Barry Gray was an American radio personality, often referred to as "the father of talk radio." His late-night New York City radio talk show was carried by WOR radio and then later by WMCA.

Barry Gray returned to WMCA in 1950, and stayed there for 39 years, refining the talk show format still utilized today. During the 1960s, he was in the odd position of having an 11 p.m.-1 a.m. late night talk show on a station otherwise dominated by Top 40 music and the youth-targeted "Good Guys" disc jockey campaign. But for teenagers who kept their radios on into the night, Gray's show was a window into the high-brow New York culture of the 1940s and 1950s.

Guests: Adam Clayton Powell, Hazel Scott. 
                                                                                                                 

       Brooklyn Dodgers - 7 New York Giants 6  
From Ebbets Field the fourth game of the 1950 season, and the first regularly scheduled Brooklyn Dodger game to be Nationally broadcast.
Highlights include first Black Pitcher in Major League history, Dan Bankhead, starting the game for the Brooklyn Dodgers who hits a double in his first time at bat. Gil Hodges hits a home-run. 

Calling the play by play on this radio broadcast are Red Barber and Connie Desmond.                            

The Liberty Network, WCFL, Chicago aircheck. 
The National League Championship game number three,  that included the famous game-ending home run by Bobby Thompson ("The Shot Heard Round the World"). 

This radio broadcast is actually a re-creation, using data about the game sent in by wire. The announcer is Gordon McLendon, who owned the Liberty Network. 

                    

Today's Headlines: Final playoff game between the Giants and Dodgers for the National League pennant. Giants win 5-4 on Bobby Thomson's dramatic three-run home run into the left field stands off of Dodger reliever Ralph Branca. Hysterical Giants announcer Russ Hodges, broadcasting the game on WMCA radio in New York City, screams "The Giants win the pennant, the Giants win the pennant" over and over again. 
Dressing room interviews with Bobby Thomson, Eddie Stankey, Ralph Branca, Leo Durocher, and Roy Campanella. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

Presented on "MAX LIEBMAN PRESENTS." Based on the 1941 Broadway hit, set on a school campus. A few edits during the opening of the program.

          Folk operettas by Ira Gershwin played by Skitch Henderson and company.     

September 15th, 1954-May 4th, 1955 (CBS)

Series of specials, every fourth Wednesday for one season, replacing the Pabst Blue Ribbon boxing matches. Martin Manulis was the producer.

This episode: "Arsenic And Old Lace" starring Helen Hayes and Billie Burke. 

A tribute to the 15th anniversary of the Bell Telephone Hour radio program which began on the NBC radio network April 29th, 1940 and was heard until June 30th, 1958, moving to television on January 12th, 1959.

Donald Voorhees conducts the Bell Telephone Orchestra. 

Bill Kemp was an up and coming comic performer with a 1950s radio show heard on the ABC radio network. His daily radio show was expected to launch him into a television career, following a similar path to that of Merv Griffin. High powered guests such as Jonathan Winters, Ava Gardner, Will Jordan, and Robert Mitchum all made appearances on Kemp's show. Tragically, Kemp's television career never took off as he was plagued by a debilitating drinking problem. At times both Merv Griffin and Jim Backus, both of whom had radio shows on the ABC radio network at the time, would fill in for Kemp with "personal reasons" given for the absences. When the Bill Kemp radio show ended, he returned to his native Toronto, Canada home, his show business career ended. A sad ending to what could have been a very successful television career.

On this two-minute segment, there is mention of WOR-TV's "Million Dollar Movie" and the television debut of the 1933 movie release, "King Kong." In a comedic moment, actress Fay Wray is heard screaming during the movie. 

Presented on "SUNDAY SPECTACULAR." A 37 year old advertising executive cannot decide whom to choose between the three women he is dating. Score by Steve Allen and Ervin Drake. Steve Allen wrote what became his trademark theme song for this musical comedy, "This Could Be The Start Of Something Big."             

Sportscaster Bill Hickey reports on the fifth game of the 1956 World Series in which Don Larsen pitched a perfect game and reports on Jackie Robinson receiving an offer to manage the  Montreal Royals Minor League baseball team for $25,000.                                                                

October 8th, 1955-April 2nd, 1957
 
A quiz show with a $100,000 top prize. Jack Barry was the original host. He was replaced in the second season by Mike Wallace. 

NOTE:
Almost all daytime game shows from the 1950's thru the 1970's have been destroyed. A conservative conscientious  effort to save programming by CBS's archives begin in 1972, ABC in 1978, and NBC in 1980. Only a handful of producers (most notably Goodson-Todman) did arrange for the preservation of their shows even during the tape-recycling period.

                                                    

October 9, 1956-January 29, 1957

A game show with Bert Parks as host. (series premiere)                                   

Campaign songs of the past, narrated by Will Rogers, Jr.                      

Gamal Abdel Nasser's days are about over, John Foster Dulles is operated on for colon cancer, UN observers sent to Hungary, presidential campaign nears an end, discussion of Hungarian and Egyptian wars.         

October 12th, 1950-September 22nd, 1958 (CBS)   

Long-running half-hour comedy series starring the team of George Burns and his wife Gracie Allen. Burns would play the straight man to Allen's crazy antics. Their son Ronnie would make occasional appearances on the program. Harry Von Zell was the announcer, replacing the original announcer, Bill Goodwin.           

In his opening monologue, Bob talks about Elvis Presley.                         

Commercial for Piels Beer with Bert and Harry Piels.                                                   

CBS NEWS: Top News Stories Of 1956

Highlights: PresidentEisenhower health problems, announced candidacy at Democratic Convention, Vice Presidential battle between Senator John F. Kennedy and Senator Estes Kefauver,
Republican Convention, nomination, Presidential campaign topics, 
Eisenhower and Nixon were expected to be nominated by acclamation when a lone delegate voted for a fictitious candidate named "Joe Smith." The sinking of the Andrea Doria,
700 people die in weekend automobile accidents, two airlines collide over Grand Canyon Arizona, 128 die, the problem of overcrowded skies, Grace Kelly marries Prince Rainier of Monaco, racial problems in the South in Clinton, Tennessee, huge school desegregation riots, interviews with negroes and whites, including John Kasper, violent segregationist and member of the Klu Klux Klan, Don Larsen's perfect World Series game, Khruschev denounces Stalin cult, Polish riots, Hungarian revolution, Cyprus revolt against British occupation, Middle East crisis, Anglo-French, Israeli-Eygptian war.

Host: Charles Collingwood.                                                                            

From 1950 tho 1996 Bob Hope did 273 SPECIALS for NBC TV.

The opening monologue is heard.                        

October 12th, 1953-May 22nd, 1956

A variety show presented monthly on NBC.

Opening Monologue only.                                     

October 12th, 1953-May 22nd, 1956

A variety show presented monthly on NBC.

Bob's guests are pro golfer Dr. Cary Middlecoff and comedian George Jessel. 

                                   

The final Brooklyn Dodger baseball game before the Brooklyn Dodgers were scheduled to leave for Los Angeles, California, for the 1958 season, departing Brooklyn after playing 45 years at Ebbets Field. This final Brooklyn Dodger baseball game is played on the road in Philadelphia Pennsylvania against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Broadcast on radio WOKO 1460. Vin Scully and Jerry Dogget call the play-by-play. Ironically, this memorable baseball game was not televised to home fans in Brooklyn as was the New York Giants final game at the Polo Grounds.

This game is notable also for the fact that it contains the last at bat of Brooklyn Dodger catcher great Roy Campanella who would suffer paralysis as a result of an automobile accident on January 28, 1958, ending his illustrious baseball career.  
 
                         Starting Lineups 

Brooklyn Dodgers

1   Jim Gilliam  2B
2   Gino Cimoli  CF
3   Carl Furillo RF
4   Gil Hodges   1B
5   Bob Kennedy  LF
6   Randy Jackson 3B
7   Don Zimmer   SS
8   Joe Pignatano C
9   Roger Craig   P
10  Sandy Koufax  P      
11  Roy Campanella PH

Philadelphia Phillies

1	Richie Ashburn	RF
2	Don Landrum	CF
3	Ed Bouchee	1B
4	Harry Anderson	LF
5	Willie Jones	3B
6	Solly Hemus	2B
7	Chico Fernandez	SS
8	Joe Lonnett	C
9	Seth Morehead	P

NOTE: 
This is a COMPLETE GAME, unlike radio broadcast versions that exists on the internet and /or housed in other museums or private collector's archives, which contain in their recordings SIX MINUTES of missing counts related to FOUR player at bats. 

This historic recording (originally a peerless radio broadcast recorded off the air by Pat Rispole) was released to the public by John Miley on May 26, 2015. 

At the time the recording transfer process from the original 1/4" reel to reel master tape to CD disc includes occasional audio hiss, clicks, gaps, volume level changes, pitch issues, and only the left channel playing.

Phil Gries' ARCHIVAL TELEVISION AUDIO, INC. master copy of this broadcast is COMPLETE containing every pitch, transferred on both Right and Left tracks. 

The sound rendition of this audio air check contains no pitch issues, clicks, low & high volume aberrations, gaps and contains only very minor hiss. Two commercials have been deleted. 


 A SUPERIOR AND MOST COMPLETE VERSION OF THIS BROADCAST, EXTANT.

As an extra bonus and to remind the listener that this was to be the final game the Brooklyn Dodgers would ever play at Ebbets Field this transfer broadcast begins with two brief News broadcast stories indicating the departure of Brooklyn to Los Angeles for the upcoming 1958 season.
 

A- Mike Wallace on the TV Dumont Channel - May 28, 1957.
The possibility that Brooklyn Dodgers will be moving at the end of this season. 

B- Ron Cochran Evening News  on WCBS TV- October 8, 1957.
It is final. The Dodgers have played in Brooklyn for the last time. 
   
                                                                                                                           

From Nouasseur Air Force Base in Morocco. Just the opening monologue is heard.                                                                

September 18th, 1957-June 11th, 1958 (CBS)

Musical variety series with popular recording artists singing their hits and hosted by Patti Page. Originally a one-hour show, it was cut back to a half-hour beginning March 26th, 1958.
Vic Schoen Orchestra. 

On this episode, actress Rhonda Fleming makes her singing debut.              

September 18th, 1957-June 11th, 1958 (CBS)

Musical variety series with popular recording artists singing their hits and hosted by Patti Page. Originally a one-hour show, it was cut back to a half-hour beginning March 26th, 1958.
Vic Schoen Orchestra. 

On this episode, actress Rhonda Fleming makes her singing debut with "Don't Take Your Love From Me." 
                           

Bob Hope's tour of the Pacific with guests Jerry Colonna, Jayne Mansfield, and Erin O'Brien

Show opening and Bob's monologue.             

The show opening.            

A BBC interview with Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery who announces his retirement from the British Army. Montgomery recalls past experiences and speculates about the future.           

Bob Hope special from Moscow.                         

September 15, 1958-January 30, 1959 

This late night talk show aired on WABC television in New York. It's 25 minute time slot was 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 audio air check  uploaded to you tube...a 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. 

In this PREMIERE episode, host Ben Hecht talks to advertising executive Robert L. Foreman  about television commercials. 

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.                                                                                                                              

September 15, 1958-January 30, 1959 

This late night talk show aired on WABC television in New York. It's 25 minute time slot was 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 a you tube uploaded TV Audio Air Check...a 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 Westbrook Pegler. American journalist and writer. a popular columnist in the 1930s and 1940s, famed for his opposition to the New Deal and labor unions.  Pegler viciously attacks the judiciary, accuses them of being politicians, immoral, brutally arrogant, drunk with power, and wear awesome black robes. He thinks the Supreme Court judges are a cut below "speed-trap judges." 

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.                                                                                                                            

Highlights: CBS reviews the top news stories of 1958 which include De Gaulle to power, Quemoy shelled, the Berlin Crisis, the voyage of Nautilus, missiles, and space, approaches to the summit, Sherman Adams-Bernard Goldfine scandal, integration problems, the 1958 elections, Vice-President Nixon in Latin America, Alaska becomes the 49th State, the Papacy, Boris Pasternak receives the Nobel Prize, the Middle East crisis.                          

January 12, 1959-April 26, 1968. This musical series ran semi regularly for almost ten seasons-sometimes weekly, sometimes biweekly, and sometimes as irregularly scheduled specials. All types of music were presented on the hour series; Donald Voorhees conducted the Bell Telephone Orchestra. 

This episode of The Bell Telephone Hour begins with George Gershwin's first song in 1918, entitled "The Real American Folk Song."

An hour of George Gershwin's music performed by singers Ella Fitzgerald, Polly Bergen, and Vic Damone. Also featuring the song and dance team of Marge and Gower Champion, and pianists Andre Previn and Teddy Wilson. Donald Voorhees conducts The Bell Telephone Orchestra.
Gershwin's "Just Another Rumba" is performed for the first time.

Early songs:

"Real American Folk Song"- Polly Bergen, Marge Champion 
"Do, Do, Do"- Marge Champion, Andre Previn 
"Swanee"- Vic Damone
"Lady Be Good"- Gower Champion, Vic Damone 
"Fidgety Feet"- Gower Champion 
"Strike Up The Band"- Champions, Polly Bergen, Vic Damone 
"Fascinating Rhythm"- Andre Previn 
"Clap Yo Hands" "Looking For A Boy"- Polly Bergen 

Love Songs:

"Man I Love"- "Embraceable You" Polly Bergen 
"Love Walked In"- Vic Damone
"Our Love Is Here To Stay"- Vic Damone
"Let's Call The Whole Thing Off"- Polly Bergen, Vic Damone
"They Can't Take That Away From Me"- Polly Bergen 
"Kiss And Make Up" "Mine"- Polly Bergen,  Vic Damone 

Music For The Piano:

Concerto in F (Second Mvt) Andre Previn
 
Modern Songs:

"Slap That Bass"- Ella Fitzgerald, Teddy Wilson Trio
"S Wonderful "- Ella Fitzgerald, Teddy Wilson Trio
"Lady Be Good" "Summertime"- Ella Fitzgerald 

Music For Dancing:

Variations on "I Got Rhythm"- Marge and Gower Champion 

New Song:

"Just Another Rumba"- Polly Bergen, Marge and Gower Champion. 

Narrated by Ira Gershwin. 




            

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.                                                                                                                                         

   The Ben Hecht Show September 15, 1958 - February 6, 1959 

Slotted in a most unusual time period by ABC television 
(10:50pm - 11:15pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and 11:00pm - 11:15pm Wednesday nights) this series of 25 minute and 15 minute broadcasts with Ben Hecht, ran only for 22 weeks. 
A little over 100 broadcasts were telecast  of which only one known episode survives as a kinescope. 

Ben Hecht whose motion picture and journalistic career brought him in touch with scores of celebrities in films, television, politics and the social set. Many of his guests are personal friends and that relationship provides for a very informal wonderful discourse during most interviews when discussing  a variety of subjects; often enraging some, engaging many. His comments were often entertaining, defiant, realistic and iconoclastic. A rare approach to a commentary / talk show for even the late 1950's. 

Two back to back broadcasts with Jimmy Durante are included in this archived series. The first program aired on January 19, 1959 followed by a follow up broadcast airing the following night, January 20, 1959. This very revealing special interview by Ben Hecht of his long time friend Jimmy Durante is a treasure. 
Durante sits at that piano discussing his career and recalling a myriad of anecdotes related to his life and times, and  plays melody's that personify the music he has been associated with during his long history in show business. 

One of the rare jewels in the archive of Archival Television Audio. 
                              

One of the few Afro-Americans to host a variety series during the early days of television (Oct 5th-Dec 28th, 1959). This updated one hour series premiered on local Los Angeles television (KTLA), January 13th, 1959. 

George Jessel sings Al Jolson songs. Billy Daniels piano accompanist is Benny Payne.         

January 12, 1959-April 26, 1968. This musical series ran semi regularly for almost ten seasons-sometimes weekly, sometimes biweekly, and sometimes as irregularly scheduled specials. All types of music were presented on the hour series; Donald Voorhees conducted the Bell Telephone Orchestra. 

Second Bell Telephone Hour broadcast. First aired as specials.
            

One of the few Afro-Americans to host a variety series during the early days of television (Oct 5th-Dec 28th, 1959). This updated one hour series premiered on local Los Angeles television (KTLA), January 13th, 1959. 

                     

January 12, 1959-April 26, 1968. This musical series ran semi regularly for almost ten seasons-sometimes weekly, sometimes biweekly, and sometimes as irregularly scheduled specials. All types of music were presented on the hour series; Donald Voorhees conducted the Bell Telephone Orchestra. 


                         

January 12, 1959-April 26, 1968. This musical series ran semi regularly for almost ten seasons-sometimes weekly, sometimes biweekly, and sometimes as irregularly scheduled specials. All types of music were presented on the hour series; Donald Voorhees conducted the Bell Telephone Orchestra. 


                                      

Topics: Sickening Harlem slums, description of some of the slums, viewed by Borough  President, Hulan Jack, how special companies handle tons of TV merchandise giveaway shows, show large profits as a result of swindling.                         

August 21st,  1959- September 30th, 1959   

Bob and Ray were an American comedy duo whose career spanned five decades. Their cartoon images were displayed in the Piels Beer television commercials of the late 1950s and early 1960s. 

August 21st, 1959- August 31st, 1959
September 1st, 1959- September 10th, 1959
September 11th, 1959- September 21st, 1959
September 22nd, 1959- September 30th, 1959      

Each broadcast is 15 minutes in length, a total of 40 broadcasts in all.  
             

October 8, 1959-December 31, 1959

THE BIG PARTY video taped within a living room set  was planned as a series of 15 variety shows which would alternate with PLAYHOUSE 90. PLAYBOY'S PENTHOUSE duplicated the concept of using a  living  room. This same concept was replicated by Hugh Heftner with his series PLAYBOY'S PENTHOUSE (1960-1961). 

Today's guests on the Premiere show are Tallulah Bankhead, Rock Hudson, and Mort Sahl.                                                    

January 12, 1959-April 26, 1968. This musical series ran semi regularly for almost ten seasons-sometimes weekly, sometimes biweekly, and sometimes as irregularly scheduled specials. All types of music were presented on the hour series; Donald Voorhees conducted the Bell Telephone Orchestra. 

Series premiere as a series.