<P> Father Knows Best is an American sitcom starring Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin . The series, which first began on radio in 1949, aired for six seasons with a total of 203 episodes . The series debuted on CBS in October 1954 . It ran for one season and was canceled the following year . The series was picked up by NBC, where it remained for three seasons . After a second cancellation in 1958, the series was picked up yet again, by CBS, where it aired until May 1960 . </P> <P> Created by Ed James, Father Knows Best follows the lives of the Andersons, a middle - class family living in the Midwestern town of Springfield . </P> <P> The series began August 25, 1949, on NBC Radio . Set in the Midwest, it starred Robert Young as the General Insurance agent Jim Anderson . His wife Margaret was first portrayed by June Whitley and later by Jean Vander Pyl . The Anderson children were Betty (Rhoda Williams), Bud (Ted Donaldson), and Kathy (Norma Jean Nilsson). Others in the cast were Eleanor Audley, Herb Vigran, and Sam Edwards . Sponsored through most of its run by General Foods, the series was heard Thursday evenings on NBC until March 25, 1954 . </P> <P> On the radio program, the character of Jim differs from the later television character . The radio Jim is far more sarcastic and shows he really rules over his family . Jim also calls his children names, something common on radio but lost in the TV series . For example, Jim says, "What a bunch of stupid children I have ." Margaret is portrayed as a paragon of solid reason and patience, unless the plot calls for her to act a bit off; for example, in a Halloween episode, Margaret cannot understand how a table floats in the air . But that is a rare exception . </P>

Who was the dad in father knows best