Dads were well dressed even to take their sons to a ball game. Come to think of it, most dads came home from work in a suit and tie, but they never changed to more casual attire before dinner. If I was a guy being strangled all day by a tie, I would have taken it off and opened up my shirt before I even left the office. Except if an episode took place on a weekend or vacation, dads were always in a suit and tie.
The dads all had professional careers that required them to be well dressed for work. How often did you see a dad on tv who worked in a factory or coal mine or some blue collar job?
Well, you had Chester Riley, of “Life of Riley,” who was a blue-collar worker, at that plane factory, working alongside his neighbor pal, Gillis. Circa 1953-58. Can’t think of too many others, offhand.