June 20, 1948 - May 30, 1971

Oldest known surviving broadcast content, in any format or transcription, of a TOAST OF THE TOWN opening and closing and comic stand-up routine, extant only in the Archival Television Audio, Inc. archive. 

In 1948 there existed only 600,000 TV sets in America. Practically all television broadcasts were aired LIVE including TOAST OF THE TOWN which would not kinescope their shows until December 5, 1948. 

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 Most of the 1,087 broadcasts, encompassing 10,000 performers, have been archived.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 beginning with broadcasts December 5, 12, and 19, 1948.

 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.  

The guests archived in this earliest known TALK OF THE TOWN air check are Toni Kelly, with chorus on a boardwalk, in Atlantic City, and a 12 minute stand-up comedy routine by Jan Murray.

Variety reviewed this broadcast stating,

“JAN MURRAY WAS ON FOR A FULL 12 MINUTES OF THE HOUR-LONG SHOW WITH SOME VERY FUNNY BITS WHICH HAD THE STUDIO AUDIENCE YUCKING AS MUCH AS THE HOME AUDIENCE MUST HAVE LAUGHED. 
AS WITH MOST NITERY EMCEES, THE STRAIN TO AVOID BLUISH PATTER WAS EASILY APPARENT BUT MURRAY CARRIED IT OFF OKAY. 
WITH THE RIVAL “TEXACO STAR THEATRE” ON NBC-TV ON THE PROWL FOR SUITABLE EMCEES, MURRAY’S A CINCH TO GET A BID, AND FOR MORE PAY, TOO.” 

NOTE: It was Milton Berle who got the nod, first to appear (audition) June 8, 1948, succeeded by other temporary hosts including Harry Richman, Georgie Price, Henny Youngman, Morey Amsterdam, Jack Carter and Peter Donald who all rotated in the Host's Spot, during the Summer of 1948, but NOT Jan Murray.
The final choice by NBC to become permanent host of THE TEXICO STAR THEATER was Milton Berle, beginning September 21, 1948...and the rest is history!).  

Also, remarkably preserved in this TV Audio Air Check is the entire 2 minute opening and closing of this 6th "TALK OF THE TOWN" Broadcast. 
                                                                      

September 5th, 1960- September 28th, 1962 (NBC)

Charge Account also referred to as The Jan Murray Show was a daytime game show in which players competed for the right to purchase prizes by forming words out of a group of sixteen letters.    

NOTE: Only known surviving broadcast representation of Charge Account (The Jan Murray Show). 
 During the first nine minutes an intermittent minimal "buzz" sound is heard on the recording. Otherwise, most discernible, historic and nostalgic. 

NOTE:
 Almost all daytime game shows from the 1970's and before have been destroyed. CBS's archives begin in 1972, ABC's in 1978, and NBC's in 1980. A handful of producers (most notably Goodson-Todman) did arrange for the preservation of their shows even during the tape-recycling period.     

                            

September 9th, 1966-January 6th, 1967 (ABC)

A Friday night variety hour seen on ABC. It did not catch on with the viewing public and was canceled in January 1967 after just four months on the air. The show was produced by Bill Dana with Bobby Rydell, Irving Benson, and Donna Loren as regulars. Benson was seen as an offstage heckler. 

Milton's guests are Eddie Fisher and comedian Jan Murray.                                  

September 9th, 1966-January 6th, 1967 (ABC)

A Friday night variety hour seen on ABC. It did not catch on with the viewing public and was canceled in January 1967 after just four months on the air. The show was produced by Bill Dana with Bobby Rydell, Irving Benson, and Donna Loren as regulars. Benson was seen as an offstage heckler. 

Host: Milton Berle welcomes guest Jan Murray.                                                        

September 16, 1965-May 24, 1974. A variety hour hosted by Dean Martin. Several of the shows were celebrity "roasts," set at a banquet table, in which the guest of honor was showered with insults by other celebs. Regulars of the series included pianist Ken Lane (1965-1972), Kay Medford, Lou Jacobi, The Golddiggers, Marian Mercer (1971-1972), Tom Bosley (1971-1972), Rodney Dangerfield (1972-1973), Dom DeLuise (1972-1973), and Nipsey Russell (1972-1974).  

Dupe Of # 1925. Repeat Of 11-24-66.                         

September 20, 1952-June 22, 1957; October 3, 1958-January 2 1959; February 3 1961-March 24, 1961; September 1962-September 12, 1970

After the 1954-1955 season (one hour live broadcasts), Jackie Gleason produced a series of 39 filmed half-hour episodes of "The Honeymooners" which was syndicated (1955-1956). For the following 1956-1957 season, the Jackie Gleason Show returned to a live one-hour variety format with a Honeymooners sketch included in many of its broadcasts. After this season, The Honeymooners sketches would not be revived until the 1966-1967 season of The Jackie Gleason Show.  

Host: Jackie Gleason.

Guests: Red Buttons, Nipsey Russell, Jan Murray. Honeymooners sketch with Sheila MacRae and Art Carney. 

Rerun of January 4th, 1969.

                                                                                        

October 17th, 1966- June 20th, 1980 (Daytime)
January 12th, 1968- September 13th, 1968 (Prime Time)
November 1st, 1971- September 1981.(Syndicated)

One of the longest-running daytime game shows on NBC television.

Host: Peter Marshall.                                                   

Bob Hope's fourth Special. Newly crowned heavyweight boxing champion George Forman joins an all-star lineup on Bob's special. 

Duplicate of 5119.        

Milton Berle is roasted by the Frair's Club.     

Host: Sammy Davis, Jr.       

October 17th, 1966- June 20th, 1980 (Daytime)
January 12th, 1968- September 13th, 1968 (Prime Time)
November 1st, 1971- September 1981.(Syndicated)

One of the longest-running daytime game shows on NBC television.

Host: Peter Marshall.                                                                

October 17th, 1966- June 20th, 1980 (Daytime)
January 12th, 1968- September 13th, 1968 (Prime Time)
November 1st, 1971- September 1981.(Syndicated)

One of the longest-running daytime game shows on NBC television.

Host: Peter Marshall                                                                                                                                                                                             

Daytime- April 1st, 1974- October 1st, 1976
Syndicated- September 9th, 1974- September 1975
Syndicated- September 20th, 1976- September 1977
Announcers: Bill Armstrong, Dick Tufeld, John Harlan

A game show involving two contestants, six celebrities, and the studio audience. Frequently seen on the celebrity panel were Carol Wayne, Buddy Hackett, Dick Martin, and Joey Bishop. 

Host: Jim McKrell. Very few episodes of this quiz show survive.
                                                            

October 17th, 1966- June 20th, 1980 (Daytime)
January 12th, 1968- September 13th, 1968 (Prime Time)
November 1st, 1971- September 1981.(Syndicated)

One of the longest-running daytime game shows on NBC television.

Host: Peter Marshall 

Duplicate of # 8297.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

January 5th, 1976- June 11th, 1976.

Kelly Lange hosted this daytime series, Monday thru Friday 12:30-12:55pm  in which celebrities and their spouses suggested answers to problems submitted by the viewers.     

Guests are comedian Jan Murray and his wife Toni and actor James Darren and his wife Abbey.   

Commercials include:

Sin-Aid for sinus headaches, Glass Plus, Brock's Real Chocolate, Adult strength Anacin, Purina cat food, Stay Puff Blue, Duz cleaner, Pamprin, Spic 'N' Span, Reynolds Wrap. 
During credits there is a plug by Dudley Moore and Peter Cook to tune into this evening's Saturday Night (not yet establishing the name Saturday Night Live). 

NOTE: None of the broadcasts in this series are known to survive. All were either erased or discarded.                                                           

Bob Hope hires six TV detectives to solve a series of mysterious disappearances at his house in this comedy special.

Duplicate of # 7757.                                                    

Bob Hope hires six TV detectives to solve a series of mysterious disappearances at his house in this comedy special.   

Duplicate of #7757.                                                

Bob Hope hires six TV detectives to solve a series of mysterious disappearances at his house in this comedy special.                                      

April 12, 1976 - July 23, 1976 (76 first run episodes)
September 18, 1976 - February 26, 1977 (19 first run episodes)
(Re-runs beginning in February 29, 1977 to September 11, 1977)

Break the Bank had two separate runs on American television. The first was as a daily series that aired from April 12 to July 23, 1976, on ABC, airing at 2:30 p.m. Eastern/1:30 Central. Although the series was popular, the network canceled it in order to expand the soap operas One Life to Live and General Hospital, both of which followed it on the daytime schedule, from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. The show quickly returned as a weekly syndicated game from September 18, 1976, to September 11, 1977.

The ABC daytime series had 76 episodes, including the 3/23 and 5/20 pilots. The syndicated series had 24 episodes with 5 of them being rerun. The last episode for the entire series was on February 26, 1977, with reruns airing until September 11th of that year. In 1994, GSN added Break the Bank to their lineup. This continued until 1997, and since then, no episodes from the series have been broadcast on television again. Currently, 17 episodes from the original Tom Kennedy series and 3 episodes from the syndicated Jack Barry series have been uploaded and steam on YouTube.

NOTE: Complete with commercials. 

                                                                                                                    

April 12, 1976 - July 23, 1976 (76 first run episodes)
September 18, 1976 - February 26, 1977 (19 first run episodes)
(Re-runs beginning in February 29, 1977 to September 11, 1977)

Break the Bank had two separate runs on American television. The first was as a daily series that aired from April 12 to July 23, 1976, on ABC, airing at 2:30 p.m. Eastern/1:30 Central. Although the series was popular, the network canceled it in order to expand the soap operas One Life to Live and General Hospital, both of which followed it on the daytime schedule, from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. The show quickly returned as a weekly syndicated game from September 18, 1976, to September 11, 1977.

The ABC daytime series had 76 episodes, including the 3/23 and 5/20 pilots. The syndicated series had 24 episodes with 5 of them being rerun. The last episode for the entire series was on February 26, 1977, with reruns airing until September 11th of that year. In 1994, GSN added Break the Bank to their lineup. This continued until 1997, and since then, no episodes from the series have been broadcast on television again. Currently, 17 episodes from the original Tom Kennedy series and 3 episodes from the syndicated Jack Barry series have been uploaded and steam on YouTube.

NOTE: complete with all commercials.  
                                                                                                   

 April 12, 1976 - July 23, 1976 (76 first run episodes)
September 18, 1976 - February 26, 1977 (19 first run episodes)
(Re-runs beginning in February 29, 1977 to September 11, 1977)

Break the Bank had two separate runs on American television. The first was as a daily series that aired from April 12 to July 23, 1976, on ABC, airing at 2:30 p.m. Eastern/1:30 Central. Although the series was popular, the network canceled it in order to expand the soap operas One Life to Live and General Hospital, both of which followed it on the daytime schedule, from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. The show quickly returned as a weekly syndicated game from September 18, 1976, to September 11, 1977.

The ABC daytime series had 76 episodes, including the 3/23 and 5/20 pilots. The syndicated series had 24 episodes with 5 of them being rerun. The last episode for the entire series was on February 26, 1977, with reruns airing until September 11th of that year. In 1994, GSN added Break the Bank to their lineup. This continued until 1997, and since then, no episodes from the series have been broadcast on television again. Currently, 17 episodes from the original Tom Kennedy series and 3 episodes from the syndicated Jack Barry series have been uploaded and steam on YouTube.

NOTE: Complete with commercials. 

                                                                                                                

April 12, 1976 - July 23, 1976 (76 first run episodes)
September 18, 1976 - February 26, 1977 (19 first run episodes)
(Re-runs beginning in February 29, 1977 to September 11, 1977)

Break the Bank had two separate runs on American television. The first was as a daily series that aired from April 12 to July 23, 1976, on ABC, airing at 2:30 p.m. Eastern/1:30 Central. Although the series was popular, the network canceled it in order to expand the soap operas One Life to Live and General Hospital, both of which followed it on the daytime schedule, from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. The show quickly returned as a weekly syndicated game from September 18, 1976, to September 11, 1977.

The ABC daytime series had 76 episodes, including the 3/23 and 5/20 pilots. The syndicated series had 24 episodes with 5 of them being rerun. The last episode for the entire series was on February 26, 1977, with reruns airing until September 11th of that year. In 1994, GSN added Break the Bank to their lineup. This continued until 1997, and since then, no episodes from the series have been broadcast on television again. Currently, 17 episodes from the original Tom Kennedy series and 3 episodes from the syndicated Jack Barry series have been uploaded and steam on YouTube.     

NOTE: Complete with commercials.                                                                                                                       

April 12, 1976 - July 23, 1976 (76 first run episodes)
September 18, 1976 - February 26, 1977 (19 first run episodes)
(Re-runs beginning in February 29, 1977 to September 11, 1977)

Break the Bank had two separate runs on American television. The first was as a daily series that aired from April 12 to July 23, 1976, on ABC, airing at 2:30 p.m. Eastern/1:30 Central. Although the series was popular, the network canceled it in order to expand the soap operas One Life to Live and General Hospital, both of which followed it on the daytime schedule, from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. The show quickly returned as a weekly syndicated game from September 18, 1976, to September 11, 1977.

The ABC daytime series had 76 episodes, including the 3/23 and 5/20 pilots. The syndicated series had 24 episodes with 5 of them being rerun. The last episode for the entire series was on February 26, 1977, with reruns airing until September 11th of that year. In 1994, GSN added Break the Bank to their lineup. This continued until 1997, and since then, no episodes from the series have been broadcast on television again. Currently, 17 episodes from the original Tom Kennedy series and 3 episodes from the syndicated Jack Barry series have been uploaded and steam on YouTube.

Last daytime show of this ABC series.       

NOTE: Complete with commercials.                                                                                                                                    

Syndicated - September 8, 1975 - September 19, 1976

Don Adams emcees this weekly show featuring two studio contestants reenacting scenes from famous movies with guest celebrities.

Contestants selected out of 1500 candidates  act out scenes from classic films with celebrity partners. in this episode winning contestant Karen Russikoff acts with Jack Cassidy in a scene from The Phantom of the Opera (1943). Coming in second contestant Nathan Stelzer acts in a scene with Jan Murray from Captain Blood (1935).  

Ms. Russikoff to appear with Robert Young in an episode of Marcus Welby M.D. In addition she takes home a 16mm film of this broadcast as well as a movie camera and projector.   

Announcer is Dick Tufeld.  Judge is Jerry London.  

Commercials include:
White Cloud Bathroom Tissues, Dodge Colt Automobile, Kool Aid Tropical Punch, Prell Hair Concentrate, Welch's Grape Soda, A Disneyland Vacation Package,  Pampers Diapers.  

NOTE: No known episodes survive.                         

Roastee Danny Thomas is on the receiving end of quips by Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, Gene Kelly, Orson Welles, Howard Cosell, Jimmie Walker, Red Buttons, Ruth Buzzi, Charo, Jan Murray, Charlie Callas, Nipsey Russell, and Harvey Korman.

Dupe Of # 2118.                           

Roastee Danny Thomas is on the receiving end of quips by Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, Gene Kelly, Orson Welles, Howard Cosell, Jimmie Walker, Red Buttons, Ruth Buzzi, Charo, Jan Murray, Charlie Callas, Nipsey Russell and Harvey Korman.   


Duplicate of #2118.         

April 12, 1976 - July 23, 1976 (76 first run episodes)
September 18, 1976 - February 26, 1977 (19 first run episodes)
(Re-runs beginning in February 29, 1977 to September 11, 1977)

This is a re-run episode originally broadcast in September 1976.

Break the Bank had two separate runs on American television. The first was as a daily series that aired from April 12 to July 23, 1976, on ABC, airing at 2:30 p.m. Eastern/1:30 Central. Although the series was popular, the network canceled it in order to expand the soap operas One Life to Live and General Hospital, both of which followed it on the daytime schedule, from 30 minutes to 45 minutes. The show quickly returned as a weekly syndicated game from September 18, 1976, to September 11, 1977.

The ABC daytime series had 76 episodes, including the 3/23 and 5/20 pilots. The syndicated series had 24 episodes with 5 of them being rerun. The last episode for the entire series was on February 26, 1977, with reruns airing until September 11th of that year. In 1994, GSN added Break the Bank to their lineup. This continued until 1997, and since then, no episodes from the series have been broadcast on television again. Currently, 17 episodes from the original Tom Kennedy series and 3 episodes from the syndicated Jack Barry series have been uploaded and steam on YouTube.   

NOTE: Complete with commercials.                                                                                                                                                                                         

Entertainers from all facets of show business selected in a nationwide survey, perform. 

Host: Buddy Ebsen.