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2 Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The wildly appealed to American youth. Although the majority of rock-and-roll artists were black, it took the spending power of a predominantly white teen audience to make it commercially successful. The dichotomy of black artists performing for middle-class white teens while not being able to attend the same schools or sit at the same lunch counters as them underscored the significant inequalities that existed in America at this time. The 1950s also saw the rise of Communism and the ever-present threat from the Soviet Union. The Red Scare swept through America, fomenting fear and distrust among its own citizens. The U.S. government began formal hearings in response to alleged “un-American” activities, and accused numerous individuals of secretly plotting communist activities designed to destroy the country. This pervasive sense of unease and insecurity influenced popular media via a plethora of horror and science-fiction films. These movies were viewed as alle- gories for the anti-Communism hysteria that enveloped the nation. Movies like Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), The Abominable Snowman (1957), Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959), and others followed a formula where an outside force gains strength and power and attempts to dominate or control humanity. The sim- ple plots of these productions appealed to teen audiences, and, because they were inexpensive to make, most were able to turn a profit. By the mid- to late 1950s, Hollywood films were focusing more on the teenage experience and offering more thought-provoking fare that included Rebel without a Cause (1955), Blackboard Jungle (1955), Peyton Place (1957), and A Summer Place (1959). And by 1959, tastes in literature were evolving as novels like Lady Chatter- ley’s Lover and Lolita topped best-seller lists. The 24 entries in this chapter are a cross-section of 1950s popular culture. Each of them highlights a significant aspect of the decade, from the glut of teen idols to looming cultural anxieties, from new rebellions against the status quo to idealized domesticity. The TV shows, films, books, and bands covered show readers how popular media portrayed life during the decade and heralded the changes to come in the future. Further Reading Giordano, Ralph. 2017. Pop Goes the Decade: The Fifties. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Press. Halberstam, David. 1994. The Fifties. New York: Fawcett. Hollings, Ken. 2014. Welcome to Mars: Politics, Pop Culture, and Weird Science in 1950s Amer- ica. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books. Young, William H., and Young, Nancy K. 2004. The 1950s: American Popular Culture through History. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. ADVENTURES OF OZZIE AND HARRIET, THE ABC sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1952–1966), along with shows Leave It to Beaver and Father Knows Best, depicted the idealized nuclear family in American culture after World War II. The popular series had its roots in radio.