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 5, 1949-June 7, 1954 (NBC); June 14, 1954-June 16, 1963 (ABC). This was the first broadcast of the season. "Voice of Firestone," which began on radio in 1928, was a Monday-night perennial for more than two decades before coming to television in 1949; for the next five years it was simulcast on NBC radio and television, until a dispute between the sponsor and the network over the Monday time slot led Firestone to shift the program to ABC. The half-hour musical series presented all kinds of music, but emphasized classical and semiclassical selections. Each week a guest celebrity was featured, and for many years the principal guests came from the Metropolitan Opera Company. The Firestone Orchestra was conducted by Howard Barlow, and the show was hosted by John Daly during its years on ABC; Hugh James was the announcer. "Voice of Firestone" was seen as a series of specials from 1959 until 1962; it returned as a weekly series in the fall of 1962 for a final season (September 30, 1962-June 16, 1963).  

"Mardi Gras Night."                         

October 6th, 1959- May 31st, 1960. (NBC)

An anthology series of dramatic and variety shows. 

"The Swinging Years."    

Host: Ronald Reagan.      

Guests include Gene Krupa, Tex Beneke, Count Basie, The Modernaires, Woody Herman and the Herd. 

Big Band Swing Music.                                    

  Scott Ellsworth's guest is drummer Buddy Rich.
This broadcast was microphone recorded. Sound is good. 

March 30, 1970 - April 1, 1972
KFI 640 Los Angeles AM Radio.

162 individual  broadcast Audio Air Checks survive. 
A goldmine of originally recorded live interviews with the greats from the Jazz and Big Band era, with integrated recorded samples of their work played throughout the broadcast.  


Scott Ellsworth was the creator and on-air host of the popular radio program,                                                                                                                                                             

  Scott Ellsworth's guest is orchestra leader, Woody Herman.
This broadcast was microphone recorded. Sound is good. 

March 30, 1970 - April 1, 1972
KFI 640 Los Angeles AM Radio.

162 individual  broadcast Audio Air Checks survive. 
A goldmine of originally recorded live interviews with the greats from the Jazz and Big Band era, with integrated recorded samples of their work played throughout the broadcast.  


Scott Ellsworth was the creator and on-air host of the popular radio program,