C
cheezey
Guest
was he? Jack Paar was later?
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JimG
Guest
Yes, Steve Allen first, followed by Jack Paar, then Johnny Carson. There were few minor hosts in between Allen and Paar, but they didn’t last long.
C
cheezey
Guest
Well, then! You thank! I had that wardsback.
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LegoGE1947
Guest
Jack Paar had a prime time show for a while after he left the “Tonight” show. I recall You Bet Your Life (Groucho Marx). It was a filmed game show. I think they must have been afraid to put Groucho on live tv. He could get pretty racy if he chose to!Well, then! You thank! I had that wardsback.
Jack Benny was another one they filmed instead of having a live show. Same reason.
As I understand it, there was a skit where Benny and some woman were standing side by side. The woman had a hand in Benny’s pocket. The woman said “I feel weird standing here with my hand in your pocket!” Benny responded “Put your hand any deeper and you’ll feel nuts!”
End of his live tv.
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cheezey
Guest
(I have some Groucho bloopers.Jack Paar had a prime time show for a while after he left the “Tonight” show. I recall You Bet Your Life (Groucho Marx). It was a filmed game show. I think they must have been afraid to put Groucho on live tv. He could get pretty racy if he chose to!
)
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LegoGE1947
Guest
Or as my grandma used to say “You Bet Your Boots”!
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NeedsMercy
Guest
Soupy Sales children’s show got canned for the same reason. He made a pretty suggestive remark–which I shouldn’t say here–that got aired. Children wouldn’t have understood it (today’s kids would) but their folks did. Bye, Soupy.Jack Paar had a prime time show for a while after he left the “Tonight” show. I recall You Bet Your Life (Groucho Marx). It was a filmed game show. I think they must have been afraid to put Groucho on live tv. He could get pretty racy if he chose to!
As I understand it, there was a skit where Benny and some woman were standing side by side. The woman had a hand in Benny’s pocket. The woman said “I feel weird standing here with my hand in your pocket!” Benny responded “Put your hand any deeper and you’ll feel nuts!”
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Elizium23
Guest
According to Wikipedia, the assertion about his blue humor may or may not be an urban legend. Sales did, however, once encourage children to put cash in the mail and send it to him. He was suspended for two weeks for that stunt. Nothing is said about the proximate cause of cancellation for his show though, it was certainly not due to a suggestive remark.
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NeedsMercy
Guest
Well, color me wrong
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LegoGE1947
Guest
I don’t think Crayola makes that color!Well, color me wrong
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Peebo
Guest
Life was simpler back then…tv was entertainment… to make people feel good…it didn’t have to be politically correct…didn’t have to have gay couples or other social issues woven into shows…violence was not as explicit as in todays shows…nor was the language as bad…music was music…not half naked females prancing around who can’t sing but are “stars”…male “singers” who gyrate around with half naked female dancers.using every sexually suggestive move in the book. .so called entertainers who are “coming out” or pushing other trendy lifestyles… reality shows where those pathetic “stars” and their disgusting lifestyles are glorified and watched by millions…nope…those days really were golden compared to much of todays trash.
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LegoGE1947
Guest
Actually, sometimes I had rather watch the community trash collectors load a garbage truck than watch tv.
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cheezey
Guest
HA!!!Actually, sometimes I had rather watch the community trash collectors load a garbage truck than watch tv.
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CarolNoel
Guest
I miss the TV specials for Christmas. Perry Como in Hawaii, Israel, etc. Bob Hope here and when he was in the war zones entertaining our troops, Dean Martin, Carol Burnet, Andy Williams, etc.
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LegoGE1947
Guest
When I was in the Navy, I got to see one of Bob Hope’s USO Christmas shows. He appeared at Anderson Air Force Base on Guam. This was during the Vietnam War in the 60s.
M
meteoric
Guest
I saw reruns of Ernie Kovacs on PBS years (decades?) ago. Great show. I think I saw some nods to him on Saturday Night Live when Dan Aykroyd was on.And speaking of smoking, do you remember Ernie Kovacs and his Muriel Cigars? (Another show that I only remember from reruns)
But I’m thinking some of the “golden age” is like any golden age – we remember what was good and forget the bad.
My golden age of TV was 1972 – Banacek, Search, Cool Million, The Snoop Sisters, McMillian and Wife, Columbo, Delphi Bureau, Monty Python, The International Animation Film Festival (on PBS).
A lot of the old shows being listed here were good. I’m sure there were lots that aren’t listed and are forgotten for a reason.
Tom A.
Currently enjoying NCIS, Doctor Who, Elementary (to some extent – Mycroft is supposed to be FAT!), and Walking Dead. Just don’t watch much TV any more.
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meteoric
Guest
Some of the Marx Brothers movies were theatrical productions filmed. (I’m thinking specifically of the one where Groucho is selling Florida swampland). But yes, some of the early shows were designed that way for live audience. Ernie Kovacs, mentioned before, was one of the early innovators in using multiple cameras (and visual effects).
As for early TV producers taking from radio – no. I listened to a 1980’s interview with the daughter of the star of the radio show Your’s Truly, Johnny Dollar. TV devistated the radio industry and dropped most of the performers like hot potatoes. (Yes, some big names were able to make the move, but most couldn’t and had a very hard time.
(According to the interview, there was talk about a Johnny Dollar TV show, but her father was only 5-6, and did not “look” like his character sounded, and was never contacted, even though it was a very popular show.)
Tom A.
Feeling like a radio performer as my IBM AS400 experience isn’t in demand in the marketplace while I look for a job.
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LegoGE1947
Guest
There was a comedian named Fred Allen who said “TV is called a medium because it is neither rare nor well done!” One of my wife’s current favorite shows is “Downton Abbey” on PBS. I seldom watch any tv.
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tomarin
Guest
I don’t watch much anymore either; I think it’s largely because I have two small kids and fall asleep before the “serious” television comes on! (Also I don’t subscribe to premium cable, which means I don’t get to see most of the most “talked about” programs.)There was a comedian named Fred Allen who said “TV is called a medium because it is neither rare nor well done!” One of my wife’s current favorite shows is “Downton Abbey” on PBS. I seldom watch any tv.
I used to at least try to make time for “Mad Men” until I realized it was just a glorified night-time soap opera.
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LegoGE1947
Guest
Part of the “golden age” would be locally produced kids shows. Seems every station had its own kids show. Where I grew up near the Quad Cities ( Rock Island;Moline, Illinois and Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa) there were two very popular kids shows, Cap’n Ernie’s Cartoon Showboat and Grandpa Happy. They were on competing stations and they were back and forth for ratings. They showed the same cartoons over and over. Each of the stations had sister stations elsewhere that they would trade cartoons with from time to time. In the 70s when cable started up, the two shows lost audiences and were finally discontinued. There were other kids shows such as Bozo’s Circus, Ray Rayner, Kukla, Fran & Ollie and Ding Dong School from Chicago that were really big stuff. Of course Detroit had Soupy Sales. Howdy Doody and Pinky Lee that originated from New York and LA.
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