September 25, 1962-June 23, 1970.
*Fred Gwynne's segment "Herman Munster meets Freddie The Freeloader is missing. What does exist in this archived excerpt audio air check is the complete opening of the program, with introductions, a 4:20 segment with Fred and Red in discussion and including a sketch where Fred plays Abraham Lincoln and Red plays Mary Todd Lincoln. Inclusive on this broadcast excerpt are all song renditions sung by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas.
One of television's most inventive and popular comedians, Red Skelton hosted his own series for twenty years, seven of them in a one-hour format, "The Red Skelton Hour" on CBS. Skelton began his television career on NBC September 30, 1951 with a half-hour filmed variety series lasting until June 21, 1953. He then began his CBS affiliation, and began hosting "The Red Skelton Show," a half-hour variety show broadcast live until October 18, 1960, and subsequently on videotape. This series aired from October 13, 1953, continuing until June 26, 1962. From July 21, 1954 through September 8, 1954, "The Red Skelton Revue" was broadcast live on CBS in a one-hour format. Red Skelton returned to NBC in a half-hour taped format for his final series. "Red" as the show was known, premiered September 14, 1970. The first four broadcasts included introductions by Vice President Spiro T. Agnew (September 14, 1970), Dean Martin (September 21, 1970), Jack Benny (September 28, 1970), and Johnny Carson (October 5, 1970) who got his big break writing for Skelton in the early 1950's. Red Skelton's last first-run regularly scheduled television program aired on March 15, 1971.