"Dennis the Menace" (1959) TV series 1959-1963

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

4 October 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family

Plot:

Television episodes built around the same sorts of incidents found in Hank Ketchum's long-running comic strip.

Plot Keywords:

Neighbor | Dennis The Menace | Child | Dog | Small Town

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jay North	...	Dennis Mitchell (145 episodes, 1959-1963)
Herbert Anderson	...	Henry Mitchell (145 episodes, 1959-1963)
Gloria Henry	...	Alice Mitchell (139 episodes, 1959-1963)
Joseph Kearns	...	George Wilson (95 episodes, 1959-1962)
Sylvia Field	...	Martha Wilson (79 episodes, 1959-1962)
Billy Booth	...	Tommy Anderson (75 episodes, 1959-1962)

Also Known As:

"Just Dennis" (UK)

Runtime:

30 min | USA:30 min (146 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | USA:TV-G

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

When Joseph Kearns died during the fourth season, it was explained that George Wilson went on a trip to Ohio, and his brother John (Gale Gordon) had come to take care of the house for him.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Throughout the series, the outside design of the Wilson's house shows two windows on each side of the front door. On the inside of the house there is no window by the front door - the window is around the corner to the left and bigger then the one by the door seen on the outside. The house design on the inside doesn't match up to outside design.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Dennis Mitchell: Helloooooo Mr. Wilson!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Track of the Moon Beast (#11.7)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Hurray for Captain Spaulding

Never fond of this...

Even when I was a very young child (when this series was still in production,) I wasn't that crazy about this program. I grant that Jay North's Dennis was intended to get on people's nerves, but I don't think that was the intent with regard to the viewers; his shrill delivery always pained me and I couldn't figure out how a kid like that never got whipped.

Admittedly, most of the problems he caused were unintentional; nevertheless, any normal parents would have sat him down and explained that there's such a thing as trying too hard.