Search Results
24 records found for Gore Vidal
1962-02-01, NBC, 17 min.
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. The main guest is Gore Vidal, writer and well-known liberal who replies to remarks made by William F. Buckley Jr last night on this show...creating an on going feud between the two running on The Tonight Show. Liberalism vs conservatism. In a 10 minute segment Gore Vidal talks about William F. Buckley's many contradictions, his ideological wars, and smears, referencing Catholicism and the Pope. Both Jack Paar and Hugh Downs add to the analysis and criticism. "Who is he?" Vidal states that Buckley never worked for a living in his life. He criticizes everyone, using his "World Go Home" slogan. Other mentions include Buckley comments about Albert Schweitzer, integration, and his attraction for former communists (Paar mentions he has five employees at present fitting this scenario), Vidal mentions that Buckley stated that Harry Truman called Dwight Eisenhower an anti-Semite, which is an irresponsible lie. Paar describes Buckley as someone who speaks very quickly and rolls his eyes...very tricky and he has ruined peoples lives. Buddy Hackett appears briefly after Gore Vidal.#14577: HOTLINE WITH DAVID SUSSKIND
Order1964-06-23, WPIX, 9 min.
- David Susskind
- Dorothy Kilgallen
- Joyce Davidson
- Barry Goldwater
- J. Edgar Hoover
- Gore Vidal
- Jean Kennedy
- William Sloane Coffin, Jr.
October 6th, 1964-March 2, 1965 (WPIX) A ninety-minute pilot program for a future short-lived phone-in discussion program seen on local WPIX-TV Channel 11 in New York City. Topics discussed are civil rights, (the disappearance of three civil rights workers, the FBI, J. Edgar Hoover,) politics-Barry Goldwater, etc. Host: David Susskind. The producer of this PILOT program is Jean Kennedy. When Hot line became a regular short lived series (23 broadcasts), televised live, on New York local station WPIX (the show was never picked up for syndication) Joyce Davidson became producer of the show, her main function as she confirmed was screen viewer calls. She and David Susskind were married in 1966. Guests: Dorothy Kilgallen, Gore Vidal, and the Rev. William Sloane Coffin, Jr. Pilot program.
#14617: HOTLINE WITH DAVID SUSSKIND
Order1964-10-06, WPIX, 18 min.
October 6th, 1964-March 2, 1965 (WPIX) DEBUT of this ninety-minute short-lived ground breaking phone-in discussion program seen on local WPIX-TV Channel 11 in New York City form 11:15pm to 12:45pm. Topics discussed are pornography and the Warren Commission Report, Guests include Jackie Robinson, Gore Vidal, and Dorothy Kilgallen. WINS RADIO disc jockey Murray Kaufman calls the show. Host: David Susskind. The producer of the program is Joyce Davidson. She married Susskind in 1966.
#14650A: HOTLINE WITH DAVID SUSSKIND
Order1964-11-12, WPIX, 8 min.
October 6th, 1964-March 2, 1965 (WPIX) A ninety-minute pilot program for a future short-lived phone-in discussion program seen on local WPIX-TV Channel 11 in New York City. Segment includes three questions addressed by t he panel from those who phone in on this live broadcast. They include: Why is the U.S.in Vietnam? Susskind, Kilgallen and Vidal each are opinionated, Traffic problems in New York City where one can't even get a cab, and appraisal of Gore Vidal's novel The Best Man which he says he wrote as a contribution to the 1960 presidential election describing on two types of characters, one intellectual and one an opportunist. Host: David Susskind. Host: David Susskind. The producer of the program is Joyce Davidson. She married Susskind in 1966.
1966-01-30, WPIX, 34 min.
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). Four experts discuss the future political roles of Senators Robert and Edward Kennedy in the Democratic Party and speculate about the 1972 Presidential election. Panelists are author Gore Vidal, syndicated Washington columnist Max Freedman, and reporters Ben Bradlee (Washington Post) and Robert Novak (new York Herald Tribune). Open End with David Susskind was a breakthrough talk show which literally had no time limit. 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 regularly scheduled programming (6:30-8:30 pm). Open End was later cut by WPIX to a 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 on 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 the telecasts were recorded on videotape, 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 the 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 retitled THE DAVID SUSSKIND SHOW (1966-1986), were wiped erased, destroyed, discarded...whereabouts unknown, representing most shows produced and telecast during the late 1950s, 1960's and early 1970s. 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 breakthrough 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. Most 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, and prostitutes. 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 Gazzara, Adolph Green, Betty Comden, Lawrence Harvey, Jule Styne, and Patricia Neal. Host: David Susskind.
#15036: DEBATE ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Order1966-01-30, , 13 min.
A panel discussion on civil rights.
1966-01-30, WPIX, 34 min.
1958-1987 Theatrical and television producer David Susskind hosted this talk program consisting of a wide variety of topics. Each show centered around one topic consisting of four to seven guests. Tonight's topic: "Is There a White House in Robert Kennedy's Future?" Four experts discuss the political roles of Senators Robert and Edward Kennedy in the Democratic party and speculate about the 1972 presidential election. The panelists are author Gore Vidal, syndicated Washington columnist Max Freedman, and reporters Ben Bradlee9The Washington Post) and Robert Novak (New York Herald Tribune). Moderator: David Susskind. Seen on WPIX-TV Channel 11 in New York City.
1967-03-07, CBS, 59 min.
October 27, 1959 - November 4, 1979. 1980 - Irregular broadcasts thru the 1990's. An in-depth exploration of Homosexuality. It is a subject that explores the questions, is it a physical or mental illness as understood at that time. Is it a moral crime, or just another product of biological and/or psychological circumstance, such as eye color or a fear of heights? In 1967 there are millions of homosexuals in the United States and today many are demanding the right to fulfill their needs within the law. In interviews, correspondent Mike Wallace talks with homosexual men, who remain anonymous, and members of the Mattachine Society whose chief aim is the reform of laws against homosexuals. Those analyzing aspects of homosexuality include sociologists, psychologists, a federal judge, social critic Albert Goldman, and playwright Gore Vidal, who discusses homosexuality in the arts. Secretary of State Dean Rusk defends the State Department's policy against hiring homosexuals' which is US policy. Others to give their personal agenda and experiences living as a homosexual include a 19-year-old offender in a public park: homosexual members of clubs and bars, and a metropolitan area frequented by homosexual prostitutes. Also reported is a Boise, Idaho incident where a homosexual "scare" sparked a near witch-hunt in the mid 1950's. NOTE: CBS Reports: The Homosexuals, which aired in 1967, was the first time homosexuality was presented on a national network broadcast. "The Homosexuals" was praised for debunking negative stereotypes, but also condemned for generalizations and promoting other stereotypes. LGBT activist Wayne Beset called "The Homosexuals" "the single most destructive hour of antigay propaganda in our nation's history. NOTE: This CBS REPORTS:THE HOMOSEXUALS was the fourth and final broadcast Mike Wallace would report during the entire run of this iconic CBS Television probing and investigating series. Contains some commercials. BROADCAST HISTORY OF CBS REPORTS: On October 27, 1959, fifteen months after the demise of Edward R. Murrow's SEEIT NOW, the CBS News Department premiered a new incisive, in-depth documentary program entitled CBS REPORTS. It was patterned after Murrow's precedent setting program and employed many of the same production staff, including Murrow's former partner, Fred Friendly. During the first two years of broadcasts which included 27 one hour documentaries, all but five telecasts had either Edward R. Murrow or Harry K. Smith as writer/correspondent. Murrow reported on eleven programs form October 27, 1959, to March 1, 1961, and Howard K. Smith reported on eighteen programs form November 11, 1959, to February 8, 1962. In January 1961 CBS began airing CBS REPORTS as a regular alternate-week series. For most of a full decade CBS REPORTS remained a regular series on various nights, and then shifted to irregular Specials beginning in the 1980's.1967-03-07, CBS, 59 min.
October 27, 1959 - November 4, 1979. 1980 - Irregular broadcasts thru the 1990's. An in-depth exploration of Homosexuality. It is a subject that explores the questions, is it a physical or mental illness as understood at that time. Is it a moral crime, or just another product of biological and/or psychological circumstance, such as eye color or a fear of heights? In 1967 there are millions of homosexuals in the United States and today many are demanding the right to fulfill their needs within the law. In interviews, correspondent Mike Wallace talks with homosexual men, who remain anonymous, and members of the Mattachine Society whose chief aim is the reform of laws against homosexuals. Those analyzing aspects of homosexuality include sociologists, psychologists, a federal judge, social critic Albert Goldman, and playwright Gore Vidal, who discusses homosexuality in the arts. Secretary of State Dean Rusk defends the State Department's policy against hiring homosexuals' which is US policy. Others to give their personal agenda and experiences living as a homosexual include a 19-year-old offender in a public park: homosexual members of clubs and bars, and a metropolitan area frequented by homosexual prostitutes. Also reported is a Boise, Idaho incident where a homosexual "scare" sparked a near witch-hunt in the mid 1950's. NOTE: CBS Reports: The Homosexuals, which aired in 1967, was the first time homosexuality was presented on a national network broadcast. "The Homosexuals" was praised for debunking negative stereotypes, but also condemned for generalizations and promoting other stereotypes. LGBT activist Wayne Beset called "The Homosexuals" "the single most destructive hour of antigay propaganda in our nation's history. NOTE: This CBS REPORTS:THE HOMOSEXUALS was the fourth and final broadcast Mike Wallace would report during the entire run of this iconic CBS Television probing and investigating series. Contains some commercials. BROADCAST HISTORY OF CBS REPORTS: On October 27, 1959, fifteen months after the demise of Edward R. Murrow's SEEIT NOW, the CBS News Department premiered a new incisive, in-depth documentary program entitled CBS REPORTS. It was patterned after Murrow's precedent setting program and employed many of the same production staff, including Murrow's former partner, Fred Friendly. During the first two years of broadcasts which included 27 one hour documentaries, all but five telecasts had either Edward R. Murrow or Harry K. Smith as writer/correspondent. Murrow reported on eleven programs form October 27, 1959, to March 1, 1961, and Howard K. Smith reported on eighteen programs form November 11, 1959, to February 8, 1962. In January 1961 CBS began airing CBS REPORTS as a regular alternate-week series. For most of a full decade CBS REPORTS remained a regular series on various nights, and then shifted to irregular Specials beginning in the 1980's. Duplicate of #18,781.#19743: DAVID SUSSKIND SHOW, THE
Order1969-05-11, WNEW, min.
1958-1987 Theatrical and television producer David Susskind hosted this talk program consisting of a wide variety of topics. Each show centered around one topic consisting of four to seven guests. Guest: Gore Vidal.
#10908: MERV GRIFFIN SHOW, THE
Order1970-05-14, CBS, min.
October 1st, 1962-March 29th, 1963-NBC Daytime 1965-1969 Syndicated August 18th, 1969- February 11th, 1972- CBS 1972-1986- Syndicated. From August 18th, 1969- February 11th, 1972 Merv Griffin appeared in a late-night talk show format on CBS-TV. It's believed that all of his CBS talk shows were bulk-erased by the network. In 1972, Griffin returned to the syndication market where he remained until 1986. Guest: Gore Vidal1970-09-29, NBC, 36 min.
October 1, 1962-May 22, 1992. Johnny Carson, host of NBC's network late-night "Tonight Show" reigned for 30 unprecedented years...five times the combined tenure of Steve Allen, and Jack Paar. Carson was impervious to competition, including efforts to dethrone him by Les Crane, Joey Bishop, Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett, Jack Paar, Pat Sajak, Joan Rivers, and Arsenio Hall. Sadly, very few complete "Tonight Show" broadcasts survive during Johnny Carson's first ten years of broadcasting. Around 1965, through the early 1970's, oldest tapes were first erased systematically by orders from myopic NBC executives, to be recycled for purposes of saving money. Ironically, in many cases, these older master tapes were too brittle, and portended probable drop-outs for re-use after being erased. Subsequently blank after being erased, these older questionable master 2" Quad tapes were either sparingly used or never used again for recording new programming and eventually were discarded. Saving thousands of dollars at the time (wiping master tapes for potential re-use) resulted in losing millions of dollars by NBC in today's marketplace, and more importantly wiping thousands of historic TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts, which contain precious personal anecdotes from political, show business, and sports icons of the past.
Guests: Gore Vidal, Jose Feliciano.#16739: DICK CAVETT SHOW, THE
Order1971-12-01, ABC, min.
December 29th,1969-January 1st,1975 (ABC) Dick Cavett is back on television as ABC's new entrant in the late-night race. The format is desk and sofa five nights a week like the Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin shows. As Cavett sees it, it's the chemistry that counts. His forte:an articulate way with an interview, plus approaches to comedy that range from youthful innocence to the cynicism of WC.Fields. Guests: Gore Vidal, Norman Mailer.
#16875: DAVID SUSSKIND SHOW, THE
Order1972-04-23, WNEW, min.
1958-1987 Theatrical and television producer David Susskind hosted this talk program consisting of a wide variety of topics. Each show centered around one topic consisting of four to seven guests. 1- New York City street-gang leaders talk about their plans to clean up ghetto areas. 2- Gore Vidal discusses Presidential candidates and the national economy. Host: David Susskind
#16908: DAVID FROST SHOW, THE
Order1972-05-02, WNEW, min.
Guest: Gore Vidal. Host: Dsvid Frost.
1974-12-03, NBC, min.
October 1, 1962-May 22, 1992. Johnny Carson, host of NBC's network late-night "Tonight Show" reigned for 30 unprecedented years...five times the combined tenure of Steve Allen, and Jack Paar. Carson was impervious to competition, including efforts to dethrone him by Les Crane, Joey Bishop, Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett, Jack Paar, Pat Sajak, Joan Rivers, and Arsenio Hall. Sadly, very few complete "Tonight Show" broadcasts survive during Johnny Carson's first ten years of broadcasting. Around 1965, through the early 1970's, oldest tapes were first erased systematically by orders from myopic NBC executives, to be recycled for purposes of saving money. Ironically, in many cases, these older master tapes were too brittle, and portended probable drop-outs for re-use after being erased. Subsequently blank after being erased, these older questionable master 2" Quad tapes were either sparingly used or never used again for recording new programming and eventually were discarded. Saving thousands of dollars at the time (wiping master tapes for potential re-use) resulted in losing millions of dollars by NBC in today's marketplace, and more importantly wiping thousands of historic TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts, which contain precious personal anecdotes from political, show business, and sports icons of the past.
Guests: Gore Vidal, Bob Newhart. NOTE: This specific TONIGHT SHOW may only contain an opening monologue by Johnny Carson. Other content, as listed, will have to be monitored and confirmed upon your order request.#17920: DICK CAVETT SHOW, THE
Order1974-12-12, ABC, min.
December 29th,1969-January 1st,1975 (ABC) Dick Cavett is back on television as ABC's new entrant in the late-night race. The format is desk and sofa five nights a week like the Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin shows. As Cavett sees it, it's the chemistry that counts. His forte:an articulate way with an interview, plus approaches to comedy that range from youthful innocence to the cynicism of WC.Fields. Guest: Gore Vidal
1976-01-08, WNBC, 37 min.
"The Tomorrow Show" with Tom Snyder. October 15, 1973-January 28, 1982. A rescheduled broadcast form November 1975 when Tom Snyder was ill and could not do the broadcast. Joined in progress. Topics discussed include: What makes a good talk show Working in a " dead" studio as opposed to one with a live audience The Brando show with Dick Cavett Cavett's impressions visiting trip to Egypt "Pyramid Power" Cavett's battle with ABC over January 1974 broadcast with radical guests Interview with Gerald Ford 11 hours to tape a one hour CBS special Future programs Cavett slated to do for CBS Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer controversial broadcast How the Dick Cavett Show was structured Woody Allen and Groucho Marx mentors Bob Hope interview Relationship with Johnny Carson Dumb moments on the air Time a guest actually died on the air on a show. Anecdotes about that incident An hour-long talk show hosted by Tom Snyder. Network television's first entry into late-late-night programming on weeknights Monday thru Thursday, usually broadcasting on tape 1 AM to 2 AM. "Tomorrow" was expanded to 90 minutes on September 16, 1980.
#18066: ACADEMY AWARDS: 48TH ANNUAL
Order1976-03-29, ABC, min.
- Art Carney
- Gene Kelly
- Goldie Hawn
- William Wyler
- Mary Pickford
- George Burns
- Angie Dickinson
- Joel Grey
- Telly Savalas
- George Segal
- Lee Grant
- Jack Nicholson
- Diane Keaton
- Audrey Hepburn
- Elizabeth Taylor
- Marlo Thomas
- Walter Matthau
- Beau Bridges
- Robert Shaw
- Michael Douglas
- Charleton Heston
- Ben Johnson
- Jennifer ONeill
- Louise Fletcher
- Mervyn Leroy
- Jules Stein
- Elliott Gould
- Jacqueline Bisset
- Linda Blair
- Robert Blake
- Anthony Hopkins
- Rod McKeun
- Gore Vidal
The 48th Annual Academy Awards presentation is telecast from The Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in Los Angeles, California. Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, George Segal, Goldie Hawn, and Gene Kelly are the hosts. Duplicate of #7508.1976-03-29, ABC, 192 min.
- Art Carney
- Gene Kelly
- Goldie Hawn
- William Wyler
- Mary Pickford
- George Burns
- Angie Dickinson
- Joel Grey
- Telly Savalas
- George Segal
- Lee Grant
- Jack Nicholson
- Diane Keaton
- Audrey Hepburn
- Elizabeth Taylor
- Marlo Thomas
- Walter Matthau
- Beau Bridges
- Robert Shaw
- Michael Douglas
- Charleton Heston
- Ben Johnson
- Jennifer ONeill
- Louise Fletcher
- Mervyn Leroy
- Jules Stein
- Elliott Gould
- Jacqueline Bisset
- Linda Blair
- Robert Blake
- Anthony Hopkins
- Rod McKeun
- Gore Vidal
The 48th Annual Academy Awards presentation is telecast from The Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in Los Angeles, California. Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, George Segal, Goldie Hawn, and Gene Kelly are the hosts.#19172: MERV GRIFFIN SHOW, THE:
Order1979-02-27, SYN, 54 min.
October 1, 1962-March 29, 1963 (NBC); 1965-1969 (Syndicated); August 18, 1969-February 11, 1972 (CBS); 1972-1986 (Syndicated) Guests: Orson Welles, Gore Vidal,
1980-10-31, NBC, min.
October 1, 1962-May 22, 1992. Johnny Carson, host of NBC's network late-night "Tonight Show" reigned for 30 unprecedented years...five times the combined tenure of Steve Allen, and Jack Paar. Carson was impervious to competition, including efforts to dethrone him by Les Crane, Joey Bishop, Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett, Jack Paar, Pat Sajak, Joan Rivers, and Arsenio Hall. Sadly, very few complete "Tonight Show" broadcasts survive during Johnny Carson's first ten years of broadcasting. Around 1965, through the early 1970's, oldest tapes were first erased systematically by orders from myopic NBC executives, to be recycled for purposes of saving money. Ironically, in many cases, these older master tapes were too brittle, and portended probable drop-outs for re-use after being erased. Subsequently blank after being erased, these older questionable master 2" Quad tapes were either sparingly used or never used again for recording new programming and eventually were discarded. Saving thousands of dollars at the time (wiping master tapes for potential re-use) resulted in losing millions of dollars by NBC in today's marketplace, and more importantly wiping thousands of historic TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts, which contain precious personal anecdotes from political, show business, and sports icons of the past.
Guests: Gore Vidal, Bob Hope, Steve Landesberg. NOTE: This specific TONIGHT SHOW may only contain an opening monologue by Johnny Carson. Other content, as listed, will have to be monitored and confirmed upon your order request.#18619: MERV GRIFFIN SHOW, THE:
Order1981-04-08, SYN, min.
October 1, 1962-March 29, 1963 (NBC); 1965-1969 (Syndicated); August 18, 1969-February 11, 1972 (CBS); 1972-1986 (Syndicated) Guest: Gore Vidal discusses topics of the day with Merv.1981-12-15, NBC, min.
October 1, 1962-May 22, 1992. Johnny Carson, host of NBC's network late-night "Tonight Show" reigned for 30 unprecedented years...five times the combined tenure of Steve Allen, and Jack Paar. Carson was impervious to competition, including efforts to dethrone him by Les Crane, Joey Bishop, Merv Griffin, Dick Cavett, Jack Paar, Pat Sajak, Joan Rivers, and Arsenio Hall. Sadly, very few complete "Tonight Show" broadcasts survive during Johnny Carson's first ten years of broadcasting. Around 1965, through the early 1970's, oldest tapes were first erased systematically by orders from myopic NBC executives, to be recycled for purposes of saving money. Ironically, in many cases, these older master tapes were too brittle, and portended probable drop-outs for re-use after being erased. Subsequently blank after being erased, these older questionable master 2" Quad tapes were either sparingly used or never used again for recording new programming and eventually were discarded. Saving thousands of dollars at the time (wiping master tapes for potential re-use) resulted in losing millions of dollars by NBC in today's marketplace, and more importantly wiping thousands of historic TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts, which contain precious personal anecdotes from political, show business, and sports icons of the past.
Guest: Gore Vidal. NOTE: This specific TONIGHT SHOW may only contain an opening monologue by Johnny Carson. Other content, as listed, will have to be monitored and confirmed upon your order request.