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Season 1 (NBC) (1954-55)
Episode Guide
compiled by The Classic TV Archive
with contributions by: Rina Fox, Tom Alger
references:
TV Guide /
Library of Congress (telnet://locis.loc.gov)
Internet Movie Database (https://us.imdb.com) /
UCLA Film and Television Archive
Syracuse
Herald, Nashua Telegraph, Long Beach Telegram
-------------
CAESAR'S HOUR
-------------
NBC (27Sept54 - 25May57)
Produced by Leo Morgan
Hosted by Sid Caesar
Regulars:
Nanette Fabray (1954-56)
Janet Blair (1956-57)
Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, Pat Carroll, Shirl Conway, Sandra Deel, Ellen
Parker,
Bill Lewis (singer), Earl Wild (pianist)
Bernard Green Orchestra
Announcers: Vaughn Monroe, Joe DeSantis
The show won five Emmys in 1957, but was cancelled because it failed to
top "The Lawrence Welk Show in the ratings.
From tvguide, Syracuse Herald and Long Beach Press Telegram. [RF]
################ Caesar's Hour ###############
############## season 1 1954-55 ##############
##############################################
NBC Mondays 8:00-9:00 pm Eastern (from 27Sept54)
(opposite CBS's "Burns and Allen Show")
This time
slot shared with the anthology series "Producers'
Showcase" every 4th week
[01] Caesar's Hour
27Sep1954 NBC Mon
Guest
Gina Lolllobrigida
with regulars
Carl Reiner, Howard Morris and Virginia Curtis.
*Note: Gina Lollobrigida makes her first "live" acting appearance on American
television.
Also making it's debut tonight was "Tonight" hosted by Steve Allen with guests
Martha Raye and The Inkspots.
[02] Caesar's Hour
04Oct1954 NBC Mon
with regulars
Carl Reiner, Howard Morris and Virginia Curtis.
"The Professor".
[03] Caesar's Hour
11Oct1954 NBC Mon
Guest
Peggy Lee
Synopsis:
Sid introduces a new character, The Commuter.
[--]
18Oct1954 NBC Mon -
pre-empted by Producers' Showcase "Tonight at 8:30".
[04] Caesar's Hour
25Oct1954 NBC Mon
After a week's vacation, Sid Caesar returns to the telewaves with another hour
of comedy and music.
Synopsis:
A movie satire lampooning the haughty aces of the German Air Force in World War
I - done in the familiar fashion
of Sid, Carl Reiner and Howard Morris.
A couple of other comedy sketches, a pantomimic specialty by Caesar and several
dance numbers are featured.
Among the latter will be a novelty dance utilizing the dramatic setting of the
bullring with Luis Caceras in the
stellar role.
[05] Caesar's Hour
01Nov1954 NBC Mon
Guests
Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa, Mel Powell, Steve Jordan, Charlie Shavers and
Eddie Safranski in a jam session with
Sid himself, a professional saxophonist before turning to comedy.
Synopsis:
The three-scene sketch will utilize the talent of Carl Reiner, Howard Morris,
Virginia Curtis and other regulards.
Another dramatic ballet will be featured as well.
[06] Caesar's Hour
08Nov1954 NBC Mon
Guest
Nanette Fabray
with regulars
Carl Reiner and Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
"The Commuter". A sketch on commuters.
Nanette portrays Caesar's wife in a skit.
15Nov1954 NBC Mon -
pre-empted by Producers' Showcase "State of the Union".
[07] Caesar's Hour
22Nov1954 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner and Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
A case of hypochondria and what happens after a chance conversation with a
physician which starts him brooding
over an imaginary illness and eventually sends him to his bed to await the grim
reaper.
Nanette portrays the poor abused wife.
*Note: Nanette Fabray has won a regular assignment on the show.
[08] Caesar's Hour
29Nov1954 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner and Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
Bob Victor (Sid Caesar) the Commuter has a great idea - an off-season holiday at
a dude ranch.
[09] Caesar's Hour
06Dec1954 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, Virginia Curtis and Ellen Parker.
Synopsis:
"The Commuters" sketch and a satire of the Jack Webb series a Russian "Dragnet".
Another ballet by choreographer Boris Runanian rounds out the program.
[--]
13Dec1954 NBC Mon -
pre-empted by Producer's Showcase Special "Dateline".
[10] Caesar's Hour
20Dec1954 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
An unexpected business crisis threatens to separate the Victors during the
holiday season.
[11] Caesar's Hour
27Dec1954 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
There's an amusing opener, "Man to Man" a satire on a show you'll recognize and
we find our Viennese professor
friend "at home". Nanette Fabray sings a spirited version of "Birth of the
Blues" and admirers of the art of bongo
drum beating should catch "Just One of Those Things".
[12] Caesar's Hour
03Jan1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
Sid Caesar gives his impression of what a little boy thinks about after he has
been spanked and sent to bed.
[--]
10Jan1955 NBC Mon -
pre-empted for Producers' Showcase "Yellow Jack".
[13] Caesar's Hour
17Jan1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
Sid and Nanette do a sketch about a wife trying to cure the untidiness of her
husband.
[14] Caesar's Hour
24Jan1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
Sid Caesar satirizes the Hollywood movie industry when he portrays a daredevil
test pilot.
[15] Caesar's Hour
31Jan1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
A comedy sketch satirizing a popular TV musical series with Sid as a dancer and
Nanette as the pop singer.
Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, Virginia Curtis and Elian Parker will join Sid and
Nanette in another "Commuters" sketch.
[--]
07Feb1955 NBC Mon -
pre-empted for Producers' Showcase "The Women".
[16] Caesar's Hour
14Feb1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
Nanette has the perfect Valentine Day sentiment in her song "The Glory of Love".
The guys have a sketch about proving their manhood and asserting their right not
to have to lap up culture in
their non-working hours.
[17] Caesar's Hour
21Feb1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
A satire on the super-duper musical movies of the 30's with an appropriate dash
of the tongue and cheek nonsense.
Nanette has a corny scene as she wraps up all the things every little girl from
the farm over said during her first
assault on New York.
Sid proves again he's a well equipped song and dance man and a brief "commuters"
sketch rounds out the program.
[18] Caesar's Hour
28Feb1955 NBC Mon
Guest
Henny Youngman
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
It's Nanette's birthday and Sid is determined to give his vocabulary a workout
while providing a few gaffaws and
getting ready to take Nan out for a night on the town. Sid runs headon into a
wisecracking nightclub M.C.
played by Henny Youngman.
07Mar1955 NBC Mon -
pre-empted by The EMMY Award Show.
[19] Caesar's Hour
14Mar1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
[20] Caesar's Hour
21Mar1955 NBC Mon
Guest
Eddy Arnold
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
Eddy gets caught in the middle of The Victors (Sid and Nan) argument.
[21] Caesar's Hour
28Mar1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, Virginia Curtis and Ellen Parker.
Synopsis:
A new sports jacket becomes the subject of ridicule for Sid in a Commuter
sketch.
[--]
04Apr1955 NBC Mon -
pre-empted for Producers' Showcase "Reunion in Vienna" special.
[22] Caesar's Hour
11Apr1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
Marlon Brando's starring role in "On the Waterfront" will be burlesqued by Sid
as his satires the Oscar-winning movie.
[23] Caesar's Hour
18Apr1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, Virginia Curtis and Ellen Parker.
Synopsis:
A Caspar Milquetoast type by day, a fearless hero by night, is the dual
personality Sid will play in a silent movie satire.
[24] Caesar's Hour
25Apr1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
Sketches include: Sporting matching suits and black, pompador wigs, Caesar,
Reiner and Morris' spoof rock/do wop groups
when they appeared as 'The Haircuts'. They performed 'So Rare', an over-the-top
ballad, and 'Flippin'' which featured
the three the threesome dancing and/or having spasms to the song.
[--]
02May1955 NBC Mon
pre-empted by Producers' Showcase "Darkness at Noon".
[25] Caesar's Hour
09May1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
"All Aboard". The commuter train sketch brings the gang together.
[26] Caesar's Hour
16May1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
The members of the "Caesaro Opera Company" give their own version of the opera
"Faust".
Also scheduled is another Commuters sketch with a battle developing after Bob
Victor returns from a fishing trip
with a mustache. His wife expresses much displeasure over the situation.
[27] Caesar's Hour
23May1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
A movie satire of "Golden Boy" to fight or to fiddle with amusing results.
Nanette heads the musical contingent through a production number of "Romance".
[--]
30May1955 NBC Mon -
pre-empted for Producers' Showcase "The Petrified Forest".
[28] Caesar's Hour
06Jun1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
Nanette Fabray teams with Bill Lewis, winner of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions
of the Air Award, for a special
production number.
They will give their interpretation of the song "Here I'll Stay".
Sid, Howard and Carl appear in a Commuters' sketch in which they try to make
their backyards into summer playlands.
Included in the ambitious project is the digging of a swimming pool.
[29] Caesar's Hour
13Jun1955 NBC Mon
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris.
Synopsis:
Nanette discovers that Sid has hired a pretty new secretary and she expresses
some violent opinions on "office wives".
Singer Tony Alamo will render a number that was written by Sid.
[30] Caesar's Hour [Last show of the season]
20Jun1955 NBC Mon
Guest
Bill Hayes
with regulars
Nanette Fabray, Carl Reiner, Howard Morris, Virginia Curtis and Ellen Parker.
Synopsis:
Bill Hayes a permanent member of the show's summer replacement series is the
guest.
[--] 27Jun55 NBC Mon -
pre-empted for Producers' Showcase "Wide Wide World".
################ Caesar's Hour ###############
############## end of Season 1 ###############
##############################################
Sid Caesar Presents Comedy Preview
(Summer 1955)
NBC Mondays 8-9pm (4Jul55-12Sep55)
Summer Replacement for "Caesar's Hour"
Produced by Sid Caesar
Also listed as Caesar Presents.
From tvguides, Syracuse Herald and Long Beach Press-Telegram and Independent. [RF]
[01] Sid Caesar Presents
04Jul1955
Guest
Martha Wright
with regular
Phil Foster, Bill Hayes
Synopsis:
The misadventures of a travelling band doing one night stands is the premise.
Phil Foster is featured in the opener, portraying a neighborhood druggist.
Also on hand is Bill Hayes of "Davy Crockett" record fame.
[02] Sid Caesar Presents
11Jul1955
Guest
Jaye P. Morgan
with regular
Phil Foster, Bobby Sherwood
Synopsis:
In one satiric sketch the troupe will dramatize the hardships faced by a summer
theater crew as it battles
the elements to produce an English drawing room comedy.
In another scene Foster, as the neighborhood pharmacist, gets into difficulty
trying to collect old debts.
[03] Sid Caesar Presents
18Jul1955
with regulars
Phil Foster, Sandra Deel, Bill Hayes, Bobby Sherwood
Synopsis:
Sandra worries about the question, "Does romance go out the window after
marriage?"/
[04] Sid Caesar Presents
25Jul1955
with regulars
Phil Foster, Judy Tyler, Bill Hayes, Bobby Sherwood
Synopsis:
Judy sings "Lulu's Back in Town".
[05] Sid Caesar Presents
01Aug1955
Guest
Sonny Gale
with regulars
Phil Foster, Cliff Norton, Bill Hayes, Sandra Deel, Bobby Sherwood
Synopsis:
Nightclub and Recording star Sonny Gale performs with singer Sandra Deel and
Phil Foster who continues to portray
a bewildered, badgered pharmacist appear.
*Note: A lawsuit is filed on Sid Caesar because of the spoof of the movie "From
Here to Eternity" without the
studio's permission, they also blame the box office lag on said spoof.
[06] Sid Caesar Presents
08Aug1955
with regulars
Phil Foster, Sandra Deel, Judy Tyler, Cliff Norton, Bill Hayes, Bobby Sherwood
Synopsis:
Judy sings "What Lola Wants".
[07] Sid Caesar Presents
15Aug1955
with regulars
Phil Foster, Sandra Deel, Cliff Norton, Judy Tyler, Bill Hayes, Bobby Sherwood
Synopsis:
Phil as Charlie Williams the pharmacist and Sandra as his mate become entangled
in the romantic affairs of
Phil's clerk, Cliff Norton and his girlfriend Judy Tyler.
[--]
22Aug1955 NBC Mon -
pre-empted for Producers' Showcase "The King and Mrs. Candle".
[08] Sid Caesar Presents
29Aug1955
with regulars
Phil Foster, Sandra Deel, Cliff Norton, Judy Tyler, Bill Hayes, Bobby Sherwood
Synopsis:
A take-off on wrestling is featured.
[09] Sid Caesar Presents
05Sep1955
with regulars
Phil Foster, Sandra Deel, Cliff Norton, Judy Tyler, Bill Hayes, Bobby Sherwood
[--] 11Sep1955 NBC Sunday - Producers' Showcase: "The
Skin of Our Teeth".
(Not in the Usual Monday night slot)
[10] Sid Caesar Presents [Final show of the series]
12Sep1955 NBC Mon [Syracuse Herald]
with regulars
Phil Foster, Sandra Deel, Cliff Norton, Judy Tyler, Bill Hayes, Bobby Sherwood
Synopsis:
Phil Foster plays cupid as he and Sandra Deel look on happily as bashful Chester
finally marries Judy.
Foster also comes up with another monologue.
Bill Hayes sings "The Ballad of Davy Crockett".
###### Sid Caesar Present Comedy Preview #####
#################### the end #################
##############################################
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