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: Romano Brothers, Jose Greco, Vaughn Monroe, Jack E.Leonard.
Predictions for 1969.
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.
August 18, 1969-February 11, 1972. The first of a two-part salute to the big band era. CBS signed Merv Griffin to a ninety-minute late night talk show in 1969. On hand were announcer Arthur Treacher and the Mort Lindsay Orchestra, both of whom had been with Griffin on his Westinghouse show. In September 1970 the show moved from New York to Los Angeles but to no avail, playing second best to "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." Most of these shows were erased by CBS and did not survive.
August 18, 1969-February 11, 1972. The second of a two-part salute to the big band era. CBS signed Merv Griffin to a ninety-minute late night talk show in 1969. On hand were announcer Arthur Treacher and the Mort Lindsay Orchestra, both of whom had been with Griffin on his Westinghouse show. In September 1970 the show moved from New York to Los Angeles but to no avail, playing second best to "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." Most of these shows were erased by CBS and did not survive.
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PRESERVING & ARCHIVING THE SOUND OF LOST & UNOBTAINABLE ORIGINAL TV (1946 - 1982)
ACCREDITED BY GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS
"Preserving & disseminating important TV Audio Air Checks, the video considered otherwise lost."
-Library of Congress
UNIQUE in the WORLD audio air check recordings by 20-year-old Phil Gries, archiving the first, second bulletins & initial NBC TV broadcast coverage of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. Not recorded by NBC or any other resource in the country.
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