Fred Allen seven-minute excerpt.                       

 
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 JINX 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. 

Today's Guests: Jack Benny (Brief ) and Mary Martin. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

    To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the General Foods Corporation has taken over the NBC and CBS networks from 8:00 to 9:30 P.M. to present highlights from the musical productions of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, 2nd.  The shows to be represented in this review of eleven years of musical-comedy achievement are: Oklahoma, Carousel, Allegro, South Pacific, The King and I, and Me and Juliet. 

   Clarence Francis, chairman of General Foods, opens the program which is hosted by Mary Martin. The first musical number, "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'," sung by Gordon MacRae, comes from "Oklahoma!", Rodgers and Hammerstein's first musical collaboration together. Jack Benny then appears in a sketch in which he recalls buying a ticket to "Carousel" for only six dollars and sixty cents. Then John Raitt sings "You're a Queer One, Julie Jordan," and is joined by Jan Clayton in singing "If I Loved You"; both songs are from "Carousel." After Martin sings "It Might as Well Be Spring," from the score to the movie "State Fair," Edgar Bergen and his dummy, Charlie McCarthy, introduce Bill Hayes and Janice Rule in "You Are Never Away," from the musical "Allegro." The following segment is an excerpt from Groucho Marx's "You Bet Your Life" television series, in which he interviews Rodgers and Hammerstein. Then Martin and Ezio Pinza perform "Some Enchanted Evening," and Martin sings "A Wonderful Guy." Both pieces are from the musical "South Pacific." Ed Sullivan then introduces excerpts from "The King and I," which feature Patricia Morison singing "Getting to Know You," with dancing by Michiko, as well as Yul Brynner performing "A Puzzlement." Jack Benny returns to showcase Tony Martin in "The Big Black Giant" and Rosemary Clooney in "No Other Love"; both pieces are from "Me and Juliet." The program ends with MacRae and Florence Henderson performing a duet from "Oklahoma!" titled "People Will Say We're in Love."       

Broadcast from 11:30 pm to 1:05am, pre-empling Tonight Show starring Steve Allen, The seventh annual Emmy Awards , and for the first time televised Nationally. From Hollywood Steve Allen. From New York Emcee Dave Garroway. Commercials included.                                       

Jack's guests are George Burns and Gracie Allen. Regulars are Eddie "Rochester" Anderson and announcer Don Wilson.                                      

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   

Jack Benny's guests are Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Coleman.

                                                                                   

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   


An excerpt from the November 18th, 1956 episode of this show.                                                                                                                         

September 30th, 1954-April 17th, 1958 (CBS)

Shower Of Stars was a once-a-month replacement series for CBS's popular Thursday night entry, "Climax," with host William Lundigan. A wide variety of shows took place including a variety of spectaculars and dramatic shows. The show was first hosted by William Lundigan who was later replaced by Jack Benny.

This episode stars Tallulah Bankhead, Ed Wynn, Jack Benny, and Bert Lahr.                         

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   

The Jack Benny signature "Your Money Or Your Life" skit is performed.                                                                                                

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   

"Railroad Station." Comedy

Eddie "Rochester" Anderson,Don Wilson,Mel Blanc,Herb Vigran                   

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   

Guest: George Burns. Jack introduces the entire cast.                                                                                                                     

A galaxy of stars salute their own for the 1958-1959 TV season. Raymond Burr, Robert Young, Dennis Weaver, Barbara Hale, Art Carney, Dinah Shore, Tom Poston, Ann B. Davis, Phil Silvers, Don Hewitt, David Brinkley, Elaine May and Mike Nichols, Walter Brennan, Jack Benny, Donna Reed, Fred Astaire, Louis Nye, Dayton Allen, Don Knotts, Mickey Rooney, Judith Anderson, Dick Clark, Bob Hope, Ed Sullivan, Chet Huntley, and Vice President Richard M. Nixon.             

The eleventh annual Emmy Awards broadcast from the Moulin Rouge Nightclub in Hollywood, California, honoring the best television shows of 1958.   

Raymond Burr is the host.   

NOTE: Many edits. Brief / partial acceptance speeches.  
See ATA#13345 for continuation, additional 18 minutes.                                             

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

   From Hollywood. In his monologue Jack Paar reiterates what occurred two nights ago between himself and Mickey Rooney who was intoxicated when he came on the program. Rooney made cracks about Paar, and Paar reciprocated by asking him to leave. 
The following day Rooney challenged Paar to come to his hotel room to duke it out. Paar decided to come. What transpired is the basis for tonight's monologue. Guest Jack Benny approaches Jack and requests that they both make up. 

Interesting interview with Sterling Hayden who defied the courts taking seven children and 13 adults and absconding materialistic Hollywood on his vessel to points unknown in the Pacific. 

Jack engages in a short funny exchange with child actress Evelyn Rudie.                                                                                                             

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

 Jack Paar describes guest Mickey Rooney who was drunk, and who Paar asked to leave the show two nights ago (Dec. 1, 1959).  
Jack Benny urges Jack to "make up."

NOTE:
So, why did Mickey show up drunk on Jack Paar’s The Tonight Show? Rooney was still lit from staying up to celebrate his wedding anniversary the night before when he arrived for the broadcast. When asked what Ava Gardner was really like, a belligerent Rooney replied, “Well, Mr. Paar, may I say this, she is more woman than you will ever know.” After a few thick-tongued utterances from his guest, Paar observed, “I think you’re loaded.”

Rooney then proceeded to express disdain over the previous night’s show. “Do you enjoy it tonight?” Paar asked. “Not necessarily,” Rooney grumbled. Before Paar could finish asking “Would you care to leave?” Mickey had up and walked out. The next day Rooney responded to the headlines with, “A man would have to be drunk to appear on that show. Paar is the dregs of television.”

Earlier in the afternoon, Jack Paar accepted Mickey Rooney's invitation to meet with him in his hotel room. Paar relates the details of this meeting in his monologue.


Guest Sterling Hayden (first time on a television interview broadcast) comments on sailing away in June 1959 with his four children (Christian, Dana, Gretchen and Matthew), 7, 9, 10 & 11 years of age, and thirteen adults, from San Francisco Bay to Tahiti, in the South Pacific, defying a court order, leaving "materialism," and Hollywood behind. This seven minute segment contains almost half of this surviving "lost" TV broadcast. 

Haunted by the friends he’d betrayed, fed up with the subpar movies he was making (cast in westerns, he “couldn’t ride worth a goddamn” and was “the slowest draw west of the Rhine”), flat broke and waging a custody battle with his ex-wife, Hayden escaped into the arms of his first love. In defiance of a court order, he loaded up his four children on a schooner called WANDERER and set sail for the South Seas. Hayden describes his adventure with Paar. 

At the top of the show, a brief interview by Paar with child actress Evelyn Rudie who describes the following moment in her life. 

In 1959, at age 9, I disappeared from my Los Angeles home and was feared kidnapped. But it turned out I had booked a flight to Washington, D.C., on my own, and boarded the airplane unaccompanied. When I was taken off the plane at Baltimore, I told the authorities that I wanted to visit First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, whom I had met previously, at the White House. I wanted to ask her if she could  help me get a part in a TV series.

NOTE: THE COMPLETE STORY WAS SHARED BY  EVELYN RUDIE TO PHIL GRIES  AND CAN BE READ IN THE ATA TESTIMONIAL LINK.
 
 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. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Bob Hope is the host for a 75th birthday salute plus one and career tribute to Mrs. Eleanor Rossevelt. David Susskind is the executive producer. 

This is an excerpted duplicate of #7112 which is complete
            

SPECIAL BROADCAST SALUTE
Mrs. FDR was 75 a year ago and as a plus one year follow up, a tribute to her (and the Eleanor Roosevelt Cancer Research Foundation located in Denver Colorado) by admirers in and out of show business.  Many perform during this one-hour celebration special broadcast. 

Bob Hope hosts this program which presents show business personalities and other prominent people.
Executive Producer, David Susskind.
Written for Television by  Reginald Rose.

NOTE: Occasional original slight broadcast audio hum.                                                                                              

October 28, 1950 - September 10, 1965
From September 13, 1953 to June 1960,  The Jack Benny Program aired every other week.

Jack Benny's guest is Milton Berle.             

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   



                                            

Johnny Greene hosts this informal radio talk show with special guests Jack Benny, George Burns and Sylvia Fine (wife of Danny Kaye). This was an extremely rare occurrence where Benny and Burns were able to trade anecdotes on the same broadcast about one another and to one another.
Also, Sylvia Fine discusses her career and love affair with Danny Kaye with many anecdotes shared by all guests.

Music and comedy special. 

Dupe Of Number 5417.         

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   


"Jack goes to Las Vegas." 



                                                         

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   

Jack's guest is Peter Lawford.
                                                                                   

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   

Jack's guest is Oscar Levant.
                                                                                                

A tribute to Jack Benny for his benefit concerts to raise money for struggling orchestras.                        

Samples of American humor from the beginnings till now are examined. A host of stars participate including Phil Silvers, Bob Hope, Jimmy Durante, Eddie Cantor, Burns and Allen, Buster Keaton, Fred Allen, Laurel and Hardy, W.C. Fields, Groucho Marx and Jack Benney. This premiere show for the series was produced by Donald B. Hyatt and his Project 20 staff. Written by Richard Hanser and Rod Reed. Original musical score by Robert Russell Bennett.             

CBS radio coverage of the Frair's Roast for director Mervyn Leroy. 

Roastmaster: George Jessel.     

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

JIP as Jack Benny follows the "Mystery Guest," the son of actor Robert Cummings, whom Jack reveals he is the Godfather. 

Benny relates  a funny story of how he was compromised by a fatuous woman admirer he met in a bar who invited him up to her place for a drink and other misbehavior. Funny as only Benny can tell a story. He states that Paar stole that joke from him but did not know how to tell it properly. Other topics are discussed, including his relationship with George Burns. 

Final Jack Benny appearance on a Jack Paar Tonight Show, with the exception of an unannounced walk on celebrating his birthday, February 14, 1962.

NOTE: This broadcast was rebroadcast on March 30, 1962, the final "Best of Paar" telecast which is archived in the ATA collection (see ATA#184). 

*FOR THE RECORD, as archivists are aware, most of THE JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW SERIES which were broadcast on NBC TV from July 29,  1957 thru March 30, 1962 (A final BEST OF PAAR rerun originally televised November 21, 1961...guest Jack Benny) were ERASED, DESTROYED OR WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN. 

2" Quadruplex Video Tape was expensive ($400 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. 

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS retains in their archive only 4 program excerpts accounting for only one hour or material of JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOWS (November 14, 1958, December 23, 1959, October 19, 1959, and one 33&1/3rd audio disc promotional from 1957 presenting Jack Paar the new host  of the TONIGHT SHOW. 

THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA retains in their archive only 7 program excerpts accounting for only four and a quarter hours of material (July 29, 1957, November 1, 1957, November 7, 1958, November 10, 1958, November 14, 1958, July 22, 1959, December 21, 1959).

UCLA FILM & TV ARCHIVE retains in their archive only 8 program excerpts accounting for only seven hours of material (August 12, 1957, November 1, 1957, November 10, 1958, November 11, 1958, November 14, 1958, July 22, 1959, December 21, 1959).

For over 62 years Phil Gries, creator and owner of ARCHIVAL TLEVISION AUDIO, Inc. has continued to be a passionate television audio archive collector. TRULY UNIQUE TODAY AS AN INDEPENDENT TV AUDIO ARCHIVE. Currently, in 2021, to date, ATA has collated and archived over 20,000 TV Audio Air Checks representing 20,000 hours of sound...tens of thousands of broadcasts which represent the ONLY SURVIVING BROAADCAST RECORD OF A SPECIFIC TELEVISION SHOW (1946-1982). 

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 only 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 final LIVE broadcast aired on 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)

OBSERVATION: Listening to the few extant audio air check COMPLETE JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts, as originally televised, AND RECORDED DIRECT LINE RESULTING IN  PRISTINE PLAYBACK SOUND,  retains the essence and specialty which Jack Paar was able to convey as host of his late night talk show. He set the standard for how the TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JACK PAAR format evolved, including introducing the standard monologue at the beginning of every show, which continues to evolve to this day...however, sans the whit, charm, warmth, ease, unpredictability, vulnerability, pace and controversy which Paar brought to TV audiences at night. Jack Paar was stellar, and he is sorely missed by most Baby Boomers who remember watching him in real time.

Mostly forgotten by todays' younger audiences Jack Paar needs to be re-evaluated at length to place him royally as one of the most, if not the most, important LATE NIGHT HOSTS IN THE HISTORY OF LATE NIGHT TELEVISION. 

Interestingly, current documentaries examining the history of Late Night television, including the current CNN 6 hours retrospective on the subject THE STORY OF LATE NIGHT (2021), relegates only 15 minutes of screen time to Jack Paar's contributions as one of many late night hosts.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Danny Kaye is host for a variety program saluting the work of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies. Guest performers are Eartha Kitt, Jack Benny, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Benny Goodman, Tony Martin, Mitch Miller, Jan Peerce, Charlton Heston, Lucille Ball, Edward G. Robinson and Morton Gould.             

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

 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. 

Guest: Jack Benny.

Jack Benny makes a surprise guest appearance on his birthday. He plays the violin and remembers his first network radio appearance with Fred Allen on the Jack Benny Show.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   

Jack Benny's guests are Rock Hudson and Hugh Downs. 
                                                                                                             

Jack Paar's guest is Jack Benny. Hugh Downs is co-host. 
During Paar's monologue Jack states that Johnny Carson will be, most likely, the new host of The Tonight Show, starting in April, after he, Jack, leaves THE TONIGHT SHOW (last first run broadcast March 9,1962). 

NOTE: Johnny Carson did replace Jack Paar as permanent host of TTS, but due to a contractual agreement with ABC TV he could not begin his 30 year reign as host of The Tonight Show until October 1, 1962. 

This was to be the final televised "Jack Paar Tonight Show." This "Best of Paar" broadcast was a repeat of a telecast aired on November 22, 1961. 
                                                   

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   

Jack Benny's guest is Dan Duryea. 

                                                                                                             

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   

                                                                                                                  

           June 20, 1948 - May 30, 1971

ED SULLIVAN SHOW, THE, (TOAST OF THE TOWN)
Television's longest running variety series. Originally, titled, TOAST OF THE TOWN, the name of the series changed on September 18, 1955 to THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW. Most remembered for introducing many stand-up comedians, and musical acts, including The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, The Beatles. 

 Most of the 1,087 broadcasts, encompassing 10,000 performers, have been archived. The major exceptions are the first half year of shows circa 1948 of which a few kinescope excerpts survive.
 
The ED SULLIVAN SHOW was a spectacular show-case that for twenty-three years entertained the American family. In its prime, more than thirty million viewers, young and old, tuned in at the same time to view popular culture.   

Ed Sullivan's guests on his 14th-anniversary show include Jack Carter, Jack Benny, Kate Smith, Johnny Carson, Lucille Ball, Jerry Lewis, Bing Crosby and Ted Mack.                                                  

A Fall preview of CBS programs.     

Five stars of TV comedy, Lucille Ball, Jack Benny , Andy Griffith, Garry Moore and Danny Thomas blend their talents for an hour to poke fun at the new 1962-1963 TV season and themselves. 
Written by Larry Gelbart. 
Announcer: Don Wilson.

NOTE: Some variations in sound quality, but most of the audio is excellent.                                              

Andy Griffith, Lucille Ball, Danny Thomas and Jack Benny perform.                                     

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   

Guest: Sammy Davis Jr.

                                

September 25, 1962-June 23, 1970. One of television's most inventive and popular comedians, Red Skelton hosted his own series for twenty years, seven of them in a one-hour format, "The Red Skelton Hour" on CBS. Skelton began his television career on NBC September 30, 1951 with a half-hour filmed variety series lasting until June 21, 1953. He then began his CBS affiliation, and began hosting "The Red Skelton Show," a half-hour variety show broadcast live until October 18, 1960, and subsequently on videotape. This series aired from October 13, 1953, continuing until June 26, 1962. From July 21, 1954 through September 8, 1954, "The Red Skelton Revue" was broadcast live on CBS in a one-hour format. Red Skelton returned to NBC in a half-hour taped format for his final series. "Red" as the show was known, premiered September 14, 1970. The first four broadcasts included introductions by Vice President Spiro T. Agnew (September 14, 1970), Dean Martin (September 21, 1970), Jack Benny (September 28, 1970), and Johnny Carson (October 5, 1970) who got his big break writing for Skelton in the early 1950's. Red Skelton's last first-run regularly scheduled television program aired on March 15, 1971. 

This was the first hour-long Red Skelton broadcast on CBS. 

Series Premiere                                      

October 28th, 1950- September 15th, 1964 (CBS)
September 25th,1964-September 10th, 1965 (NBC)    

Jack Benny's half-hour show mixed variety and situation comedy with a company of regulars: Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, announcer Don Wilson, Dennis Day, Mel Blanc, and Mary Livingston.   

Guest: Phil Silvers