US Music Variety - US Talk Shows/ Discussion Series
- US Documentary SeriesThe Tonight Show (NBC) - The Steve Allen Show (season 1) (NBC) (Summer 1956+Season 1956-57)
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Season 3 (NBC)(1956-57)
Episode Guide compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by: Rina Fox, Tom Alger [Uploaded Oct-2019]
references:
TV Guide / Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com)
UCLA Film and Television Archive / Writers Guild of America (wga)
NYT and Brooklyn Daily Eagle
NBC Television Network production
in association with Bristad Enterprises, Inc.
Executive Producer Mort Werner
Producer William O. Harbach
Director Dwight Hemion
Writer Stan Burns
US Late night Talk Variety show. 1954-57 (27-Sep-1954 to 25-Jan-1957)
Host: Steve Allen
with
Music Skitch Henderson
Announcer Gene Rayburn
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest Announcer Bill Wendall
Ernie Kovacs guest hosted Mondays and Tuesdays during the 1956-57 season to give
Steve Allen time to work on his Sunday evening show.
####### Tonight Starring Steve Allen #######
######### season 3 1956-1957 #############
#######################################
NBC Monday thru Friday 11:30 pm to 1 am
3.01 [501] Tonight!
10Sep1956 NYT / UCLA
Guest Host Morey Amsterdam
Guests
Jazz musician Stan Getz
vocalists Barbara Lea
and Jack Haskell
violinist Florian Zabach
ventriloquist Clifford Guest
Mildred Hughes
and Carolyn Porter.
3.02 [502] Tonight!
11Sep1956 NYT
Guest Host Morey Amsterdam
Guests
singer Diahann Carroll
vocalist Jack Haskell
Dick Hyman
and Beatrice Kraft.
3.03 [503] Tonight!
12Sep1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Jazz pianist Barbara Carroll
and 41-voice Mexican boys' choir.
3.04 [504] Tonight!
13Sep1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actor Chester Morris
and Jazz saxophonist Bobby Dukoff.
3.05 [505] Tonight!
14Sep1956
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Jazz violinist Joe Venuti
singer Erin O'Brien
underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau
and one-man horror show Theodore.
With regular Andy Williams.
306 [506] Tonight!
17Sep1956 NYT
Guest Host Tony Randall
Guests
vocalist Jack Haskell
singer-musician Felicia Sanders
Silent film actor Einar Hanson
Sig Radner
Enid Mosier and her Trinidad Steel Band.
3.07 [507] Tonight!
18Sep1956 NYT
Guest Host Tony Randall
Guests
comedian Louis Nye
guitarist Rey de la Torre
Jazz trumpeter Red Allen and band.
3.08 [508] Tonight!
19Sep1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actor Arthur Treacher
and Martha Davis and Spouse.
3.09 [509] Tonight!
20Sep1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
impressionist Jimmy Caesar
and magician Kuda Bux.
3.10 [510] Tonight!
21Sep1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guest
one-man horror show Theodore.
3.11 [511] Tonight!
24Sep1956 NYT
Guest Host Tony Randall
Guests
singer Diahann Carroll
comedienne Alice Pearce
comedian Louis Nye
vocalists Jack Haskell
and Dick Hyman.
3.12 [512] Tonight!
25Sep1956 NYT
Guest Host Tony Randall
Guests
TV personality Virginia Graham
singer-musician Felicia Sanders
Alex Kalleo and His Jazz Trio.
3.13 [513] Tonight!
26Sep1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
"Salute to Switzerland".
3.14 [514] Tonight!
27Sep1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
poet Rosario Morales
and Jazz saxophonist Boyd Raeburn.
3.15 [515] Tonight!
28Sep1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
dancers Jackie and Ray
3.16 [516] Tonight!
01Oct1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
singer Peter Hanley (was hired as the male singer for the Kovacs show that aired
on the
Dumont network from April 1954 to April 1955)
baritone Art Lund
and actress Maureen Arthur.
3.17 [517] Tonight!
02Oct1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
bariton Art Lund
and actress Maureen Arthur.
3.18 [518] Tonight!
03Oct1956 NYT / UCLA
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Robert Harrison, publisher of Confidential magazine
Jay Breen, editor of Confidential magazine
John Crosby, television columnist for the New York Herald Tribune
and Max Lerner, author and columnist.
3.19 [519] Tonight!
04Oct1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
"A Salute to Billy Rose"
3.20 [520] Tonight!
05Oct1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guest
folksinger Josh White
3.21 [521] Tonight!
08Oct1956 NYT / TVG
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
duo-pianists Ferrante and Teicher
3.22 [522] Tonight!
09Oct1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
duo-pianists Ferrante and Teicher
3.23 [523] Tonight!
10Oct1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Josephine Calderon, bullfighter
telepathy act the Amazing Garcias
Bud Shank Jazz Quintet.
3.24 [524] Tonight!
11Oct1956 NYT
Guests
poet Bob Hall
Jim Henson and Puppets.
3.25 [525] Tonight!
12Oct1956 UCLA
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Terry Gibbs
Roberta Lynn
and Benny Walker.
With regular Steve Lawrence.
3.26 [526] Tonight!
15Oct1956 NYT [Mansfield News Journal]
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
actress Dorothy McGuire
with
vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
Highlights:
Ernie also presents more "Kultured Kharacters". Other skits are "Skodney Sisky",
Hollywood reporter and "You Asked to See It".
3.27 [527] Tonight!
16Oct1956 NYT [Hutchinson News Herald]
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
Dorothy McGuire
with
vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
Highlights:
Ernie and cast do a sketch on cooking.
3.28 [528] Tonight!
17Oct1956
Guest Host Gene Rayburn
Guests
tenor Kurt Baum
actor Billy Gilbert
and singer Erin O'Brien.
3.29 [529] Tonight!
18Oct1956
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actor Ray Bolger
humorist-publisher Bennett Cerf
and singer Erin O'Brien.
3.30 [530] Tonight!
19Oct1956
Host Steve Allen
Guests
tenor saxophonist Charlie Ventura
singer-dancer June Taylor
and comedian Charlie Manna.
3.31 [531] Tonight!
22Oct1956 NYT / TVG
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
Highlights:
Ernie appears in the novelty act, the Nairobi Trio.
Maureen Arthur sings "How High the Moon".
Peter Hanley sings "September Song".
3.32 [532] Tonight!
23Oct1956 NYT / TVG
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
Jazzman Louis Jourdan
actresses Neva Patterson
and Julia Meade
vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
Highlights:
Maureen Arthur sings "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot".
Peter Hanley sings "Love Is a Simple Thing".
3.33 [533] Tonight!
24Oct1956 NYT / TVG
Salute to Israel
Host Steve Allen
Guests
pianist-composer Gunther Sprecher
vocalists Naomi Alar Leaf
and Mort Freeman.
3.34 [534] Tonight!
25Oct1956 NYT / TVG
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Portuguese singer Rosaria
and ventriloquist Jimmy Nelson.
3.35 [535] Tonight!
26Oct1956 NYT [Hammond Times]
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actors Aline MacMahon
and Paul Sharpe in a scene from "Pictures at an Exhibition".
3.36 [536] Tonight!
29Oct1956 NYT /UCLA / TVG
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
comic actor Joe E. Brown
calypso musician Lord Burgess
and His Penny Whistle Band.
*NOTE: Starting tonight the show will be cut to one hour.
3.37 [537] Tonight!
30Oct1956
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
pianist Dorothy Donegan
vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.38 [538] Tonight!
31Oct1956 NYT
Halloween Show
Host Steve Allen
Guest
Theodore, one-man-horror-show.
3.39 [539] Tonight!
01Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guest
comedian Charlie Manna
3.40 [540] Tonight!
02Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guest
Jazz pianist Erroll Garner
[--] Tonight!
05Nov1956 NYT
pre-empted for Republican Campaign Wind-Up
[--] Tonight!
06Nov1956 NYT
pre-empted for Election Coverage
3.41 [541] Tonight!
07Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Drew Pearson
and actor Lew Parker.
3.42 [542] Tonight!
08Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actress Signe Hasso
and Kurt Baum.
3.43 [543] Tonight!
09Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
The Wanderers
3.44 [544] Tonight!
12Nov1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
actress Dorothy Lamour
and pianist Barbara Carroll.
With
vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.45 [545] Tonight!
13Nov1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
singer Dinah Washington
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.46 [546] Tonight!
14Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
flamenco dancer Anita Ramous
and guitarist Mario Escudero.
3.47 [547] Tonight!
15Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Blackstone the Magician
and the Buddy DeFranco Jazz Quintet.
3.48 [548] Tonight!
16Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guest
dance satirist Iva Kitchell
3.49 [549] Tonight!
19Nov1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.50 [550] Tonight!
20Nov1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
Lehman Engle
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.51 [551] Tonight!
21Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actress Signe Hasso
Cy Coleman Trio
3.52 [552] Tonight!
22Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
the Amazing Garcias
3.53 [553] Tonight!
23Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Dizzy Gillespie
J.J. Johnson
and the Jazz All-Stars.
3.54 [554] Tonight!
26Nov1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
harpist Robert Maxwell
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.55 [555] Tonight!
27Nov1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
Barbara Carroll Jazz Trio
a department store choir
and an escape artist.
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.56 [556] Tonight!
28Nov1956 NYT [Hammond Times]
Host Steve Allen
"A Salute to Switzerland".
3.57 [557] Tonight!
29Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
singer Erin O'Brien
and comedian Don Tannon.
3.58 [558] Tonight!
30Nov1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actor Wendell Corey
singer Erin O'Brien
and the dance team of Conn and Mann.
3.59 [559] Tonight!
03Dec1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.60 [560] Tonight!
04Dec1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.61 [561] Tonight!
05Dec1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Billy Taylor Trio
3.62 [562] Tonight!
06Dec1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guest
Arch Oboler
3.63 [563] Tonight!
07Dec1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actor Charles Laughton
and Diane Marsh Dancers.
3.64 [564] Tonight!
10Dec1956 NYT / TVG
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
Viennese pianist Paul Badura-Skoda
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.65 [565] Tonight!
11Dec1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
Allen Funt
and Hazel Scott.
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.66 [566] Tonight!
12Dec1956 NYT
From Miami
Host Steve Allen
Guests
strongman Jack Walsh
and dancers Page and Bray.
3.67 [567] Tonight!
13Dec1956 NYT / TVG
From Fontainebleu Hotel in Miami.
Host Steve Allen
Guests
violinist Florian Zabach
and comedian Gene Baylos.
3.68 [568] Tonight!
14Dec1956 NYT / TVTG
From Americana Hotel in Miami Beach.
Host Steve Allen
Guests
3.69 [569] Tonight!
17Dec1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
singer Eddie Fisher
Lowell Thomas
and The Inkspots.
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.70 [570] Tonight!
18Dec1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
pianist Buddy Weed
and Lynn Taylor.
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.71 [571] Tonight!
19Dec1956 NYT
Guest Host Gene Rayburn
Guests
actress Nancy Malone
3.72 [572] Tonight!
20Dec1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
"Salute to composers Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane.
3.73 [573] Tonight!
21Dec1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guest
David Ross
[--] Tonight!
24Dec1956 NYT
pre-empted by Christmas Eve Church programming.
3.74 [574] Tonight!
25Dec1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
John Hoppe
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.75 [575] Tonight!
26Dec1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guest
harpist Margaret Brill
3.76 [576] Tonight!
27Dec1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Soprano Vivian Della Chiesa
and cartoonist Walt Kelly.
3.77 [577] Tonight!
28Dec1956 NYT
Host Steve Allen
New Year's Eve Celebration
3.78 [578] Tonight!
31Dec1956 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
New Year's Eve Celebration
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.79 [579] Tonight!
01Jan1957 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guests
folksinger Will Holt
pianist Erroll Garner
and special effects artist John Hoppe.
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.80 [580] Tonight!
02Jan1957 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
vocalist Peggy Connelly
and saxonphonist Lester Young.
3.81 [581] Tonight!
03Jan1957 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actor Ray Bolger
and pianist-vocalist Rita Moss.
3.82 [582] Tonight!
04Jan1957 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actor Sal Mineo
Joe Louis
and Solomon Burke, who will sing a song written by Louis.
3.83 [583] Tonight!
07Jan1957 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
Murray Kaufman with films of Hungarian refugees.
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.84 [584] Tonight!
08Jan1957 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
vocalist Toni Arden
table tennis players Sol Ship and Dr. Gal.
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.85 [585] Tonight!
09Jan1957 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guest
comedian Bernie West
3.86 [586] Tonight!
10Jan1957 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guest
comedian Don Knotts
3.87 [587] Tonight!
11Jan1957 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guest
actor Rory Calhoun
3.88 [588] Tonight!
14Jan1957 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.89 [589] Tonight!
15Jan1957 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.90 [590] Tonight!
16Jan1957 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actress Claire Luce
and vocalist Mark Murphy.
3.91 [591] Tonight!
17Jan1957 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actor Charles Laughton
and singer-pianist Bobby Troup.
3.92 [592] Tonight!
18Jan1957 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
actor Eli Mintz
3.93 [593] Tonight!
21Jan1957 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.94 [594] Tonight!
22Jan1957 NYT
Guest Host Ernie Kovacs
Guest
With vocalists Maureen Arthur
and Peter Hanley
and announcer Bill Wendell.
3.95 [595] Tonight!
23Jan1957 NYT / UCLA
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Bill Neff
Kitty Dolan (Miss Magic Motion)
and Don Elliott and his Jazz Group.
With regular
Pat Kirby
3.96 [596] Tonight!
24Jan1957 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Cuban entertainers
3.97 [597] Tonight! [Farewell program]
25Jan1957 NYT
Host Steve Allen
Guests
Sammy Davis Jr.
Dave Garroway
George Gobel
Buddy Hackett
Gene Krupa
Ray McKinley
Jonathan Winters
and Jayne and Audrey Meadows.
*Note: Final appearance with Steve Allen departing the program.
January 28, 1957 series is called A.M. Tonight "America After Dark" hosted by
Jack Lescoulie, with guest hostess Constance Moore.
Guests were George Gobel, Jayne Mansfield, Roberta Sherwood and former
Presidential candidate Alfred M. Landon.
The show was so unpopular that NBC dropped the show and went back to the
original format in July 1957 with host Jack Paar.
Called "Tonight Starring Jack Paar".
########## Tonight starring Steve Allen ############
############### end of season 2 ###############
##############################################
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