September 24th, 1958-March 16th, 1959.

Live musical variety show hosted by singer Patti Page.                                                                

September 5, 1949-June 7, 1954 (NBC); June 14, 1954-June 16, 1963 (ABC). This was the first 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).  

"Mardi Gras Night."                         

September 5, 1949-June 7, 1954 (NBC); June 14, 1954-June 16, 1963 (ABC). This was the first 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).  

"Mardi Gras Night."         

Highlights: "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans" 
"South Rampart Street Parade"
"Muskrat Ramble"
"Miss New Orleans" 

Duplicate of #7465.                

1957-1959 (CBS)

"Lucy Goes To Alaska" was the eighth and final episode of the one-hour specials. The Riccardos and the Mertzes go to Alaska to do a show, with Red Skelton, to celebrate the state's admission to the union.               

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. 

                     

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.  

Guests: Jonathan Winters,author Jim Bishop, 

Paar anecdotes on President Batista of Cuba. Discussion on John Wilkes Booth and Abraham Lincoln.                                                                                                                                                                               

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.  

Guests: Alexander King who discusses his ten-year morphine addiction actor-comic Hans Conreid, and author Jim Bishop who talks of Abraham Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd, a nervous, angry woman.                                                                                                                                                              

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.  

Guests: Jack E. Leonard, Cliff Arquette (Charlie Weaver) 

Jack E. Leonard discusses his career as an insult comic and his weight. Leonard says he admires Hugh Downs who joins conversation with Cliff Arquette. Chinese New Year fortune cookies are read.  
                                                                                                                                                                  

October 5th, 1956-May,12th, 1963. 

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show was an American Variety Series, hosted by Dinah Shore and broadcast on NBC from October 5th. 1956- May, 12th,1963.

Guests: Craig Stevens, Andre Previn, George Gobel, and Vera-Ellen.


                                                                                                                                                        

Steve Allen Presents The Hollywood Merit Awards.                                 

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Announcer Hugh Downs opens the show, "The NBC Network Presents THE JACK PAAR SHOW with the Jose Melies Orchestra, and yours truly Hugh Downs. And now here's Jack."

Jack's monologue...an adult Disneyland, George Washington and why did he admit to cutting down his cherry tree?...famous birthdays in February and anecdotes about non-famous birthdays in February. 

Richard Hays sings "Sing You Sinners." Jack introduces Gypsy Rose Lee who discusses her relationship with sister June Havoc...early years performing together in vaudeville...switching birth certificates done by their mother. Jose Melies performs "Wedding of the Painted Dolls." Introduction of June Havoc who mentions that she has been performing since she was two years old. She relates who sister Gypsy posed in the nude winning many contests...first act together, "Baby June and her Pals."

Jack demonstrates new products, including a milking stool, a Lawrence Welk pretzel, Alaskan sneakers and an new book by Pat Boone. June and Gypsy sing duet "Til We Meet Again." 

Jack introduces Alexander King plugging stating that King is the most interesting man he has ever met. King plugs new book "Mine Enemy Grows Older." King relates that he was once a drug abuser, attending numerous programs to cure himself. 

Gypsy Rose Lee and sister June Havoc continue to relate stories about their early years in show business. Gypsy mentions that she was first married at the age of 13.
Jack mentions that the play "GYPSY" starring Ethel Merman will be opening soon. 
 Richard Hays sings "But Not For Me."

*Most of this series does not survive in any broadcast form. Kinescopes were discarded, burned, decomposed...whereabouts unknown. 2" Quadruplex Video Tape was expensive ($300 for a one hour reel), weighting 26 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. 

ARCHIVAL TELEVISION AUDIO, INC. retains over 70 complete and excerpt JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW air checks (34 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 retain a composite total of 13 hours of representative JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts excerpts, all KINESCOPES (sound quality inferior to originally direct line 1/4" reel to reel home recordings at the time of the broadcast). No COMPLETE intact visual and audio broadcasts survive. There are no extant video taped surviving RECORDINGS of the JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW...not even an excerpt. 

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 Melis, 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 Conreid, Peggy Cass, Cliff (Charley Weaver) Arquette, and Jonathan Winters.

 Hugh Downs substituted for Jack Paar 79 times, more than any other substitute host. There were 20 different substitute hosts for Paar 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. All together there were 243 broadcasts which 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 video-taped broadcast aired on January 5, 1959. The LAST LIVE broadcast was aired July 3, 1959. "Best of Paar " Re-runs began on July 10,1959. Beginning July 20, 1959 Jack Paar began taking off Monday nights & guest hosts would substitute for him (approximately on alternate Mondays). The first color broadcast aired on September 19, 1960.
Theme music, "Everything is Coming Up Roses" was first used beginning in the Fall of 1959. 

Location broadcast telecasts of the program telecast away from the Hudson Theater in New York City occurred 14 times during this series run. 

Jan. 13-17, 1958                     Miami Beach, Florida
July 28, 1958                        Havana,Cuba           
Nov. 3-21, 1958                      Hollywood, California
March 2-20, 1959                     Hollywood, California
Nov. 10-12, 1959                  Nassau, Bahamas (Video Tape)
Nov. 30- Dec. 10, 1959               Hollywood, California
March 28-April 1, 1960            London, England (Video Tape)
Nov.9-11, 1960                    Hawaii (Video Tape) - b&w
Nov.14-24, 1960                     Hollywood, California
March 21-24, 1961                 London, England (Video Tape)
Sept. 12-14, 1961                 West Berlin (Video Tape)
Nov. 14-17, 1961                  Hollywood, California (Tape)
Nov. 21-24, 1961                  Hollywood, California (Tape)
March 13-16, 1962                 London, England (Video Tape)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

September 5, 1949-June 7, 1954 (NBC); June 14, 1954-June 16, 1963 (ABC). This was the first 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). 

"From Oklahoma To Music Man" is the theme.                          

September 24th, 1958-March 16th, 1959.

Live musical variety show hosted by singer Patti Page.                         

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

       Guest Nelson Eddy comments about Oscar Levant.                                                       

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Brief excerpt beginning with Jack Paar setting the record straight, stating "...the only way to kill a lie is to reveal the truth," referring to what he believes have been miss-truths said about him over and over again by columnist Walter Winchell. Nelson Eddy talks about Oscar Levant.

Elsa Maxwell joins the conversation updating Jack about her gay card games, Belgium pavilion, and appreciation of South Pacific play.  

 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, 1959, news bulletin on the "Explorer I" satellite, launched today.   

Guest is Nelson Eddy. Jack talks about Oscar Levant.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

The US launches the Pioneer rocket which will eventually orbit the Sun.                         

Stars from the world of show business pay tribute to the late Emanuel Sacks. Their tribute takes the form of 90 minutes of entertainment by Sid Caesar, Rosemary Clooney, Nat King Cole, Perry Como, Eddie Fisher, Betty Grable, Bob Hope, Harry James, Tony Martin, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Kay Starr, Danny Thomas, Jack Webb and Jane Wyman.
Some of these entertainers were discovered by Manie Sacks, all of them were helped by him during his years as a record-industry and television executive and all were his friends.                     

September 30th, 1958-June 16th, 1964

The Garry Moore variety series made a star out of Carol Burnett,brought back Allen Funt's Candid Camera and showcased many fine musical and comedic talents from 1958-1964.The highlight of most shows was "That Wonderful Year," consisting of film clips, comedy sketches and production numbers based on the events and styles of a given year.

Regulars: Garry Moore, Carol Burnett (1959-1962), Dorothy Loudon (1962-1964),Allen Funt (1959-1960, Durward Kirby (1958-1964)and Marion Lorne (1958-1962).

NOTE:
Guest Host: Frankie Laine  is introduced by announcer Durward Kirby who announces the guest stars appearing on tonight's live show, from Hollywood, California.  Laine substitutes for Moore who is taking a one week vacation.

The first 40 minutes of the broadcast has been archived. 

Guests are singer Peggy Lee; French arranger and conductor Michel Legrand; the Wiere Brothers, comedy team; the Amazing Ballantine, comic magician; and the Steiner Brothers. Durward Kirby, upset because he wasn't named guest host in Gary's absence, decides to do some back-seat heckling at Laine.   

NOTE: 
On only four occasions, during the five year run of THE GARRY MOORE  SHOW was there a substitute host replacing Garry. 

March 3, 1959 - Frankie Laine
February 21, 1961 - Peter Lawford
March 27, 1962 - George Gobel
May 7, 1963 - Alan King. 

And only three times was THE GARRY MOORE SHOW broadcast from Hollywood, California.                                                                    

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. 


                         

July 2, 1955-September 4, 1971; 1971-1982 (Syndicated). "The Lawrence Welk Show" presented middle-of-the-road music for almost three decades. Numbers were performed by the members of Welk's television family. That large group included the Lennon Sisters (Dianne, Peggy, Kathy and Janet), Alice Lon, Norma Zimmer, Tanya Falan, Arthur Duncan, Joe Feeney, Guy Hovis, Jim Roberts, Ralna English, Larry Hooper, Jerry Burke and former Mouseketeer Bobby Burgess.                                                                                           

    From 11:15pm to 11:30pm THE JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW is pre-empted.

 Carl Reiner hosts the live Premiere of a new Broadway play, "JUNO" at the Winergarden Theater in NYC. The play, adapted from "JUNO & THE PEACOCK" stars Shirley Booth and Melvyn Douglas.  

AT the theater host Carl Reiner, who praises the play, interviews:
Joseph Stein, writer of the adaptation,
Marc Blitzstein, composer of the play,
Jose Ferrer, director of the play,
Mrs.Jose Ferrer,
Melvyn Douglas,
Jayne Meadows,
Agnes DeMille, Choreographer of the play.


                      

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Rose Marie performs. Philip Crosby son of Bing Crosby is the guest on the segment, "It's All Relative."

11:15 - 11:30pm local segment pre-empted for coverage of the Broadway play opening, "JUNO."  Host Carl Reiner interviews 16 celebrities attending this premiere. This segment is archived in the ATA collection but not posted as of this date. 

*Most of this series does not survive in any broadcast form. Kinescopes were discarded, burned, decomposed...whereabouts unknown. 2" Quadruplex Video Tape was expensive ($300 for a one hour reel), weighting 26 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. 

ARCHIVAL TELEVISION AUDIO, INC. retains over 70 complete and excerpt JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW air checks (34 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 retain a composite total of 13 hours of representative JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts excerpts...none complete. 



 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 Melis, 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 Conreid, Peggy Cass, Cliff (Charley Weaver) Arquette, and Jonathan Winters.

 Hugh Downs substituted for Jack Paar 79 times, more than any other substitute host. There were 20 different substitute hosts for Paar 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. All together there were 243 broadcasts which 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 video-taped broadcast aired on January 5, 1959. "Best of Paar " Re-runs began on July 10,1959. Beginning July 20, 1959 Jack Paar began taking off Monday nights & guest hosts would substitute for him (approximately on alternate Mondays). The first color broadcast aired on September 19, 1960.
Theme music, "Everything is Coming Up Roses" was first used beginning in the Fall of 1959. 

Location broadcast telecasts of the program telecast away from the Hudson Theater in New York City occurred 14 times during this series run. 

Jan. 13-17, 1958                     Miami Beach, Florida
July 28, 1958                        Havana,Cuba           
Nov. 3-21, 1958                      Hollywood, California
March 2-20, 1959                     Hollywood, California
Nov. 10-12, 1959                  Nassau, Bahamas (Video Tape)
Nov. 30- Dec. 10, 1959               Hollywood, California
March 28-April 1, 1960            London, England (Video Tape)
Nov.9-11, 1960                    Hawaii (Video Tape) - b&w
Nov.14-24, 1960                     Hollywood, California
March 21-24, 1961                 London, England (Video Tape)
Sept. 12-14, 1961                 West Berlin (Video Tape)
Nov. 14-17, 1961                  Hollywood, California (Tape)
Nov. 21-24, 1961                  Hollywood, California (Tape)
March 13-16, 1962                 London, England (Video Tape)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

September 5, 1949-June 7, 1954 (NBC); June 14, 1954-June 16, 1963 (ABC). This was the first 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).  

"A Night Of Americana" is the theme.                         

January 7th, 1952-April 24th, 1959 (CBS)

Beginning on January 7th, 1952, The hour-long Arthur Godfrey Time radio show was televised Monday-Thursday by CBS. Most episodes of this series are believed to be "lost." 

Today's guest is former boxing champ, Rocky Graziano, who discusses juvenile delinquency. Includes a Viceroy cigarette commercial.                              

July 28th, 1951-July 19th, 1952 (CBS)
August 8th, 1953-September 5th, (NBC)
September 20th1958-June 13th, 1959 (ABC)     

Half-hour musical series starring bandleader Sammy Kaye. His ABC show featured regulars Ray Michaels, Lynn Roberts, Larry Ellis, and Hank Kanui.  

Highlights: Hawaii to become the 50th State, Hawaii and Washington jubilant, comment by its Governor William Quinn, Correspondent John Edwards reports. 
Prime Minister McMillan and President Eisenhower to have a meeting at Camp David, Secretary of State Dulles is ill, Khrushchev flies back to Russia after East Germany visit, more on labor racketeering in government work investigated by Senate racket investigative committee. Senator John McClellan and Robert Kennedy accuse witness Joey Glimco of being "yellow." He takes the 5th multiple times. 

Host: John Daly                                                   

February 15th, 1958 September 10th, 1960 (ABC) 

Half-hour rock and roll show hosted by Dick Clark.

The guest is singer Lou Monte.              

Originally scheduled to premiere on October 7, but delayed one week.
October 14, 1958 - August 13, 1961
OPEN END with David Susskind: (WNTA Channel 13 Television)

September 10, 1961-May 5, 1963
OPEN END with David Susskind (WNEW Channel 5 Television)

June 9, 1963 last show of the season broadcast on WPIX TV.

October 13, 1963-September 18, 1966
OPEN END with David Susskind (WPIX Channel 11 Television)

October 2, 1966-September, 1986
DAVID SUSSKIND SHOW (SYNDICATED, PBS, and COMMERCIAL STATIONS, including WNEW, New York). 

After an association of nearly three decades with Channel 5 in New York, the former WNEW-TV, later changed to WNYW-TV, David Susskind stopped producing the program in September 1986 because of its late-night time slot, from 1:30 to 3:30 A.M. Sunday nights. His audience like his iconic talk show dwindled not only in its following but in the ratings. Susskind knew when to quit. His last David Susskind Show aired only five months from the time of his death. 
            
Open End with David Susskind was a break through talk show which literally had no time limit. 

The premiere broadcast reviewed in Variety stated:
"In the blueprint stage, OPEN END was initiated on WNTA-TV on Tuesday October 14th the same night 'The World of Suzie Wong' premiered on Broadway. When the show is going slowly, then Susskind has the right to end it as soon as he likes; when it's going well , he can stretch it the night through since "OPEN END" is the last scheduled WNTA program of the night."

The show ended when host, moderator David Susskind, felt all conversation points were discussed. Some of these marathon telecasts lasted over four hours! Jean Kennedy was the producer during the 28 year run of the series.

The series premiered and aired on WNTA Channel 13 in New York for three years, an independent broadcast station, before it would become a Public Broadcast Station in 1962. A myriad of talk show guests, famous, infamous and unknown, found a forum on OPEN END. Subjects varied focusing on usually one topic...show business, politics, the economy, sex, education, crime, etc. Typically, many guests would discuss a subject sitting around a large table with David Susskind moderating, leading his guests with baited questions. On occasion a solo guest would highlight the show.

For the first three years, of its 28 year existence as a regular series, WNTA TV was home to OPEN END which originally began its broadcasts on Tuesday nights, switching on January 18, 1959 to Sunday nights...a future Sunday evening time slot of the week where it would remain until 1986, for the rest of its run.

After broadcasting with a two hour truncated format on WNEW form September 10, 1961 to May 5, 1963 a falling out and rift occurred between Susskind and WNEW management centered on WNEW's reluctance to air discussions regarding race relations in America. WPIX reacted with interest in bringing OPEN END to their flagship New York channel. For the last OPEN END show of the 1962-1963 season WPIX  TOOK LAST MINUTE EMERGENCY MEASURES TO CLEAR TWO HOURS ON SUNDAY NIGHT  June 9, 1963, featuring solo guest Dr. Martin Luther KIng, pre-empting regular scheduled programming (6:30-8:30 pm).

Open End was later cut by WPIX to one hour time slot. David Susskind not satisfied with the shortened format reconnected with WNEW where he returned to a two hour format with a changed  program name. 
THE DAVID SUSSKIND SHOW  had its return premiere on WNEW TV October 2, 1966. 
 
The David Susskind Show also found syndication across the country and each market would run the program at different times at their own discretion. 

Most all of the telecasts were recorded on video tape, 2" quadruplex. Most shows were kept for a year or two like THE MOVIE MAKERS broadcast which was re-run on August 6, 1961 almost a year after it was first telecast on October 2, 1960. By this time the show was no longer without a time limit. It ran for a finite three hours long. Thus the re-run of the MOVIE MAKERS had some footage deleted from its original run which aired for over three and half hours, including commercials. 

The re-run of "THE MOVIE MAKERS" was the next to last broadcast telecast on WNTA channel 13. On September 10, 1961 the show moved to WNEW Channel 5 METROMEDIA in New York.

Sadly, most all of OPEN END broadcasts (1958-1966), later re titled THE DAVID SUSSKIND SHOW (1966-1986), were wiped erased, destroyed, discarded...whereabouts unknown, representing most shows produced and telecast during the late 1950's, 1960's and early 1970's.   Only a handful of OPEN END / DAVID SUSSKIND  shows are known to survive from 1958 thru 1969. Hundreds of programs survive representing the middle 1970's thru 1986. 

                
Open End with David Susskind was a unique break through talk with no time limit, rare during any time in television broadcast history, and never to be replicated in the future of television broadcasting after 1960. 

On occasion only one guest would be profiled. Mostly shows were comprised of many individuals discussing one topic which  included race relations, the draft, organized crime, the Hollywood scene, the politics of the times, sex-change operations, divorce, clairvoyants, psychoanalysis, prostitution, etc.

Sadly, most all of OPEN END broadcasts, later re titled THE DAVID SUSSKIND SHOW, commencing with the Oct. 2, 1966 broadcast, were wiped (erased), destroyed, discarded...whereabouts unknown, representing most shows produced and telecast during the late 1950's, 1960's and early 1970's. Hundreds of broadcasts circa mid 1970's - 1986 have been archived and are extant.

David Susskind interviews Arthur Godfrey on the status of television. Godfrey comments on the present state of television and its future.  He believes that at one time he had 40% of the TV audience when he was number one. Importance of selling a sponsor.  Susskind believes that the public should be more pro active and demand what content they would prefer to view on TV.  
Arthur  Godfrey states how much he has enjoyed doing the show. It has given him time to think in a studio talk show atmosphere. 

NOTE: This March 15, 1959 show is the second oldest known program, surviving in any broadcast form, to be extant. 

The video tape of this original broadcast would be used again for a repeat TV broadcast on Sunday, September 20, 1959. Then it would be erased. 

The oldest surviving archived remnant is a December 23,1958 kinescope 20 minute segment of a broadcast titled "Method or Madness?" The topic, "method acting" with guests Michael Benthal, Ben Gazarra,  Adolph Green, Betty Comden, Lawrence Harvey, Jule Styne , and Patricia Neal.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

President Dwight Eisenhower talk on Berlin and US security.            

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

JIP with Jack Paar doing monologue.
Program returns to New York after two weeks in Hollywood transmitted on Video Tape. At this time Video Tape was used to broadcast programs telecast on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and continued to transmit LIVE on Thursday and Friday. 

During Jack's monologue he describes the difference between LA and New York. Jack introduces Diahann Carroll who sings, "I Got Plenty of Nothing." 

Paar in audience and talks to a man frm Nova Scocia, a woman from Philadelphia. Jack, "I was there once and it was closed."

Jack Paar and Hugh Downs back together again. Jack looks into Down's eyes and says, "You must be living it up," thinking Hugh had a few too many before the show. Then Paar realizes his is seen a red reflection from the camera light in Hugh Downs eyes!

Genevieve is introduced. She talks about the her upcoming televised first dramatic role to be televised in three days, called "A Nice Place to Hide." They talk about Jackie Cooper who stars in the show. Jack recalls being in the service with Cooper who would steal ("requisition') plywood, mattresses, chest of drawers...from a commander to help out his buddies in need. Jack recalls once pilfering leather jackets for his service pals. Genevieve sings, "A Nice Place To Hide." Diahann Carroll sings, "You Better Go Now." 

Jack describes things that one can send to people you want to irritate:
-Paper napkins stapled together.
-Gift wrapped garbage.
-Beer six pack all empty.
-Telegram marked page two.
-An LP record with no hole in the middle.

Al Fenelli subbing for Jose Melies orchestra. Jack Paar segment with audience and dialog with Mrs. Miller.

*Most of this series does not survive in any broadcast form. Kinescopes were discarded, burned, decomposed...whereabouts unknown. 2" Quadruplex Video Tape was expensive ($300 for a one hour reel), weighting 26 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. 

ARCHIVAL TELEVISION AUDIO, INC. retains over 70 complete and excerpt JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW air checks (34 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 retain a composite total of 13 hours of representative JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts excerpts...none complete. 



 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 Melis, 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 Conreid, Peggy Cass, Cliff (Charley Weaver) Arquette, and Jonathan Winters.

 Hugh Downs substituted for Jack Paar 79 times, more than any other substitute host. There were 20 different substitute hosts for Paar 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. All together there were 243 broadcasts which 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 video-taped broadcast aired on January 5, 1959. "Best of Paar " Re-runs began on July 10,1959. Beginning July 20, 1959 Jack Paar began taking off Monday nights & guest hosts would substitute for him (approximately on alternate Mondays). The first color broadcast aired on September 19, 1960.
Theme music, "Everything is Coming Up Roses" was first used beginning in the Fall of 1959. 

Location broadcast telecasts of the program telecast away from the Hudson Theater in New York City occurred 14 times during this series run. 

Jan. 13-17, 1958                     Miami Beach, Florida
July 28, 1958                        Havana,Cuba           
Nov. 3-21, 1958                      Hollywood, California
March 2-20, 1959                     Hollywood, California
Nov. 10-12, 1959                  Nassau, Bahamas (Video Tape)
Nov. 30- Dec. 10, 1959               Hollywood, California
March 28-April 1, 1960            London, England (Video Tape)
Nov.9-11, 1960                    Hawaii (Video Tape) - b&w
Nov.14-24, 1960                     Hollywood, California
March 21-24, 1961                 London, England (Video Tape)
Sept. 12-14, 1961                 West Berlin (Video Tape)
Nov. 14-17, 1961                  Hollywood, California (Tape)
Nov. 21-24, 1961                  Hollywood, California (Tape)
March 13-16, 1962                 London, England (Video Tape)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

September 30th, 1958-June 16th, 1964

The Garry Moore variety series made a star out of Carol Burnett,brought back Allen Funt's Candid Camera and showcased many fine musical and comedic talents from 1958-1964.The highlight of most shows was "That Wonderful Year," consisting of film clips, comedy sketches and production numbers based on the events and styles of a given year.

Regulars: Garry Moore, Carol Burnett (1959-1962), Dorothy Loudon (1962-1964),Allen Funt (1959-1960, Durward Kirby (1958-1964)and Marion Lorne (1958-1962).

"That Wonderful Year" is 1905.                                                   

 October 8, 1958-May 20, 1959

Guest is actress Yvonne DeCarlo

In 1958 Milton Berle, after a two year departure from his hour long Tuesday night series, returned to prime time television  with a half-hour variety series on NBC for Kraft, performing more as a host than the central focus of the show as he had done on his Texaco Star Theater and Buick shows (June 1948-June 956). Each telecast began with an opening monologue. On occasion Berle would would perform in skits with his guests.  
                                                                                                               

  March 26, 1959 - May 7, 1959

Bill Hayes and Florence Henderson co host this live half-hour  anthology series. Most presentations were musicals. 

 In this premiere broadcast Jackie Cooper and Genevieve, in her first dramatic role,  star in "A NICE PLACE TO HIDE."
Story about an interesting relationship that forms slowly between two people who are looking for love. 

Songs:
"The Sunny Side of the Street" (Jackie Cooper & Genevieve)
"When I Fall in Love" (Genevieve)
"I'm Glad There Is You." (Jackie Cooper & Genevieve)

Included is a two minute Oldsmobile commercial. 

                                    

October 12th, 1958-April 5th, 1959, (CBS)

Edward R. Murrow hosted this CBS Sunday afternoon public affairs program, conversing with three guests. The show was similar to Murrow's Person To Person program as Murrow remained in New York while his guests were filmed on location throughout the world. The show was broadcast during the 1959-60 season as a series of specials.

On this broadcast, Murrow interviews writers Noel Coward, and James Thurber, also Irish actress Siobhan McKenna as they conclude the discussion they began last week in this part 11 broadcast. They cover such topics as the merits of a repertory theater, the advisability of adding music to great stage plays and the failings of the Broadway stage. (Film).

The 31st Annual Academy Awards Ceremony is telecast live from the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

Personalities include Burl Ives, Bob Hope, Janet Leigh, Tony Curtis, David Niven, Shelley Winters, Red Buttons, June Allyson, Dick Powell, Tony Randall, Sophia Loren, Dean Martin, Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, Cyd Charisse, Robert Stack, Doris Day, Rock Hudson, Maurice Chevalier, Rosalind Russell, Jerry Lewis, Vincent Price, Eddie Albert, Buddy Adler, Jack Warner, Millie Perkins, Gary Cooper, Vincente Minelli, Dirk Bogard, Van Heflin, Elizabeth Taylor, Kim Novak, James Cagney, Susan Hayward, Irene Dunn, John Wayne, Cary Grant, and Ingrid Bergman.

Hosts: Jerry Lewis, Tony Randall, Bob Hope, David Niven, Mort Sahl, and Laurence Olivier.

"Gigi" was awarded the best film of 1958.                                                                                           

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. 


                                      

A shining hour of music, song, and dance recreating the spirit of that supercharged era when swing was king, when Benny Goodman's gift of jazz stampeded audiences from coast to coast and wound up conquering staid old Carnegie Hall by storm. 

 Perry's guest for this segment is Oscar Hammerstein, 2nd.              

June 24, 1956-June December 27, 1961 (NBC, ABC).

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.    

George Jessel is the guest.                                                                                                      

Highlights: John Foster Dulles is dying of cancer, not responding to treatment, American ordered out of Cuba following arrest trial and conviction of trying to kill Castro, Russia trains spies for work in USA Americanizes them, the US to launch a discover satellite, Dalai Lama flees Tibet for India, interview with a representative of the Dalai Lama, nuclear talks to resume.                                       

A documentary on Secretary of State John Foster Dulles as he resigns from office suffering from cancer. Tom O'Brien reports.           

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.  

Guests: Mike Nichols and Elaine May.

Guest Host: Jerry Lewis who discusses his hosting of the Oscar Awards ceremony. He talks over Hugh Downs attempting to do a live commercial. Lewis compliments the brilliance of Mike Nichols and Elaine May.

Joined in progress.
                                                                                                                                                                  

A SPECIAL NBC TV Broadcast broadest on Video Tape, recorded in Las Vegas, Nevada sponsored by General Motors Corporation. A retrospective on the age of flight and the dawn of the space age, climaxing a congress meeting at Las Vegas. Narrated by Bob Considine. 

An NBC NEWS SPECIAL PROJECTS produced by Roy Neal. 

At the World Congress of Flight in Las Vegas, Nevada, 
representatives of 42 nations meet to discuss airship, missile, and space progress and  plans. Bob Considine is host of this report from McCarran Field, Indiana Springs Gunnery Range and the Las Vegas Race Track. 

A description of aviation now and in the future, descriptions by Bob Considine, Jacqueline Cochran, General Curtis Le May, Jimmy Doolittle, General Nathan Twining, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Bob Cummings, actor and Air Force Reserve officer, jet pilots Scott Crossfield and Capt. Bob White and others describe future airliners and space vehicles.

American and foreign aircraft, missiles and spaceships are described on the ground and in flight. 

Discussions related to the X-15 is discussed, the F105 new fighter planes, and F106 defensive planes, as well as a segment on helicopters, and a half plane, half car vehicle. 

Included are two General Motors plugs for their FIREBIRD 3 elaborate automobile, the most advanced ever built.  

Dr. Edward Teller, called the father of the H-bomb, makes a plea for international amity in the conquest of space. Frank Lahm, one of the oldest pilots alive, a man who had been taught to fly by the Wright Brothers, winds up the telecast, saying there is no reason to doubt that man will travel in space. 

NOTE: This peerless television audio air check survives only as audio preserved by Archival Television Audio, Inc. 
Phil Gries has improved the audio track from its original marginal quality when originally broadcast on NBC TV April 19, 1959.