The Premiere Pilot show on National Nighttime ABC Television is broadcast. Les Crane's guests include Harry Belafonte, Ricardo Montalban, Robert Preston, Celeste Holm and Mel Brooks, who does a satirical recap of tonight's broadcast.             

Hostess: Phyllis Diller.                                                              

September 15, 1968-December 22, 1968. This program was interrupted by a news bulletin announcing the wedding of Jackie Kennedy. Variety hour hosted by Phyllis Diller, featuring Norm Crosby and Rip Taylor. 

NOTE: Program interrupted for news bulletin and report of Jackie Kennedy Onasis' wedding. The Phyllis Diller Show does not return.            

A star-studded salute to a great lyricist-Oscar Hammerstein 11 (1895-1960). Taped in April 1971 at the University of Southern California.    

Highlights and performers:

"A Cockeyed Optimist "       Dinah Shore
"All The Things You Are"     Helen Hayes
"I Am Going To Like It Here" Miyoshi Umeki
"Why Do I Love You?"         Leslie Uggams 
"Carefully Taught"           Burt Lancaster
"If I Loved You"             John Raitt
Medley:"I Whistle A Happy Tune" "The Folks Who Live On The Hill"
"Shall We Dance?" "I Won't Dance" "Stouthearted Men" "Getting To Know You" "Do Re Mi" ...Raitt, Uggams, Johnny Mercer, Janet Blair
"I Can't Say No" Celeste Holm
"The Surrey With The Fringe On Top" Harve Presnell
"The Desert Song" "Rose Marie" "Wanting You" Jean Fenn, Harve Presnell. 
"It Might As Well Be Spring" Janet Blair
"There Is Nothing Like A Dame" 
Desi Arnaz Jr, Milton Berle, Larry Hagman, Yaphet Kotto, Ryan O'Neal, Robert Stack, Ray Walston, 
"A Puzzlement" Ricardo Montalban 
"Climb Every Mountain" Jean Fenn 
                                                  

Musical adaptation of the classic by Lewis Carroll. Alice attempts to become the queen of Wonderland by making a visit to the Royal Castle.     

Originally broadcast on November 6th, 1966.                  

1963-1982 (SYNDICATED). Mike Douglas hosted one of television's longest-running talk shows (19 years). Each week Douglas was joined by a different co-host. In 1967, "The Mike Douglas Show" became the first syndicated talk show to win an Emmy Award.



Broadcast from 1963-1978 in Philadelphia
Broadcast from 1978-1982 in Los Angeles    

Guests are The Hudson Brothers and Ricardo Montalban.

A Tour Of Universal Studios.                                                                                                        

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 Host: Don Rickles.                         

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.




Johnny's guests are Ricardo Montalban, Buddy Rich, and Penny Marshall,  who talks about growing up in the Bronx in the 1950's and her current hit TV series, "Laverne and Shirley."    
Doc Severinsen fills in for Ed McMahon.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

An all-star cast pays tribute to actor Jimmy Stewart.