Television: Elvis Presley guest starred on “The Steve Allen Show” in 1956 with a rendition of “Hound Dog” sung to an actually hound…The first draft of the original “Star Trek” pilot, titled “The Cage,” was released in 1964. It was rejected by NBC in February 1965, and the network ordered another pilot episode, which became “Where No Man Has Gone Before.“ Most of the original footage from […]
Television and Radio: The “Quiz Kids” was heard on NBC radio for the first time in 1940. It aired as a summer replacement show for “Alec Templeton Time” and continued on radio for the next 13 years…“Amos ‘N’ Andy,” starring Alvin Childress and Spencer Williams and based on the radio show of the same name, debuted on CBS in 1951. Ongoing protests by civil rights groups such as the NAACP for fostering racial […]
Television: The first color TV demo was performed by Bell Laboratories in New York City in 1929…“Captain Video and His Video Rangers,” which is remembered as the first science fiction drama, debuted in 1949 on early broadcast network DuMont. It aired through April 1, 1955 (and, at its height, was scheduled in the Monday to Friday 7 p.m. half hour)…The […]
Television: “The Garry Moore Show” debuted on CBS in 1950. It was initially broadcast in the Monday to Friday 7 p.m. half-hour and the roster of talent appearing on the variety series included Carol Burnett, Durwood Kirby, Marion Lorne, Dorothy Loudon, Allen Funt and John Byner…The beat did not go on: Sonny and Cher were divorced in 1975, which did not bode well for their solo careers as variety show […]
Television: “The Imogene Coca Show,” a half-hour combination of situation comedy and variety, ended on NBC in 1955 after one season…Half-hour sketch comedy “The Dave Thomas Show” ended its five episode run on CBS in 1990…Two high-profile celebrities passed away in 2009: Farrah Fawcett at the age of 62 and Michael Jackson at age 50…”Late Night with David Letterman” on NBC concluded in […]
Television: The western “Hopalong Cassidy,” whose episodes were initially edited versions of William Boyd’s old “B” level feature films (with Boyd adding narration and, at times, a new scene or two), debuted in 1949. Considered to be television’s first western, “Hopalong Cassidy” moved to syndication in the 1952-53 season after a two-year run on NBC with Edgar Buchanan (pre Uncle Joe […]
Television and Video: NBC comedy/variety half-hour “The Jimmy Durante Show” ended its two-season run in 1956…ABC variety half-hour “The Pat Boone-Chevy Showroom” concluded in 1960 after three seasons…”American Masters” debuted on PBS in 1986…”The Red Skelton Show” finished its 17-season run on CBS in 1970. It moved to NBC for one final season in 1971-72…“The David Letterman Show” debuted […]
