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."                                                                                                  

           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)                                              

Highlights: Anthony Eden resigns as Prime Minister as a result of the Egyptian fiasco, Eisenhower Middle East doctrine, Pressure applied for Secretary of State Dulles to be fired, he is accused of indecision, Britain no longer considered a first-rate power, slipped to the second rank as the result of Middle East humiliation.            

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.                                                                                       

A special one hour salute to Eddie Cantor celebrating his 65th birthday. On hand to salute him in this variety program are Edward R. Murrow, Burt Lancaster, Connie Russel, George Jessel, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Eddie Fisher, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnay, Milton Ager, Jimmy McHugh, and Cantor's daughter, Marilyn Cantor. Eddie Cantor wrote the script for the show, pre-empting The Jackie Gleason Show.                                                                                                                     

    
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.       

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. 

October 9, 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. 

Guest: Rev. James Robinson. 

                                                                                

  From Hollywood NBC Radio pays tribute to Humphrey Bogart on the eve of his funeral, scheduled for the next day at noon.
 
Hosted by Bogart's long time friend, George Fisher who plays  excerpts of telephone recorded conversations he had with Bogart over the years. Heard, is a 1951 conversation of Bogart discussing the making of AFRICAN QUEEN...his relationship with  co-star Katherine Hepburn...a 1952 conversation discussing the  birth of his daughter, Leslie, the day before...a 1953 phone conversation about planning to do a fourth film with his wife Lauren Bacall...reminisces about his friendships with John Barrymoore, W.C. Fields, John Huston, John Dekker, Charles Butterworth, Mark Hellinger, Greta Garbo and Mike 
Romenoff. 

Other conversation touches on Bogart's love of Scotch and his own reputation of being a "character."

John Huston, who directed Bogart in five motion pictures, and life long friend, gives his own personal tribute to his pal "Boggie." He will be giving the eulogy at Humphrey Bogart's funeral tomorrow, January 17, 1957.                    

Inauguration speech of President Dwight Eisenhower.                                        

 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.                                                                                      

 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.                                                                              

 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.                                                                 

 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.                                                                  

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.                                                                 

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.                                                    

Dwight Eisenhower is sworn in at his presidential inauguration to begin his second term in office. 

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." 



                                                  

May 12th, 1956- 1960

Interview/talk series which ran for four years, premiering May 12th, 1956, at 6PM on WNBC-TV in New York City.   

This weekly series of half-hour programs is planned and produced in cooperation with the faculties of various colleges and universities. Controversial and topical problems confronting our society will be selected for discussion. 

On this show, the topic is "The New Negro." A critical evaluation of the "new" Negro's self-assertiveness. Guests include Dr. Martin Luther King. 

Moderator is Richard Heffner.                               

May 12th, 1956- 1960

Interview/talk series which ran for four years, premiering May 12th, 1956, at 6PM on WNBC-TV in New York City.   

This weekly series of half-hour programs is planned and produced in cooperation with the faculties of various colleges and universities. Controversial and topical problems confronting our society will be selected for discussion. 

On this show, the topic is "The New Negro." A critical evaluation of the "new" Negro's self-assertiveness. Guests include Dr. Martin Luther King. 

Moderator is Richard Heffner.         

Duplicate of 10609.                                  

    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.
                                                                                                    

 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.   

1954

Half-hour documentary series hosted by John D. Craig, featuring films taken by modern-day adventurers. 

This episode: "Antarctic Expedition." 

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

The opening monologue is heard.                        

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.                         

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.
                                                                                         

 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.       

 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. 

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.             

The Ninth Annual Emmy Awards for the best in television for 1956 are presented from the NBC studios in Burbank, California. Personalities include Ed Sullivan, Phil Silvers, Carl Reiner, Robert Young, Jimmy Durante, Lloyd Nolan, Jack Palance, Claire Trevor, Peggy Lee, Perry Como, Dinah Shore, Danny Thomas, Sid Caesar, Nanette Fabray, Ralph Edwards, Loretta Young, and Peggy Wood, "Requiem For a Heavyweight, a presentation of "Playhouse 90," was voted the Emmy Award for best television presentation of 1956.

Desi Arnaz is the host. Dave Garroway concludes the program.                                                                

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,                                                                              

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.                                                                              

Hemo comes from the Greek word for blood and tonight's one-hour film is about our blood, how it circulates and what its functions are. One way of showing these things will be through the use of animated cartoons and cartoon characters such as Hemo himself, Professor Anatomy and the pacemaker. There will also be special medical films, and the whole show will be tied together through the appearance of Dr. Research and The Fiction Writer, as they try to visualize our circulatory system. 
The show will open with a Chronicle of  man's knowledge about blood. Then animated sequences will show the heart pumping blood, the lungs slipping oxygen into it and other organs in the system functioning. The intricate system of tubes, arteries, capillaries, and veins, that conduct the blood on its errands, is geographically presented. A theory is offered to account for the presence of blood in man, and microscopic film shots show the capillaries in action. We see what happens to the blood in a knockout and in a state of shock.
Dr. Research is played by Dr. Frank Baxter, who performed the same role in "Our Mr. Sun." Actor Richard Carlson plays The Fiction Writer. Written and directed by Frank Capra. Educational film from Bell Laboratories. 

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.                                                                                                                               

Highlights: Three Americans join Cuban revolutionaries and want to fight for freedom against Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista, Vice-President Nixon is ill, the Senate investigation committee claims teamster president David Beck misused union funds, two New York City newspapers The Daily Mirror and The New York Daily News raise their prices to five cents.            

A review of the 1956 Democratic campaign.            

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.                                                                                                                               

The 29th Annual Academy Award ceremonies for excellence in film in 1956 are telecast live from two locations; The Pantages Theatre in Hollywood California, and The NBC Century Theatre in New York City. The hosts are Jerry Lewis and Celeste Holm.
Personalities scheduled to appear include Robert Stack, Mercedes McCambridge, Mickey Rooney, Patty McCormack, Nancy Kelly, Anthony Quinn, Dorothy Malone, Elizabeth Taylor, Dorothy Dandridge, Jack Lemmon, Marge and Gower Champion, Eva Marie-Saint, Claire Trevor, George Seaton, Eddie Cantor, Carol Baker, Yul Brynner, Ernest Borgnine, Cary Grant, Janet Gaynor,    
and Anna Magnani.
Eddie Cantor receives an honorary award, Yul Brynner wins the best actor award for "The King and I," and Ingrid Bergman wins best actress award for "Anastasia."Cary Grant accepts the award for Ingrid Bergman."Around The World in Eighty Days" wins the best film award with producer Mike Todd accepting.                                                                                                     

The 29th Annual Academy Awards ceremony, telecast live from the RKO Panteges Theater in Hollywood, California and The NBC Century Theater in New York City. Jerry Lewis is host in Hollywood while Celeste Holm is hostess in New York City.
"Around The World in 80 Days" won for best picture and along with "The King And I" won most Awards (5). 

Best Actor: Yul Brynner, "The King And I."
Best Actress: Ingrid Bergman, "Anastasia." Cary Grant accepts
Best Supporting Actor: Anthony Quinn, " Lust For Life." 
Best Supporting Actress: Dorothy Malone, "Written On The Wind." 

Note: Final forty minutes only. 

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.                                                                                           

November 9th, 1952-April April 16th, 1961. (NBC). 

Hosted by Alistair Cooke, this series presented everything from dramas to musicals to documentaries. SEARCH PROGRAM TITLE FOR COMPLETE DETAILS.

Leonard Berstein analyzes Bach's music and techniques with excerpt from "The St. Matthew Passion" and other choral works.

Guest: Leonard Bernstein.

Host: Alistair Cooke.     

Excerpt: Open.                  

Julie Andrews portrays Cinderella in this classic tale of her passion to attend the Prince's ball. She is aided by her Godmother, who creates the coach, coachmen and gown for her, and off she goes to meet the Prince. 

Complete broadcast with open and close. Sound recorded direct line. Excellent.                                        

Julie Andrews portrays Cinderella in this classic tale of her passion to attend the Prince's ball. She is aided by her Godmother, who creates the coach, coachmen and gown for her, and off she goes to meet the Prince. 

Complete broadcast with open and close. Sound recorded direct line. Excellent.     


Duplicate of 5969.                                                

Julie Andrews portrays Cinderella in this classic tale of her passion to attend the Prince's ball. She is aided by her Godmother, who creates the coach, coachmen and gown for her, and off she goes to meet the Prince. Rodgers and Hammerstein's first original musical for television. 90 minute version of the old fairy tale of Cinderella, without altering the basic story. It's still about a poor girl, mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters, whose fairy godmother enables her to meet Prince Charming at a ball. The Prince falls in love with her and eventually seeks her out, through the aid of the glass slipper, and makes her his bride.
In writing the book for the show, Oscar Hammerstein 2d has made the stepmother and stepsisters not very bright, rather than cruel,and has turned the fairy godmother into a down-to-earth lady, also adding two lovable characters in the form of the King and Queen.
Julie Andrews, star of "My Fair, Lady," heads an all-star cast with Jon Cypher, newcomer to starring roles, as Prince Charming. Robert Russell Bennett orchestrated Richard Rodgers music; conducted by Alfredo Antonini. 

Complete broadcast with open and close. Sound recorded direct line. Excellent.     

Highlights: 

"Where is Cinderella?"- Orchestra 
"In My Own Little Corner"- Julie Andrews 
"The Prince Is Giving a Ball"- Howard Lindsay, Dorothy Stickney 
"Today's The Day Of The Ball"- Singers
"Impossible"- Julie Andrews, Edith Adams 
"Gavotte"- Dancers
"Ten Minutes Ago"- Jon Cypher, Julie Andrews 
"Stepsisters Lament"- Kaye Ballard, Alice Ghostley 
"Waltz For a Ball"- Dancers
"Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?"- Julie Andrews, Jon Cypher 
"Lovely Night"- Julie Andrews, lika Chase, Kaye Ballard, Alice Ghostley.

Cast:
Cinderella- Julie Andrews 
Prince Charming- Jon Cypher 
Fairy Godmother- Edith Adams 
King- Howard Lindsay
Queen- Dorothy Stickney 
Stepmother- Iika Chase
Stepsister Portia- Kaye Ballard 
Stepsister Joy- Alice Ghostley 





Duplicate of 5969.                                                

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.                                                                 

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.                                                  

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.
                                                                                                                             

 

PERSON TO PERSON hosted by Edward R. Murrow - Oct. 2, 1953, through June 29, 1959. Charles Collingwood hosted from Oct. 16, 1959, through Sept. 15, 1961. 

When Collingwood took over as host about half of the series' programs originated from foreign locations and were pre-recorded on videotape. While many of the Murrow segments exist on kinescope and can be accessed, most of the Collingwood segments are not available. 

Edward R. Murrow interviews Elizabeth Taylor and husband Michael Todd.