The following list of Debut Variety Television Broadcasts,
originally aired live or on videotape, are lost or unobtainable as
video; however, the soundtrack survives in the peerless ARCHIVAL TV
AUDIO collection containing 12,000 audio airchecks.
These pristine
quality soundtracks were recorded on 1/4" audiotape at the time of
the original broadcast. The networks, local stations, archives and
the public failed to preserve most of these programs. In many cases,
their historic audio broadcast record survives only because a
handful of dedicated individuals audiotape recorded their
television set, preserved their collection and willed it not to be
discarded.
Most network and local stations threw out, erased or
destroyed 70% of all television broadcasts which aired during the
first three decades of television history. Some of the following
programs survive but are inaccessible to the public. They can all be
found in the collection of Archival Television Audio, Inc.
TELEVISION VARIETY
SERIES PREMIERES ( * denotes a non-variety series)
| October 9, 1959 |
The Bell Telephone
Hour |
| August 7, 1975 |
Ben Vereen Comin At
Ya |
| October 8, 1959 |
The Big Party |
| July 27, 1972 |
Bobby Darin
Amusement Company |
| January 19, 1973 |
The Bobby Darin
Show |
| September 15, 1968 |
The Beautiful
Phyllis Diller Show |
| January 23, 1973 |
The Brady Bunch
Hour |
| October 9, 1956 |
*Break the
$250,000 Bank |
| February 16, 1975 |
Cher |
| Februrary 28, 1978 |
Chuck Barris Rah
Rah Show |
| July 5, 1970 |
Comedy Tonight
(Robert Klein) |
| December 29, 1969 |
Dick Cavett Show |
| September 20, 1978 |
Dick Clark Live
Wednesday |
| June 5, 1976 |
Dinah and Her Best
Friends |
| May 1, 1968 |
Dom DeLuise Show |
| September 15, 1970 |
Don Knotts Show |
| August 25, 1976 |
Easy Does It |
| July 5, 1970 |
Evening at Pops
(Arthur Fiedler) |
| January 21, 1970 |
Engelbert
Humperdinck Show |
| July 11, 1958 |
*ESPN |
| June 23, 1968 |
The Summer Brothers
Smothers Show |
| January 4, 1959 |
*GE College Bowl |
| January 29, 1969 |
The New Glen
Campbell Show |
| June 19, 1965 |
Fanfare (Al Hirt) |
| June 20, 1968 |
Golddiggers |
| June 17, 1969 |
Golddiggers |
| June 25, 1970 |
Happy Days (Louis
Nye variety show) |
| June 15, 1969 |
Hee Haw |
| September 15, 1968 |
Here Come the Stars |
| June 28, 1973 |
Helen Reddy Show |
| September 26, 1963 |
Here's Edie (Edie
Adams) |
| July 31, 1974 |
Hudson Brothers
Show |
| September 21, 1962 |
Jack Paar Program |
| September 29, 1962 |
Jackie Gleason
American Scene Magazine |
| June 16, 1976 |
The Jacksons |
| September 21, 1963 |
The Jerry Lewis
Show (ABC) |
| September 25, 1969 |
Jim Nabors Show |
| September 26, 1969 |
Jimmy Durante
Presents the Lennon Sisters |
| June 16, 1969 |
Jimmy Rodgers Show |
| July 30, 1975 |
Jim Stafford Show |
| October 1, 1962 |
*Joe Franklin Show |
| July 6, 1975 |
Joey and Dad |
| April 17, 1967 |
Joey Bishop Show
(Late-night) |
| August 1, 1972 |
John Byner Comedy
Hour |
| June 6, 1966 |
John Gary Show |
| June 22, 1966 |
John Gary Show |
| June 7, 1969 |
Johnny Cash Show |
| September 13, 1971 |
Johnny Mann's Stand
Up and Be Counted |
| December 13, 1967 |
Jonathan Winters
Show |
| September 29, 1963 |
Judy Garland Show |
| September 13, 1972 |
Julie Andrews Hour |
| June 25, 1963 |
Keefe Brasselle Show |
| June 16, 1976 |
Kelly Monteith Show |
| July 15, 1972 |
Ken Berry's Wow |
| April 18, 1964 |
*Kiner's Korner (Premiere
program from Shea Stadium) |
| March 12, 1969 |
The King Family |
| January 19, 1972 |
Kopykats |
| October 8, 1958 |
Kraft Music Hall
Starring Milton Berle |
| April 24, 1968 |
Kraft Music Hall:
Eddie Arnold |
| July 3, 1968 |
Kraft Music Hall:
Ed McMahon |
| June 12, 1968 |
Kraft Music Hall:
John Davidson |
| September 10, 1962 |
*Leave it to the
Girls |
| June 15, 1969 |
Liberace |
| June 25, 1963 |
The Lively Ones |
| June 11, 1974 |
The Mac Davis Show |
| March 20, 1958 |
Make Me Laugh |
| July 20, 1971 |
Make Your Own Kind
of Music |
| August 10, 1975 |
Manhattan Transfer |
| June 15, 1977 |
Marilyn McCoo &
Billy Davis Jr. Show |
| September 24, 1978 |
Mary |
| June 7, 1972 |
Melba Moore -
Clifton Davis Show |
| August 18, 1969 |
Merv Griffin Show
(CBS) |
| September 26, 1976 |
Music Hall America |
| September 22, 1969 |
Music Scene |
| September 13, 1973 |
NBC Follies |
| September 11, 1972 |
The New Bill Cosby
Show |
| August 3, 1964 |
*The New Les Crane
Show |
| July 24, 1964 |
On Parade |
| January 5, 1968 |
Operation
Entertainment |
| January 23, 1971 |
Pearl Bailey Show |
| September 14, 1954 |
*Project 20: Three,
Two, One, Zero... |
| September 14, 1970 |
Red Skelton Show
(NBC) |
| February 2, 1976 |
Rich Little Show |
| September 13, 1977 |
Richard Pryor Show |
| September 12, 1966 |
Roger Miller Show |
| January 7, 1966 |
Sammy Davis Jr.
Show |
| September 20, 1975 |
Saturday Night Live
with Howard Cosell |
| September 20, 1977 |
Sha Na Na |
| January 26, 1958 |
Sid Caesar Invites
You |
| January 27, 1961 |
Sing Along with
Mitch |
| June 25, 1962 |
Steve Allen Show
(Syndicated) |
| September 13, 1965 |
Steve Lawrence Show |
| Feburary 7, 1969 |
This is Tom Jones |
| April 2, 1962 |
Tonight Show
(Second Interregnum after Paar, before Carson) |
| October 1, 1962 |
Tonight Show
Starring Johnny Carson |
| December 4, 1974 |
Tony Orlando & Dawn |
| September 30, 1962 |
Voice of Firestone
(Return Premiere) |
| September 16, 1962 |
*WNDT Premiere of
Channel 13 (NY) Public Broadcasting |
| August 2, 1974 |
Your Hit Parade
(Return Premiere) |
|