# The Stu Erwin Show

The Stu Erwin Show (also known as Trouble with Father) is an American sitcom which aired on ABC from 1950 to 1955. Only four of the series’ five seasons on the network included new episodes; the 1953–54 season consisted entirely of reruns.

## Synopsis

The series' star, Stuart Erwin, played a bumbling high school principal named Stu Erwin. His wife, film ingenue from the late silent and early sound period, June Collyer, played the principal's wife, June Erwin. Although Erwin and Collyer, who were married in 1931, had a son and a daughter, the series presented them as parents of two adolescent daughters played by Sheila James and Ann Todd who was replaced by Merry Anders in the series' final season. One notable aspect of the show was that it featured black actor Willie Best in a regular supporting role.
Predating modern single-camera sitcoms, The Stu Erwin Show originally aired without a laugh track (one was added in its final season), and each episode was around 26 minutes long, without commercials. During its original network run on ABC, it was sponsored by General Mills (1950–54), Paper Mate (1953-'54) and Liggett & Myers (1954–55).

## Production

The series was produced by Roland D. Reed and Hal Roach, Jr., and filmed at Hal Roach Studios in Culver City, California. All 52 episodes of season one were first-run, followed by another 26 in season two for a total of 78 straight weeks of all-new shows before reruns began in the spring of 1952. Another 26 episodes were produced for the 1952–53 season, interspersed with reruns every third week between October 1952 and July 1953. Production then went on a lengthy hiatus while the network continued airing reruns from the summer of 1953 until the fall of 1954. The fourth and final season's 26 episodes aired between October 1954 and April 1955.

## Episodes
### Season 1 (1950–51)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 1 | 1 | "Mr. Lamont Stays All Night" | Howard Bretherton | Charles Shows | October 21, 1950 (1950-10-21) |
| 2 | 2 | "The Contest" | Howard Bretherton | Story by : Charles Shows, Teleplay by : Arnold Belgard | October 28, 1950 (1950-10-28) |
| 3 | 3 | "Stu's Holiday" | Howard Bretherton | Story by : Charles Shows, Teleplay by : Arnold Belgard | November 4, 1950 (1950-11-04) |
| 4 | 4 | "Dr. I.Q. Erwin" | Howard Bretherton | Story by : Charles Shows, Teleplay by : Les Pine & Oliver Crawford | November 11, 1950 (1950-11-11) |
| 5 | 5 | "Father Finds a Genius" "Father Finds a Junior" | Unknown | Charles Shows | November 18, 1950 (1950-11-18) |
| 6 | 6 | "Father's Little Gift" | Unknown | Charles Shows | November 25, 1950 (1950-11-25) |
| 7 | 7 | "June's Romance" "The Poison Story" | Unknown | Charles Shows | December 2, 1950 (1950-12-02) |
| 8 | 8 | "Thank You, Mr. Jarvis" | Howard Bretherton | Charles Shows & Warren Wilson | December 9, 1950 (1950-12-09) |
| 9 | 9 | "Father Gets Into the Act" | Frank R. Strayer | Story by : Charles Shows, Teleplay by : Fred Shevin | December 16, 1950 (1950-12-16) |
| 10 | 10 | "Problem Party" "Spooks" | Howard Bretherton | Arthur Hoerl | December 23, 1950 (1950-12-23) |
| 11 | 11 | "Lesson in Tolerance" | Unknown | Charles Shows | December 30, 1950 (1950-12-30) |
| 12 | 12 | "Father Knows Best" | Unknown | Charles Shows | January 6, 1951 (1951-01-06) |
| 13 | 13 | "Competition" | Unknown | Charles Shows | January 13, 1951 (1951-01-13) |
| 14 | 14 | "The Ugly Duckling" | Unknown | Charles Shows | January 20, 1951 (1951-01-20) |
| 15 | 15 | "Telephonitis" | Howard Bretherton | Story by : Charles Shows, Teleplay by : Arnold Belgard | January 27, 1951 (1951-01-27) |
| 16 | 16 | "Bugle Sounds" | Unknown | Charles Shows | February 3, 1951 (1951-02-03) |
| 17 | 17 | "What Paper Do You Read?" | Howard Bretherton | Story by : Charles Shows, Teleplay by : Nathaniel Curtis | February 10, 1951 (1951-02-10) |
| 18 | 18 | "Hot Rod" | Unknown | Charles Shows | February 17, 1951 (1951-02-17) |
| 19 | 19 | "Cousin Steve Pays a Visit" | Unknown | Charles Shows | February 24, 1951 (1951-02-24) |
| 20 | 20 | "High Finance" | Howard Bretherton | Charles Shows | March 3, 1951 (1951-03-03) |
| 21 | 21 | "The Helping Hand" | Unknown | Charles Shows | March 10, 1951 (1951-03-10) |
| 22 | 22 | "Wedding Bells" | Howard Bretherton | Arnold Belgard & Charles Shows | March 17, 1951 (1951-03-17) |
| 23 | 23 | "Black Saturday" | Frank R. Strayer | Lee Loeb & Charles Shows | March 24, 1951 (1951-03-24) |
| 24 | 24 | "Father and Shakespeare" | Unknown | Story by : Charles Shows Teleplay by : Nathaniel Curtis | March 31, 1951 (1951-03-31) |
| 25 | 25 | "Stu's Private Eye" | Unknown | Charles Shows | April 7, 1951 (1951-04-07) |
| 26 | 26 | "Class Reunion" | Unknown | Charles Shows | April 14, 1951 (1951-04-14) |
| 27 | 27 | "Erwin Goes to the Dogs" "Stu Goes to the Dogs" | Unknown | Charles Shows | April 21, 1951 (1951-04-21) |
| 28 | 28 | "Interior Decorating" | Unknown | Charles Shows | April 28, 1951 (1951-04-28) |
| 29 | 29 | "Milk of Human Kindness" | Unknown | Charles Shows | May 5, 1951 (1951-05-05) |
| 30 | 30 | "Baby Knows Best" | Unknown | Charles Shows | May 12, 1951 (1951-05-12) |
| 31 | 31 | "Weighty Problem" | Unknown | Charles Shows | May 19, 1951 (1951-05-19) |
| 32 | 32 | "Father Picks a Queen" | Howard Bretherton | Erna Lazarus | May 26, 1951 (1951-05-26) |
| 33 | 33 | "The Great Debate" | Howard Bretherton | Oliver Crawford & Charles Shows | June 2, 1951 (1951-06-02) |
| 34 | 34 | "The Burglar Alarm" | Howard Bretherton | Lee Loeb & Charles Shows | June 9, 1951 (1951-06-09) |
| 35 | 35 | "Many Happy Returns" | Howard Bretherton | Lee Loeb | June 16, 1951 (1951-06-16) |
| 36 | 36 | "The Present" | Unknown | Charles Shows | June 23, 1951 (1951-06-23) |
| 37 | 37 | "Private Enterprise" | James Tinling | Charles Shows | June 30, 1951 (1951-06-30) |
| 38 | 38 | "TV Comes to the Erwins" "To Buy or Not to Buy a TV" | Howard Bretherton | Charles Shows | July 7, 1951 (1951-07-07) |
| 39 | 39 | "Springtime for Father" | Howard Bretherton | Story by : Charles Shows, Teleplay by : Charles S. Belden | July 14, 1951 (1951-07-14) |
| 40 | 40 | "Doctor's Examination" | Howard Bretherton | Lee Loeb | July 21, 1951 (1951-07-21) |
| 41 | 41 | "Barbecue" | Howard Bretherton | Story by : Charles Shows, Teleplay by : Arthur Hoerl | July 28, 1951 (1951-07-28) |
| 42 | 42 | "Quarantine" | Howard Bretherton | Lee Loeb & Charles Shows | August 4, 1951 (1951-08-04) |
| 43 | 43 | "Dear Dora" | Howard Bretherton | Charles Shows | August 11, 1951 (1951-08-11) |
| 44 | 44 | "June Serves on a Jury" | Unknown | Charles Shows | August 18, 1951 (1951-08-18) |
| 45 | 45 | "Nothing But the Truth" | James Tinling | Story by : Charles Shows, Teleplay by : Al Martin | August 25, 1951 (1951-08-25) |
| 46 | 46 | "Roughing It" | Howard Bretherton | Story by : Charles Shows, Teleplay by : Warren Wilson | September 1, 1951 (1951-09-01) |
| 47 | 47 | "Cafe Society" | Unknown | Charles Shows | September 8, 1951 (1951-09-08) |
| 48 | 48 | "I Spy" | Unknown | Charles Shows | September 15, 1951 (1951-09-15) |
| 49 | 49 | "Track Meet" | Unknown | Charles Shows | September 22, 1951 (1951-09-22) |
| 50 | 50 | "That's My Mother" | Unknown | Charles Shows | September 29, 1951 (1951-09-29) |
| 51 | 51 | "The Pen Is Mightier" | Howard Bretherton | Al Martin & Charles Shows | October 6, 1951 (1951-10-06) |
| 52 | 52 | "It's Just Money" | Howard Bretherton | Al Martin | October 13, 1951 (1951-10-13) |

### Season 2 (1951–52)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 53 | 1 | "Hate the Love Seat" | Howard Bretherton | Erna Lazarus | October 19, 1951 (1951-10-19) |
| 54 | 2 | "The Bonus" | Howard Bretherton | Al Martin | October 26, 1951 (1951-10-26) |
| 55 | 3 | "Nice Little Doggie" | James Tinling | Lee Loeb | November 2, 1951 (1951-11-02) |
| 56 | 4 | "The French Teacher" | Unknown | Unknown | November 9, 1951 (1951-11-09) |
| 57 | 5 | "Erwin for President" | Unknown | Unknown | November 16, 1951 (1951-11-16) |
| 58 | 6 | "Father Does His Homework" | Howard Bretherton | M. Randall & R. Stewart | November 23, 1951 (1951-11-23) |
| 59 | 7 | "In a Pickle" | James Tinling | Al Martin | November 30, 1951 (1951-11-30) |
| 60 | 8 | "Jackie Knows All" | Howard Bretherton | Lee Loeb | December 7, 1951 (1951-12-07) |
| 61 | 9 | "The Big Game" | Howard Bretherton | Arnold Belgard | December 14, 1951 (1951-12-14) |
| 62 | 10 | "Tempest in a Teapot" | Unknown | Unknown | December 21, 1951 (1951-12-21) |
| 63 | 11 | "Egg Noggin'" | James Tinling | Charles S. Belden | December 28, 1951 (1951-12-28) |
| 64 | 12 | "Stu Has a Baby" | Howard Bretherton | Unknown | January 4, 1952 (1952-01-04) |
| 65 | 13 | "Joyce's Romance" | Unknown | Unknown | January 11, 1952 (1952-01-11) |
| 66 | 14 | "Brown Eyes" | Unknown | Unknown | January 18, 1952 (1952-01-18) |
| 67 | 15 | "Love Bug" | Howard Bretherton | Arnold Belgard | January 25, 1952 (1952-01-25) |
| 68 | 16 | "The Business" | Howard Bretherton | Al Martin | February 1, 1952 (1952-02-01) |
| 69 | 17 | "Premature Engagement" | Unknown | Unknown | February 8, 1952 (1952-02-08) |
| 70 | 18 | "Jackie Writes a Book" | Unknown | Unknown | February 15, 1952 (1952-02-15) |
| 71 | 19 | "A Very Rainy Day" | Howard Bretherton | Lee Loeb | February 22, 1952 (1952-02-22) |
| 72 | 20 | "Quiet Place" "Quiet Please" | Howard Bretherton | Charles Belden | February 29, 1952 (1952-02-29) |
| 73 | 21 | "Trouble Below" | Unknown | Unknown | March 7, 1952 (1952-03-07) |
| 74 | 22 | "A Party Comes to Life" | Howard Bretherton | Arthur Hoerl | March 14, 1952 (1952-03-14) |
| 75 | 23 | "Runaway" | Unknown | Unknown | March 21, 1952 (1952-03-21) |
| 76 | 24 | "Boys Aren't Everything" | Unknown | Unknown | March 28, 1952 (1952-03-28) |
| 77 | 25 | "Stu Paints the Roof" | Unknown | Unknown | April 4, 1952 (1952-04-04) |
| 78 | 26 | "On the Trail" | Unknown | Unknown | April 11, 1952 (1952-04-11) |

### Season 3 (1952–53)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 79 | 1 | "Jackie Finds a Cause" | Howard Bretherton | Erna Lazarus | October 17, 1952 (1952-10-17) |
| 80 | 2 | "Object Lesson" | Unknown | Unknown | October 24, 1952 (1952-10-24) |
| 81 | 3 | "Goin' Steady" | Unknown | Unknown | November 7, 1952 (1952-11-07) |
| 82 | 4 | "Fur Coat" | Unknown | Unknown | November 14, 1952 (1952-11-14) |
| 83 | 5 | "Father Takes a Pet" | Howard Bretherton | Roy Stewart & Margaret Randall | November 28, 1952 (1952-11-28) |
| 84 | 6 | "The Game" "The Contest" | Unknown | Unknown | December 5, 1952 (1952-12-05) |
| 85 | 7 | "The Golden Key" | Howard Bretherton | Eve Greene | December 19, 1952 (1952-12-19) |
| 86 | 8 | "Stu's Jalopy" | Unknown | Unknown | December 26, 1952 (1952-12-26) |
| 87 | 9 | "The Blow-Up" "The Big Blow-Up" | Unknown | Unknown | January 9, 1953 (1953-01-09) |
| 88 | 10 | "Leave It to Stu" | Howard Bretherton | Al Martin | January 16, 1953 (1953-01-16) |
| 89 | 11 | "Stu's Secret" | Unknown | Unknown | January 30, 1953 (1953-01-30) |
| 90 | 12 | "Fair Exchange" | Howard Bretherton | Al Martin | February 6, 1953 (1953-02-06) |
| 91 | 13 | "Stu Sells the House" | Unknown | Unknown | February 20, 1953 (1953-02-20) |
| 92 | 14 | "In the Shade of the Old Family Tree" | Howard Bretherton | Erna Lazarus | February 27, 1953 (1953-02-27) |
| 93 | 15 | "Art Appreciation" | Unknown | Unknown | March 13, 1953 (1953-03-13) |
| 94 | 16 | "Operation Hamster" | Unknown | Unknown | March 20, 1953 (1953-03-20) |
| 95 | 17 | "Youth, It's Wonderful" | Howard Bretherton | Roy Stewart & Margaret Randall | April 3, 1953 (1953-04-03) |
| 96 | 18 | "Jackie's Newspaper" | Howard Bretherton | Lee Loeb | April 10, 1953 (1953-04-10) |
| 97 | 19 | "The Landlord" | Howard Bretherton | Warren Wilson | April 24, 1953 (1953-04-24) |
| 98 | 20 | "Yvette" | Unknown | Unknown | May 1, 1953 (1953-05-01) |
| 99 | 21 | "Nothing Like a Friend" | Unknown | Unknown | May 15, 1953 (1953-05-15) |
| 100 | 22 | "Farewell to Hamilton High" | Unknown | Unknown | May 22, 1953 (1953-05-22) |
| 101 | 23 | "Love Thy Neighbor" | Unknown | Unknown | June 5, 1953 (1953-06-05) |
| 102 | 24 | "The Day the Circus Came to Town" | Unknown | Unknown | June 12, 1953 (1953-06-12) |
| 103 | 25 | "All for Father" | Unknown | Unknown | June 26, 1953 (1953-06-26) |
| 104 | 26 | "The Three Budgeteers" | Unknown | Unknown | July 3, 1953 (1953-07-03) |

### Season 4 (1954–55)

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 105 | 1 | "Jackie's First Date" | Howard Bretherton | William E. Raynor & Herbert F. Margolis | October 20, 1954 (1954-10-20) |
| 106 | 2 | "Father's Financier" | Unknown | Unknown | October 27, 1954 (1954-10-27) |
| 107 | 3 | "Puppy Love" | Unknown | Edward E. Seabrook & Homer McCoy | November 3, 1954 (1954-11-03) |
| 108 | 4 | "Father's Big Chance" | Unknown | Unknown | November 10, 1954 (1954-11-10) |
| 109 | 5 | "Right About Face" | Unknown | Eve Greene | November 17, 1954 (1954-11-17) |
| 110 | 6 | "Father's Boy" | Unknown | Edward E. Seabrook & Homer McCoy | November 24, 1954 (1954-11-24) |
| 111 | 7 | "Fleetwing" | Unknown | John Tucker Battle | December 1, 1954 (1954-12-01) |
| 112 | 8 | "Soft Touch" | Unknown | Unknown | December 8, 1954 (1954-12-08) |
| 113 | 9 | "The Wedding Bouquet" | Unknown | Wanda Tuchock | December 15, 1954 (1954-12-15) |
| 114 | 10 | "Lohengrin Blues" | Unknown | Frank Gill Jr. & G. Carleton Brown | December 22, 1954 (1954-12-22) |
| 115 | 11 | "The Honeymooners" | Unknown | William E. Raynor & Herbert F. Margolis | December 29, 1954 (1954-12-29) |
| 116 | 12 | "The Uninvited Guests" | Unknown | Unknown | January 5, 1955 (1955-01-05) |
| 117 | 13 | "One of the Boys" | Howard Bretherton | William E. Raynor & Herbert F. Margolis | January 12, 1955 (1955-01-12) |
| 118 | 14 | "Down on the Farm" | Unknown | Unknown | January 19, 1955 (1955-01-19) |
| 119 | 15 | "Father Becomes Efficient" | Unknown | William E. Raynor & Herbert F. Margolis | January 26, 1955 (1955-01-26) |
| 120 | 16 | "Interfering In-Laws" | Unknown | William E. Raynor & Herbert F. Margolis | February 2, 1955 (1955-02-02) |
| 121 | 17 | "The First Fight" | Unknown | Nathaniel Curtis | February 9, 1955 (1955-02-09) |
| 122 | 18 | "Two-Car Family" | Unknown | Unknown | February 16, 1955 (1955-02-16) |
| 123 | 19 | "The Helping Heart" | Unknown | Unknown | February 23, 1955 (1955-02-23) |
| 124 | 20 | "The French Influence" | Charles Barton | Warren Wilson | March 2, 1955 (1955-03-02) |
| 125 | 21 | "Women Drivers" | Unknown | Unknown | March 9, 1955 (1955-03-09) |
| 126 | 22 | "A Job for Jimmy" | Charles Barton | Unknown | March 16, 1955 (1955-03-16) |
| 127 | 23 | "Separate Vacations" | Unknown | Unknown | March 23, 1955 (1955-03-23) |
| 128 | 24 | "Pecans vs. Pistachio" | Unknown | Wanda Tuchock | March 30, 1955 (1955-03-30) |
| 129 | 25 | "The Pearl Necklace" | Howard Bretherton | Roy Stewart & Margaret Randall | April 6, 1955 (1955-04-06) |
| 130 | 26 | "The Matchmakers" | Unknown | Unknown | April 13, 1955 (1955-04-13) |

## Syndication and Home release

The series was widely syndicated by Official Films through the late 1960s. The show is currently seen on the Retro TV Network as of July 2018.
Many episodes of the program have fallen into the public domain. As such, various budget DVD releases of public domain episodes have been released.