/05

Which sound engineer pioneered canned laughter to 'sweeten' laugh tracks?

A) Karl Freund

B) Bill Hanna

C) Desi Arnaz

D) Charles Douglass

Answer · why

D) Charles Douglass

Charles Douglass built the 'Laff Box' in the 1950s; his recorded laughter was dubbed onto US sitcoms from the late 1950s through the 1970s.

Q 04/05

Which cinematographer filmed I Love Lucy, the first scripted show shot on 35mm before a studio audience?

A) James Wong Howe

B) Karl Freund

C) Hal Mohr

D) Gregg Toland

Answer · why

B) Karl Freund

Karl Freund, who had shot Metropolis and Dracula, photographed I Love Lucy and devised its three-camera film setup lit evenly for a studio audience.

Q 05/05

How many episodes of I Love Lucy aired between 1951 and 1957?

A) 180

B) 200

C) 220

D) 240

Answer · why

A) 180

I Love Lucy produced 180 half-hour episodes over six seasons from 1951 to 1957, and was the first series to end its run ranked first in the Nielsen ra...