September 27, 1954 - January 25, 1957. This evenings telecast is the final TONIGHT! show starring Steve Allen. A farewell party is staged. All the regular singers are featured in musical numbers and Steve uses some of the 'gimmicks which found great popularity on show during the 2 1/2 years on air, including the big salami, and goo goo dolls. Steve speaks briefly to some of the men on the new "Tonight" show which starts next week. They include Jack Lescoulie, Earl Wilson, Hy Gardner, & Bob Considine. 

The basic format of The Tonight! Show was established during Allen's tenure: an opening monologue, a segment involving the studio audience (through interviews or games such as "Stump the Band"), and a simple set (a desk and chair for the host, a couch for the guests), all trademarks of the Allen era. Allen inaugurated the out-of-town broadcast (the first one was done from Miami), the one guest show (Carl Sandburg was the first solo guest), and the one topic show (entire programs devoted to such subjects as narcotics, civil rights, and black music). Allen also established the practice of paying his guests only "scale," the minimum fee required by union-network contract (this practice led to a highly publicized  feud between Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan and later between Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan, as Sullivan paid top dollar for his guests). Though Allen's Tonight! show closely resembled the shows of his successors, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, it was more a musical show; Allen himself was an accomplished musician and composer (he wrote his theme, "This Could Be The Start of Something Big"), and he employed a nucleus of musical regulars on his show. In addition to announcer – sidekick Gene Rayburn, the show featured singers Steve Lawrence (who was only seventeen when he began singing on Allen's local show), Eydie Gormé (who subsequently married Steve Lawrence), Andy Williams (who later hosted several series of his own), and Pat Marshall (who was succeeded by Pat Kirby).  Skitch Henderson led the Orchestra.                                                    

September 27, 1954 - January 25, 1957. This evenings telecast is the final TONIGHT! show starring Steve Allen. A farewell party is staged. All the regular singers are featured in musical numbers and Steve uses some of the 'gimmicks which found great popularity on show during the 2 1/2 years on air, including the big salami, and goo goo dolls. Steve speaks briefly to some of the men on the new "Tonight" show which starts next week. They include Jack Lescoulie, Earl Wilson, Hy Gardner, & Bob Considine. 

The basic format of The Tonight! Show was established during Allen's tenure: an opening monologue, a segment involving the studio audience (through interviews or games such as "Stump the Band"), and a simple set (a desk and chair for the host, a couch for the guests), all trademarks of the Allen era. Allen inaugurated the out-of-town broadcast (the first one was done from Miami), the one guest show (Carl Sandburg was the first solo guest), and the one topic show (entire programs devoted to such subjects as narcotics, civil rights, and black music). Allen also established the practice of paying his guests only "scale," the minimum fee required by union-network contract (this practice led to a highly publicized  feud between Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan and later between Jack Paar and Ed Sullivan, as Sullivan paid top dollar for his guests). Though Allen's Tonight! show closely resembled the shows of his successors, Jack Paar and Johnny Carson, it was more a musical show; Allen himself was an accomplished musician and composer (he wrote his theme, "This Could Be The Start of Something Big"), and he employed a nucleus of musical regulars on his show. In addition to announcer – sidekick Gene Rayburn, the show featured singers Steve Lawrence (who was only seventeen when he began singing on Allen's local show), Eydie Gormé (who subsequently married Steve Lawrence), Andy Williams (who later hosted several series of his own), and Pat Marshall (who was succeeded by Pat Kirby).  Skitch Henderson led the Orchestra.      

Duplicate of #6967. Farewell Party. After two and one half years, Steve Allen hosts his final Tonight Show. 

Andy Williams sings a new song, "Butterfly." Tonight Show stage hands behind the scenes bid farewell to Steve.                                                                 

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

An anthology series of dramatic and variety shows. 

"The Swinging Years."    

Host: Ronald Reagan.      

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

Big Band Swing Music.                                    

      This Ed Sullivan  Show is without introductions by Sullivan...abruptly edited, but complete performances and acts included.                     

An almost five-hour New Year's Eve broadcast by NBC Radio, beginning at 11:05pm EST New Year's Eve December 31 1963.

Hosts for different segments include, Ray Barnett, Jerry Damon, Walt Hoffman, Ralph Portner, Ted Collins.  

An unpresented concept LIVE broadcast, never done again, swinging cross country New Years Eve. Produced by the American Federation of Musicians.

"The All Star Parade of Bands" goes from East to West. Ten of the nation's top dance bands swing the old year out and the new year in from New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Different time zones...separate Midnight New Year's Eve celebrations. 

11:05 p.m. Peter Duchin Orchestra; 11:30 p.m. Ben Grauer from Times Square; 11:35 p.m Count Basie Orchestra form Basin Street East in New York; 11:45 p.m. Gene Krupa Quartet; 11:55 p.m. Times Square celebration observations by Ben Grauer and Bob Wilson; 12:05; Count Basie Orchestra; 12:30 a.m. Maynard Ferguson Orchestra; 12:55 a.m. Ben Arden and Xavier Cugat Orchestras; 1:30 a.m. Harry James Orchestra; 2:05 a.m. Les Brown Orchestra form Newport Inn, New Port Beach, California; 2:30 a.m. Woody Herman Orchestra at the Castaways Hotel in Las Vegas, 2:55 a.m. Lawrence Welk Orchestra, 3:30 a.m. Lionel Hampton Orchestra.  

Midnight celebrations are heard in three different time zones. NBC Radio swings cross country in its All Star Parade of Bands which goes from East to West. Ten of the nation's top dance bands swing 1963 out and 1964 in. At 11:55 PM, NBC cuts to Times Square in New York. Ben Grauer and Bob Wilson reports and recaps the year 1963, only five weeks after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (Nov. 22, 1963).  

NOTE: A "lost" recorded treasure to be played non-stop (DVD sound track transfer - 4 hours, 22 minutes) during contemporary New Year's Eve parities.                                      

June 19, 1965-September 11, 1965. This was the first broadcast of the series. Trumpeter Al Hirt hosts this variety hour, a summer replacement for "Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine." Hirt leads his own musical group each week, presenting top name guest stars, comedy and novelty acts, with music as part of each routine. 
A full orchestra backs the show which is recorded on tape 
in New York. 12 broadcasts in the series.             

September 16, 1965-May 24, 1974. A variety hour hosted by Dean Martin. Several of the shows were celebrity "roasts," set at a banquet table, in which the guest of honor was showered with insults by other celebs. Regulars of the series included pianist Ken Lane (1965-1972), Kay Medford, Lou Jacobi, The Golddiggers, Marian Mercer (1971-1972), Tom Bosley (1971-1972), Rodney Dangerfield (1972-1973), Dom DeLuise (1972-1973), and Nipsey Russell (1972-1974).  

Rerun Of 9-22-66.                         

This year is Illinois 150th year of statehood. This nostalgic sesquicentennial tribute presents some of the Prairie State's leading citizens, as well as show-business personalities who have been associated with the state.
Among the stars are Jack Benny, Dave Garroway, Bob Hope, Mahalia Jackson, Mercedes McCambridge, Burr Tillstrom (with puppets Kukla and Ollie) and the original Benny Goodman Trio (Goodman, Gene Krupa and Teddy Wilson). The host is Steve Allen, who composed the program's score. 
Also appearing are Senator Everett Dirksen (who offers a dramatic recitation) and Charles Percy, former Senator Paul Douglas, Gov Otto Kerner, Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley, writer Mark Van Doren, architect R.Buckminster Fuller, balladeer Win Stracke, writer-broadcaster Studs Terkel, former FCC head Newton Minow and Adlai Stevenson III. Heard via recordings: the late Adlai Stevenson and poet Carl Sandburg. 
Filmed almost entirely on location, the program covers Illinois from end to end, visiting the pulse points of the present and historic sites sacred to its heritage,                                              

Doc Severinson hosts this All Star swing jazz festival. 

Dupe of 5032                                   

A Peabody Award-winning special that features performances from the top names in jazz music. Taped at New York's Lincoln Center. Host: Doc Severinsen. Performers: Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Bobby Hackett, Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa, Willie Smith. 

Duplicate of # 5032.            

Golda Meir addresses parliament regarding Middle East war. Jazz drummer Gene Krupa dies.           

Senator Mike Mansfield warns against extensive US involvement in Middle East war. Jazz drummer Gene Krupa dies.