September 15, 1958-january 30, 1959
This short lived late night talk show aired on WABC Channel 7 television ONLY in New York. Produced by Mike Wallace.
It occupied an unorthodox time slot, 25 minutes from 10:50pm to 11:15pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday evenings. On Wednesdays it would air for 15 minutes from 11:00pm to 11:15pm.
Ben Hecht, playwright, screen writer, novelist, presented this live 22 week nightly commentary show. The format included Hecht's airing his views on the world at large, chatting with guests from varied fields, including literature, politics, journalism. Topics covered included the influences of critics, the fate of the poet in America, and the Supreme Court.
Host was author, journalist, screenwriter, director, and producer Ben Hecht.
His caustic comments would enrage some of the viewers while engaging others. In all, a total of 99 episodes were produced.
NOTE: The four episodes of THE BEN HECHT SHOW, including the premiere (September 15, 1958) audio recorded at the time of the original broadcast and archived by Archival Television Audio, Inc. are the only extant examples in any broadcast form known representing this series with the exception of an uploaded to you tube audio only air check broadcast October 17, 1958 with Jack Kerouac.
No air checks exist in the Library of Congress, Paley Center for Media or UCLA Film & TV Archive.
Ben Hecht welcomes guest Jimmy Durante in a two part broadcast, totaling 45 minutes combined, the first airing on January 19, and the second on January 20, 1959. Jimmy sits at the piano and converses with his old time pal Ben Hecht who interviews Durante who gives many anecdotes about his show business career and personal life.
Jimmy plays many numbers he created over the decades. We feel we are in his parlor at home chatting and reminiscing with music, laughter and song.
One of the most endearing, personal television appearances by Jimmy Durante.
A "lost" Television Broadcast.
The only two part Ben Hecht Show broadcast in the series.
NOTE: On February 15, 1958, writer Ben Hecht (1893-1964), a flamboyant and caustic social critic, appeared on
The Mike Wallace Interview. Wallace and his producer, Ted Yates, agreed that Hecht's personality was provocative
enough to be the basis of a television show. The Ben Hecht Show was born. For 22 weeks, Ben Hecht held forth on
a variety of subjects, enraging some, engaging many, in this short-lived television show.