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1956-12-31, CBS, 10 min.
Beginning in 1929, a New Year's Eve Tradition...Guy Lombardo & his Royal Canadians. Guy Lombardo was best known to TV audiences for his annual New Year's Eve telecasts. His brothers Carmen (the band's musical director), Victor, & Lebert were all members of the orchestra. Guy, the eldest, was designated the leader. For most of his years in television, Guy Lombardo represented nostalgia for the '30s and '40s. At midnight the traditional welcoming in of the New Year at Times Square is presented. Jack Lescoulie brings in the New Year at Times Square. The best-known New Year's Eve shows on radio and then television was hosted by bandleader Guy Lombardo, who hosted 21 consecutive New Year's Eve shows from 1956 to 1976 on CBS, and for a time in syndication. Lombardo's first radio broadcast on New Year's Eve was heard on December 31, 1928 over CBS Radio, and for a time he even split hosting duties by broadcasting on CBS Radio before 12 Midnight EST and on NBC Radio after Midnight. Lombardo would host 48 straight New Year's Eve broadcasts until his death in 1977, and famously performed "Auld Lang Syne" by his Royal Canadians as the clock struck 12 Midnight, ushering in the start of a New Year. Once the Lombardo orchestra began their annual television shows, there would be a live segment from Times Square, which was (and still is) the focal point of the nation's largest New Year's celebration. In the early years of Lombardo's television specials, Robert Trout reported on and counted down to Midnight in New York's Times Square; but for most of Lombardo's years on television, another legendary newsman, Ben Grauer, had the honor. (Grauer, by the way, also reported from Times Square for NBC Radio on celebrations following the surrender of Japan on August 14, 1945. The first New Year's Eve special on television was broadcast on December 31, 1941 on WNBT New York, and consisted of entertainment broadcast from the Rainbow Room, atop the RCA Building in New York's Rockefeller Center.[3] Due to World War II, there would be no more New Year's Eve specials on television until December 31, 1945. WNBT produced a remote broadcast of festivities in Times Square. While NBC had begun to feed programs to WRGB is the Albany area and WPTZ in Philadelphia, information is unavailable as to whether either or both of these stations broadcast the program, or if it was seen just locally in New York.[4] Unless New Year's Eve fell on a weekend, NBC would carry a special New Year's version of "The Tonight Show" each year beginning in 1954, including coverage of the arrival of the New Year in Times Square. Dick Clark himself had actually emceed one New Year's Eve TV special prior to 1972; on December 31, 1959, he emceed a 90-minute New Year's special on ABC. One of the guests was Frankie Avalon. But it would be the last time Clark would do a New Year's Eve television special for the next thirteen years. By the 1970s, Lombardo's big band music skewed to an older generation, so Dick Clark started his telecast in 1972 to compete. New Year's Eve celebration, ushering in 1957 with bandleader Guy Lombardo. Robert Trout reports from Times Square.
1956-12-31, WNBC, min.
- Tex McCrary
- Richard Nixon
- Dwight Eisenhower
- Dr. Martin Luther King
- Grace Kelly
- Jawaharlal Nehru
- Mickey Mantle
- Jinx Falkenburg
- John Foster Dulles
- Dag Hammarskjold
- William F. Burns
- Prince Rainier
TEX AND JINX Radio & Television BROADCAST HISTORY: April 22, 1946- February 27, 1959. WEAF (WNBC, WRCA), New York weekdays at 8:30 A.M. until 1954; at 1:00pm,1954-1955; then at 6:30 and 10:35pm until July 31, 1958, moving briefly to WOR, broadcasting at 2:15pm. In addition to the Kollmars (Dorothy Kilgallen and husband Richard Kollmar) and the Fitzgeralds (Pegeen and husband Ed Fitzgerald), another well-recognized New York couple, newlyweds Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg, added their own bread-and-bacon banter to the local airwaves between 1946 and 1959. Their gabfest, initially Hi Jinx but later revised to Tex and Jinx, was beamed over WEAF which was subsequently re-lettered WNBC and later WRCA. In limited doses, the flagship outlet of the National Broadcasting Company transmitted Meet Tex and Jinx to the whole country during 1947 and 1948. Tex and Jinx devoted most of their airtime to lofty and noble concepts, visitors and sidebars. Tex and Jinx [on WEAF-WNBC-WRCA] were interviewing Bernard Baruch, Margaret Truman, or Ethel Waters…. McCrary built the show on the assumption that the early morning audience was not stupid, as programmers generally assumed; that people in general had fresher minds and were more open to serious topics at the beginning of the day.” Their joint radio venture began in April 1946 just 10 months following their nuptials (June 10, 1945). Launched as a breakfast feature, the series later shifted to afternoons and finally into the evening hours before departing the ether a dozen years afterward. They were branded by one journalist “Mr. Brains and Mrs. Beauty.” In early 1947 NBC put them on its television network as a portion of a Sunday evening quarter-hour dubbed Bristol-Myers Tele-Varieties. “The McCrarys were naturals for TV,” wrote a reviewer, “with their combination of friendly chatter, interviews, and features.” That summer the web awarded them an exclusive Sunday night half-hour format under the appellation At Home with Tex and Jinx. A decade later, in the 1957-58 season, the duo hosted a daytime NBC-TV showcase, The Tex and Jinx Show. When hepatitis sidetracked Falkenburg in 1958 from their broadcast commitments, McCrary carried on solo on their radio show for another couple of years. In the 1980s, however, the couple separated, remaining on genial terms. McCrary died in New York on July 29, 2003 and Falkenburg expired just 29 days later in the same city, on August 27, 2003. NOTE:: The scores of TEX AND JINX SHOWS archived by Archival Television Audio, Inc. were originally obtained as original 16" Electronic Discs from Barry Farber, producer of the show (1957-1959), in 1960 after he had begun his own career in front of the mike at WINS Radio. These discs were subsequently transferred to 1/4" reel to reel tape, and then disposed. These broadcasts are rare and represent the largest known collection of TEX AND JINX extant broadcasts in the world. Today's Headlines: Man-of-The- Year. Hungarian Revolution voices include Dag Hammarskjold, William F. Burns, Commander of UN forces in the Middle East, Jawaharial Nehru comments on relations with US, Prince Rainier of Monaco explains the role of Grace Kelly, (Princess Grace). Grace Kelly comments on what she misses in America. Yankee Mickey Mantle comments on conversation with President Eisenhower. Dr. Martin Luther King on Montgomery bus boycott, Adlai Stevenson against H-bomb tests, John Foster Dulles on Middle East peace prospects just before Israeli invasion of Egypt. Report on Richard Nixon's visit to Hungarian frontier. Eisenhower on Middle East war, also in a campaign speech.
#19082: VOICE OF FIRESTONE
Order1957-00-00, WABC, 20 min.
September 5, 1949-June 7, 1954 (NBC); June 14, 1954-June 16, 1963 (ABC). This was the final broadcast of the season. "Voice of Firestone," which began on radio in 1928, was a Monday-night perennial for more than two decades before coming to television in 1949; for the next five years it was simulcast on NBC radio and television, until a dispute between the sponsor and the network over the Monday time slot led Firestone to shift the program to ABC. The half-hour musical series presented all kinds of music, but emphasized classical and semiclassical selections. Each week a guest celebrity was featured, and for many years the principal guests came from the Metropolitan Opera Company. The Firestone Orchestra was conducted by Howard Barlow, and the show was hosted by John Daly during its years on ABC; Hugh James was the announcer. "Voice of Firestone" was seen as a series of specials from 1959 until 1962; it returned as a weekly series in the fall of 1962 for a final season (September 30, 1962-June 16, 1963). Salute To Richard Rodgers.
1957-00-00, WNBC, 26 min.
September 27th, 1954-May 25th, 1957 A sixty-minute comedy show starring Sid Caesar. Most of Sid's old gang of regulars from "Your Show Of Shows" returned. They included Nanette Fabray, Janet Blair, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, and Pat Carroll. Janet Blair, Pat Carroll, Shari Conway.
1957-00-00, NBC, 5 min.
July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. For four years and eight months Jack Paar reigned supreme as host of the Tonight Show with a crew of regulars, but only two stayed with him for the entire run; announcer Hugh Downs and band leader Jose Melies, a former army buddy. Familiar faces who appeared many times with Jack included Dody Goodman, Betty Johnson, Elsa Maxwell, Alexander King, Genevieve, Jack Douglas; and wife Reiko, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hans Conried, Peggy Cass, Cliff (Charley Weaver) Arquette, and Johnathan Winters. Hugh Downs substituted for Jack Paar 79 times, more than any other substitute host there were 20 different performers over the period of the series run. Joey Bishop substituted for Paar 31 times. Arlene Francis, 30 times, Jonathan Winters, 26 times, Orson Bean, 21 times, and Johnny Carson 15 times. Altogether there were 243 broadcasts that had substitute hosts filling in for Paar during Jack Paar's TONIGHT SHOW tenure. The title of the late-night broadcast changed to THE JACK PAAR SHOW which took effect on February 3, 1958. The first videotaped broadcast aired on January 5, 1959. "Best of Paar " Re-runs began on July 10, 1959. The first color broadcast aired on September 19, 1960. *FOR THE RECORD, as archivists are aware, most of THE JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW SERIES which were broadcast on NBC TV from July 29, 1957 thru March 30, 1962 (A final BEST OF PAAR rerun originally televised November 21, 1961...guest Jack Benny)were ERASED, DESTROYED OR WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN. 2" Quadruplex Video Tape was expensive ($600 for a new brand name one hour reel), weighting 13 pounds, requiring great storage space. Video Tape could easily be erased and was used for new program recordings...retained briefly for a re-run and then erased or discarded. Legend has it that even Jack Paar himself hired a junk man to come to his home garage and paid to have JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW recordings discarded (reels of kinescopes and video tapes) that were now cluttering up his space. During this era in television history archiving television programming was not a primary concern or vision, and considered an arcane pursuit. THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS retains in their archive only 4 program excerpts accounting for only one hour or material of JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOWS (November 14, 1958, December 23, 1959, October 19, 1959, and one 33&1/3rd audio disc promotional from 1957 presenting Jack Paar the new host of the TONIGHT SHOW. THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA retains in their archive only 7 program excerpts accounting for only four and a quarter hours of material (July 29, 1957, November 1, 1957, November 7, 1958, November 10, 1958, November 14, 1958, July 22, 1959, December 21, 1959). UCLA FILM & TV ARCHIVE retains in their archive only 8 program excerpts accounting for only seven hours of material (August 12, 1957, November 1, 1957, November 10, 1958, November 11, 1958, November 14, 1958, July 22, 1959, December 21, 1959). For 65 years Phil Gries, creator and owner of ARCHIVAL TLEVISION AUDIO, Inc. has continued to be a passionate television audio archive collector. TRULY UNIQUE TODAY AS AN INDEPENDENT TV AUDIO ARCHIVE. Currently, in 2024, to date, ATA has collated and archived over 22,000 TV Audio Air Checks representing 20,000 hours of sound...tens of thousands of broadcasts which represent the ONLY SURVIVING BROADCAST RECORD OF A SPECIFIC TELEVISION SHOW (1946-1982). ARCHIVAL TELEVISION AUDIO, INC. retains over 149 complete and excerpt JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW air checks (over 100 hours), including the complete Jack Paar's first anniversary telecast which was broadcast live from Havana Cuba (June 28, 1958). These originally recorded off the air pristine sound direct line 1/4" reel to reel audio tracks, recorded at the time of the original broadcasts, represent the only broadcast record of a "lost" visual telecast. ATA is the largest single repository (one collection), in the United Sates of Jack Paar Tonight Shows recordings. The combined archives of The Library of Congress, Paley Center for Media, and UCLA Film & Television only retain a composite total of 13 hours of representative JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts excerpts...none complete. NOTE: Joined in progress. Guests: comic David Burns, and Benny Goodman, who gives his opinion on Jazz and Rock 'n' Roll music.
#10240C: GEORGE GOBEL SHOW, THE
Order1957-00-00, NBC, min.
NBC October 2nd, 1954-March 10th, 1959 CBS October 11th, 1959-June 5th, 1960, Regulars: Harry Von Zell, Anita Bryant, Joe Flynn, The Modernaires
#13134: LATE SHOW, THE
Order1957-01-05, WCBS, 1 min.
February 26, 1951-April 26, 1968 "The Late Show" premiered on WCBS TV New York on Feb. 26, 1951 "The Late Late Show" followed not long after, as did "The Early Show." As its run accumulated, WCBS would commemorate its anniversary the week of Feb. 26 in different ways. On Feb. 26, 1963, for example, Ch. 2 celebrated "The Late Show's 4,327th broadcast...12th anniversary by inaugurating an extended broadcast day that ended after 5 A.M. The last time the moniker "The Late Show" was broadcast on WCBS television it was April 26, 1968 (WOLF LARSEN (1958). The series lasted 17 years and two months, totaling 6,189 Movie broadcasts. Films still ran in the 11:30 pm time slot afterward but without the "Late Show" opening. The Late Show opening prior to telecasting the movie " Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo," (1944) starring Spencer Tracy. February 26, 1951-April 26, 1968 "The Late Show" which for years would be New York's top feature film show, premiered on WCBS TV New York on Feb. 26, 1951 "The Late Late Show" followed not long after, as did "The Early Show." As its run accumulated, WCBS would commemorate its anniversary the week of Feb. 26 in different ways. On Feb. 26, 1963, for example, Ch. 2 celebrated "The Late Show's 4,327th broadcast...12th anniversary by inaugurating an extended broadcast day that ended after 5 A.M., unprecedented for its time. The standard opening of "The Late Show" had the announcer state the title of the film, its cast and some additional relevant anecdotal piece of information related to the film. The musical opening was "The Syncopated Clock," written by Leroy Anderson and recorded by Percy Faith in 1951 (released by Columbia Records). The catchy melody was noticed by the producers of the new WCBS-TV program "The Late Show," that was to be the station's first venture into late night television. Faith's rendition was chosen as the theme music for The Late Show by WCBS and several other CBS owned-and-operated stations around the country, which helped Anderson's composition become a tune that many Americans could readily hum or whistle, even if few knew the name of its composer. WCBS would also use the Faith recording to introduce a weekday afternoon movie (The Early Show) and a later-night movie offering, The Late Late Show. In 2006 a shortened version of The Syncopated Clock theme music would become the standard opening of the Archival Television Audio, Inc. archived collection...musical intro preceding a specific mastered TV Audio Air Check, which had been processed and mastered from the original off the air recording. The last time the moniker "The Late Show" was broadcast on WCBS television, in New York, was April 26, 1968 (WOLF LARSEN (1958). The series lasted 17 years and two months, totaling 6,189 Movie broadcasts. Films still ran in the 11:30pm time slot afterwards, but without the "Late Show" opening. During the years to follow, thru the 1970's, other facsimile Late Show openings were created, a secondary version of the original series. "The Syncopated Clock" instrumental standard opening is heard. The announcer introduces "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo."
1957-01-06, CBS, 15 min.
June 20, 1948 - May 30, 1971 ED SULLIVAN SHOW, THE, (TOAST OF THE TOWN) Television's longest running variety series. Originally, titled, TOAST OF THE TOWN, the name of the series changed on September 18, 1955 to THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW. Most remembered for introducing many stand-up comedians, and musical acts, including The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, The Beatles. Most of the 1,087 broadcasts, encompassing 10,000 performers, have been archived. The major exceptions are the first half year of shows circa 1948 of which a few kinescope excerpts survive. The ED SULLIVAN SHOW was a spectacular show-case that for twenty-three years entertained the American family. In its prime, more than thirty million viewers, young and old, tuned in at the same time to view popular culture. On this show, Ed Sullivan congratulates Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson on his retirement from baseball, other guests include Sugar Ray Robinson, and Elvis Presley who sings, "Hound Dog," (complete) "Love Me Tender," (partial) "Heartbreak Hotel," (partial) Elvis Presley thanks all of his fans and introduces his biggest record, "Don't Be Cruel," (complete), "Too Much," (partial) "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again."(partial)
#13136: JACKIE GLEASON SHOW, THE
Order1957-01-12, WCBS, 6 min.
September 20, 1952-June 22, 1957; October 3, 1958-January 2 1959; February 3 1961-March 24, 1961; September 1962-September 12, 1970 After the 1954-1955 season (one hour live broadcasts), Jackie Gleason produced a series of 39 filmed half-hour episodes of "The Honeymooners" which was syndicated (1955-1956). For the following 1956-1957 season, the Jackie Gleason Show returned to a live one-hour variety format with a Honeymooners sketch included in many of its broadcasts. After this season, The Honeymooners sketches would not be revived until the 1966-1967 season of The Jackie Gleason Show. Eddie Cantor is honored on his 65th birthday. Cantor sings "Waiting For The Robert E. Lee." Guests: Eddie Cantor, and Edward R.Murrow.
#13136A: HY GARDNER
Order1957-01-14, WRCA, 2 min.
- Steve Allen
- Hy Gardner
- Ed Sullivan
- Ingrid Bergman
- Elsa Maxwell
- Marie McDonald
- King Farouk
- Frank Pace
- John L. Sullivan
- Louis Arthur Johnson
HY GARDNER - Mon-Fri, weekdays, WRCA CH. 4 New York City 11:15-11:25pm, 11:20-11:30pm, 11:15-11:30pm September 10, 1956-January 25, 1957 Preceding TONITE! Hy Gardner had a ten minute news/gossip series on WNBC TV. On this broadcast the news of the day included: -Los Angeles police are expected to announce a solution to the Marie McDonald "who done it" case. Hy feels that the actress was kidnapped and that the incident was not a hoax. -The board of directors for Lowe's Inc. include the former secretary of defense Louis Johnson, former secretary of the army Frank Pace, and former secretary of the navy, John Sullivan. Hy thinks that MGM must be getting ready to launch a new cycle of war movies. -King Farouk is suing Elsa Maxwell for material she wrote about the former King of Egypt in her new book. -Ironically, Ed Sullivan, publicity man, is promoting for Steve Allen Ingrid Bergman's next Sunday's appearance on The Steve Allen Show.
#10431: ERNIE KOVACS SHOW, THE
Order1957-01-14, NBC, min.
April 19th, 1954-January 14th, 1955 (WABD) In the Spring of 1954, Ernie Kovacs appeared on WABD-TV Channel 5 in New York City, New York's Dumont outlet, where he hosted a late-night one-hour local show for a period of nine months. It aired from 11:15PM to 12:15AM. Guest: The Jazz String Quartet.
1957-01-23, WRCA, 6 min.
September 27, 1954 - January 25, 1957 The first host of THE TONIGHT SHOW, which was then titled TONIGHT!, Steve Allen began his broadcast career as a disc jockey. On July 27, 1953 Steve Allen began hosting a local show over WRCA-TV which ran from 11:20 P.M. to Midnight , Mondays through Fridays, sponsored by Knickerbocker Beer, developed by station executive Ted Cott to lure a potential sponsor, Rupert Breweries, away from a late-night show on New York's Channel 7 (TALK OF THE TOWN), hosted by Louis Nye, who would later be featured on Steve Allen's Sunday Night Variety Show. After a successful fourteen-month local run, THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW became a network show. Beginning September 27, 1954, the show retitled TONIGHT!, and expanded to 105 minutes from 40 minutes. NOTE: Sound of this Television Audio Air Check is PRISTINE. A rare return to an early TONIGHT! STARRING STEVE ALLEN broadcast when Late Night Television was so informal and relaxed with open ended time dedicated to a person, topic, music, or just impromptu comedy. The basic format of The Tonight! Show was established during Allen's tenure: an opening monologue, a segment involving the studio audience (through interviews or games such as "Stump the Band"), and a simple set (a desk and chair for the host, a couch for the guests), all trademarks of the Allen era. Allen inaugurated the out-of-town broadcast (the first one was done from Miami), the one guest show (Carl Sandburg was the first solo guest), and the one topic show (entire programs devoted to such subjects as narcotics, civil rights, and black music). Allen also established the practice of paying his guests only "scale," the minimum fee required by union-network contract (this practice led to a highly publicized feud between Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan and later between Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan, as Sullivan paid top dollar for his guests). Though Allen's Tonight! show closely resembled the shows of his successors, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, it was more a musical show; Allen himself was an accomplished musician and composer (he wrote his theme, "This Could Be The Start of Something Big"), and he employed a nucleus of musical regulars on his show. In addition to announcer – sidekick Gene Rayburn, the show featured singers Steve Lawrence (who was only seventeen when he began singing on Allen's local show), Eydie Gormé (who subsequently married Steve Lawrence), Andy Williams (who later hosted several series of his own), and Pat Marshall (who was succeeded by Pat Kirby). Skitch Henderson led the Orchestra.
1957-01-23, WRCA, 8 min.
September 27, 1954 - January 25, 1957 The first host of THE TONIGHT SHOW, which was then titled TONIGHT!, Steve Allen began his broadcast career as a disc jockey. On July 27, 1953 Steve Allen began hosting a local show over WRCA-TV which ran from 11:20 P.M. to Midnight , Mondays through Fridays, sponsored by Knickerbocker Beer, developed by station executive Ted Cott to lure a potential sponsor, Rupert Breweries, away from a late-night show on New York's Channel 7 (TALK OF THE TOWN), hosted by Louis Nye, who would later be featured on Steve Allen's Sunday Night Variety Show. After a successful fourteen-month local run, THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW became a network show. Beginning September 27, 1954, the show retitled TONIGHT!, and expanded to 105 minutes from 40 minutes. NOTE: Sound of this Television Audio Air Check is PRISTINE. A rare return to an early TONIGHT! STARRING STEVE ALLEN broadcast when Late Night Television was so informal and relaxed with open ended time dedicated to a person, topic, music, or just impromptu comedy. The basic format of The Tonight! Show was established during Allen's tenure: an opening monologue, a segment involving the studio audience (through interviews or games such as "Stump the Band"), and a simple set (a desk and chair for the host, a couch for the guests), all trademarks of the Allen era. Allen inaugurated the out-of-town broadcast (the first one was done from Miami), the one guest show (Carl Sandburg was the first solo guest), and the one topic show (entire programs devoted to such subjects as narcotics, civil rights, and black music). Allen also established the practice of paying his guests only "scale," the minimum fee required by union-network contract (this practice led to a highly publicized feud between Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan and later between Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan, as Sullivan paid top dollar for his guests). Though Allen's Tonight! show closely resembled the shows of his successors, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, it was more a musical show; Allen himself was an accomplished musician and composer (he wrote his theme, "This Could Be The Start of Something Big"), and he employed a nucleus of musical regulars on his show. In addition to announcer – sidekick Gene Rayburn, the show featured singers Steve Lawrence (who was only seventeen when he began singing on Allen's local show), Eydie Gormé (who subsequently married Steve Lawrence), Andy Williams (who later hosted several series of his own), and Pat Marshall (who was succeeded by Pat Kirby). Skitch Henderson led the Orchestra. Guest: Poet Randall Jarrell. This is the first of last three Tonight Shows hosted by Steve Allen.
1957-01-24, WRCA, 40 min.
September 27, 1954 - January 25, 1957 This next to last TONIGHT! STARRING STEVE ALLEN was devoted to the culture of Cuba. Many Cuban personalities perform on the show. The first host of THE TONIGHT SHOW, which was then titled TONIGHT!, Steve Allen began his broadcast career as a disc jockey. On July 27, 1953 Steve Allen began hosting a local show over WRCA-TV which ran from 11:20 P.M. to Midnight , Mondays through Fridays, sponsored by Knickerbocker Beer, developed by station executive Ted Cott to lure a potential sponsor, Rupert Breweries, away from a late-night show on New York's Channel 7 (TALK OF THE TOWN), hosted by Louis Nye, who would later be featured on Steve Allen's Sunday Night Variety Show. After a successful fourteen-month local run, THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW became a network show. Beginning September 27, 1954, the show retitled TONIGHT!, and expanded to 105 minutes from 40 minutes. NOTE: Sound of this Television Audio Air Check is PRISTINE. A rare return to an early TONIGHT! STARRING STEVE ALLEN broadcast when Late Night Television was so informal and relaxed with open ended time dedicated to a person, topic, music, or just impromptu comedy. The basic format of The Tonight! Show was established during Allen's tenure: an opening monologue, a segment involving the studio audience (through interviews or games such as "Stump the Band"), and a simple set (a desk and chair for the host, a couch for the guests), all trademarks of the Allen era. Allen inaugurated the out-of-town broadcast (the first one was done from Miami), the one guest show (Carl Sandburg was the first solo guest), and the one topic show (entire programs devoted to such subjects as narcotics, civil rights, and black music). Allen also established the practice of paying his guests only "scale," the minimum fee required by union-network contract (this practice led to a highly publicized feud between Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan and later between Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan, as Sullivan paid top dollar for his guests). Though Allen's Tonight! show closely resembled the shows of his successors, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, it was more a musical show; Allen himself was an accomplished musician and composer (he wrote his theme, "This Could Be The Start of Something Big"), and he employed a nucleus of musical regulars on his show. In addition to announcer – sidekick Gene Rayburn, the show featured singers Steve Lawrence (who was only seventeen when he began singing on Allen's local show), Eydie Gormé (who subsequently married Steve Lawrence), Andy Williams (who later hosted several series of his own), and Pat Marshall (who was succeeded by Pat Kirby). Skitch Henderson led the Orchestra.
1957-01-24, WRCA, 40 min.
September 27, 1954 - January 25, 1957 This next to last TONIGHT! STARRING STEVE ALLEN was devoted to the culture of Cuba. Many Cuban personalities perform on the show. The first host of THE TONIGHT SHOW, which was then titled TONIGHT!, Steve Allen began his broadcast career as a disc jockey. On July 27, 1953 Steve Allen began hosting a local show over WRCA-TV which ran from 11:20 P.M. to Midnight , Mondays through Fridays, sponsored by Knickerbocker Beer, developed by station executive Ted Cott to lure a potential sponsor, Rupert Breweries, away from a late-night show on New York's Channel 7 (TALK OF THE TOWN), hosted by Louis Nye, who would later be featured on Steve Allen's Sunday Night Variety Show. After a successful fourteen-month local run, THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW became a network show. Beginning September 27, 1954, the show retitled TONIGHT!, and expanded to 105 minutes from 40 minutes. NOTE: Sound of this Television Audio Air Check is PRISTINE. A rare return to an early TONIGHT! STARRING STEVE ALLEN broadcast when Late Night Television was so informal and relaxed with open ended time dedicated to a person, topic, music, or just impromptu comedy. The basic format of The Tonight! Show was established during Allen's tenure: an opening monologue, a segment involving the studio audience (through interviews or games such as "Stump the Band"), and a simple set (a desk and chair for the host, a couch for the guests), all trademarks of the Allen era. Allen inaugurated the out-of-town broadcast (the first one was done from Miami), the one guest show (Carl Sandburg was the first solo guest), and the one topic show (entire programs devoted to such subjects as narcotics, civil rights, and black music). Allen also established the practice of paying his guests only "scale," the minimum fee required by union-network contract (this practice led to a highly publicized feud between Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan and later between Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan, as Sullivan paid top dollar for his guests). Though Allen's Tonight! show closely resembled the shows of his successors, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, it was more a musical show; Allen himself was an accomplished musician and composer (he wrote his theme, "This Could Be The Start of Something Big"), and he employed a nucleus of musical regulars on his show. In addition to announcer – sidekick Gene Rayburn, the show featured singers Steve Lawrence (who was only seventeen when he began singing on Allen's local show), Eydie Gormé (who subsequently married Steve Lawrence), Andy Williams (who later hosted several series of his own), and Pat Marshall (who was succeeded by Pat Kirby). Skitch Henderson led the Orchestra. Duplicate of # 6967A. Next to last Tonight Show hosted by Steve Allen.
1957-01-25, WRCA, 87 min.
- Steve Allen
- Hy Gardner
- Gene Krupa
- Audrey Meadows
- Milt Kamen
- Jack Lescoulie
- Lionel Hampton
- Buddy Hackett
- Bob Considine
- Jayne Meadows
- Peter Lawford
- Irwin Corey
- George Gobel
- Ray McKinley
- Doc Severinsen
- Earl Wilson
- Tina Louise
- Micki Marlo
- John Crosby
- Sammy Davis
- Sally Powers
- Maggie Pierce
- Dorothy Miller
- Joe Interleggi
- Vic Marcell
- Jim Moran
- Pat Marshall
- Mrs. Sterling
- Pat Kirby
- Edie Gorme
- Gene Raymond
- Miki Marlo
- Sol Yagid
September 27, 1954 - January 25, 1957. This evenings telecast is the final TONIGHT! show starring Steve Allen. A farewell party is staged. All the regular singers are featured in musical numbers and Steve uses some of the 'gimmicks which found great popularity on show during the 2 1/2 years on air, including the big salami, and goo goo dolls. Steve speaks briefly to some of the men on the new "Tonight" show which starts next week. They include Jack Lescoulie, Earl Wilson, Hy Gardner, & Bob Considine. The basic format of The Tonight! Show was established during Allen's tenure: an opening monologue, a segment involving the studio audience (through interviews or games such as "Stump the Band"), and a simple set (a desk and chair for the host, a couch for the guests), all trademarks of the Allen era. Allen inaugurated the out-of-town broadcast (the first one was done from Miami), the one guest show (Carl Sandburg was the first solo guest), and the one topic show (entire programs devoted to such subjects as narcotics, civil rights, and black music). Allen also established the practice of paying his guests only "scale," the minimum fee required by union-network contract (this practice led to a highly publicized feud between Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan and later between Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan, as Sullivan paid top dollar for his guests). Though Allen's Tonight! show closely resembled the shows of his successors, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, it was more a musical show; Allen himself was an accomplished musician and composer (he wrote his theme, "This Could Be The Start of Something Big"), and he employed a nucleus of musical regulars on his show. In addition to announcer – sidekick Gene Rayburn, the show featured singers Steve Lawrence (who was only seventeen when he began singing on Allen's local show), Eydie Gormé (who subsequently married Steve Lawrence), Andy Williams (who later hosted several series of his own), and Pat Marshall (who was succeeded by Pat Kirby). Skitch Henderson led the Orchestra.
1957-01-25, WRCA, 55 min.
- Steve Allen
- Hy Gardner
- Gene Krupa
- Audrey Meadows
- Milt Kamen
- Jack Lescoulie
- Lionel Hampton
- Buddy Hackett
- Bob Considine
- Jayne Meadows
- Peter Lawford
- Irwin Corey
- George Gobel
- Ray McKinley
- Doc Severinsen
- Earl Wilson
- Tina Louise
- Micki Marlo
- John Crosby
- Sammy Davis
- Sally Powers
- Maggie Pierce
- Dorothy Miller
- Joe Interleggi
- Vic Marcell
- Jim Moran
- Pat Marshall
- Mrs. Sterling
- Pat Kirby
- Andy Williams
- Edie Gorme
- Gene Raymond
- Miki Marlo
- Sol Yagid
September 27, 1954 - January 25, 1957. This evenings telecast is the final TONIGHT! show starring Steve Allen. A farewell party is staged. All the regular singers are featured in musical numbers and Steve uses some of the 'gimmicks which found great popularity on show during the 2 1/2 years on air, including the big salami, and goo goo dolls. Steve speaks briefly to some of the men on the new "Tonight" show which starts next week. They include Jack Lescoulie, Earl Wilson, Hy Gardner, & Bob Considine. The basic format of The Tonight! Show was established during Allen's tenure: an opening monologue, a segment involving the studio audience (through interviews or games such as "Stump the Band"), and a simple set (a desk and chair for the host, a couch for the guests), all trademarks of the Allen era. Allen inaugurated the out-of-town broadcast (the first one was done from Miami), the one guest show (Carl Sandburg was the first solo guest), and the one topic show (entire programs devoted to such subjects as narcotics, civil rights, and black music). Allen also established the practice of paying his guests only "scale," the minimum fee required by union-network contract (this practice led to a highly publicized feud between Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan and later between Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan, as Sullivan paid top dollar for his guests). Though Allen's Tonight! show closely resembled the shows of his successors, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, it was more a musical show; Allen himself was an accomplished musician and composer (he wrote his theme, "This Could Be The Start of Something Big"), and he employed a nucleus of musical regulars on his show. In addition to announcer – sidekick Gene Rayburn, the show featured singers Steve Lawrence (who was only seventeen when he began singing on Allen's local show), Eydie Gormé (who subsequently married Steve Lawrence), Andy Williams (who later hosted several series of his own), and Pat Marshall (who was succeeded by Pat Kirby). Skitch Henderson led the Orchestra. Duplicate of #6967. Farewell Party. After two and one half years, Steve Allen hosts his final Tonight Show. Andy Williams sings a new song, "Butterfly." Tonight Show stage hands behind the scenes bid farewell to Steve.
#10343: GEORGE GOBEL SHOW, THE
Order1957-02-02, NBC, min.
NBC October 2nd, 1954-March 10th, 1959 CBS October 11th, 1959-June 5th, 1960, George Gobel hosted three different variety series. The first was a half-hour program October 1954 thru June 1957. The second also for NBC was an hour broadcast alternating with the Eddie Fisher Show, both starring and guesting on each others program each week (September 1957 thru March 1959). Third series for Gobel had him appear on CBS TV from October 1959 thru June 1960 back with a half-hour format. During his NBC run George Gobel would do an "Alice" skit, parodying his own real life domestic life with wife, Alice. Jeff Donnell (1957-1958) and later Phyllis Avery (1958-1959) played the role of Alice. Usually there would be a guest star and a skit or two following a down home spun stand-up monolgue at the beginning of the program by "lonesone" George Gobel. Guest: Ray Bolger. Featured is a takeoff routine on NBC's Sunday afternoon documentary series, "Wide, Wide, World," and Edward R. Murrow's "Person To Person."
1957-02-15, WNBC, min.
October 31, 1955 - June 13, 1958 A governess battles to save two children from an evil supernatural force. This peerless COMPLETE AUDIO AIR CHECK broadcast of THE OTHERS was restored by Phil Gries from an original 1/4" reel to reel audio tape discovered and obtained by archivist scholar Gary Rutkowski (www.savetv.tv). Matinee Theater was an American anthology series that aired on NBC during the Golden Age of Television, from October 31, 1955,[ to June 27, 1958 (including last two weeks of re-runs). The series was broadcast on NBC television daily from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, was usually broadcast LIVE and most of the time in color. Its live dramas were presented with minimal sets and costumes. During its three-year series run there were 7000 different performers employed, and hundreds of talented writers and directors who navigated its peerless television run, using 4,200 sets, 210,000 props, and 15,000 costumes. Host for this series was John Conti. When it was broadcast, Matinee Theater was the most heavily promoted regularly scheduled daytime program on U.S. television, part of the network's effort to "provide quality 'adult' entertainment" in daytime programming. The series ended in 1958 due to its high budget, much higher than any other daytime program in television. A few of the later episodes were preserved on color film for later rerun syndication under different titles. Almost all of the 590 original and 81 re-run episodes broadcast have been wiped, destroyed, or are not known to exist any longer in any broadcast form (audio or kinescope, or video). UCLA Film & TV has 20 different kinescopes in their archive, most not accessible. The Library of Congress has only TWO kinescopes in their archive, each on separate negative audio tracks, and separate 16mm Negative Kinescopes. However in 1986 when NBC TV donated 18,600 of their extant kinescopes (1948-1975) to the LOC, their was notated at that time SEVEN separate kinescopes (separate 16mm films and corresponding Negative Optical Sound tracks), for the broadcast dates, Oct. 31, 1955, Nov. 28, 1955, Nov. 29, 1955, Dec. 20, 1955, April 20, 1956, May 3, 1956 & Dec. 10, 1956. The Paley Center for Media has THREE composite kinescopes in their archive. *The following FOUR television audio air checks are extant in the Archival Television Audio, Inc. collection, archived on ¼” reel to reel audio tape originally used to record these programs off the air, direct line, resulting in excellent playback sound, at the time of their original broadcast. *All FOUR titles extant in the ATA archive are not included in the above three major USA media archives. 6 Nov. 1956 ATA#GR1 The Tell-Tale Heart – November 6, 1956 In this classic Edgar Allan Poe story, a man commits a murder, but afterward the victim's beating heart torments the murderer's mind. 5 Feb. 1957 ATA#GR2 Frankenstein – February 5, 1957 An obsessed scientist assembles a living being from parts of exhumed corpses. 15 Feb. 1957 ATA#GR3 The Others – February 15, 1957 7.8 (21) A governess battles to save two children from an evil supernatural force. 13 Dec. 1956 ATA#GR4 Captain Brassbound's Conversion – December 13, 1957 Captain Brassbound, a vindictive sea captain, swears revenge on a visiting Englishman whom he blames for his mother's death. *The scripts of the MATINEE THEATER series' later episodes are archived at the University of California, Los Angeles.
#10240D: JONATHAN WINTERS SHOW, THE
Order1957-03-05, NBC, min.
October 2, 1956 - June 25, 1957 Jonathan Winters starred in a 15 minute television series for NBC airing each Tuesday evening from 7:30pm - 7:45pm. Assisting him on his comedy blackout sketches was announcer Don Pardo until late March 1957 when Wayne Howell succeeded him. Guest: Denise Lor.
#10344: "I SEARCH FOR ADVENTURE"
Order1957-03-09, SYN, 30 min.
1954 Half-hour documentary series hosted by John D. Craig, featuring films taken by modern-day adventurers. This episode: "Antarctic Expedition."
#13139: TWENTY-ONE
Order1957-03-11, NBC, min.
September 12th,1956-October, 16th 1958 This quiz show was NBC's answer to the popular CBS quiz the $64,000 question and was hosted by series co-creator Jack Barry. Contestant Charles Van Doren proved to be the most popular of all the show's contestants although Elfreda Von Nardroff went home with the most money after twenty-one appearances. The two contestants were placed in isolation booths where they were asked a series of questions. Van Doren would often make pained facial expressions in his booth when asked a question he was struggling with. It was discovered later that Van Doren had been given some of the answers. Another contestant, Herbert Stempel blew the whistle on the show accusing the program of giving some of the answers to the contestants. In October 1958 the show was removed from the air as the quiz show scandal was becoming more widely-known. In this episode, Charles Van Doren loses to Vivian Nearing. Van Doren's total winnings were $129,000. Host Jack Barry congratulates Van Doren as "a credit to the youth of America." Due to the scandal, creator Jack Barry did not work again on national television for a decade.
1957-03-11, CBS, 6 min.
Highlights: Admiral Richard Byrd, explorer, dies, Egypt defies the UN on the Gaza Strip, a new aviation speed record by a 707 jet across the United States is set at three hours and 45 minutes, David Beck will appear as a witness in the Senate Labor Rackets Committee, news of the first outdoor phone booth.
#10233B: JONATHAN WINTERS SHOW, THE
Order1957-03-12, WRCA, 8 min.
October 2, 1956 - June 25, 1957 Jonathan Winters starred in a 15 minute television series for NBC airing each Tuesday evening from 7:30pm - 7:45pm. Assisting him on his comedy blackout sketches was announcer Don Pardo until late March 1957 when Wayne Howell succeeded him. In a sketch, Jonathan plays a pioneer leader as well as many other characters including adding sound effects, clearing land with his party of 20 settlers, building log cabins at first until realizing that they have built too many and thus call their settlement "Levittown Kansas Settlement." The pioneers brave an indian attack as leader Winters tells all to save one bullet for their wives. Don Pardo is the narrator during the sketch adding tidbits of information. Jonathan signs off at the end of the show with his famous sound effects departure via his flying saucer as he says good night to guest Steve Lawrence whom we only hear briefly.
#10240I: JONATHAN WINTERS SHOW, THE
Order1957-03-12, NBC, min.
October 2, 1956 - June 25, 1957 Jonathan Winters starred in a 15 minute television series for NBC airing each Tuesday evening from 7:30pm - 7:45pm. Assisting him on his comedy blackout sketches was announcer Don Pardo until late March 1957 when Wayne Howell succeeded him. Duplicate of #10233B.
1957-03-14, WNBC, 54 min.
- Gordon MacRae
- Patricia Morison
- Wendy Martin
- John Paul Keast
- Laurie Carroll
- James Lydon
- Victor Herbert
- Henry Blossom
October 2, 1950-June 24, 1954 (CBS). August 26, 1954-September 12, 1957 (NBC). A dramatic anthology series in a half-hour format on CBS and in a one-hour format on NBC. During the NBC TV 1954 season, the program was hosted initially by James Mason, and succeeded by Otto Kruger, and Gordon MacRae. Presented on "LUX VIDEO THEATRE." The Victor Herbert-Henry Blossom comic opera about an Irish rebel who falls in love with a beautiful English girl.
#13142: YOUR HIT PARADE
Order1957-03-16, NBC, 5 min.
October 7th, 1950-June 7th, 1958 (NBC) October 10th, 1958-April 24th, 1959 (CBS) August 2nd, 1974-August 30th, 1974- (CBS) A musical show where the top songs of the week were performed by the series regulars. Among the show's regulars included Dorothy Collins, Russell Arms, Snooky Lanson, Eileen Wilson, Sue Bennett, and June Valli. Gisele McKenzie joined the group in 1953, replacing June Valli. During the show's final season on NBC in 1957, four new regulars were brought in; Tommy Leonetti, Jill Corey, Virginia Gibson and Alan Copeland who sang with the musical group The Modernaires on bandleader Bob Crosby's daytime show, "Bob Crosby and The Bobcats" on CBS. In 1958 when the show went over to CBS, Dorothy Collins was brought back and co-starred with Johnny Desmond for one season, but the show failed to regain the popularity it once had on NBC. The show left the air in April 1959. The 1974 CBS revival also failed to gain popularity. In this episode, Dorothy Collins, Snooky Lanson, and Gisele McKenzie sing the popular songs of the week,
#13143: $64,000 QUESTION, THE
Order1957-03-19, WCBS, 8 min.
June 7th, 1955-November 9th, 1958 The $64,000 Question was the first of television's big-money shows in prime time. It was hosted by Hal March. In this episode, the guest is a ten-year-old Robert Strom, who has won $80,000 so far. Host: Hal March.
1957-03-21, WABD, 7 min.
October 30, 1956-May 31, 1957 Night beat was an hour-long talk/interview program hosted by Mike Wallace and broadcast on WABD-TV channel 5 in New York City. (Dumont). It was broadcast from 11 PM to 12 AM Tuesday through Friday evenings. Wallace served as host from October 1956 to May 1957. In this episode, we hear the final 7 minutes of a Mike Wallace interview with conservative, and recent editor of the National Review, William F. Buckley Jr. Topics covered include: -The refusal by New York City Colleges, with the exception of Columbia University, of which Buckley is in disagreement, to allow John Gates to speak on their college campuses. - William F. Buckley Jr. espouses on the purpose of education is to find out certain truths, including Communism. -The doctrine of Academic Freedom. -Yale University being a "hot bed" of communist enrollments. -A character portrait of William F. Buckley Jr. read by Mike Wallace written by the editor of the Yale Daily News Oct. 15, 1951...and its response by Buckley Jr. -March 4, 1957 TIME MAGAZINE article, two weeks ago, about William Buckley Sr. described as a capitalist and that he is intending to create an elementary school to train children, including his own 28 grandchildren, to "resist the blight of liberalism and communism." William F. Buckley Jr. expands on his father's philosophy by which he grew up.
#13147: HY GARDNER CALLING
Order1957-03-23, WRCA, 13 min.
HY GARDNER CALLING - Sunday Night, half hour broadcast, weekly, WRCA Ch. 4 New York City - 11:30pm - 12:30am April 29, 1956-January 13, 1957 HY GARDNER - Mon-Fri, weekdays, WRCA CH. 4 New York City 11:15-11:25pm, 11:20-11:30pm, 11:15-11:30pm September 10, 1956-January 25, 1957 TONIGHT: AMERICA AFTER DARK Hy Gardner ten minute segments "Face to Face" (New format replacing Steve Allen's TONIGHT!, revised format series hosted by Jack Lescoulie.Last broadcast January 28, 1957 - July 26, 1958 (M-F 11:15pm - 1:00am). HY GARDNER CALLING - February 12, 1958 - September 3, 1958 WABD (Dumont). 30 minute broadcast Wednesday evenings 8:30-9:00pm. HY GARDNER CALLING - September 10, 1958 - January 14, 1959 WNEW. 30 minute broadcast Wednesday evenings 8:30 - 9:00pm HY GARDNER SHOW - October 25, 1959-August 14, 1960 WNEW 45 minute and 60 minute broadcast, Sunday evenings 10-11pm. HY GARDNER SHOW - September 24, 1960 - September 29, 1962 WOR one hour weekly broadcast, Saturday evenings 12am-1am. HY GARDNER SHOW - October 21, 1962 - April 4, 1964 WOR one hour weekly broadcast Saturdays or Sundays 7:00pm-8:00pm. HY GARDNER SHOW - September 26, 1964-January 10, 1965 WOR one hour weekly broadcast Saturday 11:30pm-12:30am or 12:00am-1:00am. Hy Gardner was a well-known New York Herald-Tribune columnist. He appeared regularly on Tonight! and America After Dark, a short-term substitute for Tonight! after Steve Allen abandoned it early in 1957. Gardner specialized in profiling show business celebrities and other news makers, and he hosted a nightly ten-minute TV interview program in New York called Face to Face. His weekly Sunday-night show, Hy Gardner Calling!, also aired only in the New York area and consisted of interviews conducted by telephone, with the subject seemingly at home, but actually seated in one studio, while Gardner sat at his desk in another. The telephone hook-up was real, and there was no physical proximity between host and guest. The show premiered in 1954 ? on New York City’s NBC affiliate station WRCA-TV, Channel 4, and ran until 1965. Hy Gardner interviews Mrs. Vivian Nearing, who dethroned champion Charles Van Doren on the "Twenty-One" quiz show, and Gino Prato, opera expert and the first winner on the "64,000 Question" quiz show.
1957-03-30, WNBC, 2 min.
September 27th, 1954-May 25th, 1957 A sixty-minute comedy show starring Sid Caesar. Most of Sid's old gang of regulars from "Your Show Of Shows" returned. They included Nanette Fabray, Janet Blair, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, and Pat Carroll. This episode includes the show's ending only with Carl Reiner.
#13150: $64,000 QUESTION, THE
Order1957-04-02, WCBS, 16 min.
June 7th, 1955-November 9th, 1958 The $64,000 Question was the first of television's big-money shows in prime time. It was hosted by Hal March. In this episode, a ten-year-old science expert Robert Strom wins $128,000. Host: Hal March.
#13151: I'VE GOT A SECRET
Order1957-04-03, CBS, 6 min.
June 19th, 1952- April 3rd, 1967 (CBS) Syndicated- 1972 June 15th, 1976-July 6th, 1976 (CBS) Popular prime time game show in which four panelists try to guess the secret of the contestant. Garry Moore hosted the show from 1952-1964 and was replaced by Steve Allen. Allen also hosted the 1972 syndicated version. Bill Cullen hosted the 1976 CBS version which had a brief run of less than one month. In this episode, the guest panelists are Henry Morgan, Faye Emerson, Jayne Meadows, and Bill Cullen. Lorraine Day is a guest. Garry Moore is the host.
#13152: THIS IS YOUR LIFE
Order1957-04-03, WNBC, 8 min.
October 1, 1952 - September 10, 1961 (NBC TV). January 21, 1971 - May 7, 1973 (Syndicated - 56 episodes). THIS IS YOUR LIFE was hosted by Ralph Edwards. It was a sentimental human interest show which he began on radio in 1948. Each week a special guest was lured to the studio by a ruse and then surprised as Edward's announced, "This is your Life!" Long lost friends and relatives materialized during the ensuing half hour to relive long-forgotten incidents going back to early childhood. The programs were broadcast LIVE and reverted to Video Tape at the start of the 1959-1960 season, at which time most of the telecasts were pre-recorded. Bob Warren announcer. The surprised guest received a 16mm film of the program and a Bell & Howell projector. In this episode, host Ralph Edwards surprises Buster Keaton.The first eight minutes are heard.
1957-04-06, CBS, 6 min.
June 20, 1948 - May 30, 1971 ED SULLIVAN SHOW, THE, (TOAST OF THE TOWN) Television's longest running variety series. Originally, titled, TOAST OF THE TOWN, the name of the series changed on September 18, 1955 to THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW. Most remembered for introducing many stand-up comedians, and musical acts, including The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, The Beatles. Most of the 1,087 broadcasts, encompassing 10,000 performers, have been archived. The major exceptions are the first half year of shows circa 1948 of which a few kinescope excerpts survive. The ED SULLIVAN SHOW was a spectacular show-case that for twenty-three years entertained the American family. In its prime, more than thirty million viewers, young and old, tuned in at the same time to view popular culture. Ed's guest is Fred Astaire.
#13157: SHOWER OF STARS
Order1957-04-06, CBS, 4 min.
September 30th, 1954-April 17th, 1958 (CBS) Shower Of Stars was a once-a-month replacement series for CBS's popular Thursday night entry, "Climax," with host William Lundigan. A wide variety of shows took place including a variety of spectaculars and dramatic shows. The show was first hosted by William Lundigan who was later replaced by Jack Benny. This episode stars Tallulah Bankhead, Ed Wynn, Jack Benny, and Bert Lahr.
1957-04-14, CBS, 7 min.
June 20, 1948 - May 30, 1971 ED SULLIVAN SHOW, THE, (TOAST OF THE TOWN) Television's longest running variety series. Originally, titled, TOAST OF THE TOWN, the name of the series changed on September 18, 1955 to THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW. Most remembered for introducing many stand-up comedians, and musical acts, including The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, The Beatles. Most of the 1,087 broadcasts, encompassing 10,000 performers, have been archived. The major exceptions are the first half year of shows circa 1948 of which a few kinescope excerpts survive. The ED SULLIVAN SHOW was a spectacular show-case that for twenty-three years entertained the American family. In its prime, more than thirty million viewers, young and old, tuned in at the same time to view popular culture. Guests: Author/singer Kay Thompson, and the comedy team of Smith and Dale.
#13159: $64,000 QUESTION, THE
Order1957-04-16, WCBS, 16 min.
June 7th, 1955-November 9th, 1958 The $64,000 Question was the first of television's big-money shows in prime time. It was hosted by Hal March. This episode features ten-year-old schoolboy Robert Strom who wins $192,000 in a science category. The host is Hal March.
#13162: JACKIE GLEASON SHOW, THE
Order1957-04-20, WCBS, 8 min.
September 20, 1952-June 22, 1957; October 3, 1958-January 2 1959; February 3 1961-March 24, 1961; September 1962-September 12, 1970 After the 1954-1955 season (one hour live broadcasts), Jackie Gleason produced a series of 39 filmed half-hour episodes of "The Honeymooners" which was syndicated (1955-1956). For the following 1956-1957 season, the Jackie Gleason Show returned to a live one-hour variety format with a Honeymooners sketch included in many of its broadcasts. After this season, The Honeymooners sketches would not be revived until the 1966-1967 season of The Jackie Gleason Show. There is a "PEOPLE TO PEOPLE" skit with Jackie Gleason playing Reggie Van Gleason.
#13163: STEVE ALLEN SHOW, THE
Order1957-04-20, NBC, 12 min.
June 24, 1956-December 27, 1961. The multi-talented Steve Allen- musician, composer, singer, comedian,author- was the star of this live weekly variety series that bore a strong resemblance to his informal, late-night Tonight! Show. Although the program had elements of music and serious aspects, comedy was far and away its major component. Steve had with him one of the most versatile and talented collections of improvisational comics ever assembled. Among the features that were used at one time or another on a semi-regular basis were: "Letters to the Editor," "The Allen Report to the Nation," "Mad-Libs," "Crazy Shots," "Where Are They Now," "The Question Man," "The Allen Bureau of Standards," and "The Allen All Stars." The most frequently used feature, and by far the most memorable was the "Man on the Street Interview." It was here that the comics on the show developed their best-remembered characters: Louis Nye as suave, smug Gordon Hathaway, Tom Poston as the man who can't remember his own name, Skitch Henderson as Sidney Ferguson, Don Knotts as the extremely nervous and fidgety Mr. Morrison, Pat Harrington as Italian golf pro Guido Panzini, and Bill Dana as shy Jose Jimenez. Steve Allen's guests are Mickey Rooney and Joey Forman and The Muppets.
#13163A: STEVE ALLEN SHOW, THE
Order1957-04-20, NBC, 12 min.
June 24, 1956-December 27, 1961. The multi-talented Steve Allen- musician, composer, singer, comedian,author- was the star of this live weekly variety series that bore a strong resemblance to his informal, late-night Tonight! Show. Although the program had elements of music and serious aspects, comedy was far and away its major component. Steve had with him one of the most versatile and talented collections of improvisational comics ever assembled. Among the features that were used at one time or another on a semi-regular basis were: "Letters to the Editor," "The Allen Report to the Nation," "Mad-Libs," "Crazy Shots," "Where Are They Now," "The Question Man," "The Allen Bureau of Standards," and "The Allen All Stars." The most frequently used feature, and by far the most memorable was the "Man on the Street Interview." It was here that the comics on the show developed their best-remembered characters: Louis Nye as suave, smug Gordon Hathaway, Tom Poston as the man who can't remember his own name, Skitch Henderson as Sidney Ferguson, Don Knotts as the extremely nervous and fidgety Mr. Morrison, Pat Harrington as Italian golf pro Guido Panzini, and Bill Dana as shy Jose Jimenez. Steve Allen's guests are the Will Mastin Trio with Sammy Davis Jr.
#10387: GEORGE GOBEL SHOW, THE
Order1957-04-20, NBC, 20 min.
NBC October 2nd, 1954-March 10th, 1959 CBS October 11th, 1959-June 5th, 1960, George Gobel hosted three different variety series. The first was a half-hour program October 1954 thru June 1957. The second also for NBC was an hour broadcast alternating with the Eddie Fisher Show, both starring and guesting on each others program each week (September 1957 thru March 1959). Third series for Gobel had him appear on CBS TV from October 1959 thru June 1960 back with a half-hour format. During his NBC run George Gobel would do an "Alice" skit, parodying his own real life domestic life with wife, Alice. Jeff Donnell (1957-1958) and later Phyllis Avery (1958-1959) played the role of Alice. Usually there would be a guest star and a skit or two following a down home spun stand-up monolgue at the beginning of the program by "lonesone" George Gobel. Guest: Gene Autry's sidekick Pat Buttram performs a Western skit with George Gobel.
#13165: $64,000 QUESTION, THE
Order1957-04-23, WCBS, 11 min.
June 7th, 1955-November 9th, 1958 The $64,000 Question was the first of television's big-money shows in prime time. It was hosted by Hal March. In this episode, 10-year-old Robert Strom "science expert" quits the show and collects winnings of $192,000.
#13166: MASQUERADE PARTY
Order1957-04-24, NBC., 10 min.
Broadcast from July 14, 1952, to September 23, 1960, on NBC, CBS & ABC Networks. Host for this run was Bud Collyer (1952), Douglas Edwards (1953), Peter Donald (1954-1956), Eddie Bracken (1957), Robert Q. Lewis (1958), and Bert Parks (1958-1960). After a fourteen-year absence, "Masquerade Party" reappeared briefly as a syndicated series in 1974 & 1975 with host Richard Dawson and announcer Jay Stewart. NOTE: At the beginning of this broadcast the announcer states this short lived standard opening used to indicate an NBC COLOR TV transmission. "This program is brought to you in COMPATIBLE COLOR on NBC." Shortly after, the word "COMPATIBLE" was changed to "LIVING." Only one episode is known to exist from the 1974-1975 syndicated series which is archived at UCLA FILM & TV ARCHIVE. These Richard Dawson shows were broadcast initially from September 9, 1974, to September 1975. During 1976 syndicated re-runs were telecast. Even the original 1952-1960 programs are mostly "lost." The library of Congress has only one episode. UCLA Film & Radio Archive has only two episodes. Paley Center for Media has five episodes. In this episode, the masquerader is Yankee pitcher Whitey Ford. Eddie Bracken is the host.
#13168: MIKE WALLACE INTERVIEW, THE
Order1957-04-28, ABC, 22 min.
April 28th, 1957- April 19th, 1958 (with Mike Wallace) continuing till September 14th, 1958-ABC A half-hour interview series with host Mike Wallace. On this debut show, Mike interviews actress Gloria Swanson. Series Premiere. NOTE: Status of The Mike Wallace Interview A total of 72 episodes of The Mike Wallace Interview were broadcast by ABC between 1957 and 1958. The series premiered on April 28th, 1957 and was sponsored by Phillip Morris through the April 19th, 1958 episode. The Fund for the Republic then sponsored a 13-week set of interviews entitled “Liberty and Freedom” (one of which was never broadcast) followed by an additional six episodes. The final broadcast took place on September 14th, 1958. My article about The Mike Wallace Interview can be found here. The Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin has 66 of the 72 episodes of The Mike Wallace Interview. Five are only available as audio recordings while the rest are kinescopes that have been digitized and made available for viewing online. The Ransom Center also has a transcript of the Ben Hecht interview (broadcast February 25th, 1958) but no audio or video. One of the episodes the Ransom Center does not have a copy of is the controversial Mickey Cohen broadcast from May 19th, 1957. According to Steve Winston, Associate Curator of Film at the Ransom Center, “There are reports that the BBC still has some excerpts though we have not been able to locate the specific department that might hold them. Other than that, the interview appears to be lost.” Audio of the Cohen episode is part of Archival Television Audio, Inc. collection. Also missing from the Ransom Center’s collection are the two retractions read by ABC’s Oliver Treyz on May 26th and December 14th. According to Winston, “We have no idea why the footage was not included in the kinescope. We don’t know if they were removed later, or if they were never recorded in the first place.” Archival Television Audio, Inc. has the May 26th retraction read by Treyz. The UCLA Film & Television Archive has two episodes of the series: the Cyrus Eaton interview that is audio only at the Ransom Center and the Ben Hecht interview that the Ransom Center only has a transcript for. Both the Museum of Broadcasting and The Paley Center for Media have several episodes that are also part of the Ransom Center’s collection. (According to a December 1957 article in The Los Angeles Times, a filmed “stand-by interview” with Evelyn Rudie was always ready to be used in the event a guest didn’t show up. It is not included in the episode count and its current whereabouts are unknown.)
#10502: STEVE ALLEN SHOW, THE
Order1957-04-28, NBC, 14 min.
June 24, 1956-December 27, 1961. The multi-talented Steve Allen- musician, composer, singer, comedian,author- was the star of this live weekly variety series that bore a strong resemblance to his informal, late-night Tonight! Show. Although the program had elements of music and serious aspects, comedy was far and away its major component. Steve had with him one of the most versatile and talented collections of improvisational comics ever assembled. Among the features that were used at one time or another on a semi-regular basis were: "Letters to the Editor," "The Allen Report to the Nation," "Mad-Libs," "Crazy Shots," "Where Are They Now," "The Question Man," "The Allen Bureau of Standards," and "The Allen All Stars." The most frequently used feature, and by far the most memorable was the "Man on the Street Interview." It was here that the comics on the show developed their best-remembered characters: Louis Nye as suave, smug Gordon Hathaway, Tom Poston as the man who can't remember his own name, Skitch Henderson as Sidney Ferguson, Don Knotts as the extremely nervous and fidgety Mr. Morrison, Pat Harrington as Italian golf pro Guido Panzini, and Bill Dana as shy Jose Jimenez. Guest: Don Adams. A baseball routine about umpires is performed.
#13171: JACKIE GLEASON SHOW, THE
Order1957-05-04, WCBS, 7 min.
September 20, 1952-June 22, 1957; October 3, 1958-January 2 1959; February 3 1961-March 24, 1961; September 1962-September 12, 1970 After the 1954-1955 season (one hour live broadcasts), Jackie Gleason produced a series of 39 filmed half-hour episodes of "The Honeymooners" which was syndicated (1955-1956). For the following 1956-1957 season, the Jackie Gleason Show returned to a live one-hour variety format with a Honeymooners sketch included in many of its broadcasts. After this season, The Honeymooners sketches would not be revived until the 1966-1967 season of The Jackie Gleason Show. A Reggie Van Gleason skit in which he appears on the television show "This Was Your Life."
1957-05-04, WNBC, 3 min.
September 27th, 1954-May 25th, 1957 A sixty-minute comedy show starring Sid Caesar. Most of Sid's old gang of regulars from "Your Show Of Shows" returned. They included Nanette Fabray, Janet Blair, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, and Pat Carroll. The Show opening with Sid Caesar and Carl Reiner.
#13174: YOUR HIT PARADE
Order1957-05-04, NBC, 9 min.
October 7th, 1950-June 7th, 1958 (NBC) October 10th, 1958-April 24th, 1959 (CBS) August 2nd, 1974-August 30th, 1974- (CBS) A musical show where the top songs of the week were performed by the series regulars. Among the show's regulars included Dorothy Collins, Russell Arms, Snooky Lanson, Eileen Wilson, Sue Bennett, and June Valli. Gisele McKenzie joined the group in 1953, replacing June Valli. During the show's final season on NBC in 1957, four new regulars were brought in; Tommy Leonetti, Jill Corey, Virginia Gibson and Alan Copeland who sang with the musical group The Modernaires on bandleader Bob Crosby's daytime show, "Bob Crosby and The Bobcats" on CBS. In 1958 when the show went over to CBS, Dorothy Collins was brought back and co-starred with Johnny Desmond for one season, but the show failed to regain the popularity it once had on NBC. The show left the air in April 1959. The 1974 CBS revival also failed to gain popularity. Dorothy Collins sings the top tune of the week, "Round and Round."
1957-05-05, CBS, 18 min.
June 20, 1948 - May 30, 1971 ED SULLIVAN SHOW, THE, (TOAST OF THE TOWN) Television's longest running variety series. Originally, titled, TOAST OF THE TOWN, the name of the series changed on September 18, 1955 to THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW. Most remembered for introducing many stand-up comedians, and musical acts, including The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, The Beatles. Most of the 1,087 broadcasts, encompassing 10,000 performers, have been archived. The major exceptions are the first half-year of shows circa 1948 of which a few kinescope excerpts survive. The ED SULLIVAN SHOW was a spectacular show-case that for twenty-three years entertained the American family. In its prime, more than thirty million viewers, young and old, tuned in at the same time to view popular culture. Sammy Davis Jr does an impression of Ed Sullivan, Walter Pidgeon enacts a scene from his current Broadway play and 10-year-old Robert Strom who recently won $192,000 on the $64,000 Question quiz show.