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.                                                    

Bob Hope is the host for the 33rd Annual Academy Award ceremonies telecast from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, California. This was the first time that ABC television broadcasted the awards. "The Apartment" took the award for best picture, Elizabeth Taylor won the best actress award for her performance in "Butterfield 8", Best actor award went to Burt Lancaster for "Elmer Gantry," Billy Wilder won best director award for "The Apartment," and Shirley Jones took best supporting actress for "Elmer Gantry."                                                

The 8th Annual Emmy Awards are presented live from the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California. 

Chet Huntley presents a special award to Edward R. Murrow
Outstanding Dramatic Series: The Fugitive
Best Variety Special: Bob Hope Christmas Special, Carol Baker accepting




Hosts: Danny Kaye and Bill Cosby.