July 29, 1957- March 30,1962.
This broadcast marks the FIRST ANNIVERSARY of
"TONIGHT SHOW WITH JACK PAAR."
Dody Goodman makes a surprise guest appearance.
Jack plays some clips representing past programs during the the first year.
Opening of the broadcast by announcer Hugh Downs. Jack, in his monologue states, "...well, we've been on a year...looked in the mirror and saw a few brown hairs." Paar discusses last night's broadcast live from Havana Cuba. Ten Cameras. Nobody could speak English. Pandemonium. It was like the opening of a Super Market. Everyone gracious...one of the few pro American countries. Jack reminisces that only five years ago life was much different and challenging for him. Jack introduces Mrs. Miller who has not missed a show.
Betty Johnson sings, "Deed I Do." Jack shows kinescopes of past year (Classic Boo Boo $7,000 a minute commercials that went wrong)...Jockey Brand Briefs...Jerry Lewis breaking up a Polaroid commercial...Bufferin bottle blow up, etc.
Further remembrances regarding past year...Zsa Zsa Gabor, Bob Hope, Jack E. Leonard, Jerry Lewis...
Jack introduces Genevieve who sings a song in French. She discusses with Jack trip to Cuba...gambling...Cuban language (double meanings) upon which Jack Paar tells of incident where he goes to a restaurant and requests a "hot chicken." The manager brings to Jack's table a woman of the night.
Jack introduces Charlie Weaver (Cliff Arquette). Mount Idy letters from home, and Mama...Leonard Box...
Bill Baird Marionettes appear. Midnight Open again announced by Hugh Downs. Jack states that it is good to be home. "Last night it was so hot there. Everyone there pinches other people. Jose Melies plays the theme from Moulin Rougue.
A very emotional Jack Paar welcomes back Dody Goodman who has not appeared on the show for four months after Jack "fired" her (last appearance was on March 4). Dody and Jack reminisce.
Jack reads congratulatory card from Jonathan Winters. Jack, Genevieve and Dody in conversation. Jack sign off.
*Most of this series does not survive in any broadcast form. Kinescopes were discarded, burned, decomposed...whereabouts unknown. 2" Quadruplex Video Tape was expensive ($300 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.
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 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. "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)
