July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Joined in progress. Jack Paar talks with guest Johnny Mercer who reveals his own personal greatest songs...discusses royalties, etc. He states that Bing Crosby is his favorite singer. Mercer sings a medley of songs including, "I'm An Old Cow Hand," "Atkinson Topeka & the Santa Fe," & "Accent the Positive."  Marian Marlowe sings "Autumn Leaves." Jack talks with Virginia Graham who recounts a long story. 

Interesting and revealing discussion between Paar and guest Jockey Billy Pearson who tells of the time he and John Huston 
were together and Huston wanted to ride Pearson's Ferrari and thought the tachometer was telling him what his speed was as they drove all around France. 

Charles Schwartz, dog trainer, discusses with Jack the different breeds of dogs. 

*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 15, 1958-January 30, 1959 

This late night talk show aired on WABC television in New York. It's 25 minute time slot was 10:50pm to 11:15pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday evenings. On Wednesdays it would air for 15 minutes from 11:00pm to 11:15pm.

Ben Hecht, playwright, screen writer, novelist, presented this live 22 week nightly commentary show. The format included Hecht's airing his views on the world at large, chatting with guests from varied fields, including literature, politics, journalism. Topics covered included the influences of critics, the fate of the poet in America, and the Supreme Court. 

Host was author, journalist, screenwriter, director, and producer Ben Hecht.

His caustic comments would enrage some of the viewers while engaging others. In all, a total of 99 episodes were produced. 

NOTE: The four episodes of THE BEN HECHT SHOW, including the premiere (September 15, 1958) audio recorded at the time of the original broadcast and archived by Archival Television Audio, Inc. are the only extant examples in any broadcast form known representing this series with the exception of an audio air check  uploaded to you tube...a broadcast October 17, 1958 with Jack Kerouac.
 
No air checks exist in the Library of Congress, Paley Center for Media or UCLA Film & TV Archive. 

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

NOTE: On February 15, 1958, writer Ben Hecht (1893-1964), a flamboyant and caustic social critic, appeared on
The Mike Wallace Interview. Wallace and his producer, Ted Yates, agreed that Hecht's personality was provocative
enough to be the basis of a television show. The Ben Hecht Show was born. For 22 weeks, Ben Hecht held forth on
a variety of subjects, enraging some, engaging many, in this short-lived television show.                                                                                                                              

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Opening announced by Hugh Downs. Jack Paar monologue. He recalls incident when his daughter, Randi, was invited to have breakfast with Rev. Billy Graham at the same hotel all were staying. Also, Jack reminds his audience the personalities who got their first opportunities at stardom by appearing on his show...Carol Burnett, Shelley Berman, Genevieve, Betty Johnson. Interview with Dodi Goodman, who tells Jack story of the first car she just bought even though she doesn't know know how to drive. Jack tells of his first car a model T Ford which he purchased for $15...but ashamed of it and never drove it. Rita Gardner and Kenneth Nelson sing melody by composer Jerry Herman. Marion Marlow sings "Lover I Surrender To My Heart." She talks with Jack about plans to travel to Africa.

Jack introduces Kay Thompson who discusses her play "Eloise"and star of the Playhouse 90 production, Evelyn Rudie. At seven years of age Kay describes Evelyn as "a very precocious child." 
Kay, who wrote the song, "I love a Violin" joins Jack and Dodi in a rendition...all singing together. 

Jack admits to not being comfortable talking to strangers. 

*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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

 

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 the husband and wife singing team of Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme in New York City.
Also, advice columnist Abigail Van Buren (Dear Abby) is interviewed in Burlingame, California. (5 minutes).                           

September 15, 1958-January 30, 1959 

This late night talk show aired on WABC television in New York. It's 25 minute time slot was 10:50pm to 11:15pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday evenings. On Wednesdays it would air for 15 minutes from 11:00pm to 11:15pm.

Ben Hecht, playwright, screen writer, novelist, presented this live 22 week nightly commentary show. The format included Hecht's airing his views on the world at large, chatting with guests from varied fields, including literature, politics, journalism. Topics covered included the influences of critics, the fate of the poet in America, and the Supreme Court. 

Host was author, journalist, screenwriter, director, and producer Ben Hecht.

His caustic comments would enrage some of the viewers while engaging others. In all, a total of 99 episodes were produced. 

NOTE: The four episodes of THE BEN HECHT SHOW, including the premiere (September 15, 1958) audio recorded at the time of the original broadcast and archived by Archival Television Audio, Inc. are the only extant examples in any broadcast form known representing this series with the exception of a you tube uploaded TV Audio Air Check...a broadcast October 17, 1958 with Jack Kerouac. 

No air checks exist in the Library of Congress, Paley Center for Media or UCLA Film & TV Archive. 

Ben Hecht welcomes guest Westbrook Pegler. American journalist and writer. a popular columnist in the 1930s and 1940s, famed for his opposition to the New Deal and labor unions.  Pegler viciously attacks the judiciary, accuses them of being politicians, immoral, brutally arrogant, drunk with power, and wear awesome black robes. He thinks the Supreme Court judges are a cut below "speed-trap judges." 

NOTE: On February 15, 1958, writer Ben Hecht (1893-1964), a flamboyant and caustic social critic, appeared on
The Mike Wallace Interview. Wallace and his producer, Ted Yates, agreed that Hecht's personality was provocative
enough to be the basis of a television show. The Ben Hecht Show was born. For 22 weeks, Ben Hecht held forth on
a variety of subjects, enraging some, engaging many, in this short-lived television show.                                                                                                                            

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Johnny Carson substitute host for Jack Paar. He attempts to  make a phone call to Soviet Union Premiere Nikita Khrushchev through an international operator. 

NOTE:
Johnny Carson substituted for Jack Paar on the Tonight Show fifteen times (May 26-30, & Oct. 6-10, & 13-17, 1958). During Paar's first 17 months of telecasts all of the broadcasts were televised live (first video taped broadcast was January 5, 1959).

*Most of TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JACK PAAR  series does not survive in any broadcast form. Kinescopes were discarded, burned, decomposed...whereabouts unknown. 2" Quadruplex Video Tape was expensive ($300 to $500 for a one hour reel), weighting 13 pounds, requiring great storage space. Video Tape could easily be erased and was used for new program recordings...retained briefly for a re-run and then erased or discarded. Legend has it that even Jack Paar himself hired a junk man to come to his home garage and paid to have JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW recordings discarded (reels of kinescopes and video tapes) that were now cluttering up his space. 

During this era in television history archiving television programming was not a primary concern or vision, and considered an arcane pursuit. 

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)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Johnny Carson substitute host for Jack Paar. He attempts to  make a phone call to Soviet Union Premiere Nikita Khrushchev through an international operator. Call is unsuccessful.

NOTE:
Johnny Carson substituted for Jack Paar on the Tonight Show fifteen times (May 26-30, & Oct. 6-10, & 13-17, 1958). During Paar's first 17 months of telecasts all of the broadcasts were televised live (first video taped broadcast was January 5, 1959).

*Most of TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JACK PAAR  series does not survive in any broadcast form. Kinescopes were discarded, burned, decomposed...whereabouts unknown. 2" Quadruplex Video Tape was expensive ($300 to $500 for a one hour reel), weighting 13 pounds, requiring great storage space. Video Tape could easily be erased and was used for new program recordings...retained briefly for a re-run and then erased or discarded. Legend has it that even Jack Paar himself hired a junk man to come to his home garage and paid to have JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW recordings discarded (reels of kinescopes and video tapes) that were now cluttering up his space. 

During this era in television history archiving television programming was not a primary concern or vision, and considered an arcane pursuit. 

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)  

Duplicate of 6978Z.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

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.  

Joined in progress. Virginia Graham sub hosts for Jack Paar. She is first woman to fill in for Paar on the Tonight Show. Guests: Sophie Tucker, Henny Youngman, Gypsy Rose Lee, Betty Johnson.

Highlights: Jose Melis Orchestra plays "Tin Pan Alley Rag."
Betty Johnson sings "It's All In The Game."
Standup comedy from Henny Youngman.
Sophie Tucker discusses performing in Brooklyn barrooms and saloons for tips only, no pay. She speaks of making out 5500 Christmas cards for friends. 

                                                                                                                                                                                

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: Ben Blue, Cliff Arquette, Barbara Heller, Roberta Sherwood, Connie Haines, Bob Hope. 

Highlights: 
Barbara Heller: Comedienne routine and does Bette Davis Impression, Roberta Sherwood Impression song, Bob Hope speaks of filming "Alias Jesse James" movie, Connie Haines sings "Where Are You?" 

                                                                                                                                                                                

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

First broadcast from Hollywood, California broadcast from here for the next three weeks.

Announcer, Hy Averback subs for Hugh Downs.
The 80 year old mother of Cliff Arquette is tonight's guest on
"It's All Relative" segment.

Filling in for Hugh Downs, Hy Averback announces the opening of the show. In Jack Paar's monologue he states that he started in Hollywood seven years ago with a Radio Show. Daughter Randy said to him "Why don't we come back to where my people were born?"
Jack mentions the Cuba show, four months ago. Comments on Beverly Hill which is a whole new world out here. Jack admit that there are a lot of commercials on the show. Paar does a 30 second commercial for Postum Coffee. 

Introduction of Charley Weaver (Cliff Arquette), who reads "Letters from Mama." Charley and Jack talk...whole new career for Weaver on The Tonight Show. 

Connie Haines sings a melody of songs in tribute to Tommy Dorsey. Jack does humorous bit showing children and captions.
Introduction of Ben Blue, who talks about his new club where young talent can perform. Ben and Barbara Heller do a comedic discourse including an impressions of Bette Davis, and Roberta Sherwood. 

Jack brings out Bob Hope and introduces Jack Douglas to him.
Ben Blue and Sammy Wolfe routine. Connie Haines sings, "Where Are You?"

Jack states that he alters his own clothes..admitting to having large hips. Sign off.  
 
 
*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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

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: Oscar Levant, Sid Caesar. 

A thin line between brilliance and insanity. Levant says he's overcome that thin line. Zsa Zsa Gabor is discussed regarding work for the "socially rich." Levant discusses his institutional experiences and story of going to Disneyland. 




                                                                                                                                                                                

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Second broadcast from Hollywood, California.

Announcer, Hy Averback subs for Hugh Downs.

This was the first time that Oscar Levant appeared on television with Jack Paar. Apparently the repartee between Paar & Levant were in some questionable taste...some humor at the expense of the mentally and emotionally disturbed. Oscar Levant, having himself been in sanitariums for the mentally ill would always quip with sharp humor about conditions at these facilities as well as his own neurosis and foibles. There would be ten future guest appearances by Oscar Levant on the JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW, as well as the JACK PAAR PROGRAM and one special JACK PAAR PRESENTS. 

Those guest appearances included: (*Indicates archived by ATA). 

TONIGHT SHOW JACK PAAR
1-*November 5, 1958
2-November 12, 1958
3-March 6, 1959
4-March 13, 1959
5-April 26, 1960

JACK PAAR PRESENTS
*April 26, 1960

JACK PAAR PROGRAM
1-*December 7, 1962
2-*February 8, 1963
3-October `11, 1963
4-*April 3, 1964
5-*December 18, 1964

On the segment "It's All Relative" guest is Peter Menjou, son of Adolf Menjou.

*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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

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: Kay Thompson, Debbie Reynolds, Alexander King.

Highlights: Impressions of Eva Gabor, discussion on Robert Benchley film on men who feel inferior. Alexander King discusses dealing with narcotics, compares English, British, French, and Russian cultures. Also, a discussion on Elsa Maxwell. 

This is a rebroadcast of September 24th, 1959. 





                                                                                                                                                                                

July 29, 1957 - March 30, 1962

First appearance of Groucho Marx on the Tonight Show with Jack Paar. Surprise appearance. 
Groucho want's to know why his daughter has not been paid for her appearance the other week on Jack's show?
 
 Hy Averback, sitting in for Hugh Downs, opens the midnight segment of the show announcing the guests on the program which is broadcast from Hollywood. 

 Brief moment with Evelyn Rudie who discusses how she had to memorize so many lines for the Playhouse 90 production of "Eloise."

Guest Ann Baxter discusses her role in "All About Eve." She remembers meeting Cecil B. DeMille interviewing for her part in "The Ten Commandments." Paar asks her to cry for him knowing that she has a reputation to cry at will during a scene. 

Oscar Levant guests and trades quips with Paar. He states  that the only reason he is appearing tonight is that there were no available beds at the mental institution. 

Many Levant anecdotes including his request to appear on the TV show "This is Your Life" but was turned down because the producers of the show were unable to find any friends of Oscart. 

Levant remembers, Greta Garbo, playing for President Harry Truman in the White House. 

Mrs. Levant, June Gale, joins the the group and spews many remembrances related to her husband Oscar, including the shock treatments Oscar has had in the past. 

 Levant praises Leonard Bernstein, and remembers Elsa Maxwell. Jack discusses Oscar Levant's new TV series. 

Jack Paar ends with the thought "How much of Oscar Levant is an act...how much is true?"

NOTE: Second of four appearances with Jack Paar on The Tonight Show.
Microphone recorded. However very good sound after processing by Phil Gries. 

Long John Nebel was a radio talk show host, concentrating mostly on strange and unusual topics such as UFO's, ESP, and mental telepathy. During his career, Nebel had a wide following and could be heard during his career on various stations like WOR, WMCA, and WNBC. He was married to pin-up girl Candy Jones who claimed to be a victim of CIA mind control.     

Guest:Frank Edwards ( on phone).                                

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Final broadcast from Hollywood, California after three weeks.

Announcer, Hy Averback subs for Hugh Downs.
This program joined in progress. 

Jack Webb, Charlie Weaver and Jack Paar do a satire skit parading the TV series DRAGNET. "The Case of the Missing Baby." 

A few old film clips of Charlie Weaver are shown with him doing serious acting including one he did on the TV series DRAGNET. Charlie (Cliff Arquette) Weaver thanks Jack Webb for giving him opportunities to work at that time. 

Jack Webb discusses his successful long running TV series, 
DRAGNET, and his new book, "The Badge." 

Jack Paar introduces Elizabeth Doubleday who sings, "Autumn Leaves." Long segment with Zsa Zsa Gabor who discusses her new romances. Paar reflects when he was in the service during WW2 he was on a ship for 43 consecutive days, destination Guadalcanal. The commander of the vessel was an alcoholic and was relieved of his duty...as stated by Jack, "shades of Captain Queeg in "The Caine Mutiny." On that ship was Clark Dennis who is introduced and sings "Fools Rush In."

There is a ten minute "Glasss Cutting" routine done by Cliff Arquette and Dave Willock. Elzabeth Doubleday sings "My Funny Valentine." Paar states that the final half hour (12:30 to 1:00am is not seen in California. Jack thanks all of his technicians and Hy Averback. Sign off. Last show from Hollywood.  

*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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

First broadcast, back from Hollywood. 
Jack Paar states to his audience that it is good to be back in New York from Los Angeles where five years ago he was straggling and poor. "Oscar Levant's appearance on the show was the best moment." Jack introduces Mrs Miller in the audience who made the trip to LA, and as usual attended all of Paar's shows.

Jack's guest Danny School sings, "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die."
Ironically, School collapsed back stage and was rushed by ambulance to a hospital. Jack interviews Norman Lobsenz who discusses his book, "Emergency." Based on his own experiences as an emergency squad officer. He recounts one incident trying to extricate a very heavy lady who was stuck, in her bath tub.

Hugh Downs announces at 11:30pm the opening credits again. He converses with Jack who states to Hugh that he missed him in Hollywood. Downs relates an incident on his TV game show, "Concentration." The entire full page puzzle, right off the bat, was revealed because of a mechanical error which "blew the entire game." 

Jack remembers taking his daughter, Randy, to a radio show he was hosting. Jack wanted to get his daughter on the program with him and so when here were nine more minutes with nothing to fill he expected to interview his daughter, but she panicked when seeing the red on the air light and ran out of the theater. With nine minutes to go Jack, emotional at a drop of a hat, talk to an amputee marine. And everyone became emotional. 

Jack introduces Genevieve. 

*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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

TEX AND JINX Radio & Television BROADCAST HISTORY:

April 22, 1946- February 27, 1959. 

WEAF (WNBC, WRCA), New York weekdays at 8:30 A.M. until 1954; at 1:00pm,1954-1955; then at 6:30 and 10:35pm until July 31, 1958, moving briefly to WOR, broadcasting at 2:15pm.

 In addition to the Kollmars (Dorothy Kilgallen and husband Richard Kollmar) and  the Fitzgeralds (Pegeen and husband Ed Fitzgerald), another well-recognized New York couple, newlyweds Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg, added their own bread-and-bacon banter to the local airwaves between 1946 and 1959. Their gabfest, initially Hi Jinx but later revised to Tex and Jinx, was beamed over WEAF which was subsequently re-lettered WNBC and later WRCA. In limited doses, the flagship outlet of the National Broadcasting Company transmitted Meet Tex and Jinx to the whole country during 1947 and 1948. 

Tex and Jinx devoted most of their airtime to lofty and noble concepts, visitors and sidebars. Tex and Jinx [on WEAF-WNBC-WRCA] were interviewing Bernard Baruch, Margaret Truman, or Ethel Waters…. McCrary built the show on the assumption that the early morning audience was not stupid, as programmers generally assumed; that people in general had fresher minds and were more open to serious topics at the beginning of the day.” 

Their joint radio venture began in April 1946 just 10 months following their nuptials (June 10, 1945). Launched as a breakfast feature, the series later shifted to afternoons and finally into the evening hours before departing the ether a dozen years afterward. They were branded by one journalist “Mr. Brains and Mrs. Beauty.” 

In early 1947 NBC put them on its television network as a portion of a Sunday evening quarter-hour dubbed Bristol-Myers Tele-Varieties. “The McCrarys were naturals for TV,” wrote a reviewer, “with their combination of friendly chatter, interviews, and features.” That summer the web awarded them an exclusive Sunday night half-hour format under the appellation At Home with Tex and Jinx. A decade later, in the 1957-58 season, the duo hosted a daytime NBC-TV showcase, The Tex and Jinx Show. 

When hepatitis sidetracked Falkenburg in 1958 from their broadcast commitments, McCrary carried on solo on their radio show for another couple of years. In the 1980s, however, the couple separated, remaining on genial terms. McCrary died in New York on July 29, 2003 and Falkenburg expired just 29 days later in the same city, on August 27, 2003. 

NOTE::
The scores of TEX AND JINK SHOWS archived by Archival Television Audio, Inc. were originally obtained as original 16" Electronic Discs from Barry Farber, producer of the show (1957-1959), in 1960 after he had begun his own career in front of the mike at WINS Radio. These discs  were subsequently transferred to 1/4" reel to reel tape, and then disposed. These broadcasts are rare and represent  the largest known collection of TEX AND JINX extant broadcasts in the world. 

Report on Fidel Castro continued from # 13320, Tex and Jinx producer Barry Farber interviews Castro, actor Errol Flynn comments on Castro's "Freedom Fighters", On the spot interviews with Castro followers, one claims that Batista castrated Castro's followers, a preview of military trial of Batista "killer", interview with a potential victim, a tour of one of Batista's torture chambers where mutilations occurred.   
 Report on Fidel Castro continued from # 13320, Tex and Jinx producer Barry Farber interviews Castro, actor Errol Flynn comments on Castro's "Freedom Fighters", On the spot interviews with Castro followers, one claims that Batista castrated Castro's followers, a preview of military trial of Batista "killer", interview with a potential victim, a tour of one of Batista's torture chambers where mutilations occurred.      

                                                                   

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Announcer Don Pardo substitutes for Hugh Downs.
Jack Paar's Monologue includes:
Zsa Zsa Gabor's engagement again...Jonathan  Winters on the show, funniest man I know...Bob Hope, not feeling well...
Jose Melis plays, "Serenade to a Wealthy Widow." 
Author Maury Scher discusses his book "Goldrick." 
Goldrick's ten rules...a potential officer in fatigues.

Jack introduces Betty White whose birthday is tonight. 
Paar remembers when he first drove in LA and in great panic...just staying in a lane was challenging, but not as challenging as driving in New York on the West Side Highway. 

Jack Haskell sings, "Love Look Away." Jack introduces Jonathan Winters, "One of the most creative extemporaneous wits I know."
Conversation between Jack, Jonathan and Betty who receives a birthday musical tribute from the band. Jonathan does a Maude Fricket airline hostess routine with Betty White who later remembers the first time she met Jonathan. 

Jack confesses that he doesn't usually meet his guests before the show goes on. 
Introduction of Elaine Stritch. Jack and Elaine talk. Betty White and Jonathan Winters join in and then suddenly, Jack Paar walks off the show, only to return two minutes later. 

Jack Haskell does another song, "Mr. Success."
Jack Paar signs off. Don Pardo announces who is on the next show. 

*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 15, 1958-january 30, 1959 

This short lived late night talk show aired on WABC Channel 7 television ONLY in New York. Produced by Mike Wallace. 

It occupied an unorthodox time slot, 25 minutes from 10:50pm to 11:15pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday evenings. On Wednesdays it would air for 15 minutes from 11:00pm to 11:15pm.

Ben Hecht, playwright, screen writer, novelist, presented this live 22 week nightly commentary show. The format included Hecht's airing his views on the world at large, chatting with guests from varied fields, including literature, politics, journalism. Topics covered included the influences of critics, the fate of the poet in America, and the Supreme Court. 

Host was author, journalist, screenwriter, director, and producer Ben Hecht.

His caustic comments would enrage some of the viewers while engaging others. In all, a total of 99 episodes were produced. 

NOTE: The four episodes of THE BEN HECHT SHOW, including the premiere (September 15, 1958) audio recorded at the time of the original broadcast and archived by Archival Television Audio, Inc. are the only extant examples in any broadcast form known representing this series with the exception of an uploaded to you tube audio only air check broadcast  October 17, 1958 with Jack Kerouac. 

No air checks exist in the Library of Congress, Paley Center for Media or UCLA Film & TV Archive. 

Ben Hecht welcomes guest Jimmy Durante in a two part broadcast, totaling 45 minutes combined, the first airing on January 19, and the second on January 20, 1959. Jimmy sits at the piano and converses with his old time pal Ben Hecht who interviews Durante who gives many anecdotes about his show business career and personal  life.

Jimmy plays many numbers he created over the decades. We feel we are in his parlor at home chatting and reminiscing with music, laughter and song. 

One of the most endearing, personal television appearances by Jimmy Durante.

A "lost" Television Broadcast. 
The only two part Ben Hecht Show broadcast in the series.   

NOTE: On February 15, 1958, writer Ben Hecht (1893-1964), a flamboyant and caustic social critic, appeared on
The Mike Wallace Interview. Wallace and his producer, Ted Yates, agreed that Hecht's personality was provocative
enough to be the basis of a television show. The Ben Hecht Show was born. For 22 weeks, Ben Hecht held forth on
a variety of subjects, enraging some, engaging many, in this short-lived television show.                                                                                                                                         

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

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

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

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

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

TEX AND JINX Radio & Television BROADCAST HISTORY:

April 22, 1946- February 27, 1959. 

WEAF (WNBC, WRCA), New York weekdays at 8:30 A.M. until 1954; at 1:00pm,1954-1955; then at 6:30 and 10:35pm until July 31, 1958, moving briefly to WOR, broadcasting at 2:15pm.

 In addition to the Kollmars (Dorothy Kilgallen and husband Richard Kollmar) and  the Fitzgeralds (Pegeen and husband Ed Fitzgerald), another well-recognized New York couple, newlyweds Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg, added their own bread-and-bacon banter to the local airwaves between 1946 and 1959. Their gabfest, initially Hi Jinx but later revised to Tex and Jinx, was beamed over WEAF which was subsequently re-lettered WNBC and later WRCA. In limited doses, the flagship outlet of the National Broadcasting Company transmitted Meet Tex and Jinx to the whole country during 1947 and 1948. 

Tex and Jinx devoted most of their airtime to lofty and noble concepts, visitors and sidebars. Tex and Jinx [on WEAF-WNBC-WRCA] were interviewing Bernard Baruch, Margaret Truman, or Ethel Waters…. McCrary built the show on the assumption that the early morning audience was not stupid, as programmers generally assumed; that people in general had fresher minds and were more open to serious topics at the beginning of the day.” 

Their joint radio venture began in April 1946 just 10 months following their nuptials (June 10, 1945). Launched as a breakfast feature, the series later shifted to afternoons and finally into the evening hours before departing the ether a dozen years afterward. They were branded by one journalist “Mr. Brains and Mrs. Beauty.” 

In early 1947 NBC put them on its television network as a portion of a Sunday evening quarter-hour dubbed Bristol-Myers Tele-Varieties. “The McCrarys were naturals for TV,” wrote a reviewer, “with their combination of friendly chatter, interviews, and features.” That summer the web awarded them an exclusive Sunday night half-hour format under the appellation At Home with Tex and Jinx. A decade later, in the 1957-58 season, the duo hosted a daytime NBC-TV showcase, The Tex and Jinx Show. 

When hepatitis sidetracked Falkenburg in 1958 from their broadcast commitments, McCrary carried on solo on their radio show for another couple of years. In the 1980s, however, the couple separated, remaining on genial terms. McCrary died in New York on July 29, 2003 and Falkenburg expired just 29 days later in the same city, on August 27, 2003. 

NOTE::
The scores of TEX AND JINK SHOWS archived by Archival Television Audio, Inc. were originally obtained as original 16" Electronic Discs from Barry Farber, producer of the show (1957-1959), in 1960 after he had begun his own career in front of the mike at WINS Radio. These discs  were subsequently transferred to 1/4" reel to reel tape, and then disposed. These broadcasts are rare and represent  the largest known collection of TEX AND JINX extant broadcasts in the world. 

More interviews from Cuba, Barry Farber interviews several "Freedom Fighters" for Castro, many deny they are Communists, a tour of Castro's jail full of Batista prisoners awaiting trial, interview with Castro comments on relationship with Russia, invites US tourists to "happy and beautiful" Cuba where freedom and democracy are a reality, comments on Errol Flynn with rebels, interviews with exiles returning to Havana, description of victory parade by Castro and followers in Havana Barry Farber is completely duped by Castro.                                                                

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. NBC. 

Dick Van Dyke subs for Jack Paar. 

Guests: Disc jockey Ted Brown and wife Rhoda. ("Ted Brown and The Redhead".) Alan Drake, WMGM disc jockey Peter Tripp, who has stayed awake for 200 straight hours. 

Co-host: Hugh Downs. 


                                     

TEX AND JINX Radio & Television BROADCAST HISTORY:

April 22, 1946- February 27, 1959. 

WEAF (WNBC, WRCA), New York weekdays at 8:30 A.M. until 1954; at 1:00pm,1954-1955; then at 6:30 and 10:35pm until July 31, 1958, moving briefly to WOR, broadcasting at 2:15pm.

 In addition to the Kollmars (Dorothy Kilgallen and husband Richard Kollmar) and  the Fitzgeralds (Pegeen and husband Ed Fitzgerald), another well-recognized New York couple, newlyweds Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg, added their own bread-and-bacon banter to the local airwaves between 1946 and 1959. Their gabfest, initially Hi Jinx but later revised to Tex and Jinx, was beamed over WEAF which was subsequently re-lettered WNBC and later WRCA. In limited doses, the flagship outlet of the National Broadcasting Company transmitted Meet Tex and Jinx to the whole country during 1947 and 1948. 

Tex and Jinx devoted most of their airtime to lofty and noble concepts, visitors and sidebars. Tex and Jinx [on WEAF-WNBC-WRCA] were interviewing Bernard Baruch, Margaret Truman, or Ethel Waters…. McCrary built the show on the assumption that the early morning audience was not stupid, as programmers generally assumed; that people in general had fresher minds and were more open to serious topics at the beginning of the day.” 

Their joint radio venture began in April 1946 just 10 months following their nuptials (June 10, 1945). Launched as a breakfast feature, the series later shifted to afternoons and finally into the evening hours before departing the ether a dozen years afterward. They were branded by one journalist “Mr. Brains and Mrs. Beauty.” 

In early 1947 NBC put them on its television network as a portion of a Sunday evening quarter-hour dubbed Bristol-Myers Tele-Varieties. “The McCrarys were naturals for TV,” wrote a reviewer, “with their combination of friendly chatter, interviews, and features.” That summer the web awarded them an exclusive Sunday night half-hour format under the appellation At Home with Tex and Jinx. A decade later, in the 1957-58 season, the duo hosted a daytime NBC-TV showcase, The Tex and Jinx Show. 

When hepatitis sidetracked Falkenburg in 1958 from their broadcast commitments, McCrary carried on solo on their radio show for another couple of years. In the 1980s, however, the couple separated, remaining on genial terms. McCrary died in New York on July 29, 2003 and Falkenburg expired just 29 days later in the same city, on August 27, 2003. 

NOTE::
The scores of TEX AND JINK SHOWS archived by Archival Television Audio, Inc. were originally obtained as original 16" Electronic Discs from Barry Farber, producer of the show (1957-1959), in 1960 after he had begun his own career in front of the mike at WINS Radio. These discs  were subsequently transferred to 1/4" reel to reel tape, and then disposed. These broadcasts are rare and represent  the largest known collection of TEX AND JINX extant broadcasts in the world. 

Tex McCrary and Barry Farber, producer of the show,  interview columnist Drew Pearson.
Pearson thinks Castro is "highly moral and honest." Pearson says he will be a great force in the  Caribbean area, comments on the future of Castro, power may or may not go to his head, he talks about Latin American problems, US security predicts Nixon will go to Russia.  Tex McCrary interviews movie director, Elia Kazan.                                                                    

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.  
                                                                                                                                                                  

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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

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.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

       Guest Nelson Eddy comments about Oscar Levant.                                                       

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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

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.                              

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.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

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).

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.
                                                                                                                                                                  

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. 



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

Opening monologue.                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Jack Paar monologue. He remembers when he use to skip school at age 15 and go to radio stations in Jackson, Michigan. Also, Paar talks about the front page newspaper coverage of the recent monkey flight into space, and berates the New York Post for heading their front page headline story about a prostitute.                                        

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Hugh Downs opens the show. This television audio air check was recorded off WRCA Channel Four, New York. 

Jack Paar opening monologue. He states that the toughest part of the show is when he comes out on stage and he realizes that he is on stage all alone. Jack mentions that Dody Goodman is here tonight making her annual appearance (Dody at one time was on the Paar Tonight Show almost every night until she was fired by Jack).

Dody talks about the play she is currently performing in, "The Bells Are Ringing." She and co star Peggy Cass sing two songs from the show. Jody talks about Charlie Weaver (Cliff Arquette). She also talks about finally buying a car and getting her first driver's license. Jack states that it is nice to have her back on the show. Hugh Downs talks about the art of the commercial. Peggy Cass and Dody Goodman continue to talk about "Born Yesterday." Peggy Cass sings, "I'm Going Back To Where I'm Going To Be Me."

In a rare moment, Jack Paar sings, "Love Came Just In Time."

Ending the show Jack, Dody, Peggy, Hugh and Pat Harrington Jr.  sing "The Party's Over." 

*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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

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. 

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, 1960.  

Paar comments on scurrilous articles about him appearing in Newsweek magazine.                                                                                                                                                                                                    

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

  Jack Paar comments on scurrilous articles in Newsweek about him.                                                  

  Jack Paar interviews Gypsy Rose Lee.           

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Jack Paar delivers an eleven minute serious monologue discussing his recent front cover Time Magazine story about him. He states that Time was at his home for five days and talked to him for five weeks prior to the article being published. Paar states that he liked the way Time handled the story. 

Jack mentions that he has no press agent and most times has had the need to criticize publications, Newsweek, TV Guide, New York Post and columnist Walter Winchell for their unfounded and critical publicity stories that contain blatant untruths. Besides himself, he refers to recent negative stories about Arthur Godfrey and Anthony Perkins written in the most culprit of all the print journals, Newsweek. 

Jack Paar mentions that once TV Guide wanted to put him on the cover and Jack refused. Says Paar, "They put me on the cover anyway." Made up conversations I had never had...talked about my relationships with others I have never met. 

Conversely, Jack mentions, that Jim Bishop wrote an article about him ...my thoughts on religion. Bishop stated that as a reporter there have been only five people he has met and written about, including Jack Paar, who have displayed characteristics of honor and integrity. Jack then tells his audience, "I hope what I have just said tonight is not taken off the air."

*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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

HERE'S MORGAN (HENRY MORGAN AND COMPANY)  syndicated.
February 13, 1959-June 19, 1959 (90 minute show)
June 26, 1959-September 11, 1959 (60 minute show)
September 14? or 21, 1959-November 20, 1959 (30 minute show)
 Total of 39 broadcasts, few of which survive.                           

Sharp tongued Henry Morgan, who never was able to keep a television series on the air for more that a brief period of time, lasted only nine months with three different time slot entries for this early late night talk/variety show. 

Syndicated and broadcast in New York on WNTA Channel 13 this series had a 90 minute format (10pm-Midnight), and two additional time change formats all in 1959. 

Morgan's show was revised from a 90 minute format to a one hour broadcast time slot and continued for another three months and then again revised to a half hour for another two months before being cancelled altogether.

 Ferdinand Waldo Demara, more popularly known as Fred W. Demara appears on this broadcast along with auto biographer, Robert Creighton who discusses his book about Demara entitled "THE GREAT IMPOSTER,"  a descriptive accounting of the colorful and very intelligent person who assumed the identities of others in order to shortcut through life and place himself in various positions or careers. Amongst others, over time, he was a Canadian Navy Surgeon, civil engineer designing a bridge, a sheriff's deputy, an assistant prison warden, a doctor of applied psychology, a hospital orderly, a lawyer, a child-care expert, a Benedictine monk, a Trappist monk, an editor, a cancer researcher, and a teacher - and at the end of his life a hospital chaplain in his own name.

Henry Morgan chats with Fred Demara asking many questions and at the same time adding humor to the conversation, as he does at the  top of the broadcast taking to his audience about a myriad of topics including Holy Bread, Hulu Hoops, Books alright to purchase but banned from mailing, Charlie Knickerbocker, columnist Sidney Skulski, recognizing celebrities in public, and the firing of Tony Marvin by Arthur Godfrey after being his announcer for twelve years.   

Orchestra leader, Norman Paris leads the band in "Hooray For Love."

NOTE: This was the first of only five television broadcasts that Fred W. Demara (Ferdinand Waldo Demara) would appear. 
The others:
Jack Paar Tonight Show (Aug. 27, 1959)
Take a Good Look with Ernie Kovacs (Oct. 29, 1959)
You Bet Your Life with Groucho Marx (Nov. 12, 1959)
Jack Paar Program (Nov. 16, 1962).                                                                                     

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

 Jack Paar monologue. 

*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. 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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Announcer Earl Reimer who subs for Hugh Downs, opens the show.

Jack comes out on stage and immediately states that he always seems to be in his dressing room writing at the last minute.
Jack tells true story that once he shared a dressing room with a star cowboy who wore the most expensive clothes he had ever seen. When the star took off his costume Paar noticed that he was wearing the most ragged underwear he had ever seen!

Jack mentions that last nights program, with Bobby Kennedy, was the most exciting show he has ever done in the two years that the Tonight Show has been on the air. Second and third most memorable shows were with Fidel Castro and Billy Graham. Kennedy stated on the show that it was time to do something about Jimmy Hoffa. 

Earl Grant is on next but Jack for a second cannot remember his name, which brings up a memory when he could not remember guest Marion Marlowe's name and had to stall for quite some time on live TV until someone could help him out. 

Earl Grant sings "Gave Birth to the Blues."

Jack recounts the time when his daughter Randy's pet gold fish died. Jack gave it a proper burial. He wrapped the goldfish
in saran wrap, followed by a layer of silver foil and all placed into a match box. Wife Miriam, accompanied them to the backyard for a proper burial. Randy said,
 "I'm sure he will survive before the ants get him." 

Bob Crichton, author of "The Great Imposer" discusses his book.Fred Demara makes a rare in person appearance. They all discuss his remarkable career impersonating ever conceivable type of professional individual and living the part. Favorite impersonation was that of a Texas warden. Demara states that there was no justification for what he did. Fred states that he is now ready to end his impostor career. 

Jack introduces Alexander King who discusses his new book, "May This House Be Saved From Tigers." Jack states what a warm and personable man King is who says that he believes in LOVE.  

*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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962.

July 29, 1959, SECOND ANNIVERSARY TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JACK PAAR. Complete, without commercials (87 minutes).

Hugh Downs is heard opening the show, 
“The NBC Television Network presents the second anniversary addition of the JACK PAAR SHOW with the 
Jose Melies orchestra, conducted by Al Finelli, and yours truly, Hugh Downs. And, tonight, two years later, Jack’s guests are Hermione Gingold, Genevieve, Dody Goodman, Florence Henderson, and Harry Nimmo. And now, celebrating his second anniversary, here he is Jack, what do I hold up?, Paar.”

Jack’s monologue includes statements that when he first went on the air there were only 40 affiliate stations and now there are 138. 
He remarks how NBC has been very nice to him, and that he will be “staying around for a while.” Jack relates the long hours…nine hours of programming a week, five nights a week…coming home at 2am. Recently, when Jack came home he tapped his daughter on her shoulder and said, “It’s time to get up” and to go to her own bedroom (she would sleep with Miriam her mother). Next thing Jack knows he hears water running in the bathroom, Randy brushing her teeth, who thought that
her dad meant it was time to get up and go to school. 

Florence Henderson sings, “Everything is Coming Up Roses” from the Broadway play, GYPSY. Jack and Hugh converse about second anniversary broadcast moments…Cuba show a year ago, about regulars, including, Oscar Levant, Peggy Cass. Jack Introduces Dody Goodman. They reminisce about first shows, Franklin Pangborn, others. Dody, who with Jack and Hugh do another version fresh satiric version of DRAGNET ( Case of the Missing Cake) which runs five minutes. Genevieve is introduced, who sings in French, and talks about her grateful success because of Jack. Long time friend and Tonight Show panel member, Hermione Gingold and Paar reminisce. Downs reads wires of congratulations from Robert Sarnoff, Robert Kennedy, Virginia Graham, and Marge and Alexander King.

Jack Paar states that “Talking and telling true stories is funnier than any script in the world.”  Relates funny story about his dear friend Alex King. 

Comedian / dancer Harry Nimmo performs, and talks with Jack at the desk. Jack says that he and Miriam’s next vacation will be in Italy where he has yet to travel. 

Introduction of Dr. Franklin Loehr author of “Power of Prayer on Plants.” Jack introduces his dear sweet friend Max Asnas, manager of Stage Delicatessen in New York. 
Florence Henderson sings, from GYPSY, “You’ll Never Get Away From Me.” Jack says good night and signs off. 

*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)




                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

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: Betty White, Peggy Cass.

Jack introduces Peggy Cass, Betty White discusses her dimples, and Hugh Downs talks about his Pennsylvania conviction, violating Sunday "Blue Laws." 

                                                                                                                                                                                

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: Groucho Marx, Palmer and Nelson, Charlie Weaver.

Highlights: The comedic singing duo of Palmer and Nelson perform a comedy routine then sing, "Almost Like Being In Love." It's the team's first network appearance. 
Charlie Weaver reads "A Letter From Mama."
Paar promotes the movie "But Not For Me," starring Clark Gable, Lilli Palmer, and Lee J. Cobb.
Groucho Marx is introduced. Talks about taking a 6PM nip, how he eats three steaks a day, and has a vegetarian dentist. He offers a Havana Cigar to Paar. He sings "Chasing The Boy From The Room" Paar then introduces Mrs. Marx to the tune, ""Beautiful Girl." 




                                                                                                                                                                                

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, Screenwriter and author George Kirgo, Paul Lynde. 

Highlights: Paar monologue, observations on Nikita Khrushchev, George Kirgo talks about his novel "Hercules," comedy segment, Paul Lynde in a comedy sketch plays baseball umpire, Elwood Kringe," Alexander King speaks on his ten-year morphine addiction. All on panel discuss their feelings on Khrushchev.