Charles Collingwood interviews Jim Backus who is joined by his wife Henny Backus.             

Guest is Al Kelly, king of the double talkers.             

      The premiere of OPEN END WITH DAVID SUSSKIND on WNEW TV, now reduced to a two hour weekly Sunday night broadcast time slot from the original open ended time concept as presented since 1958 on WNTA TV. 

On this Premiere show the discussion revolves around the RAT PACK, originally devised by Humphrey Bogart and now comprised of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford. 
On the panel discussing this topic with great candor are Jackie Gleason, Ernie Kovacs, Toots Shore, Joe E. Lewis, Marya Mannes, Dick Gehman and Lenore Lemmon, former girlfriend of George Reeves (Superman on TV) at the time of his death in 1959.

NOTE: This Archival TV Audio Air Check began recording when this program was in progress. It contains the entire first 62 minutes of the broadcast with the exception of the original introduction of guests by moderator David Susskind.   
 
HISTORY OF THE SERIES:
Originally scheduled to premiere on October 7, but delayed one week.
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). 

After an association of nearly three decades with Channel 5 in New York, the former WNEW-TV, later changed to WNYW-TV, David Susskind stopped producing the program in September 1986 because of its late-night time slot, from 1:30 to 3:30 A.M. Sunday nights. His audience like his iconic talk show dwindled not only in its following but in the ratings. Susskind knew when to quit. His last David Susskind Show aired only five months from the time of his death. 
            
Open End with David Susskind was a break through talk show which literally had no time limit. 

The premiere broadcast reviewed in Variety stated:
"In the blueprint stage, OPEN END was initiated on WNTA-TV on Tuesday October 14th the same night 'The World of Suzie Wong' premiered on Broadway. When the show is going slowly, then Susskind has the right to end it as soon as he likes; when it's going well , he can stretch it the night through since "OPEN END" is the last scheduled WNTA program of the night."

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, prostitution, etc.

Sadly, most all of OPEN END broadcasts, later re titled THE DAVID SUSSKIND SHOW, commencing with the Oct. 2, 1966 broadcast, were wiped (erased), destroyed, discarded...whereabouts unknown, representing most shows produced and telecast during the late 1950's, 1960's and early 1970's. Hundreds of broadcasts circa mid 1970's - 1986 have been archived and are extant.

David Susskind interviews Arthur Godfrey on the status of television. Godfrey comments on the present state of television and its future.  He believes that at one time he had 40% of the TV audience when he was number one. Importance of selling a sponsor.  Susskind believes that the public should be more pro active and demand what content they would prefer to view on TV.  
Arthur  Godfrey states how much he has enjoyed doing the show. It has given him time to think in a studio talk show atmosphere. 

NOTE: This March 15, 1959 show is the second oldest known program, surviving in any broadcast form, to be extant. 

The video tape of this original broadcast would be used again for a repeat TV broadcast on Sunday, September 20, 1959. Then it would be erased. 

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                                                      

On August the Communist East  Berlin command closed the gates into West Berlin and built a 20 mile long wall just inside their borders preventing the escape of East Berliners. However, since that fateful day, freedom loving people have been escaping somehow across the barrier. 

From 11:30-12:27am the following video taped segment was broadcast on this evening's broadcast, hosted by in studio confident, Hugh Downs. 

From Radio Free Berlin Studios and from on site locations, Jack Paar and Peggy Cass broadcast "The Tonight Show," 110 miles from Communist occupied Germany. There are many interviews with soldiers and with the cooperation of the United States Army, Paar tours the many facilities and shares his wit and observations with his American audience. 

Also, included in this air check is a segment from the telecast broadcast the following night, September 13, 1961 on THE TONIGHT SHOW. Jack Paar still in Berlin discusses the aftermath of yesterday's show.  Hugh Downs, form the NBC New York Studios comments and appraises yesterday's broadcast and the controversy of its showing which caused ripples in the press and with Congress in Washington D.C.     

Duplicate of 881                                                                        

On August the Communist East  Berlin command closed the gates into West Berlin and built a 20 mile long wall just inside their borders preventing the escape of East Berliners. However, since that fateful day, freedom loving people have been escaping somehow across the barrier. 

From 11:30-12:27am the following video taped segment was broadcast on this evening's broadcast, hosted by in studio confident, Hugh Downs. 

From Radio Free Berlin Studios and from on site locations, Jack Paar and Peggy Cass broadcast "The Tonight Show," 110 miles from Communist occupied Germany. There are many interviews with soldiers and with the cooperation of the United States Army, Paar tours the many facilities and shares his wit and observations with his American audience. 

Also, included in this air check is a segment from the telecast broadcast the following night, September 13, 1961 on THE TONIGHT SHOW. Jack Paar still in Berlin discusses the aftermath of yesterday's show.  Hugh Downs, form the NBC New York Studios comments and appraises yesterday's broadcast and the controversy of its showing which caused ripples in the press and with Congress in Washington D.C.                                                                              

The second broadest of OPEN END WITH DAVID SUSSKIND on WNEW TV, now reduced to a two hour weekly Sunday night broadcast time limitation from the original open ended time concept as presented since 1958 on WNTA TV. 

An in depth interview with former President Harry S. Truman. Topics discussed include, Red China, the Soviet Union, America's role in world affairs, Truman's days as Chief Executive and his philosophy related to longevity (he takes a few mile walk almost every day). 

NOTE:
When, in 1961, Susskind conducted this one on one interview with former President Harry Truman in Truman's hometown of Independence, Missouri, he offered to pick up Truman at his home to take him to the Truman Presidential Library for the taping. Susskind asked Truman why he hadn't been invited into the home. According to presidential historian Michael Beschloss, Truman flatly told Susskind, "This is Bess's house" and that there had never been nor would there ever be a Jewish guest in there.


                                                 

1961-1962, Syndicated

A ninety-minute nightly syndicated talk show with Mike Wallace and his co-host Joyce Davidson. Wallace and Davidson hosted the first hour from New York with Terrence O'Flaherty hosting the last half-hour from San Francisco. It was created to compete with the Jack Paar Show on NBC. 

Guest: Hildegarde who is interviewed by Joyce Davidson and sings "Lili Marlene," and " Warsaw Concerto."                                                             

  Arthur Murray,famed dance instructor and TV personality demonstrates the new dance craze, "The Twist" and "The Mashed Potatoes." Jack and Hugh Downs are game to learn the dance. Nipsey Russell also tries it. He also talks about Black Muslims.                                              

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

For four years and eight months Jack Paar reigned supreme as host of the Tonight Show with a crew of regulars, but only two stayed with him for the entire run; announcer Hugh Downs and band leader Jose Melies, a former army buddy. Familiar faces who appeared many times with Jack included Dody Goodman, Betty Johnson, Elsa Maxwell, Alexander King, Genevieve, Jack Douglas; and wife Reiko, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hans Conried, Peggy Cass, Cliff (Charley Weaver) Arquette, and Johnathan Winters. Hugh Downs substituted for Jack Paar 79 times, more than any other substitute host there were 20 different performers over the period of the series run. Joey Bishop substituted for Paar 31 times. Arlene Francis, 30 times, Jonathan Winters, 26 times, Orson Bean, 21 times, and Johnny Carson 15 times. Altogether there were 243 broadcasts that had substitute hosts filling in for Paar during Jack Paar's TONIGHT SHOW tenure. The title of the late-night broadcast changed to THE JACK PAAR SHOW which took effect on February 3, 1958. The first videotaped broadcast aired on January 5, 1959. "Best of Paar " Re-runs began on July 10, 1959. The first color broadcast aired on September 19, 1960.  

Jack discusses leaving the Tonight Show but states the show will continue with a new host. 

Guests: Molly Picon, and Buddy Hackett. Jose Melis plays "Autumn Rhapsody." Co-host Hugh Downs discusses his new paperback edition book, "Yours Truly Hugh Downs." 

Duplicate of #184C.                                                                                                                                                                                               

   Jack Paar, for the first time, announces that he will be leaving THE TONIGHT SHOW March 30, 1962. He states that the show will continue with a different host, yet to be determined.                                            

Senator Walter Judd, who served in Congress for twenty years, gives an anti-communist speech at a rally in California. 
He defines the conservative position on China as all-out support for the Nationlists under Chiang Kai-Shek. Judd states that one of these days, the United States will have a congressional task force to investigate ourselves related to our own State Department and how we lost China. 

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

For four years and eight months Jack Paar reigned supreme as host of the Tonight Show with a crew of regulars, but only two stayed with him for the entire run; announcer Hugh Downs and band leader Jose Melies, a former army buddy. Familiar faces who appeared many times with Jack included Dody Goodman, Betty Johnson, Elsa Maxwell, Alexander King, Genevieve, Jack Douglas; and wife Reiko, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hans Conried, Peggy Cass, Cliff (Charley Weaver) Arquette, and Johnathan Winters. Hugh Downs substituted for Jack Paar 79 times, more than any other substitute host there were 20 different performers over the period of the series run. Joey Bishop substituted for Paar 31 times. Arlene Francis, 30 times, Jonathan Winters, 26 times, Orson Bean, 21 times, and Johnny Carson 15 times. Altogether there were 243 broadcasts that had substitute hosts filling in for Paar during Jack Paar's TONIGHT SHOW tenure. The title of the late-night broadcast changed to THE JACK PAAR SHOW which took effect on February 3, 1958. The first videotaped broadcast aired on January 5, 1959. "Best of Paar " Re-runs began on July 10, 1959. The first color broadcast aired on September 19, 1960.  

Guest: Nipsey Russell does stand-up comedy, talks with Jack, and demonstrates the twist and mashed potato dances.
                                                                                                                                                                                      

Program number 1 of 18 programs. 
Myrna Loy introduces this unique series. Francis X. Bushman hosts a fond and humorous recollection of the little town of Hollywood, California, in the days when comedies were made in the streets, actors rode to work on horseback and orange groves were everywhere. Recalling these pioneer days are Cecil B. DeMille, Harold Lloyd, Nita Naldi, Charlie Ruggles, George K. Arthur, screenwriter Frances Marion, director Eddie Sutherland and historian Leo Rosten. Most of the interviews were originally recorded in 1959 by producers Joan and Robert Franklin.  

NOTE: Robert  C. Franklin (1920-1980), inspired by a 1958 newspaper story he read about Columbia University's POPULAR ARTS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, approached Dr. Louis Starr, then director of the oral-history collection, with a proposal to interview and tape record, on to 1/4" reel to reel audio tapes, movie people as they passed through New York. The objective would be to document, through personal recollections, the era of the silent era in films, the impact of sound, the triumphs and inequities of the major studios, and life in the glittering film capital...a firsthand account revelation of how silent movies were actually made.  

Robert  and his wife, Joan Franklin went on to record 200 reels of audio tape, recording celebrities mostly in New York City hotel rooms in 1958 and 1959. Transcripts of interviews were made available at the time to students and researchers. 

In 1961 excerpts/highlights from these audio tapes were edited into a 16 part  radio series titled, MEMOIRS OF THE MOVIES. Myrna Loy provided a standard opening. A different celebrity host/hostess was employed to introduce each episode. All of the 90 celebrities interviewed have since passed away with the exception of Joanne Woodward. Two additional episodes were later produced, "Style of the 70's," and "Rush To Reality," both hosted by Ben Gazzara and added, subsequently, to  re-issues of the series which were syndicated in the 1960's and 1970's airing  in New York (WINS), Boston (WBZ), Philadelphia (KYW), Baltimore (WJZ), Fort Wayne (WOWO), Chicago (WIND), San Francisco (KPIX), and Los Angeles (KFWB).  

The original 200 unedited reels of 1/4" audio tape interviews recorded by Joan and Robert Franklin are no longer known to exist. However, audio cassette transfers from these original tapes were donated by Joan Franklin many decades ago to Columbia University's Oral History Research Office where they exist  today.
Confirmed during a 2009 phone conversation with Mary Marshal Clark, archivist at Columbia at that time, who stated that the first on file communication from Robert  Franklin to Columbia University related to his  proposal to do an oral history audio recorded project is dated, July 31, 1958.
                                                         

Program number 2 of 18 programs.
Myrna Loy introduces this unique series. Johnny Mack Brown, as host, wistfully recalls the old nickelodeon theatre, the music, hand-cranked cameras and projectors and the "early" features that inspired producers to pioneer towards a great entertainment industry. Guests Cecil B. DeMille, King Vidor, Adolph Zucker, Bronco Billy Anderson, screenwriter Albert Hackett, pianist Jack Shaindlin and cameraman Don Malkames also recollect their earliest movie adventures. 
 
NOTE: Robert  C. Franklin (1920-1980), inspired by a 1958 newspaper story he read about Columbia University's POPULAR ARTS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, approached Dr. Louis Starr, then director of the oral-history collection, with a proposal to interview and tape record, on to 1/4" reel to reel audio tapes, movie people as they passed through New York. The objective would be to document, through personal recollections, the era of the silent era in films, the impact of sound, the triumphs and inequities of the major studios, and life in the glittering film capital...a firsthand account revelation of how silent movies were actually made.  

Robert  and his wife, Joan Franklin went on to record 200 reels of audio tape, recording celebrities mostly in New York City hotel rooms in 1958 and 1959. Transcripts of interviews were made available at the time to students and researchers. 

In 1961 excerpts/highlights from these audio tapes were edited into a 16 part  radio series titled, MEMOIRS OF THE MOVIES. Myrna Loy provided a standard opening. A different celebrity host/hostess was employed to introduce each episode. All of the 90 celebrities interviewed have since passed away with the exception of Joanne Woodward. Two additional episodes were later produced, "Style of the 70's," and "Rush To Reality," both hosted by Ben Gazzara and added, subsequently, to  re-issues of the series which were syndicated in the 1960's and 1970's airing  in New York (WINS), Boston (WBZ), Philadelphia (KYW), Baltimore (WJZ), Fort Wayne (WOWO), Chicago (WIND), San Francisco (KPIX), and Los Angeles (KFWB).  

The original 200 unedited reels of 1/4" audio tape interviews recorded by Joan and Robert Franklin are no longer known to exist. However, audio cassette transfers from these original tapes were donated by Joan Franklin many decades ago to Columbia University's Oral History Research Office where they exist  today.
Confirmed during a 2009 phone conversation with Mary Marshal Clark, archivist at Columbia at that time, who stated that the first on file communication from Robert  Franklin to Columbia University related to his  proposal to do an oral history audio recorded project is dated, July 31, 1958.

                                     

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. (NBC). 
Red Skelton made four appearances on the Jack Paar Tonight Show:
December 2nd, 1959
November 16th,1960
July 10th, 1961
November 14th, 1961- Final of four appearances.   
 Red Skelton (nine minute segment) reminiscences about his early career.
Also, Alexander King.   

Combined with the next evening's Jack Paar Tonight Show (Nov 15, 1961), with Ed Reimers substituting for Hugh Downs, Paar editorializes and criticises the LA Times and an article written about him by journalist Mark Harris. Zsa Zsa Gabor guests and we hear  Phyllis Diller do a stand-up routine. 


 For four years and eight months, Jack Paar reigned supreme as host of the Tonight Show with a crew of regulars, but only two stayed with him for the entire run; announcer Hugh Downs and band leader Jose Melies, a former army buddy. Familiar faces who appeared many times with Jack included Dody Goodman, Betty Johnson, Elsa Maxwell, Alexander King, Genevieve, Jack Douglas; and wife Reiko, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hans Conried, Peggy Cass, Cliff (Charley Weaver) Arquette, and Johnathan Winters. Hugh Downs substituted for Jack Paar 79 times, more than any other substitute host there were 20 different performers over the period of the series run. Joey Bishop substituted for Paar 31 times. Arlene Francis, 30 times, Jonathan Winters, 26 times, Orson Bean, 21 times, and Johnny Carson 15 times. Altogether there were 243 broadcasts that had substitute hosts filling in for Paar during Jack Paar's TONIGHT SHOW tenure. The title of the late-night broadcast changed to THE JACK PAAR SHOW which took effect on February 3, 1958. The first videotaped broadcast aired on January 5, 1959. "Best of Paar " Re-runs began on July 10, 1959. The first color broadcast aired on September 19, news bulletin on the "Explorer I"  satellite, launched today.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. (NBC). 

 Combined with ATA #19266

Guests: Zsa Zsa Gabor and Phyllis Diller.    
Jack comments on columnist Mark Harris column regarding Berlin.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

1961-1962, Syndicated

 PM East - PM West
17Nov1961
PM East: [rerun 29Jan62]
Mike and Joyce spend the evening with the Limeliters, a folk singing group.

PM West:   
PM East - PM West was a late-night talk show hosted by Mike Wallace and Joyce Davidson in New York City (where the PM East portion originated) and San Francisco Chronicle television critic Terrence O'Flaherty in San Francisco (PM West). The program was seen five nights a week from June 12, 1961, to June 22, 1962.

A ninety-minute nightly syndicated talk show, video taped in New York  with Mike Wallace and his co-host Joyce Davidson. Wallace and Davidson hosted the first hour from New York with Terrence O'Flaherty hosting the last half-hour from San Francisco. It was created to compete with the Jack Paar Show on NBC. 
           

1961-1962, Syndicated

 PM East - PM West
17Nov1961
PM East: [rerun 29Jan62]
Mike and Joyce spend the evening with the Limeliters, a folk singing group.

PM West:   
PM East - PM West was a late-night talk show hosted by Mike Wallace and Joyce Davidson in New York City (where the PM East portion originated) and San Francisco Chronicle television critic Terrence O'Flaherty in San Francisco (PM West). The program was seen five nights a week from June 12, 1961, to June 22, 1962.

A ninety-minute nightly syndicated talk show, video taped in New York  with Mike Wallace and his co-host Joyce Davidson. Wallace and Davidson hosted the first hour from New York with Terrence O'Flaherty hosting the last half-hour from San Francisco. It was created to compete with the Jack Paar Show on NBC. 
                        

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Joined in progress. Joey Bishop in conversation with Jack Paar, who then introduces Sammy Davis Jr. (only appearance he did with Paar on The Tonight Show). Davis Jr. discusses his latest film Sergeant's Three which Bishop also appears (last "Rat Pack" film all would be appearing together). Sammy sings a melody of songs. 
Hemione Gingold chats with Jack Paar, followed by a rare appearance of fast draw artist, Arvo Ojala who is famous for being not only a quick gun draw artist  teacher to Hollywood actors, but the man whom character Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke outdraws each opening episode. Avro made only $100 for that one quick day's work but has received tens of thousands of dollars since, in royalties, every time a Gunsmoke episode is aired. 

*FOR THE RECORD, as archivists are aware, most of THE JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW SERIES which were broadcast on NBC TV from July 29,  1957 thru March 30, 1962 (A final BEST OF PAAR rerun originally televised November 21, 1961...guest Jack Benny) were ERASED, DESTROYED OR WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN. 

2" Quadruplex Video Tape was expensive ($400 for a one hour reel), weighting 26 pounds, requiring great storage space. Video Tape could easily be erased and was used for new program recordings...retained briefly for a re-run and then erased or discarded. Legend has it that even Jack Paar himself hired a junk man to come to his home garage and paid to have JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW recordings discarded (reels of kinescopes and video tapes) that were now cluttering up his space. 

During this era in television history archiving television programming was not a primary concern or vision, and considered an arcane pursuit. 

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS retains in their archive only 4 program excerpts accounting for only one hour or material of JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOWS (November 14, 1958, December 23, 1959, October 19, 1959, and one 33&1/3rd audio disc promotional from 1957 presenting Jack Paar the new host  of the TONIGHT SHOW. 

THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA retains in their archive only 7 program excerpts accounting for only four and a quarter hours of material (July 29, 1957, November 1, 1957, November 7, 1958, November 10, 1958, November 14, 1958, July 22, 1959, December 21, 1959).

UCLA FILM & TV ARCHIVE retains in their archive only 8 program excerpts accounting for only seven hours of material (August 12, 1957, November 1, 1957, November 10, 1958, November 11, 1958, November 14, 1958, July 22, 1959, December 21, 1959).

For over 62 years Phil Gries, creator and owner of ARCHIVAL TLEVISION AUDIO, Inc. has continued to be a passionate television audio archive collector. TRULY UNIQUE TODAY AS AN INDEPENDENT TV AUDIO ARCHIVE. Currently, in 2021, to date, ATA has collated and archived over 20,000 TV Audio Air Checks representing 20,000 hours of sound...tens of thousands of broadcasts which represent the ONLY SURVIVING BROAADCAST RECORD OF A SPECIFIC TELEVISION SHOW (1946-1982). 

ARCHIVAL TELEVISION AUDIO, INC. retains over 70 complete and excerpt JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW air checks (34 hours), including the complete Jack Paar's first anniversary telecast which was broadcast live from Havana Cuba (June 28, 1958). These originally recorded off the air pristine sound direct line 1/4" reel to reel audio tracks, recorded at the time of the original broadcasts, represent the only broadcast record of a "lost" visual telecast. ATA is the largest single repository (one collection), in the United Sates of Jack Paar Tonight Shows recordings. 

The combined archives of The Library of Congress, Paley Center for Media, and UCLA Film & Television only retain a composite total of 13 hours of representative JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts excerpts...none complete. 

For four years and eight months Jack Paar reigned supreme as host of the TONIGHT SHOW with a crew of regulars, but only two stayed with him for the entire run; announcer Hugh Downs and band leader Jose Melis, a former army buddy. Familiar faces who appeared many times with Jack included Dody Goodman, Betty Johnson, Elsa Maxwell, Alexander King, Genevieve, Jack Douglas; and wife Reiko, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hans Conreid, Peggy Cass, Cliff (Charley Weaver) Arquette, and Jonathan Winters.

 Hugh Downs substituted for Jack Paar 79 times, more than any other substitute host. There were 20 different substitute hosts for Paar over the period of the series run. Joey Bishop substituted for Paar 31 times. Arlene Francis, 30 times, Jonathan Winters, 26 times, Orson Bean, 21 times and Johnny Carson 15 times. All together there were 243 broadcasts which had substitute hosts filling in for Paar during Jack Paar's TONIGHT SHOW tenure. The title of the late night broadcast changed to THE JACK PAAR SHOW which took effect on February 3, 1958. The first video-taped broadcast aired on January 5, 1959. The final LIVE broadcast aired on July 3, 1959. "Best of Paar " Re-runs began on July 10,1959. Beginning July 20, 1959 Jack Paar began taking off Monday nights & guest hosts would substitute for him (approximately on alternate Mondays). The first color broadcast aired on September 19, 1960.
Theme music, "Everything is Coming Up Roses" was first used beginning in the Fall of 1959. 

Location broadcast telecasts of the program telecast away from the Hudson Theater in New York City occurred 14 times during this series run. 

Jan. 13-17, 1958                     Miami Beach, Florida
July 28, 1958                        Havana, Cuba           
Nov. 3-21, 1958                      Hollywood, California
March 2-20, 1959                     Hollywood, California
Nov. 10-12, 1959                  Nassau, Bahamas (Video Tape)
Nov. 30- Dec. 10, 1959               Hollywood, California
March 28-April 1, 1960            London, England (Video Tape)
Nov.9-11, 1960                    Hawaii (Video Tape) - b&w
Nov.14-24, 1960                     Hollywood, California
March 21-24, 1961                 London, England (Video Tape)
Sept. 12-14, 1961                 West Berlin (Video Tape)
Nov. 14-17, 1961                  Hollywood, California (Tape)
Nov. 21-24, 1961                  Hollywood, California (Tape)
March 13-16, 1962                 London, England (Video Tape)

OBSERVATION: Listening to the few extant audio air check COMPLETE JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts, as originally televised, AND RECORDED DIRECT LINE RESULTING IN  PRISTINE PLAYBACK SOUND,  retains the essence and specialty which Jack Paar was able to convey as host of his late night talk show. He set the standard for how the TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JACK PAAR format evolved, including introducing the standard monologue at the beginning of every show, which continues to evolve to this day...however, sans the whit, charm, warmth, ease, unpredictability, vulnerability, pace and controversy which Paar brought to TV audiences at night. Jack Paar was stellar, and he is sorely missed by most Baby Boomers who remember watching him in real time.

Mostly forgotten by todays' younger audiences Jack Paar needs to be re-evaluated at length to place him royally as one of the most, if not the most, important LATE NIGHT HOSTS IN THE HISTORY OF LATE NIGHT TELEVISION. 

Interestingly, current documentaries examining the history of Late Night television, including the current CNN 6 hours retrospective on the subject THE STORY OF LATE NIGHT (2021), relegates only 15 minutes of screen time to Jack Paar's contributions as one of many late night hosts.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

JIP as Jack Benny follows the "Mystery Guest," the son of actor Robert Cummings, whom Jack reveals he is the Godfather. 

Benny relates  a funny story of how he was compromised by a fatuous woman admirer he met in a bar who invited him up to her place for a drink and other misbehavior. Funny as only Benny can tell a story. He states that Paar stole that joke from him but did not know how to tell it properly. Other topics are discussed, including his relationship with George Burns. 

Final Jack Benny appearance on a Jack Paar Tonight Show, with the exception of an unannounced walk on celebrating his birthday, February 14, 1962.

NOTE: This broadcast was rebroadcast on March 30, 1962, the final "Best of Paar" telecast which is archived in the ATA collection (see ATA#184). 

*FOR THE RECORD, as archivists are aware, most of THE JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW SERIES which were broadcast on NBC TV from July 29,  1957 thru March 30, 1962 (A final BEST OF PAAR rerun originally televised November 21, 1961...guest Jack Benny) were ERASED, DESTROYED OR WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN. 

2" Quadruplex Video Tape was expensive ($400 for a one hour reel), weighting 26 pounds, requiring great storage space. Video Tape could easily be erased and was used for new program recordings...retained briefly for a re-run and then erased or discarded. Legend has it that even Jack Paar himself hired a junk man to come to his home garage and paid to have JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW recordings discarded (reels of kinescopes and video tapes) that were now cluttering up his space. 

During this era in television history archiving television programming was not a primary concern or vision, and considered an arcane pursuit. 

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS retains in their archive only 4 program excerpts accounting for only one hour or material of JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOWS (November 14, 1958, December 23, 1959, October 19, 1959, and one 33&1/3rd audio disc promotional from 1957 presenting Jack Paar the new host  of the TONIGHT SHOW. 

THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA retains in their archive only 7 program excerpts accounting for only four and a quarter hours of material (July 29, 1957, November 1, 1957, November 7, 1958, November 10, 1958, November 14, 1958, July 22, 1959, December 21, 1959).

UCLA FILM & TV ARCHIVE retains in their archive only 8 program excerpts accounting for only seven hours of material (August 12, 1957, November 1, 1957, November 10, 1958, November 11, 1958, November 14, 1958, July 22, 1959, December 21, 1959).

For over 62 years Phil Gries, creator and owner of ARCHIVAL TLEVISION AUDIO, Inc. has continued to be a passionate television audio archive collector. TRULY UNIQUE TODAY AS AN INDEPENDENT TV AUDIO ARCHIVE. Currently, in 2021, to date, ATA has collated and archived over 20,000 TV Audio Air Checks representing 20,000 hours of sound...tens of thousands of broadcasts which represent the ONLY SURVIVING BROAADCAST RECORD OF A SPECIFIC TELEVISION SHOW (1946-1982). 

ARCHIVAL TELEVISION AUDIO, INC. retains over 70 complete and excerpt JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW air checks (34 hours), including the complete Jack Paar's first anniversary telecast which was broadcast live from Havana Cuba (June 28, 1958). These originally recorded off the air pristine sound direct line 1/4" reel to reel audio tracks, recorded at the time of the original broadcasts, represent the only broadcast record of a "lost" visual telecast. ATA is the largest single repository (one collection), in the United Sates of Jack Paar Tonight Shows recordings. 

The combined archives of The Library of Congress, Paley Center for Media, and UCLA Film & Television only retain a composite total of 13 hours of representative JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts excerpts...none complete. 

For four years and eight months Jack Paar reigned supreme as host of the TONIGHT SHOW with a crew of regulars, but only two stayed with him for the entire run; announcer Hugh Downs and band leader Jose Melis, a former army buddy. Familiar faces who appeared many times with Jack included Dody Goodman, Betty Johnson, Elsa Maxwell, Alexander King, Genevieve, Jack Douglas; and wife Reiko, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hans Conreid, Peggy Cass, Cliff (Charley Weaver) Arquette, and Jonathan Winters.

 Hugh Downs substituted for Jack Paar 79 times, more than any other substitute host. There were 20 different substitute hosts for Paar over the period of the series run. Joey Bishop substituted for Paar 31 times. Arlene Francis, 30 times, Jonathan Winters, 26 times, Orson Bean, 21 times and Johnny Carson 15 times. All together there were 243 broadcasts which had substitute hosts filling in for Paar during Jack Paar's TONIGHT SHOW tenure. The title of the late night broadcast changed to THE JACK PAAR SHOW which took effect on February 3, 1958. The first video-taped broadcast aired on January 5, 1959. The final LIVE broadcast aired on July 3, 1959. "Best of Paar " Re-runs began on July 10,1959. Beginning July 20, 1959 Jack Paar began taking off Monday nights & guest hosts would substitute for him (approximately on alternate Mondays). The first color broadcast aired on September 19, 1960.
Theme music, "Everything is Coming Up Roses" was first used beginning in the Fall of 1959. 

Location broadcast telecasts of the program telecast away from the Hudson Theater in New York City occurred 14 times during this series run. 

Jan. 13-17, 1958                     Miami Beach, Florida
July 28, 1958                        Havana, Cuba           
Nov. 3-21, 1958                      Hollywood, California
March 2-20, 1959                     Hollywood, California
Nov. 10-12, 1959                  Nassau, Bahamas (Video Tape)
Nov. 30- Dec. 10, 1959               Hollywood, California
March 28-April 1, 1960            London, England (Video Tape)
Nov.9-11, 1960                    Hawaii (Video Tape) - b&w
Nov.14-24, 1960                     Hollywood, California
March 21-24, 1961                 London, England (Video Tape)
Sept. 12-14, 1961                 West Berlin (Video Tape)
Nov. 14-17, 1961                  Hollywood, California (Tape)
Nov. 21-24, 1961                  Hollywood, California (Tape)
March 13-16, 1962                 London, England (Video Tape)

OBSERVATION: Listening to the few extant audio air check COMPLETE JACK PAAR TONIGHT SHOW broadcasts, as originally televised, AND RECORDED DIRECT LINE RESULTING IN  PRISTINE PLAYBACK SOUND,  retains the essence and specialty which Jack Paar was able to convey as host of his late night talk show. He set the standard for how the TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JACK PAAR format evolved, including introducing the standard monologue at the beginning of every show, which continues to evolve to this day...however, sans the whit, charm, warmth, ease, unpredictability, vulnerability, pace and controversy which Paar brought to TV audiences at night. Jack Paar was stellar, and he is sorely missed by most Baby Boomers who remember watching him in real time.

Mostly forgotten by todays' younger audiences Jack Paar needs to be re-evaluated at length to place him royally as one of the most, if not the most, important LATE NIGHT HOSTS IN THE HISTORY OF LATE NIGHT TELEVISION. 

Interestingly, current documentaries examining the history of Late Night television, including the current CNN 6 hours retrospective on the subject THE STORY OF LATE NIGHT (2021), relegates only 15 minutes of screen time to Jack Paar's contributions as one of many late night hosts.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Joe Franklin's guest is Johnny Marks, who wrote "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" in 1949. 

Gene Autry's original recording of Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer sold 1.75 million copies its first Christmas season (1949) and 1.5 million the following year. It eventually sold a total of 12.5 million. Cover versions included, sales exceed 150 million copies, second only to Bing Crosby's "White Christmas."                       

Jack Paar's guest is Bob Hope.

Jack takes "blue cards" from the audience (questions for Jack). One question has to do with who will be replacing Jack when he leaves the show in four months, end of March, 1962. Paar sates that he believes his replacement will be Johnny Carson. 
                          

1961-1962, Syndicated

A ninety-minute nightly syndicated talk show with Mike Wallace and his co-host Joyce Davidson. Wallace and Davidson hosted the first hour from New York with Terrence O'Flaherty hosting the last half-hour from San Francisco. It was created to compete with the Jack Paar Show on NBC. 

Guest: Miriam Makeba. She sings: "The Wedding Song," 

Joyce Davidson interviews composer Robert Pritchard who plays two of his compositions accompanied by Michael Olatuja.

Also: Exploring the rhythms of Africa.                                                                       

Program number 10 of 18 programs. 
Myrna Loy introduces this unique series. Buster Keaton leads a tour through the boulevards and back rooms and closets where the skeletons were kept in the grandest, gaudiest days of Hollywood, USA, when the guest lists and salary checks were closely related. The movie industry's catered affairs are recalled by Melvyn Douglas, Ralph Bellamy, Elliot Nugent, Walter Abel, writers Frances Marion, Albert Hackett, Samuel Spewack and Otto Preminger, producers Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Dore Schary and Japanese star Sessue Hayakawa. Most of the interviews were originally recorded in 1959 by producers Joan and Robert Franklin.   

  NOTE: Robert  C. Franklin (1920-1980), inspired by a 1958 newspaper story he read about Columbia University's POPULAR ARTS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, approached Dr. Louis Starr, then director of the oral-history collection, with a proposal to interview and tape record, on to 1/4" reel to reel audio tapes, movie people as they passed through New York. The objective would be to document, through personal recollections, the era of the silent era in films, the impact of sound, the triumphs and inequities of the major studios, and life in the glittering film capital...a firsthand account revelation of how silent movies were actually made.  

Robert  and his wife, Joan Franklin went on to record 200 reels of audio tape, recording celebrities mostly in New York City hotel rooms in 1958 and 1959. Transcripts of interviews were made available at the time to students and researchers. 

In 1961 excerpts/highlights from these audio tapes were edited into a 16 part  radio series titled, MEMOIRS OF THE MOVIES. Myrna Loy provided a standard opening. A different celebrity host/hostess was employed to introduce each episode. All of the 90 celebrities interviewed have since passed away with the exception of Joanne Woodward. Two additional episodes were later produced, "Style of the 70's," and "Rush To Reality," both hosted by Ben Gazzara and added, subsequently, to  re-issues of the series which were syndicated in the 1960's and 1970's airing  in New York (WINS), Boston (WBZ), Philadelphia (KYW), Baltimore (WJZ), Fort Wayne (WOWO), Chicago (WIND), San Francisco (KPIX), and Los Angeles (KFWB).  

The original 200 unedited reels of 1/4" audio tape interviews recorded by Joan and Robert Franklin are no longer known to exist. However, audio cassette transfers from these original tapes were donated by Joan Franklin many decades ago to Columbia University's Oral History Research Office where they exist  today.
Confirmed during a 2009 phone conversation with Mary Marshal Clark, archivist at Columbia at that time, who stated that the first on file communication from Robert  Franklin to Columbia University related to his  proposal to do an oral history audio recorded project is dated, July 31, 1958.
                                  

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. (NBC). 

 For four years and eight months, Jack Paar reigned supreme as host of the Tonight Show with a crew of regulars, but only two stayed with him for the entire run; announcer Hugh Downs and band leader Jose Melies, a former army buddy. Familiar faces who appeared many times with Jack included Dody Goodman, Betty Johnson, Elsa Maxwell, Alexander King, Genevieve, Jack Douglas; and wife Reiko, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hans Conried, Peggy Cass, Cliff (Charley Weaver) Arquette, and Johnathan Winters. Hugh Downs substituted for Jack Paar 79 times, more than any other substitute host there were 20 different performers over the period of the series run. Joey Bishop substituted for Paar 31 times. Arlene Francis, 30 times, Jonathan Winters, 26 times, Orson Bean, 21 times, and Johnny Carson 15 times. Altogether there were 243 broadcasts that had substitute hosts filling in for Paar during Jack Paar's TONIGHT SHOW tenure. The title of the late-night broadcast changed to THE JACK PAAR SHOW which took effect on February 3, 1958. The first videotaped broadcast aired on January 5, 1959. "Best of Paar " Re-runs began on July 10, 1959. The first color broadcast aired on September 19, news bulletin on the "Explorer I"  satellite, launched today. 

Guest: Shelley Berman who trades stories with Jack Paar.
Shelley takes questions from the audience.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. (NBC). 

 For four years and eight months, Jack Paar reigned supreme as host of the Tonight Show with a crew of regulars, but only two stayed with him for the entire run; announcer Hugh Downs and band leader Jose Melies, a former army buddy. Familiar faces who appeared many times with Jack included Dody Goodman, Betty Johnson, Elsa Maxwell, Alexander King, Genevieve, Jack Douglas; and wife Reiko, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hans Conried, Peggy Cass, Cliff (Charley Weaver) Arquette, and Johnathan Winters. Hugh Downs substituted for Jack Paar 79 times, more than any other substitute host there were 20 different performers over the period of the series run. Joey Bishop substituted for Paar 31 times. Arlene Francis, 30 times, Jonathan Winters, 26 times, Orson Bean, 21 times, and Johnny Carson 15 times. Altogether there were 243 broadcasts that had substitute hosts filling in for Paar during Jack Paar's TONIGHT SHOW tenure. The title of the late-night broadcast changed to THE JACK PAAR SHOW which took effect on February 3, 1958. The first videotaped broadcast aired on January 5, 1959. "Best of Paar " Re-runs began on July 10, 1959. The first color broadcast aired on September 19, news bulletin on the "Explorer I"  satellite, launched today. 

Guest: Genevieve and Jack take exception to a column written by Dorothy Kilgallen in the New York Journal American. They concur that very little of what Dorothy writes is true and is libelous.
Jack says Dorothy often writes about strange people.
Hugh Downs does a live commercial for Purethon Air Purifier. Cleans away smoke.       
Guest Dr. Albert Burke criticizes Americans who are degrading America. He discusses Stalin's appeal to Russians.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

1961-1962, Syndicated

PM East - PM West was a late-night talk show hosted by Mike Wallace and Joyce Davidson in New York City (where the PM East portion originated) and San Francisco Chronicle television critic Terrence O'Flaherty in San Francisco (PM West). The program was seen five nights a week from June 12, 1961, to June 22, 1962.

A ninety-minute nightly syndicated talk show, video taped in New York  with Mike Wallace and his co-host Joyce Davidson. Wallace and Davidson hosted the first hour from New York with Terrence O'Flaherty hosting the last half-hour from San Francisco. It was created to compete with the Jack Paar Show on NBC. 

Host Mike Wallace interviews Captain Mitsuo Fuchida who led the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and also a Navy survivor of that attack.                                                                                                      

Program number 14 of 18 programs. 
Myrna Loy introduces this unique series. Under the wise and tolerant guidance of movie historian Arthur Mayer, the industry's most imaginative film makers are induced to recall the essential ingredients that either make or break a picture. Discussing their cinematic art are directors Rouben Mamoulian, King Vidor, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Edward Dmytryk and Jean Negulesco, stars Myrna Loy and Henry Fonda, and writers Ben Hecht, Samuel Spewack and Leo Rosten.    

       NOTE: Robert  C. Franklin (1920-1980), inspired by a 1958 newspaper story he read about Columbia University's POPULAR ARTS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, approached Dr. Louis Starr, then director of the oral-history collection, with a proposal to interview and tape record, on to 1/4" reel to reel audio tapes, movie people as they passed through New York. The objective would be to document, through personal recollections, the era of the silent era in films, the impact of sound, the triumphs and inequities of the major studios, and life in the glittering film capital...a firsthand account revelation of how silent movies were actually made.  

Robert  and his wife, Joan Franklin went on to record 200 reels of audio tape, recording celebrities mostly in New York City hotel rooms in 1958 and 1959. Transcripts of interviews were made available at the time to students and researchers. 

In 1961 excerpts/highlights from these audio tapes were edited into a 16 part  radio series titled, MEMOIRS OF THE MOVIES. Myrna Loy provided a standard opening. A different celebrity host/hostess was employed to introduce each episode. All of the 90 celebrities interviewed have since passed away with the exception of Joanne Woodward. Two additional episodes were later produced, "Style of the 70's," and "Rush To Reality," both hosted by Ben Gazzara and added, subsequently, to  re-issues of the series which were syndicated in the 1960's and 1970's airing  in New York (WINS), Boston (WBZ), Philadelphia (KYW), Baltimore (WJZ), Fort Wayne (WOWO), Chicago (WIND), San Francisco (KPIX), and Los Angeles (KFWB).  

The original 200 unedited reels of 1/4" audio tape interviews recorded by Joan and Robert Franklin are no longer known to exist. However, audio cassette transfers from these original tapes were donated by Joan Franklin many decades ago to Columbia University's Oral History Research Office where they exist  today.
Confirmed during a 2009 phone conversation with Mary Marshal Clark, archivist at Columbia at that time, who stated that the first on file communication from Robert  Franklin to Columbia University related to his  proposal to do an oral history audio recorded project is dated, July 31, 1958.
                            

Program number 7 of 18 programs. 
Myrna Loy introduces this unique series. A distinguished company of Hollywood's greatest directors...recalled by their disciples and their actors who dissect their varied ways of working. Chester Morris is host to directors George Seaton, Otto Preminger, King Vidor, Rouben Mamoulian and Edward Dmytryk. Janet Gaynor recalls F.W. Murnau. Dana Andrews talks about William Wyler, Teresa Wright speaks about Alfred Hitchcock. Jack Lemmon talks about John Ford, and Samson Raphaelson recalls the great Ernst Lubitsch. Most of the interviews were originally recorded in 1959 by producers Joan and Robert Franklin.  

   NOTE: Robert  C. Franklin (1920-1980), inspired by a 1958 newspaper story he read about Columbia University's POPULAR ARTS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, approached Dr. Louis Starr, then director of the oral-history collection, with a proposal to interview and tape record, on to 1/4" reel to reel audio tapes, movie people as they passed through New York. The objective would be to document, through personal recollections, the era of the silent era in films, the impact of sound, the triumphs and inequities of the major studios, and life in the glittering film capital...a firsthand account revelation of how silent movies were actually made.  

Robert  and his wife, Joan Franklin went on to record 200 reels of audio tape, recording celebrities mostly in New York City hotel rooms in 1958 and 1959. Transcripts of interviews were made available at the time to students and researchers. 

In 1961 excerpts/highlights from these audio tapes were edited into a 16 part  radio series titled, MEMOIRS OF THE MOVIES. Myrna Loy provided a standard opening. A different celebrity host/hostess was employed to introduce each episode. All of the 90 celebrities interviewed have since passed away with the exception of Joanne Woodward. Two additional episodes were later produced, "Style of the 70's," and "Rush To Reality," both hosted by Ben Gazzara and added, subsequently, to  re-issues of the series which were syndicated in the 1960's and 1970's airing  in New York (WINS), Boston (WBZ), Philadelphia (KYW), Baltimore (WJZ), Fort Wayne (WOWO), Chicago (WIND), San Francisco (KPIX), and Los Angeles (KFWB).  

The original 200 unedited reels of 1/4" audio tape interviews recorded by Joan and Robert Franklin are no longer known to exist. However, audio cassette transfers from these original tapes were donated by Joan Franklin many decades ago to Columbia University's Oral History Research Office where they exist  today.
Confirmed during a 2009 phone conversation with Mary Marshal Clark, archivist at Columbia at that time, who stated that the first on file communication from Robert  Franklin to Columbia University related to his  proposal to do an oral history audio recorded project is dated, July 31, 1958.
                                  

Guests Johnny Carson, Woody Allen, Dave Astor, Jack Carter and Mickey Rooney discuss the world of comedy with David Susskind.  This very rare "lost TV broadcast" was Woody Allen's first notable television appearance and was telecast nine months before Johnny Carson would become host of "The Tonight Show."  

NOTE: Originally recorded off the air by Phil Gries. Woody Allen who had been looking to obtain this "lost" broadcast for years was given a personal copy by Gries in January 1997 and soon after donated a copy to The Paley Center for Media (at that time named The  Museum of Television and Radio).
Jack Carter also received a copy of this broadcast from Gries who discussed in a letter his near fisticuff moments with Woody Allen during commercial breaks.                        

    Mike Wallace interviews Judy Garland at the premiere of the motion picture, Judgement at Nuremberg.    

    PM East - PM West was a late-night talk show hosted by Mike Wallace and Joyce Davidson in New York City (where the PM East portion originated) and San Francisco Chronicle television critic Terrence O'Flaherty in San Francisco (PM West). The program was seen five nights a week from June 12, 1961, to June 22, 1962.

A ninety-minute nightly syndicated talk show, video taped in New York  with Mike Wallace and his co-host Joyce Davidson. Wallace and Davidson hosted the first hour from New York with Terrence O'Flaherty hosting the last half-hour from San Francisco. It was created to compete with the Jack Paar Show on NBC.                            

Program number 8 of 18 programs. 
Myrna Loy introduces this unique series. Zachary Scott as host, assembles a composite portrait of the men who produce and direct the great motion picture studios. Some bouquets and a handful of knocks are handed to D.W. Griffith, Samuel Goldwyn, Alexander Korda, Harry Cohen, Irving Thalberg and Louis B. Mayer by Richard Barthlemess, Basil Rathbone, Jerry Wald, director Reginald Denham, Jack Lemmon, Ben Hecht, Dore Schary and Myrna Loy.     

     NOTE: Robert  C. Franklin (1920-1980), inspired by a 1958 newspaper story he read about Columbia University's POPULAR ARTS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, approached Dr. Louis Starr, then director of the oral-history collection, with a proposal to interview and tape record, on to 1/4" reel to reel audio tapes, movie people as they passed through New York. The objective would be to document, through personal recollections, the era of the silent era in films, the impact of sound, the triumphs and inequities of the major studios, and life in the glittering film capital...a firsthand account revelation of how silent movies were actually made.  

Robert  and his wife, Joan Franklin went on to record 200 reels of audio tape, recording celebrities mostly in New York City hotel rooms in 1958 and 1959. Transcripts of interviews were made available at the time to students and researchers. 

In 1961 excerpts/highlights from these audio tapes were edited into a 16 part  radio series titled, MEMOIRS OF THE MOVIES. Myrna Loy provided a standard opening. A different celebrity host/hostess was employed to introduce each episode. All of the 90 celebrities interviewed have since passed away with the exception of Joanne Woodward. Two additional episodes were later produced, "Style of the 70's," and "Rush To Reality," both hosted by Ben Gazzara and added, subsequently, to  re-issues of the series which were syndicated in the 1960's and 1970's airing  in New York (WINS), Boston (WBZ), Philadelphia (KYW), Baltimore (WJZ), Fort Wayne (WOWO), Chicago (WIND), San Francisco (KPIX), and Los Angeles (KFWB).  

The original 200 unedited reels of 1/4" audio tape interviews recorded by Joan and Robert Franklin are no longer known to exist. However, audio cassette transfers from these original tapes were donated by Joan Franklin many decades ago to Columbia University's Oral History Research Office where they exist  today.
Confirmed during a 2009 phone conversation with Mary Marshal Clark, archivist at Columbia at that time, who stated that the first on file communication from Robert  Franklin to Columbia University related to his  proposal to do an oral history audio recorded project is dated, July 31, 1958.
                             

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

Jack comments on the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Guests: George Burns and the Broadway cast of "Beyond The Fringe," which opened on October 27th.                                       

September 26, 1960 - December 28, 1962 

Jack Linkletter interviews his father Art Linkletter from the home Jack grew up. Also on hand are his brother, Robert, and sister Diane, along with Jack's wife Barbara and his mom, Lois. Art replays a 1953 audio tape he recorded of Jack auditioning as an announcer, prior to his first TV appearance at the age of 16. Many personal anecdotes are exchanged.

Note: The audio quality has variations in quality. However, very discernible and a valued addition to the Here's Hollywood surviving broadcasts in the ATA archive. 

Here's Hollywood aired as a half-hour interview program, weekday afternoons on NBC at 4:30pm. On October 2, 1961 the show was reduced five minutes giving way to a live news broadcast with Sander Vanocur which aired at 4:55pm. 

Here's Hollywood  was the leading daytime show for two years. It was the first TV broadcast of its kind, using two mobile vans equipped with 2" video tape equipment which traveled to the homes of celebrities...two locations each day, one star in the morning and one in the afternoon. Most of the interviews aired were ten minutes in length. Two different interviews comprised the full length of the half hour program. Occasionally, one subject would be interviewed for the complete program. Occasionally programs were produced outside of the United States...Hawaii, Germany, France. Five color broadcasts were attempted and then the concept abandoned, due to the complexity of 2" quadruplex video tape at the time.

Dean Miller conducted interviews from September 26, 1960 to September 29, 1961. He was replaced by Jack Linkletter who conducted interviews from October 2, 1961 to December 28, 1962. Joanne Jordan conducted interviews from September 26, 1960 to June 9, 1961. She was replaced by Helen O'Oconnell who conducted interviews from June 13, 1961 to December 28, 1962.

Note: Only a handful of the 1,100 different interviews survive. Most were erased, discarded, misplaced. NBC Archives have only two surviving kinescopes, one with Joe E. Brown (12-2-61), and one with Linda Darnell (12-4-61). UCLA Film & TV Archive has 46 different subject interview kinescopes on separate negative film and separate optical film tracks. 

Archival Television Audio has 74 broadcasts on audio tape, originally recorded by Phil Gries at the time the broadcasts first aired.
                                                  

Program number 5 of 18 programs. 
Myrna Loy introduces this unique series. Franchot Tone conducts a guided tour through the great Hollywood studios at their luxurious peak- the sound stage, story conferences, star dressing rooms and even the company dining rooms. Among the inmates of the stables are Henry Fonda, Basil Rathbone, Bonita Granville, Jerry Wald, Aline MacMahon, Roddy McDowall, Otto Preminger, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, George Seaton and writers, Marc Connelly, Anita Loos, Ben Hecht, Leo Rosten and Henry Myers. Most of the interviews were originally recorded in 1959 by producers Joan and Robert Franklin.   

    NOTE: Robert  C. Franklin (1920-1980), inspired by a 1958 newspaper story he read about Columbia University's POPULAR ARTS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, approached Dr. Louis Starr, then director of the oral-history collection, with a proposal to interview and tape record, on to 1/4" reel to reel audio tapes, movie people as they passed through New York. The objective would be to document, through personal recollections, the era of the silent era in films, the impact of sound, the triumphs and inequities of the major studios, and life in the glittering film capital...a firsthand account revelation of how silent movies were actually made.  

Robert  and his wife, Joan Franklin went on to record 200 reels of audio tape, recording celebrities mostly in New York City hotel rooms in 1958 and 1959. Transcripts of interviews were made available at the time to students and researchers. 

In 1961 excerpts/highlights from these audio tapes were edited into a 16 part  radio series titled, MEMOIRS OF THE MOVIES. Myrna Loy provided a standard opening. A different celebrity host/hostess was employed to introduce each episode. All of the 90 celebrities interviewed have since passed away with the exception of Joanne Woodward. Two additional episodes were later produced, "Style of the 70's," and "Rush To Reality," both hosted by Ben Gazzara and added, subsequently, to  re-issues of the series which were syndicated in the 1960's and 1970's airing  in New York (WINS), Boston (WBZ), Philadelphia (KYW), Baltimore (WJZ), Fort Wayne (WOWO), Chicago (WIND), San Francisco (KPIX), and Los Angeles (KFWB).  

The original 200 unedited reels of 1/4" audio tape interviews recorded by Joan and Robert Franklin are no longer known to exist. However, audio cassette transfers from these original tapes were donated by Joan Franklin many decades ago to Columbia University's Oral History Research Office where they exist  today.
Confirmed during a 2009 phone conversation with Mary Marshal Clark, archivist at Columbia at that time, who stated that the first on file communication from Robert  Franklin to Columbia University related to his  proposal to do an oral history audio recorded project is dated, July 31, 1958.
                                

Program number 9 of 18 programs. 
Myrna Loy introduces this unique series. Some of Hollywood's highest brows and sharpest pens, the fraternity of writers, recall the headaches and shenanigans of their zany days in the big studios. Sylvia Sydney plays hostess to screenwriters Anita Loos, Henry Myers, Samuel Spewack, Dorothy Parker, Marc Connelly, Reginald Denham, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Leo Rosten and Ben Hecht and to story editor Kenneth McKenna.    

      NOTE: Robert  C. Franklin (1920-1980), inspired by a 1958 newspaper story he read about Columbia University's POPULAR ARTS ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, approached Dr. Louis Starr, then director of the oral-history collection, with a proposal to interview and tape record, on to 1/4" reel to reel audio tapes, movie people as they passed through New York. The objective would be to document, through personal recollections, the era of the silent era in films, the impact of sound, the triumphs and inequities of the major studios, and life in the glittering film capital...a firsthand account revelation of how silent movies were actually made.  

Robert  and his wife, Joan Franklin went on to record 200 reels of audio tape, recording celebrities mostly in New York City hotel rooms in 1958 and 1959. Transcripts of interviews were made available at the time to students and researchers. 

In 1961 excerpts/highlights from these audio tapes were edited into a 16 part  radio series titled, MEMOIRS OF THE MOVIES. Myrna Loy provided a standard opening. A different celebrity host/hostess was employed to introduce each episode. All of the 90 celebrities interviewed have since passed away with the exception of Joanne Woodward. Two additional episodes were later produced, "Style of the 70's," and "Rush To Reality," both hosted by Ben Gazzara and added, subsequently, to  re-issues of the series which were syndicated in the 1960's and 1970's airing  in New York (WINS), Boston (WBZ), Philadelphia (KYW), Baltimore (WJZ), Fort Wayne (WOWO), Chicago (WIND), San Francisco (KPIX), and Los Angeles (KFWB).  

The original 200 unedited reels of 1/4" audio tape interviews recorded by Joan and Robert Franklin are no longer known to exist. However, audio cassette transfers from these original tapes were donated by Joan Franklin many decades ago to Columbia University's Oral History Research Office where they exist  today.
Confirmed during a 2009 phone conversation with Mary Marshal Clark, archivist at Columbia at that time, who stated that the first on file communication from Robert  Franklin to Columbia University related to his  proposal to do an oral history audio recorded project is dated, July 31, 1958.
                             

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

"BEST OF PAAR" Originally broadcast October 11, 1961. 
  
Jack's guest, Selma Diamond and Phil Foster.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

July 29, 1957- March 30,1962. 

 For four years and eight months Jack Paar reigned supreme as host of the Tonight Show with a crew of regulars, but only two stayed with him for the entire run; announcer Hugh Downs and band leader Jose Melies, a former army buddy. Familiar faces who appeared many times with Jack included Dody Goodman, Betty Johnson, Elsa Maxwell, Alexander King, Genevieve, Jack Douglas; and wife Reiko, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hans Conried, Peggy Cass, Cliff (Charley Weaver) Arquette, and Johnathan Winters. Hugh Downs substituted for Jack Paar 79 times, more than any other substitute host there were 20 different performers over the period of the series run. Joey Bishop substituted for Paar 31 times. Arlene Francis, 30 times, Jonathan Winters, 26 times, Orson Bean, 21 times, and Johnny Carson 15 times. Altogether there were 243 broadcasts that had substitute hosts filling in for Paar during Jack Paar's TONIGHT SHOW tenure. The title of the late-night broadcast changed to THE JACK PAAR SHOW which took effect on February 3, 1958. The first videotaped broadcast aired on January 5, 1959. "Best of Paar " Re-runs began on July 10, 1959. The first color broadcast aired on September 19, 1960.  

The guests are Selma Diamond and Phil Foster.                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Jack Linkletter interviews  Actor Richard Widmark from West Berlin, Germany at the premiere of the film, "Judgement at Nuremberg."             

Jack Linkletter interviews Director Stanley Kramer from West Berlin, Germany at the premiere of the film, "Judgement at Nuremberg."                          

Jack Linkletter interviews Judy Garland from West Berlin, Germany during the premiere of the film, "Judgment at Nuremberg." This was Garland's second television interview appearance. She first appeared on Here's Hollywood, June 23, 1961.             

   Here's Hollywood (September 23, 1960 - December 28, 1962)
Celebrity interview Monday thru Friday daytime half-hour program (usually two interviews per broadcast). The series had four co-host interviewers, Dean Miller, Jo-ann Jordan, Helen O'Connell, and Jack Linkletter during its two and half year run.Over 1,100 interviews were taped, of which only less than 50 survive on video or kinescope.  
One of the first television series to use a portable mobile studio going on location and using 2" Quad Video Tape. 

Jack Linkletter interviews actor Maximillian Schell in Berlin Germany where he is filing "Judgement In Nuremberg." The program is joined in progress.                       

Jack Linkletter  interviews Montgomery Clift in Berlin, Germany on the set of "Judgement at Nuremberg." 

This was  Clift's very first television interview, one of only four he ever gave in his career. 

Montgomery Clift discusses his reaction to viewing himself...his own performances on the screen, his choice to act in "Judgement at Nuremberg for no pay, his personal motivational reasons why he accepts an acting role, and  his intensity and unpredictability  as a person.  

 Clift also reflects on his current role in the motion picture, "Freud," and his disdain for Hollywood because of its pretenses and incestuousness.                                                                            

1961-1962, Syndicated

PM East - PM West was a late-night talk show hosted by Mike Wallace and Joyce Davidson in New York City (where the PM East portion originated) and San Francisco Chronicle television critic Terrence O'Flaherty in San Francisco (PM West). The program was seen five nights a week from June 12, 1961, to June 22, 1962.

A ninety-minute nightly syndicated talk show with Mike Wallace and his co-host Joyce Davidson. Wallace and Davidson hosted the first hour from New York with Terrence O'Flaherty hosting the last half-hour from San Francisco. It was created to compete with the Jack Paar Show on NBC. 

A discussion on marriage with San Francisco host Terrence O'Flaherty.