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 Most of the 1,087 broadcasts, encompassing 10,000 performers, have been archived.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

Sammy Davis Jr does an impression of Ed Sullivan, Walter Pidgeon enacts a scene from his current Broadway play and 10-year-old Robert Strom who recently won $192,000 on the $64,000 Question quiz show. 

                                                

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 guest is Sammy Davis, Jr. The announcer is Del Moore.

Jerry Lewis sings a song about this thirteen-week series which ends tonight after just three months on the air.

Final show of the series.
                                                              

Winners of the 1964 Grammy Awards give performances. Les Brown conducts the orchestra. 

Dean Martin is the host.                                    

January 4, 1964-February 7, 1970. This hour-long variety series was a midseason replacement for "The Jerry Lewis Show."  

Host: Sammy Davis, Jr. Guest: Jack Burns. Five-minute segment.                                                                                       

Carroll O'Connor is host for this roasting of Sammy Davis, Jr.        

Muhammad Ali, Red Buttons, Henny Youngman, Alan King, Jack Carter, Sammy Davis Jr, George Kirby, Bill Russell, Carroll OConnor, Peter Lawford

Carroll O'Connor is host for this roasting of Sammy Davis, Jr       

Celebrities gather to honor Sammy Davis, Jr. on this Frair's Roast.

Guest Roastmaster: Carroll O'Connor.             

Guests Sammy Davis Jr, Anthony Newley, and Vikki Carr join Burt Bacharach for an hour of music and song on this ABC special.            

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.




Johnny Carson's guests are George Burns, Sammy Davis, Jr, and Carl Reiner.                       

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 Host: Sammy Davis, Jr. Guests: Evil Knievel, Richard Pryor, Burt Reynolds, Helen Reddy.

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. 
                                                                                    

A retrospective that traces the musical career of composer Richard Rodgers. Hosted by Gene Kelly and Henry Winkler. 

Duplicate of # 5028.                        

Songs, dances, and general hilarity abound in this humdinger of an entertainment special. An all-star celebrity salute, from the Super Bowl site at the Rose Bowl where the Minnesota Vikings meet the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl 1X.    

Co-Hosts: Sammy Davis, Jr, Elliott Gould, Andy Williams.                                                             

A Bob Hope special all-star spectacular from Lake Tahoe, Nevada.                        

A Bob Hope special all-star spectacular from Lake Tahoe, Nevada.  

Duplicate of #9553.                                   

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: Sammy Davis Jr, Shelley Winters, Michelle Pfeiffer.

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.