September 27, 1954 - January 25, 1957
The first host of THE TONIGHT SHOW, which was then titled TONIGHT!, Steve Allen began his broadcast career as a disc jockey. On July 27, 1953 Steve Allen began hosting a local show over WRCA-TV which ran from 11:20 P.M. to Midnight , Mondays through Fridays, sponsored by Knickerbocker Beer, developed by station executive Ted Cott to lure a potential sponsor, Rupert Breweries, away from a late-night show on New York's Channel 7 (TALK OF THE TOWN), hosted by Louis Nye, who would later be featured on Steve Allen's Sunday Night Variety Show.  

After a successful fourteen-month local run, THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW became a network show. Beginning September 27, 1954, the show retitled TONIGHT!, and expanded to 105 minutes from 40 minutes. 
 
NOTE: Sound of this Television Audio Air Check is PRISTINE. A rare return to an early TONIGHT! STARRING STEVE ALLEN broadcast when Late Night Television was so informal and relaxed with open ended time dedicated to a person, topic, music, or just impromptu  comedy.         

September 20th, 1955-September 11th, 1959 (CBS)

Thirty-minute comedy series starring Phil Silvers as Sgt. Ernie Bilko. The series was originally titled "You'll Never Get Rich" but after a few weeks, the name was changed to the Phil Silvers Show. It was one of the favorite 1950s sitcoms among TV viewers.      

           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 Most of the 1,087 broadcasts, encompassing 10,000 performers, have been archived.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.  

The guests are Louis Armstrong, Phil Silvers, Bing Crosby, and Julie Andrews.   

                                                   

The Ninth Annual Emmy Awards for the best in television for 1956 are presented from the NBC studios in Burbank, California. Personalities include Ed Sullivan, Phil Silvers, Carl Reiner, Robert Young, Jimmy Durante, Lloyd Nolan, Jack Palance, Claire Trevor, Peggy Lee, Perry Como, Dinah Shore, Danny Thomas, Sid Caesar, Nanette Fabray, Ralph Edwards, Loretta Young, and Peggy Wood, "Requiem For a Heavyweight, a presentation of "Playhouse 90," was voted the Emmy Award for best television presentation of 1956.

Desi Arnaz is the host. Dave Garroway concludes the program.                                                                

Phil Silvers stars in a live variety show, with the accent on comedy.                                                    

A series of specials broadcast on NBC-TV. 

The Pontiac Star Parade presents Phil Silvers in "KEEP IN STEP."                                                      

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.             

A summer replacement series hosted by
Sam Levenson in 1960,
August 1- September 26,

Jim Backus in 1962,
February 3, - September 11,

Merv Griffin in 1963,
July 2, - September 17, 

Art Linkletter in 1965, (ONE HOUR series)
June 22, - September 7.

Art Linkletter later hosted the program as a mid-season replacement for the Steve Lawrence Show, again in a one-hour format, titled Art Linkletter's Hollywood Talent Scouts from December 20, 1965 - September 5, 1966.   

On this Premiere telecast, Phil Silvers introduces Mickey Freeman (Private Zimmerman) from Silver's iconic 1950's series, The Phil Silvers Show.                                                       

Phil Silvers only guest is Polly Bergen. Phil and Polly perform a variety of sketches, songs and dances together.                      

The 15th annual Tony Award presentations for distinguished contributions to the theater is broadcast. Phil Silvers is host. Announcer is Art Hannes.                                                                 

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.             

September 20th, 1955- September 11th, 1959 (CBS)

One of the most popular comedy shows of the 1950s, Phil Silvers starred as Sgt. Bilko. The show was originally titled "You'll Never Get Rich," but was changed to the Phil Silvers show. It was shown in reruns as "Sgt Bilko."   

Re-run Tuesday nights from 7:00-7:30pm on WNBC New York. Bilko finally comes up with a system for breaking the bank at Monte Carlo.                       

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

                                             

Between September 24th, 1955 and March 19th, 1963, Judy Garland appeared in four television specials. This March 19th, 1963 program was her fourth before she would appear in her own network series, "The Judy Garland Show." (September 29th, 1963-March 29th, 1964). 

Record number 7226 is a dupe of number 926.                      

September 21, 1963 - December 21, 1963. Jerry Lewis hosted an unprecedented two-hour live variety - talk show, signing a five-year deal for 35 million dollars in 1963 with ABC Television. A two-hour live variety show proved to be more than even Jerry Lewis could handle. The series proved to be an enormous failure. In three months the show was off the air. 

Jerry's guests are  Ethel Merman, Jonathan Winters, Phil Silvers, Sid Caesar who does a comic routine, and  Peter Falk, a few of the cast members of Stanley Kramer's blockbuster comedy motion picture, "Its a Mad, Mad, Mad, World" which premieres in two weeks at the new Cinerama theater in Hollywood.
There are many reminisces and anecdotes expressed about Jerry related to prior relationships with him when he was starting out in show business, and about his father Danny Lewis.

 A brylcreem hair commercials is included.                                                                                                     

TV musical play about a deal made between Joe Hardy and Mr. Applegate to allow the Senators to win the American League Pennant. 
Phil Silvers portrays Mr. Applegate.                     

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 # 1930. This is a partial broadccast.                        

Bob welcomes guests Phil Silvers, Ernest Borgnine, and Wally Cox.                                               

September 24, 1968-May 20, 1969. This was the "Bobby's Pink Slip" broadcast. Television's only musical-comedy series. "That's Life" starred Robert Morse and E.J. Peaker. Also featured were Shelley Berman and Kay Medford.             

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 # 1986.                        

September 13, 1967-May 12, 1971. This was the "A Nite Out with the Boys" broadcast. The 1967 version of "The Kraft Music Hall" was an hour show, which lasted four seasons. It was hosted by a guest celebrity each week. 

This is the "A Night Out With The Boys" broadcast. 

Host: Robert Goulet. 

Duplicate Of #3605.           

September 13, 1967-May 12, 1971. 
 The 1967-1971 series version of "The Kraft Music Hall" was an hour variety show, which lasted four seasons. It was hosted by a guest celebrity each week.   

Host this week, Phil Silvers. 
*Some audio track variations at the beginning of the broadcast.
JIP (no opening recorded).           

If "Uncle Miltie," "Your Show Of Shows," and "Bilko" mean something special to you, then this hour will too. For 60 minutes at least, the golden age of TV comedy comes alive.
Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, and Phil Silvers recreate classic routines from television series of the 1950s...Berle keeps getting it smack in the face as"The Movie Stand-In"; Caesar takes center stage (with Berle and Silvers as straightmen) for one of those great silent film spoofs; Silvers major segment is scheduled to involve reminiscences of the wheeling-dealing Bilko.
Also: a salute to Ernie Kovacs, with the three stars pantomiming the nutty Nairobi Trio, and an old-time vaudeville routine (with song, dance, and bad jokes).                           

Henry Fonda, Deborah Kerr and Peter Ustinov are hosts for the 26th Tony Awards telecast live from New York's Broadway Theater. This year's gala is a tribute to Richard Rodgers and Ethel Merman. Stars performing and appearing include Desi Arnaz, Janet Blair, Ingrid Bergman, Claire Bloom, Larry Blyden, Arlene Dahl, Alfred Drake, Sandy Duncan, Peter Falk, Helen Gallagher, Lee Grant, Joel Grey, Arthur Hill, Hal Holbrook, Ruby Keeler, Lisa Kirk, Hal Linden, Barbara McNair, Ethel Merman, Jean Stapleton, Constance Towers, Bobby Van, Gwen Verdon, Linda Hopkins, Vincent Gardenia, Elizabeth Wilson, Michael Bennett, and Hal Prince, who accepts a special award for the longest running play on Broadway, "Fiddler On The Roof." Best actor in a Broadway play is accepted by Cliff Gorman for his performance in "Lenny," and best actress in a Broadway play is accepted by Sada Thompson for her performance in "Twigs." Additional awards are given to Phil Silvers and to Alexis Smith for best acting in a musical. Announcer is Sandy Becker.                          

Henry Fonda, Deborah Kerr and Peter Ustinov are hosts for the 26th Tony Awards telecast live from New York's Broadway Theater. This year's gala is a tribute to Richard Rodgers and Ethel Merman. Stars performing and appearing include Desi Arnaz, Janet Blair, Ingrid Bergman, Claire Bloom, Larry Blyden, Arlene Dahl, Alfred Drake, Sandy Duncan, Peter Falk, Helen Gallagher, Lee Grant, Joel Grey, Arthur Hill, Hal Holbrook, Ruby Keeler, Lisa Kirk, Hal Linden, Barbara McNair, Ethel Merman, Jean Stapleton, Constance Towers, Bobby Van, Gwen Verdon, Linda Hopkins, Vincent Gardenia, Elizabeth Wilson, Michael Bennett, and Hal Prince, who accepts a special award for the longest running play on Broadway, "Fiddler On The Roof." Best actor in a Broadway play is accepted by Cliff Gorman for his performance in "Lenny," and best actress in a Broadway play is accepted by Sada Thompson for her performance in "Twigs." Additional awards are given to Phil Silvers and to Alexis Smith for best acting in a musical. Announcer is Sandy Becker.   

Duplicate of #1111.                      

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.