The Red Buttons Show premiered on the CBS television network On October 14, 1952, and ran for two years on that network, then moved to NBC for the final 1954–55 season. Red's catch phrase from the show, "Strange things are happening!" entered the national vocabulary briefly in the mid-1950s. The series finished #11 for the 1952–1953 season in the Nielsen ratings and #12 in 1953–1954. Format The CBS run of the series featured monologues, dance numbers, and sketches with Red and the other series regulars. The characters played by Red included the boxer Rocky Buttons, the Kupkekin Kid, the Sad Sack, and Keeleforven. When the series was canceled by CBS, it moved to NBC which at first kept it as a variety show. When the ratings remained low the program was overhauled and turned into a sitcom with Red playing himself as a TV comic. Phyllis Kirk played his wife, Bobby Sherwood played the director of Red's program and Paul Lynde the network's vice president. CBS regulars Red Buttons Dorothy Jolliffe Pat Carroll Beverly Dennis Allan Walker Joe Silver Betty Ann Grave NBC regulars Red Buttons Phyllis Kirk Paul Lynde as Mr. Standish Bobby Sherwood Nelson Case, announcer References External links The Red Buttons Show at the Internet Movie Database The Red Buttons Show at Classic TV & Movie Hits The Red Buttons Show theme song lyrics at Classic Themes 1950s American variety television series 1950s American sitcoms 1952 American television series debuts 1955 American television series endings American television series revived after cancellation Black-and-white American television shows CBS original programming NBC original programming