Dennis the Menace
The live-action adaptation of the Hank Ketcham comic strip of the same name. Dennis Mitchell was a loveable young boy, dressed in overalls and carrying a slingshot in his pocket. Everywhere he went, Dennis' wide-eyed curiosity, well-meaning attempts to help out, and his simply being a normal, red-blooded American boy growing up always seemed to lead to trouble. Usually on the receiving end was Dennis' next-door neighbor, retired business machine salesman George Wilson. Dennis worshiped Mr. Wilson, but he usually displayed a less-than-cordial attitude around the young lad. Mr. Wilson's wife, Martha, adored Dennis and saw him as a surrogate grandson (since the Wilsons never had any children). Dennis' long-suffering parents were Henry (an engineer) and Alice (a stay-at-home mother). Episodes revolved around Dennis' adventures and the trouble that usually followed. Also involved in the fun were Dennis' friends Tommy, Margaret, and Seymour. During the final year of the show, Mr. Wilson's brother, John, moved in after George and Martha left the neighborhood (due to the death of Joseph Kearns). The live-action "Dennis the Menace" ran for years in syndication; an animated series showed up in the 1980s.
- 1959-1963
- 4 seasons
- CBS
- Comedy, Family
- TV-G
The live-action adaptation of the Hank Ketcham comic strip of the same name. Dennis Mitchell was a loveable young boy, dressed in overalls and carrying a slingshot in his pocket. Everywhere he went, Dennis' wide-eyed curiosity, well-meaning attempts to help out, and his simply being a normal, red-blooded American boy growing up always seemed to lead to trouble. Usually on the receiving end was Dennis' next-door neighbor, retired business machine salesman George Wilson. Dennis worshiped Mr. Wilson, but he usually displayed a less-than-cordial attitude around the young lad. Mr. Wilson's wife, Martha, adored Dennis and saw him as a surrogate grandson (since the Wilsons never had any children). Dennis' long-suffering parents were Henry (an engineer) and Alice (a stay-at-home mother). Episodes revolved around Dennis' adventures and the trouble that usually followed. Also involved in the fun were Dennis' friends Tommy, Margaret, and Seymour. During the final year of the show, Mr. Wilson's brother, John, moved in after George and Martha left the neighborhood (due to the death of Joseph Kearns). The live-action "Dennis the Menace" ran for years in syndication; an animated series showed up in the 1980s.
Season 3 Episode Guide
38 Episodes 1961 - 1962
Episode 1
Trouble from Mars
Sun, Oct 1, 1961 25 mins
Mr Wilson goes for a haircut in preparation for a magazine taking his picture for an article. Unfortunately, Dennis scares the barber and the back of George's hair is accidentally shaved off.
Episode 2
Best Neighbor
Sun, Oct 8, 1961 30 mins
Mr. Wilson takes Dennis camping on a cold and windy mountainside, so that Dennis will be able to join the Junior Pathfinders and Mr. Wilson will improve his own odds of winning a Best Citizen award.
Episode 3
Keep off the Grass
Sun, Oct 15, 1961 30 mins
A new regulation says no one can walk on the grass in the park. When a policeman chases Dennis and his friends off the grass, Henry talks to the policeman. Henry gets a ticket for walking on the grass in order to talk to the policeman.
Episode 4
Mr. Wilson's Safe
Sun, Oct 22, 1961 30 mins
Thanks to Dennis, Mr. Wilson forgets the combination to his new safe.
Episode 5
Haunted House
Sun, Oct 29, 1961 30 mins
George and Henry buy an investment property only to find out it's haunted.
Episode 6
The School Play
Sun, Nov 5, 1961 30 mins
Chaos ensues when Dennis handcuffs Mr. Wilson to Tommy while rehearsing a school play and there's no key.
Episode 7
The Fifty-Thousandth Customer
Sun, Nov 12, 1961 30 mins
With Mr. Finch offering a free 5-minute shopping spree for the 50,000th customer at his pharmacy, Mr. Wilson tries to calculate the exact moment that it will happen so that he can walk through the door and claim the prize.
Episode 8
Dennis and the Pee Wee League
Sun, Nov 19, 1961 30 mins
When Henry becomes sick, Mr. Wilson manages Dennis' Pee Wee League baseball team.
Episode 9
Mr. Wilson's Inheritance
Sun, Nov 26, 1961 30 mins
Mr. Wilson believes he's a millionaire when he inherits his aunt's estate.
Episode 10
Dennis Is a Genius
Sun, Dec 3, 1961 30 mins
School teacher Miss Perkins tells the Mitchells that Dennis scored so high on an IQ test, he is a genius. When the words gets out, all of his friends from Margaret to Seymour want nothing to do with him. And Mr. Wilson is in shock.
Episode 11
The Lucky Piece
Sun, Dec 17, 1961 30 mins
Mr Wilson gives Dennis a coin with Good Luck written on it for mowing his lawn. Dennis thinks it is a lucky coin, and he seems to have a lot of good things happening to him.
Episode 12
The Fifteen-Foot Christmas Tree
Sun, Dec 24, 1961 30 mins
Dennis, Henry, and Mr. Wilson go out in search of the perfect Christmas tree to chop down. As problems arise, their quest turns into quite an odyssey.
Episode 13
Dennis' Bank Account
Sun, Dec 31, 1961 30 mins
After Mr. Wilson takes a temporary position at the bank, Dennis opens up a bank account and stops at the bank daily to check on his money and keep Mr. Wilson company.
Episode 14
Through Thick and Thin
Sun, Jan 7, 1962 30 mins
The Mitchell's host a circus act for a cub scout event. They need someone in the back end of a lion costume. He asks Mr Wilson to help out.
Episode 15
Calling All Bird Lovers
Sun, Jan 14, 1962 30 mins
Hoping to be selected as a delegate to a bird lovers' convention, Mr. Wilson hosts a reception for the organization at his home. The program includes a special guest who does actual bird calls. However, after seeing a sign for the meeting in a music shop window, ("Remember the Bird"), two beatniks think the occasion is to honor a music legend, and they show up to turn it into a jazz program.
Episode 16
Silence Is Golden
Sun, Jan 21, 1962 30 mins
Mr. Wilson wagers his large magnifying glass, betting that Dennis can't refrain from talking to him for five straight hours.
Episode 17
Dennis Has a Fling
Sun, Jan 28, 1962 30 mins
Dennis' school is putting on a play about all nations. Each student has to ask someone to represent a different nationality to be in the play. Dennis asks Mr Wilson and Mr. MacTavish to represent Scotland. The 1961 Miss Scotland appears.
Episode 18
Frog Jumping Contest
Sun, Feb 4, 1962 30 mins
With Mr. Wilson's help, Dennis enters his frog in a frog jumping contest.
Episode 19
Where There's a Will
Sun, Feb 11, 1962 30 mins
Mr. Wilson has a memorable birthday after he decides to leave Dennis his gold watch in his will.
Episode 20
Mr. Wilson's Uncle
Sun, Feb 18, 1962 30 mins
George is expecting a visit from his Uncle Ned, a rocker-chair addict. When Ned arrives, he is active, fit, and energetic. Ned forces George and Henry into a fitness program.
Episode 21
A Quiet Evening
Sun, Feb 25, 1962 30 mins
Mr. Wilson's plans for a quiet evening with his coin collection go awry when he unexpectedly has to babysit Dennis, Margaret, and Seymour.
Episode 22
The Private Eye
Sun, Mar 4, 1962 30 mins
Dennis gets a new Private Eye Detective Kit and has fun with Tommy solving crimes. When they hear that Mr Wilson's wallet was stolen, Dennis and Tommy use their new found skills to find the culprit.
Episode 23
Mr. Wilson's Housekeeper
Sun, Mar 11, 1962 30 mins
To help Martha, Mr. Wilson hires a housekeeper. But this backfires when the stern housekeeper won't let Mrs. Wilson do anything, and rearranges the kitchen cabinets to Mr. Wilson's dissatisfaction.
Episode 24
A Dog's Life
Sun, Mar 18, 1962 30 mins
The store owner tries to keep a dog out of his store. He puts the dog outside, and when Mr Wilson leaves the store, he follows Mr Wilson home. Now, Mr Wilson tries to keep the dog out of his yard.
Episode 25
Dennis' Documentary Film
Sun, Mar 25, 1962 30 mins
Dennis has a history project for school to take pictures of historical places around town, and then write a composition about them. Mrs Wilson suggests Mr Wilson help Dennis because he has a movie camera.
Episode 26
Horseless Carriage Club
Sun, Apr 1, 1962 30 mins
Henry buys an antique car to enter the Horseless Carriage Road Race. He hopes the win the prize and become the president of his and Henry's local chapter for the club. Dennis talks Mr Wilson to take him & his friends on a drive in the car.
Episode 27
Junior Pathfinders Ride Again
Sun, Apr 8, 1962 30 mins
George hopes to become a member of the Pioneer Club in order to get a free cabin vacation each year. He agrees to help Dennis' Junior Pathfinders Club build a fire with just two sticks in order to assure his membership in the Pioneers.
Episode 28
The Treasure Chest
Sun, Apr 15, 1962 30 mins
Dennis gets an old chest from Mr Wilson who thinks the chest has nothing of value. Dennis & Tommy play pirates with the items in the chest, and even draw up a map to a pretend treasure. Mr Wilson later finds it and thinks it is real.
Episode 29
Wilson Goes to the Dentist
Sun, Apr 29, 1962 30 mins
Dennis, with a loose tooth, wants to visit a new dentist who gives presents to first-time patients. But when Dennis's tooth falls out before he can go to the dentist, he convinces Mr. Wilson to go in his place so Dennis can still get a present.
Episode 30
The Man Next Door
Sun, May 6, 1962 30 mins
Mr Wilson installs his own burglar alarm after a series of burglaries in the neighborhood. Dennis thinks the new neighbor is the stocking bandit. This is the last episode with Joseph Kearns who died after filming the episode.
Episode 31
Dennis and the Dodger
Sun, May 13, 1962 30 mins
Dennis & Tommy get Mr Quigley to coach their baseball team. Mr Quigley hopes it improves store sales. He manages to get the Dodgers to play an exhibition game for the town. Mr Wilson is said to be going on a trip which explains his absence.
Episode 32
Dennis' Lovesick Friend
Sun, May 20, 1962 30 mins
George's Uncle Ned visits while George is out of town. He decides to plant flowers to win a flower contest in the summer. Dennis says he will help plant the flower bulbs so he does not have to play with Margaret.
Episode 33
John Wilson's Cushion
Sun, May 27, 1962 30 mins
While Mr. Wilson is out-of-town, his brother, John, moves in with Mrs. Wilson.
Episode 34
John Wilson Wins a Chicken
Sun, Jun 3, 1962 30 mins
Dennis' school is raffling off live chickens, and Dennis gets John Wilson to buy tickets. He wins and wants to cook the chicken but Dennis won't allow it.
Episode 35
The Bully
Sun, Jun 10, 1962 30 mins
A bully at school beats up Dennis. John Wilson helps him to learn to fight.
Episode 36
The Club Initiation
Sun, Jun 17, 1962 30 mins
When Dennis sets out to join a club, John Wilson begins to question his sanity.
Episode 37
Community Picnic
Sun, Jun 24, 1962 30 mins
John Wilson and Henry Mitchell compete in the games at the community picnic.
Episode 38
Dennis and the Witch Doctor
Sun, Jul 1, 1962 30 mins
John Wilson is writing an article about witch doctors. But some strange occurrences and odd accidents convince his new neighbors that he really is a witch doctor and is out to hex them.