Longest Running TV Shows

Next spring, ER signs off after 15 seasons, a run the likes of which network television rarely sees anymore. These days, making it to the magic 100 episode mark — the accepted cutoff for syndication purposes – is considered an accomplishment as dwindling ratings kill off old shows and new ones fail to capture public fancy.

What are some of the longest-running series of all time? The meter isn’t done running on ER,  The Simpsons (400-plus episodes) or the Law & Order franchise (nearly 400), so we’ll leave them out for now.

What’s left is a list of golden oldies who enjoyed the longest tenures in America’s living rooms, presented with years they appeared and total number of episodes:

Gunsmoke (1955-75): 635

Lassie (1954-72): 588

Death Valley Days (1952-70): 451

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952-66): 435

Bonanza (1959-73): 430

My Three Sons (1960-72): 380

Dallas (1978-91): 357

Knots Landing (1979-93): 344

Source: The Extraordinary Book of Lists