This Classic '60s Sitcom Was A Syndicated Hit Before CBS Bought It

In the 1960s, a beloved sitcom about a talking horse named Mister Ed became a syndicated hit before it was ultimately purchased by CBS. The show, which ran from 1961 to 1966, followed the adventures of Mister Ed and his keeper, Wilbur Post, played by Alan Young. Executive producer George Burns initially took the pilot to all three major networks, but it failed to sell.

After recasting the series, the team managed to sell the first season into syndication, where it aired on about 100 local television stations across the country. Despite losing its sponsor, Studebaker Automobile Company, after its first year, Mister Ed's local ratings remained impressively high, ultimately leading CBS to buy the show.

At the time, two other prominent CBS shows, Lassie and The Ed Sullivan Show, were both experiencing rating declines, and James Aubrey, CBS's president at the time, chose to air Mister Ed just ahead of them. Following its success on CBS, Mister Ed was renewed for four additional seasons, sparking a wave of fantasy sitcoms throughout the 1960s.

The show's enduring popularity is often attributed to the unique chemistry between Wilbur Post and Mister Ed, a dynamic that bears a striking resemblance to classic comedic pairings like Laurel and Hardy or Jackie Gleason and Art Carney.