Bourbon Street Beat

Starring: Richard Long, Andrew Duggan, Arlene Howell, Van Williams
First Aired: October 5, 1959
Number of Seasons: 1
Estimated Production Cost: Unknown

Viewers have always responded positively to gloomy private-eye shows; just look at the long-running success of shows such as Columbo and Murder, She Wrote. Unfortunately, Bourbon Street Beat lacked the perfect combination of elements to sustain itself on the air for more than one season. During the 1950s, fast-food franchises such as Dunkin’ Donuts and Denny’s weren’t the only ones gaining their start. Bourbon Street Beat was one of the first major television shows to feature a private detective service, and it continues to be one of the most popular. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Studios, but although having a similar format to the previous shows, it was not as successful as the others.

Bourbon Street Beat

Tales of Tomorrow

Starring: Lon Chaney, Jr., Thomas Mitchell
First Aired: August 3, 1951
Number of Seasons: 2
Estimated Production Cost: $40,000* per episode with inflation

Despite the fact that American Horror Story has re-established the anthology genre in recent years, series like Twilight Zone were the original advocates of the genre several years ago. Tales of Tomorrow, which starred Lon Chaney, Jr., and Thomas Mitchell in a variety of roles, served as a major inspiration for the aforementioned series. When compared to Netflix’s American Horror Story, Tales of Tomorrow’s episodes were significantly shorter, lasting only twenty-five minutes per episode. There were a total of eighty-five episodes in the series. Stories such as Frankenstein and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea were just a few of the classics that were reimagined and preserved in the visually arresting black and white television series.

Tales Of Tomorrow