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.
  
  

A Special telecast tonight for the motion picture premiere on Broadway at the Rivoli theater of "CLEOPATRA" with  Bert Parks live at the theater interviewing celebrities in the lobby as they enter the theater with cut-aways to Johnny Carson in Studio 6B, who interacts with those being interviewed.   

NOTE: There is much humor happening during this remote pick-up as celebrities get out of their cars at the curb and  they are stopped for photographs by some 500 photographers at the premiere. Local TV Station WPIX Channel 11 in New York City has first opportunities to interview celebrities on the outside, delaying Bert to do his interviews in the lobby. At times Bert frantically calls out to them and there is much humor exchanged between Parks and Johnny Carson who watches, and comments.

After the remote interviews Roddy McDowall joins Johnny in the NBC Tonight Show studio and discuses photographs he took on the set of CLOEPATRA, including those of Elizabeth Taylor getting made up for her role.   

NOTE: At one point Johnny Carson, breaking up with laughter says: "I want a copy of this show." 
Ironically, this broadcast  was wiped (erased) and is one of the thousands of "lost" TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts never saved/archived during the first ten years of  broadcasting.       

One of the rare TV Audio Air Checks archived  by ARCHIVAL TELEVISION AUDIO, INC. originally recorded off the air when broadcast, June 12, 1963.      

Duplicate of #14160                                                                                      

Barry Gray was an American radio personality, often referred to as "the father of talk radio." His late-night New York City radio talk show was carried by WOR radio and then later by WMCA. 

Barry Gray returned to WMCA in 1950, and stayed there for 39 years, refining the talk show format still utilized today. During the 1960s, he was in the odd position of having an 11 p.m.-1 a.m. late-night talk show on a station otherwise dominated by Top 40 music and the youth-targeted "Good Guys" disc jockey campaign. But for teenagers who kept their radios on into the night, Gray's show was a window into the high-brow New York culture of the 1940s and 1950s.

Barry Gray and others comment on President Kennedy's civil rights speech and other civil rights matters.                                                                         

      September 1, 1952 - September 5, 1969

Television's  longest running daytime variety show. The most memorable feature of the series was the daily interview with four young uninhibited schoolchildren.   

In this rare surviving clip Art Linkletter ask four six and seven year old youngsters from the Pine Crest School in Woodland Hills what they did to get ready for the show today.    

The news of society, politics, television, and radio.

An interview with Harry Richman. The comeback of Eddie Fisher.

Host: John David Griffin of the New York Daily Mirror newspaper.                                       

Negro leaders such as James Farmer, Malcolm X, and Wyatt Tee Walker,  then the executive director of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's Southern Christian leadership Conference and later one of the most influential African American pastors in New York City,  discuss the current negro racial crisis.

Moderator Richard Heffner                                                   

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's guest is Vance Packard           

Topic: The moon race is it worth it?             

Right-wing comments onUS concessions to communists.             

Casper Citron was a long-time radio host and interviewer at WQXR And WOR radio in New York City, conducting his interviews from Manhattan hotel lobbies.

Today, Casper Citron talks with film critics Judith Crist, John Simon, and Hollis Alpert about the current state of films.                                                  

Barry Farber was an American conservative radio talk show host. He produced the Tex and Jinx radio program which starred Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenberg. The show was heard weeknights on WNBC radio from 10:30 PM to midnight. Farber was also an author and commentator who wrote for various US newspapers. He was ranked the ninth greatest talk show host of all time by Talkers Magazine. He joined WOR radio in 1962 after a stint at 1010 WINS radio in New York City. When Farber left WOR radio he joined WMCA radio in New York City for an afternoon drive time show that lasted until 1989 when WMCA changed its format to a Christian radio station. 

Barry Farber interviews Malcolm X and Allan P. Robinson, an associate editor of Jet, the popular African American weekly magazine who often appeared on broadcast panels with Malcolm X.
 
There is an ad for "Dr. No," the latest James Bond film. 
                                                                                                                                          

Clarence Manion was a conservative right-wing radio and television talk show host and the president of the Notre Dame law school. 

Right-wing talk by host Clarence Manion and Ezra Taft Benson, the former secretary of agriculture.                        

June 25th, 1962-1964 (Syndicated)

A daily ninety-minute talk show hosted by Steve Allen and sponsored by Westinghouse. 

The premiere of the film "Cleopatra" in Hollywood. Interviews with top stars.

Host: Steve Allen.                                                   

Entertainment news from TV, society, and Hollywood with host John D. Griffin. 

Guest: Tony Bennett.                     

The John D. Griffin radio show with news of Hollywood, society, TV.and politics.

Host: John D. Griffin            

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 plays "Stump the Band" with the audience. Among the participants is 19 year old aspiring actress Linda Day who would later become actress Linda Day George. Guests are Mickey Rooney and impressionist Adam Keith. Ed McMahon is co-host.                          

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 1970s, 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 are Brian Keith and Mickey Rooney.   

John D. Griffin presents news and commentary from the world of Hollywood, TV, politics, and society. 

Guests are Tony Marvin and Sonny King who talks about working with Jimmy Durante.

Host: John D. Griffin          

Earliest known complete television interview with a young 21 year old  heavyweight boxing contender Cassius Clay (before his name was change to Muhammad Ali) and his slightly older brother Rudolph Clay, who would also turn professional boxer (after his name was changed to Rahman Ali. 

NOTE: The only known formal TV broadcast interview with both Muhammad and Rahman Ali, together.
 
NOTE: See incomplete re-run of this broadcast, ATA#14449.
DIALOGUE: CASSIUS CLAY, RUDOLPH CLAY
1964-02-23, WNBC, 13 min.
Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali, Rudolph Clay, Rahman Ali, Brian ODoherty
                                           "DIALOGUE"

December 1, 1961-April 27, 1962 (Friday 7pm-7:30pm)
June 18, July 16, 1962 (Monday 7pm-7:30pm) 
October 14, 1962-December 9, 1962 (Sunday 4:00pm-4:30pm)
April 21, 1963-September 29, 1963 (Sunday 4:30pm-5:00pm) 
December 1, 1963-August 30, 1964 (Sunday 12:30pm-1:00pm)

DIALOGUE had five program slots in two and a-half years, with many preemption programming along the way. Approximately 75 video taped half hour broadcasts were telecast as Dr. Brian  O'Doherty hosted various topics, ideas, and people from poetry readings to interviews. 

Among the more notable interviews: Muhammad Ali (July 21, 1963), Woody Allen (April 28, 1963), Man Ray (June 16, 1963), Geraldine Page (July 14, 1963), Richard Leacock (June 18, 1962), Gordon Parks (July 16, 1962), Salvatore Dali (May 19, 1963), Peter Ustinov (June 2, 1963), James Baldwin (August 2, 1964), Mort Sahl (June 28, 1964), Olivia DeHavilland (June 14, 1964) and Odetta (May 23, 1964).                                                                                         

On HY GARDNER SHOW, an excerpt replay of Heavyweight boxing contender Cassius Clay's (Muhammad Ali)  interview with WOR-TV sports reporter Clure Mosher, originally broadcast the middle of May 1963 prior to Clay flying to London to fight reigning British Heavyweight Champion, Henry Cooper. 

Cassius Clay tells Clure Mosher that he wants to fight "the bear" Sonny Liston. He states, "I want him three months after Patterson. I'm going to get this man out of the way. He is nothing."

Mosher replies, "Liston is a big, stern and mean-looking man, Cassius. I fear he would just scare you to death getting in the ring with him."

Cassius Clay: "I'm just too crazy to be scared."

Clure Mosher: "I think you're going to do very well and make a lot of money. And, as a matter of fact, you and Patterson may go down in history, as far as I am concerned, as being two of the boxers around having made more money with less talent than anybody."

Cassius Clay: "You are just getting off the subject. You just talk too much. I'm sorry I have to go to bed. I have a fight coming up and I don't want to see you unless I'm in the ring. I'm through."

 Clay walks out on the interview.

Returning back to the Hy Gardner Show,  Hy Gardner comments on this moment as does Hy's guest, Bobby Rydell, a friend of Cassius Clay. Gardner
 
Hy Gardner states to Rydell, "Did you ever see anything like that?" Now, this was Cassius Clay. I don't know if he just got mad and walked out or this was just showmanship?"   

Hy's guest, Bobby Rydell remarks that he thinks it was showmanship. Gardner remembers only one time that a guest on his show quit on him on the air, naming Charles Laughton.  

Gardner:"I think it is great when someone does walk out on you. Is this the real  Cassius Clay or Cassius Clay the image?"  
Rydell  mentions that he recently spent three days in Miami with Clay and thinks he is great for boxing predicting nine out of ten times the round he will beat his opponents. 

Hy comments that during the Clure Mosher interview Clay amazingly called the exact round he would defeat his next opponent. 

NOTE: One month after the May 1963 Clure Mosure interview, Cassius Clay predictably KO'd Henry Cooper in five rounds on June 18, 1963). 

NOTE: The Cassius Clay May 1963 television interview by Clure Mosher is the earliest known extant one on one studio interview of Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) known at this time.  

NOTE: See ATA#14145K aircheck audio of the broadcast of the Henry Cooper vs Cassius Clay fight.                                                                                                               

Nicholas Luard co-founder of the iconic comet night club, THE ESTABLISHMENT, is interviewed. 

David Frost, performer, contributes commentary and skits related to the topic of "Class Society" in the UK.
One of the earliest radio/television appearances in the United States by David Frost contributing a special filming for a specific broadcast.

 The Establishment was a London nightclub which opened in October 1961, at 18 Greek Street, Soho and which became known in retrospect for satire although at the time was a venue more commonly booking jazz acts and used for other events. It was founded by Peter Cook and Nicholas Luard, both of whom were also important in the history of the magazine Private Eye. The name "The Establishment" is a play on the meaning of "establishment" as in "institution," i.e. the club itself, and the broader definition meaning the prevailing social order of the time, which the satirists who founded, funded and performed at the club typically undermined.

The venue allowed the opportunity for budding comedians and satirists to perform new material in a nightclub setting, outside the jurisdiction of the Lord Chamberlain, whose censorship of language and content was a problem for many performers. Some who appeared included Lenny Bruce in 1962 (subsequently banned from entering the UK a year later), Barry Humphries (as Edna Everage), and musically, The Dudley Moore Trio. The Establishment, a tie-in album of comedy routines and sketches featuring John Bird, John Fortune, Eleanor Bron and Jeremy Geidt, was released on the Parlophone label in 1963.

The Establishment in London closed in 1964.                                                  

June 25th, 1962-1964 (Syndicated)

A daily ninety-minute talk show hosted by Steve Allen and sponsored by Westinghouse. 

Steve Allen's guest is Burt Lancaster. They discuss civil rights. 

Host: Steve Allen.                                                   

HY GARDNER CALLING - Sunday Night, half hour broadcasts, weekly, WRCA Ch. 4 New York City - 11:30pm - 12:30am  April 29, 1956-January 13, 1957

HY GARDNER - Mon-Fri, weekdays, WRCA CH. 4 New York City 11:15-11:25pm, 11:20-11:30pm, 11:15-11:30pm September 10, 1956-January 25, 1957

January 28, 1957 - ? Hy Gardner ten minute segments "Face to Face" on TONIGHT! (New format replacing Steve Allen)
revised format series hosted by Jack Lescoulie. 

HY GARDNER SHOW - October 25, 1959-August 14, 1960 WNEW 45 minute and 60 minute broadcasts, Sunday evenings 10-11pm.

HY GARDNER SHOW - September 24, 1960 - September 29, 1962 WOR one hour weekly broadcasts, Saturday evenings 12am-1am.

HY GARDNER SHOW - October 21, 1962 - April 4, 1964 WOR one hour weekly broadcasts Saturdays or Sundays 7:00pm-8:00pm.

HY GARDNER SHOW - September 26, 1964-January 10, 1965 WOR one hour weekly broadcasts Saturday 11:30pm-12:30am or 12:00am-1:00am.


Hy Gardner was a well-known New York Herald-Tribune columnist.  He  appeared regularly on Tonight! and America After Dark, a short-term substitute for Tonight! after Steve Allen abandoned it early in 1957. Gardner specialized in profiling show business celebrities and other news makers, and he hosted a nightly ten-minute TV interview program in New York called Face to Face. His weekly Sunday-night show, Hy Gardner Calling!, also aired only in the New York area and consisted of interviews conducted by telephone, with the subject seemingly at home, but actually seated in one studio, while Gardner sat at his desk in another. The telephone hook-up was real, and there was no physical proximity between host and guest. The show premiered in 1954 ? on New York City’s NBC affiliate station WRCA-TV, Channel 4, and ran until 1965. 

Guest: Entertainer Harry Richman is interviewed.                                                                                                  

June 25th, 1962-1964 (Syndicated)

A daily ninety-minute talk show hosted by Steve Allen and sponsored by Westinghouse. 

Steve's guests are comedy team Curtis &Tracy, and TV and film critic Ben Gross. 

Host: Steve Allen.                                                                

     September 21, 1962 - September 10, 1965

Jack Paar elected to pursue a three year NBC series in prime time soon after stepping down as host of THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JACK PAAR (1957-1962). These broadcasts took on the form of a variety / talk show format. Each telecast opened with a Paar monologue. Also shown from time to time were personal home movies shot by Jack on various trips by the Paar family to Africa, Russia, and Europe.Jack's daughter, Randy Paar would often assist her dad narrating these films.  

Appearing with Jack were many of his old regulars from the TONIGHT SHOW including Alexander King, Oscar Levant and Jonathan Winters. This 10pm Friday prime time slot attracted many notable guests, including Richard Nixon, Barry Goldwater and Ted Kennedy. Also, given exposure were many young and veteran entertainers, Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland, Ethel Merman, Peggy Lee, and stand-up comedians, among them, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, Godfrey Cambridge, Jackie Vernon, Mike Nichols & Elaine May, Burns & Schreiber, and Dick Gregory. 

Impact appearances occurred introducing footage of The Beatles, prior to the group appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and a young Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali), singing and spewing poetry with Jack and Liberace. 

After three years (one and a half years less than his tenure on THE TONIGHT SHOW), Jack Paar called it quits and would prematurely retire from the business with the exception of  producing and starring in a handful of Specials for NBC and accepting one brief return to regular television, for nine months, hosting an ABC late night talk show, JACK PAAR TONITE in 1973).                                                                                                                                                                                

Barry Farber was an American conservative radio talk show host. He produced the Tex and Jinx radio program which starred Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenberg. The show was heard weeknights on WNBC radio from 10:30 PM to midnight. Farber was also an author and commentator who wrote for various US newspapers. He was ranked the ninth greatest talk show host of all time by Talkers Magazine. He joined WOR radio in 1962 after a stint at 1010 WINS radio in New York City. When Farber left WOR radio he joined WMCA radio in New York City for an afternoon drive time show that lasted until 1989 when WMCA changed its format to a Christian radio station. 

Topic: Problems in Vietnam: The Viet Cong and the Buddhists uprising.
                                                                                      

June 25th, 1962-1964 (Syndicated)

A daily ninety-minute talk show hosted by Steve Allen and sponsored by Westinghouse. 

Steve's guest is comedian Jackie Mason.



Host: Steve Allen.                                                                

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: George Jessel.

Topic: Animal nudity. The Society For Decency For Naked Animals,
a society that believes every animal should be clothed.

Featured song: "Wings Of Decency."
            

An interview with SINA executives.  
TOPIC: Animal nudity rights voiced by The Society For Decency For Naked Animals who advocate that every animal should be clothed. We hear their official advocacy song, "Wings of Decency."                     

Barry Farber was an American conservative radio talk show host. He produced the Tex and Jinx radio program which starred Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenberg. The show was heard weeknights on WNBC radio from 10:30 PM to midnight. Farber was also an author and commentator who wrote for various US newspapers. He was ranked the ninth greatest talk show host of all time by Talkers Magazine. He joined WOR radio in 1962 after a stint at 1010 WINS radio in New York City. When Farber left WOR radio he joined WMCA radio in New York City for an afternoon drive time show that lasted until 1989 when WMCA changed its format to a Christian radio station. 

Barry Farber interviews writer Victor Lasky who is a sharp critic of President Kennedy. He discusses his book and his opinions of Kennedy.
                                                                                                   

     September 21, 1962 - September 10, 1965

Jack Paar elected to pursue a three year NBC series in prime time soon after stepping down as host of THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JACK PAAR (1957-1962). These broadcasts took on the form of a variety / talk show format. Each telecast opened with a Paar monologue. Also shown from time to time were personal home movies shot by Jack on various trips by the Paar family to Africa, Russia, and Europe.Jack's daughter, Randy Paar would often assist her dad narrating these films.  

Appearing with Jack were many of his old regulars from the TONIGHT SHOW including Alexander King, Oscar Levant and Jonathan Winters. This 10pm Friday prime time slot attracted many notable guests, including Richard Nixon, Barry Goldwater and Ted Kennedy. Also, given exposure were many young and veteran entertainers, Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland, Ethel Merman, Peggy Lee, and stand-up comedians, among them, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, Godfrey Cambridge, Jackie Vernon, Mike Nichols & Elaine May, Burns & Schreiber, and Dick Gregory. 

Impact appearances occurred introducing footage of The Beatles, prior to the group appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and a young Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali), singing and spewing poetry with Jack and Liberace. 

After three years (one and a half years less than his tenure on THE TONIGHT SHOW), Jack Paar called it quits and would prematurely retire from the business with the exception of  producing and starring in a handful of Specials for NBC and accepting one brief return to regular television, for nine months, hosting an ABC late night talk show, JACK PAAR TONITE in 1973).                                                                                                                                                                                

October 1, 1962-May 22, 1992. 

FIRST ANNIVERSARY BROADCAST

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 Abbe Lane, Henny Youngman, and New York City Mayor Robert Wagner help Johnny celebrate his first anniversary as host of the Tonight Show.  

This broadcast opens with Ed McMahon announcing the guests on this show, the First Anniversary broadcast. Johnny Carson related to this special telecast night. 

Mayor of New York City Robert Wagner is introduced. Carson quips that during his own first two years living in NYC he thought newsman Gabe Pressman was the Mayor. Carson takes advantage of the moment asking Wagner if he can be instrumental in bringing back New York City's 11:15pm to 11:30pm segment which was replaced because of a newspaper strike by adding an additional 15 minute of local news after only 10 weeks of TTS broadcasting a full 105 minutes in NYC...on the air for the last time a full one hour forty five minutes, December 14, 1962. 
Johnny praises the Mayor for the great job he is doing. He and Mayor Robert Wagner discuss the forthcoming NY World's Fair, anticipating 70 million visitors, taxes, and the challenges dealing with the second largest budget in the USA.

Abbe Lane already on the panel as Johnny Carson welcomes comedienne Henny Youngman, who praises Carson for the job he is doing...making guests feel comfortable when on the show. Henny jokes with Abbe Lane stating that he use to work with her husband Xavier Cugat. Hew tells Carson about his early career and how he use to deal with hecklers...some how use to wait outside after hours after him for cracks made during the show. 
Henny Youngman does his stand-up routine, after which the tape ends. 
   
                                  

     September 21, 1962 - September 10, 1965

Jack Paar elected to pursue a three year NBC series in prime time soon after stepping down as host of THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JACK PAAR (1957-1962). These broadcasts took on the form of a variety / talk show format. Each telecast opened with a Paar monologue. Also shown from time to time were personal home movies shot by Jack on various trips by the Paar family to Africa, Russia, and Europe.Jack's daughter, Randy Paar would often assist her dad narrating these films.  

Appearing with Jack were many of his old regulars from the TONIGHT SHOW including Alexander King, Oscar Levant and Jonathan Winters. This 10pm Friday prime time slot attracted many notable guests, including Richard Nixon, Barry Goldwater and Ted Kennedy. Also, given exposure were many young and veteran entertainers, Liza Minnelli, Judy Garland, Ethel Merman, Peggy Lee, and stand-up comedians, among them, Woody Allen, Bill Cosby, Godfrey Cambridge, Jackie Vernon, Mike Nichols & Elaine May, Burns & Schreiber, and Dick Gregory. 

Impact appearances occurred introducing footage of The Beatles, prior to the group appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show, and a young Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali), singing and spewing poetry with Jack and Liberace. 

After three years (one and a half years less than his tenure on THE TONIGHT SHOW), Jack Paar called it quits and would prematurely retire from the business with the exception of  producing and starring in a handful of Specials for NBC and accepting one brief return to regular television, for nine months, hosting an ABC late night talk show, JACK PAAR TONITE in 1973).       

Guests: Bill Cosby, and Helen O'Connell. Also appearing Alexander King.                                                                                                                                                                                                               

October 14, 1958 - August 13, 1961
OPEN END with David Susskind: (WNTA Channel 13 Television)

September 10, 1961-May 5, 1963
OPEN END with David Susskind (WNEW Channel 5 Television)

June 9, 1963 last show of the season broadcast on WPIX TV.

October 13, 1963-September 18, 1966
OPEN END with David Susskind (WPIX Channel 11 Television)

October 2, 1966-September, 1986
DAVID SUSSKIND SHOW (SYNDICATED, PBS, and COMMERCIAL STATIONS, including WNEW, New York). 
            
Open End with David Susskind was a break through talk show which literally had no time limit. The show ended when host, moderator David Susskind, felt all conversation points were discussed. Some of these marathon telecasts lasted over four hours! Jean Kennedy was the producer during the 28 year run of the series.

The series premiered and aired on WNTA Channel 13 in New York for three years, an independent broadcast station, before it would become a Public Broadcast Station in 1962. A myriad of talk show guests, famous, infamous and unknown, found a forum on OPEN END. Subjects varied focusing on usually one topic...show business, politics, the economy, sex, education, crime, etc. Typically, many guests would discuss a subject sitting around a large table with David Susskind moderating, leading his guests with baited questions. On occasion a solo guest would highlight the show.

For the first three years, of its 28 year existence as a regular series, WNTA TV was home to OPEN END which originally began its broadcasts on Tuesday nights, switching on January 18, 1959 to Sunday nights...a future Sunday evening time slot of the week where it would remain until 1986, for the rest of its run.

After broadcasting with a two hour truncated format on WNEW form September 10, 1961 to May 5, 1963 a falling out and rift occurred between Susskind and WNEW management centered on WNEW's reluctance to air discussions regarding race relations in America. WPIX reacted with interest in bringing OPEN END to their flagship New York channel. For the last OPEN END show of the 1962-1963 season WPIX  TOOK LAST MINUTE EMERGENCY MEASURES TO CLEAR TWO HOURS ON SUNDAY NIGHT  June 9, 1963, featuring solo guest Dr. Martin Luther KIng, pre-empting regular scheduled programming (6:30-8:30 pm).

Open End was later cut by WPIX to one hour time slot. David Susskind not satisfied with the shortened format reconnected with WNEW where he returned to a two hour format with a changed  program name. 
THE DAVID SUSSKIND SHOW  had its return premiere on WNEW TV October 2, 1966. 
 
The David Susskind Show also found syndication across the country and each market would run the program at different times at their own discretion. 

Most all of the telecasts were recorded on video tape, 2" quadruplex. Most shows were kept for a year or two like THE MOVIE MAKERS broadcast which was re-run on August 6, 1961 almost a year after it was first telecast on October 2, 1960. By this time the show was no longer without a time limit. It ran for a finite three hours long. Thus the re-run of the MOVIE MAKERS had some footage deleted from its original run which aired for over three and half hours, including commercials. 

The re-run of "THE MOVIE MAKERS" was the next to last broadcast telecast on WNTA channel 13. On September 10, 1961 the show moved to WNEW Channel 5 METROMEDIA in New York.

Sadly, most all of OPEN END broadcasts (1958-1966), later re titled THE DAVID SUSSKIND SHOW (1966-1986), were wiped erased, destroyed, discarded...whereabouts unknown, representing most shows produced and telecast during the late 1950's, 1960's and early 1970's.   Only a handful of OPEN END / DAVID SUSSKIND  shows are known to survive from 1958 thru 1969. Hundreds of programs survive representing the middle 1970's thru 1986. 

                
Open End with David Susskind was a unique break through talk with no time limit, rare during any time in television broadcast history, and never to be replicated in the future of television broadcasting after 1960. 

On occasion only one guest would be profiled. Mostly shows were comprised of many individuals discussing one topic which  included race relations, the draft, organized crime, the Hollywood scene, the politics of the times, sex-change operations, divorce, clairvoyants, psychoanalysis, and prostitutes.

The oldest surviving archived remnant is a December 23,1958 kinescope 20 minute segment of a broadcast titled "Method or Madness?" The topic, "method acting" with guests Michael Benthal, Ben Gazarra,  Adolph Green, Betty Comden, Lawrence Harvey, Jule Styne , and Patricia Neal.

Tonight's Topic: "Goldwater For President:" A triumph or disaster for the Republican Party? The effects of Goldwater conservatism on the outlook for the Republican Party are discussed by Senators Jacob Javits of New York, John G. Tower of Texas, and Norris Cotton of New Hampshire, Rep.Stanley Tupper of Maine and political scientist James McGregor Burns. 


Host: David Susskind. 

This is the second broadcast of "Open End" on WPIX-TV Channel 11 in New York City. 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Barry Farber was an American conservative radio talk show host. He produced the Tex and Jinx radio program which starred Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenberg. The show was heard weeknights on WNBC radio from 10:30 PM to midnight. Farber was also an author and commentator who wrote for various US newspapers. He was ranked the ninth greatest talk show host of all time by Talkers Magazine. He joined WOR radio in 1962 after a stint at 1010 WINS radio in New York City. When Farber left WOR radio he joined WMCA radio in New York City for an afternoon drive time show that lasted until 1989 when WMCA changed its format to a Christian radio station. 

A debate between William F. Buckley Jr. and writer Nelson Algren who wrote the novel "The Man With The Golden Arm." 
                                                                                                                             

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 Sterling Hayden, who appeared earlier in the day on THE TODAY SHOW, appears with Johnny Carson  on THE TONIGHT SHOW in this extant excerpt segment recorded off the air by ATA archivist Phil Gries.

Joined in progress, Carson  expresses his admiration for Sterling Hayden during a time in Hollywood when it took "guts" to rebel against the film industry...working at a craft he felt not comfortable with or wanted to really pursue any longer. Sterling states that he just didn't want any more of the "rat race," and sought to find peace living the "normal life."  

Hayden confirms that out of mistakes one makes in life come the best experiences. He quotes Theodore Roosevelt who said, "Adventure is simply the result of a miscalculation."

Sterling Hayden mentions a film he just finished, "Dr. Strangelove: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb."  He feels the film was made with tremendous courage and vision by Stanley Kubrick who also made the picture "The Killing" (starring Hayden in 1955), Sterling states that Kubrick elected to describe his film as a "nightmare comedy," which in Hayden's opinion is the most hilarious script he has ever seen in his life. 

Johnny Carson mentions the autobiography  Sterling Hayden has just written, "WANDERER," and states to Hayden that there is no question in his mind of Hayden's love for the sea...the last place where one can be really free. Sterling Hayden agrees and says that "The sea is another world."                        

September 16, 1963 - July 31, 1964 (WABC N.Y.)
August 3 - 8, 1964 (ABC)
November 9, 1964 - February 26, 1965 (ABC)
June 28, 1965 - October 22, 1965 (Nightlife ABC)
January 15, 1968 - September 6, 1968 (WNEW N.Y.)

Les Crane hosts this live 1:00 AM late night phone-in talk show with guests Milt Kamen, Jack E. Leonard and Joyce Davidson. Rudy Vallee phones the show and talks to the guests. 
He especially criticizes Leonard for using incorrect grammar when speaking on the show. This was the fifth LES CRANE SHOW (new title) to be broadcast after this series was originally called  NIGHT LINE...LES CRANE. 

Debut of program was September 16, 1963. For the first month the title of the telecast was NIGHT LINE...LES CRANE. Beginning on October 22, 1963 the title was changed to THE LES CRANE SHOW. 

These late night LIVE broadcasts were aired Monday thru Friday. on local station WABC New York. Beginning December 6, 1963 late night broadcasts aired Tuesday thru Saturday. Also, another time slot opened for Crane with a similar format airing on WABC in the afternoon...a one hour version broadcast from 1:30-2:30pm, five days a week, and again returning to late night broadcasting usually 1am to 2:00am after the WABC late movie, THE BEST OF BROADWAY. This TALK SHOW / PHONE IN version of The Les Crane Show concluded its final broadcast  on July 31, 1964.

On August 3, 4, 5, 6, & 8, 1964 THE NEW LES CRANE SHOW premiered...a five program trial rivaling Johnny Carson's TONIGHT SHOW.  It was Nationally televised and it is considered the FIRST network talk show program to compete with THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON. 

On November 9, 1964 THE LES CRANE SHOW premiered and aired regularly weeknights on the ABC network, opposite Johnny Carson's TONIGHT SHOW.
After 14 weeks, and low ratings, this series ended with its last telecast airing on February 26, 1965. Les Crane's late night network career was over, as a solo host, and never to be resumed Nationally.

ABC renamed their late night time slot NIGHTLIFE, premiering on March 1, 1965.This one hour forty five minute weekly late night talk series showcased guest hosts. This series run  lasted four months, the last broadcast airing on June 25, 1965. Guest hosts included: Shelley Berman, Pat Boone, Jack Carter, Allan Sherman, Dave Garroway, Bill Cullen, William B. Williams (announcer of this series run), Eddy Arnold, Dale Robertson, Dick Shawn, Louis Nye, & Jan Murray. 

Form June 28 to October 22, 1965 Les Crane returned to this time slot...the series title remaining, NIGHTLIFE. Les Crane no longer was a solo host. He co-hosted with Dave Garroway, and Nipsy Russell.

Two years later, Les Crane returned to local late night television appearing for eight months on WNEW channel 5 in New York 11:15pm - 12:15am from January 15, 1968 changing time slots on July 8, 1968, 11:45pm - 12:45pm. Final show aired on September 6, 1968, and it was the last time Les Crane would host a late night television talk show.   

NOTE: A two hour radio broadcast profiling Les Crane, including TV Audio Air Check Crane highlights from the ATA archive can be listened to in its entirety. It appears on the ATA website under the link TV CONFIDENTIAL. The segment (SOUNDS OF LOST TELEVISION) was recorded in Pasadena California and aired in 2014 with host Ed Robertson, and guest Phil Gries. 

NOTE: Most all of Les Crane's cumulative 26 months of broadcasting as a talk show host is today non-existent. Tapes were destroyed, erased and whereabouts unknown. The 27 LES CRANE SHOW television air checks archived in the Archival Television Audio, Inc. library is the largest collection known to  exist of extant Les Crane broadcasts in the country.
 
Extant examples existing elsewhere include two broadcast kinescopes archived by The Paley Center for Media (one from 1967, and the other, a broadcast from January 31, 1968 titled "Rich Jews." There is archived at UCLA FILM & TV ARCHIVE four extant examples related to Les Crane, including a preserved 41:36 minute compilation demo/presentation kinescope reel with clips from the New Les Crane Show five night trial run (August 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 1964).
The content of what the UCLA Film & TV Archive's has related to the above programs include the first show with Les Crane introducing his show and  Robert Preston (2:53), a bullfighting segment with Ricardo Montalbaum (6:32), a Jackie Robinson segment debating William F. Buckley with Shelley Winters on the panel (5:40),a Pamela Mason and Artie Shaw segment (3:50), a segment related to New York City cab drivers with Les Crane interviewing a number of them (5:59), guest Irving Schulmen, Adela Rogers St.John and two other guests discussing the legendary actress Jean Harlow (4:18), a segment related to "Deathtraps related to playgrounds in New York" and interviewed comments from women on the street (3:11), an in studio interview segment with Marguerite Oswald, mother of Lee Harvey Oswald (4:14), and an in studio interview with Richard Burton and Les Crane sign off (6:03).

Of interest, as to the quality of the video and audio, it is noted many variations exist including tinny sound reproduction, at times, poor audio clarity, at times, echo effect, tinny effect, at times, occasional video glitches, dark, high contrast segments at times, overexposed ("milky") segments. at times.    

NOTE: The Les Crane Show  late night talk program on ABC during the 1964-65 television season pioneered a format of television later embraced by icon Phil Donahue, Crane fell to NBC’s The Tonight Show, a national brand with a decade of broadcasting tenure, proved its dominance.  Donahue began his legendary career in Dayton in 1967, evolving into a daytime programming staple for nearly 30 years.

Les Crane’s daughter Caprice points out that her father used journalism to cover topics and people that others feared to explore.  “He created the shotgun mike,” says Crane of her dad, who passed away in 2008.  “He had guests who did not provide the typical fluff, for example, Malcolm X, Bob Dylan, and the mother of Lee Harvey Oswald.  He had the first publicly gay man on his show.  He was also an amazing listener who helped create a new television format that demanded more information for the listener.  
The Les Crane Show didn’t last long because the person who tries the new thing always gets penalized.  People are afraid of the unknown until it becomes mainstream.”

A renaissance media man for the second half of the 20th century, Crane held interests and influences beyond journalism.  “My dad gave The Mamas and the Papas group its name,” reminds Caprice Crane.  “Casey Kasem credited him with inventing the Top 40 radio format at KRLA.  He also got into the computer business before it was big.  His company was Software Tool Works, which produced the Chess Master computer program.  He was always before his time.”

Crane’s innovative format allowed one of baseball’s biggest heroes, Jackie Robinson, to debate one of conservatism’s biggest allies, William F. Buckley.  Nowhere on television in the mid-1960s could audiences see this type of television fodder.  Unfortunately, The Les Crane Show fell victim to a common policy of television networks destroying tapes because of the shortsighted view that future generations would not be interested.  How wrong they were.                                                                                                                                             

November 27, 1960-November 8, 1981. Newsmakers were interviewed by journalists on this public affairs program, ABC's counterpart of CBS's "Face The Nation" and NBC's "Meet The Press." In its earliest weeks, the series was entitled "ABC Press Conference." 

Guest: Nelson Rockefeller 

Howard K. Smith is the host. 

Howard K. Smith interviews New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller.                                                                                                                                 

Joe Garagiola interviews Yogi Berra, the new manager of the New York Yankees.              

October 1, 1962-May 22, 1992. 
Joined at  11:30pm. Johnny Carson monologue. Johnny introduces his guests which include Andy Williams.  He discuses with Ed McMahon the rain deluge New York City is currently experiencing. Other topics include last night's program that featured an audience member bobbing for apples, his head submerged in water. Because the last two minutes of the program was preempted for an NBC News Bulletin, viewers at home thought the man drowned. 
Johnny cuts away for a cigarette commercial. 

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.
  
  

Host: Johnny Carson.